Free Little Red: An Everland Ever After Tale by Caroline Lee

It was a surprise, but once I thought about it, I was at peace with their decision. He knew that I was devoted to their work, just like Micah is. But honestly, I didn’t think anything of it until Abuelo passed away this summer.” She looked down. “I didn’t get to say goodbye to him, but I wrote them every week. I know that he knew I loved him.”
    Hank knew that he should comfort her, but he was too dang curious about the will. “And when you decided to go home, Lobo caught you on the train, and said… what?”
    “No, I met him once in Salt Lake City—last month. He said he recognized the cloak, and wanted to talk to me about grandfather. It wasn’t until he started asking questions about the will that I felt uncomfortable and ran.” She looked away, and he wondered what she wasn’t telling him. “That’s when I began to save up for a train ticket home.”
    A sick feeling of dread settled in his stomach, and he sat up, pinning her with a stare. “Did you… did you tell him that you’d read the will?”
    She shrugged, and he could tell she didn’t understand. “I told him that Abuela had inherited everything, and Micah and me after her.”
    “Shoot, Red. Now he knows that you’ve got it, and that you’ve read it, and that’s why he’s after you.”
    “To marry me? But I haven’t inherited the orphanage yet.”
    “But you will. It’s only a matter of time. And what do you want to bet that once he forces you to marry him, your grandmother and brother meet little accidents , leaving you the sole heir?” Her face paled so quick that he thought she might faint, and reached for her.
    She brushed away his hand, taking deep steadying breaths. “You think he’d do that?”
    “You know his reputation. You’re his key to getting his hands on your grandfather’s property.” He could hurt her or kill her, and no one would call him on it, if he was her husband. “No wonder he wants you.” It probably didn’t have anything to do with how dang kissable she looked, chewing on her bottom lip all concerned-like. Hank had to swallow down the memory of her sugar-cookie taste, and focus on her fear now.
    But when she looked up at him like that, like he had all the answers and she needed him, Hank cursed under his breath. Pulling her roughly up against his side, he tried not to gloat at the way she cuddled into him, making him feel like her hero. “Don’t worry, honey.” His voice sounded gruff, even to his ears. “He’s not going to get you. You’ll be alright. I’ll take care of you.”
    “Promise?” Her question was muffled in his coat, but Hank felt it all the way through his soul.
    “Yeah, Red. I promise.” And as the train hurtled towards her home and safety, Hank knew that he’d keep that promise. And the best way to make sure that she was safe in Everland would be removing the threat to her—and her family’s—well-being. He’d have to kill El Lobo .
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER SIX

     
    She was home! Everland looked exactly the way she remembered it. Bigger, of course, but that didn’t really matter. There might be more buildings, but they all had the same Cole and King look that she’d always loved about the town. The pair had teamed up years ago to improve all of the Everland Main Street buildings, and now every storefront included Rupert Cole’s distinctive curlicues and frets and Sam King’s bright colors and cheerful trim. The whole place always put her in mind of a fairy tale village.
    She’d left a few years after the railroad spur had come through, and it had apparently done the town a world of good. There were new businesses, and the old ones were comfortingly familiar. There was Spratt’s Eatery, and the Gingerbread House that Micah and the other young men visited occasionally. And Pedlar’s Mercantile and—oh look! The church social was still going on! Unable to control her excitement, Rojita grabbed a hold of Hank’s hand, and was pleasantly surprised when he didn’t