Wife Number Seven (The Compound, #1)(91)

“I can’t stay here,” Rebecca whispered.

“But you’re—”

“What?”

“You’re pregnant . . . with Lehi’s baby.”

Rebecca’s hands wrapped around the slight curve in her abdomen and she sobbed.

Aspen’s heart was tugged as she watched Rebecca come to the realization that she was trapped. She wrapped her arms around Rebecca, allowing her to sob against her chest. Aspen’s hands created large circles on her sister wife’s back, attempting to soothe, urging her to calm.

“We’ll figure this out. We’ll get you out of here.”

“Really?” Rebecca looked up hopefully, her eyes swollen and red.

“Yes. Both of us. If you can pull yourself together, I have an idea. Can you do that? Lehi is expecting us.”

Aspen waited while Rebecca sucked in several deep breaths to calm herself. Normally her lack of patience would have gotten the best of her, but for this—for this, she needed Rebecca to be at her calmest. She needed her to be cool and collected.

After several minutes, Rebecca wiped her cheeks completely dry, took another cleansing breath, and spoke.

“All right, I’m ready.”

? ? ?

“Both of you?” Lehi shouted, his arms crossed in front of his broad chest. Leandra stood at his side, glaring at Aspen and Rebecca, but Aspen was undeterred. She wouldn’t surrender those forgeries. Not until she was satisfied with their bargain.

“Yes,” Aspen said, her face made of stone. She wouldn’t let Lehi know how intimidated she was. She couldn’t. Or they’d never succeed.

“That wasn’t our arrangement. I agreed to let Brinley go . . . that’s it. Nothing more.”

“The arrangement has changed,” Aspen said. Her heart pounded madly within her chest. “Now we want more.”

“How dare you,” Leandra snapped.

“Consider the facts,” Aspen said, laying out her argument. “You’ll still have five wives and twenty-two children. It will be a smaller household, less mouths to feed, more room in the home.”

“We don’t want a smaller household,” Leandra shot back.

“What you don’t want is two wives living under your roof who despise you. One of them who knows your secrets, who knows what you’ve done.”

“And you?” Lehi said, glaring at Rebecca. “Why do you want to leave?”

“I need a fresh start, Lehi. Please. Losing Burt, and now Brinley. It’s just too much. I don’t belong here.”

Rebecca stared down at the hardwood, and Aspen knew why. If she looked at Lehi, she wouldn’t be able to hide her rage, then Lehi would know his secret was revealed. And then they’d both be in grave danger.

“But you’re carrying my baby! How am I supposed to request this? The prophet will never agree. Never!”

“We’ll take the blame, Lehi. Tell him whatever you like. I’m sure the two of you can come up with something.” Aspen’s words were snide, meant to pierce, to remind Lehi and Leandra of what they’d done. “But you must have us reassigned. Send us to Texas, send us across the compound. Just tell the prophet that we must be removed from this household.”

“There are wives needed in Texas,” Lehi said slowly.

Aspen knew his wheels were spinning, considering the proposition. She knew she needed to push just a bit harder, to make sure he saw the benefits of this decision.

“We’ll be far away. You won’t be reminded of any of this. Of Brinley, of us. Of Burt.”

Lehi inhaled abruptly, closing his eyes as he exhaled. He said nothing, so Aspen continued to plead her case.

“Once we have word that we’re being reassigned,” Aspen said convincingly, “you’ll have the notes, every last one of them. Of that you can be sure.”

“No.” Lehi shook his head. “Rebecca stays. You may go, Aspen. But Rebecca must stay here.”

Aspen was appalled. She threw her head back in disgust, knowing that Lehi was challenging her, asserting his power over her and all of the wives. Well, it wouldn’t work. “No, that’s not what I—”

“I don’t care what you said. I will not request that she be reassigned.” Lehi stepped toward Aspen, his nose almost touching her forehead as he bent down to speak. “You don’t make the decisions in this house. I do. I don’t care what proof you think you have.”

“Then I’ll tell the prophet. I’ll tell everyone, I’ll—”

“Stop,” Rebecca said, placing her hand on Aspen’s arm. “Aspen, no.”

Aspen couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her eyes grew wide as she turned to Rebecca, trying desperately to understand. “What?”

“I’ll stay.” Rebecca raised her eyes to meet Lehi’s gaze. “I deserve this. For what I did to Brinley, I’ll stay. It’s my penance from Heavenly Father. And I accept it.”

“No, Rebecca, don’t—”

“It’s fine,” Rebecca said, squeezing Aspen’s hand as a tear slid slowly down her cheek. “It’s how things are meant to be. You go. Start fresh. Embrace a new family and be free of this, all of this. Even me.”

Aspen paused before asking, “Are you sure?” She wanted to give Rebecca every opportunity to change her mind. She wanted to shake her, to scream in her face, to insist that Rebecca would one day regret this decision.