Cohen stares at me for a long moment, the menace coming off him nearly filling the room. He finally says, “If Monroe dies, it will make Winry sad.” Without another word, he turns on his heel and stalks out of the room.

I release the breath I was holding. I expected the coldness from Cohen, same as I expected it from Abel. I didn’t reckon on the reason. I don’t know what to make of that. My brother has been acting strangely, but we’ve all been acting strangely since returning to Sabine Valley, from Abel down to Gabriel. This situation, no matter how much we’ve planned around it, is a lot more complicated than we expected. These Brides aren’t just pawns to be moved about a chessboard at Abel’s whim.

They’re people.

Sabine Valley isn’t just another city for us to linger in until it’s time to move on. It was home once. I know at least half of my brothers hope it will be home again. I don’t know if that’s possible. This place has held some of the happiest and some of the most horrific times of my life. My feelings are too damn complicated, and if I could just scrape the taste of ash from my tongue, maybe I could think properly.

If I can’t figure this shit out and Monroe dies as a result, more than Winry will be sad, and Cohen will be at my throat. Shiloh will be sad. She cares about Monroe enough to get intimate with her, and that’s reason enough for me to have a frank conversation with both of them.

Not because I care.

I want Monroe, but I don’t give a fuck about her. Not one bit.

It takes longer than I want to admit to get my head on straight. By the time I go to the room that’s supposed to be mine and Monroe’s, it’s late. I don’t really expect the women to be asleep—or otherwise engaged—but I knock all the same. Just in case.

A few seconds later, Monroe opens the door and leans against it. She’s wearing an oversized T-shirt and little else. She grins. “Hey, handsome. Come here often?”

“Don’t do that.”

“Why? It’s so funny to see the way your jaw clenches when I do.” She steps back, holding the door open for me. “From the very serious look on your face, I suppose you’re not here for fun.”

“No. I’m not.”

“How unfortunate.”

I step into the room and look around. “Where’s Shiloh?”

“Not back yet.” She shrugs. “I thought she might be with you.”

“She wasn’t.” Despite my best efforts, I can’t help staring at the bed, picturing the sight that greeted me last time I was in this room. I clear my throat. “She’s not happy with me.”