Witless: Lonely Souls, #3

By Autumn Reed

Too much, too soon.

 

At least, that's how I should feel about my world being turned inside out in the span of a few short months.

 

And, yet, I can't bring myself to regret any of my choices. If I hadn't returned to Moss Harbor, I never would have uncovered the truth about my mother's death. Or allowed Hayle, Tristin, and Leo Sharpe back into my heart.

 

Except, now that I've found love, I'm not sure I have the power to hang onto it.

 

Sharpe family secrets continue to unravel, threatening everything I've built with the brothers. In the end, our determination to stick together may be the only thing that keeps us from falling apart.

 

 

**Witless is the third book in the Lonely Souls trilogy, a contemporary reverse harem inspired by the characters of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Autumn Reed
• Release date: Oct 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9798201784300

Autumn Reed

Autumn is a lifelong bookworm with a penchant for sarcasm. She loves cloudy days, fluffy dogs, and murdering succulents. When she isn't bringing daydreams to life on the page, she can be found behind the lens of a digital camera or binge-watching Veronica Mars. To read more about Autumn Reed, visit www.autumnreed.com.

Book preview

Chapter One

Thea

---

I guess you caught me.

Balancing on my uninjured leg, I whirled to find Hayle’s mother standing behind me, wearing a sneer as she brandished a large kitchen knife.

Son of a wicked witch.

I was screwed.

Even if I didn’t have a broken leg, there was nowhere to run. Lily stood between me and the interior of the house, and she’d easily be able to cut me off if I headed toward the door at the other end of the greenhouse.

I glanced around for gardening shears or a hoe or rake or anything that I could use for a weapon. But, unless I chucked a pot of flowers at her, I was out of luck. My crutches might be my only salvation against whatever crazy was going on right now.

Unsure what else to do, I gave Lily an overly bright smile. I think I’m the one who’s been caught. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come in here without your permission.

She took a single step toward me, and I couldn’t help but notice a wildness in her eyes I hadn’t seen before. Usually, she appeared overly calm, if not melancholy.

Not now.

Now, she appeared primitive and freaking pissed.

Lily pointed the knife directly at me, and even though there was a table of plants and at least eight feet between us, I limped back a few paces. You’re just like your mother. You think you can waltz in here and take him away from me. She took another step toward me. Well, you can’t. I won’t let you.

My mother…the silver shoes. Those stiletto heels should make a decent weapon, even if it meant throwing them at her head.

I’m not trying to take Vincent away from you, I assure you.

As I spoke, I slid my forgotten tote off my shoulder and reached in for one of the shoes, careful to keep the action as subtle as possible. I hated to misuse either of the beautiful heels this way, but desperate times called for desperate measures. And Hayle’s mother inching toward me with a knife certainly qualified as a desperate time.

Vincent? She laughed with her whole body, her long, black hair swaying with the movement. I don’t care about him.

Even as I clutched the shoe in one of my trembling hands, I tried to focus on what she was saying. She didn’t care about Vincent? Then, who was she talking about?

Hayle, you silly little girl, Lily said, answering my unspoken question. You’re trying to turn him against me, just like your mother did all those years ago.

If I’d had any doubt as to her current state of sanity, those words expelled them in an instant. She thought I was trying to turn her son against her? Like my mother had? What the hell was she talking about?

I tried to fit the pieces together, but it was practically impossible to arrange my thoughts into any semblance of order when she kept advancing toward me, knife in hand. All I knew was that I had to be smart about this. If I overreacted, she might attack. But, if I stayed calm, maybe she would as well.

Or, so I hoped.

Lily, I promise I’m not trying to turn Hayle against you. I know how much he loves you, and I wouldn’t do that to him.

Her answering smile was cold, and for a second, I couldn’t help but think that Tristin could have been her son instead of Hayle. Because he was the only person I knew who could throw that much ice my way.

I know he’s been abandoning me these last few weeks to be with you.

Only because of my injury, I insisted, hoping my voice wasn’t shaking as much as my body. But I’m better now, which means he’ll be back to spending all of his extra time with you.

Lies, she hissed.

And that’s when I knew there was no reasoning myself out of this situation. Lily wasn’t interested in the truth. She just wanted to make me pay.

I couldn’t run. I had to fight.

As she rounded the table that had been separating us, I raised my arm and hurled a silver stiletto at her. It slammed into her cheek, and she recoiled. But her surprise only lasted a second, because in another, she was lunging toward me. You bitch!

Out of options, I swung one of my crutches at her. She caught the end and yanked me toward her, and I stumbled, falling onto my hands and knees mere feet from her. Pain lanced through my still-healing leg, but I didn’t let it consume me. I couldn’t.

While Lily clambered for the knife she must have dropped, I frantically searched the concrete floor for another weapon while scooting as far away from her as I could get. One of my hands met metal, and I gripped it, identifying the object as the sprayer end of a hose.

Knife in hand once again, my attacker stalked forward, that creepy, cold smile still on her face. I’m almost sad I poisoned your mother, because killing you like this will be so much more rewarding.

I sucked in a harsh breath, but I didn’t have a chance to further process her confession. She hurtled toward me, the silver glint of the blade aimed at my chest spurring me to make one last, desperate attempt to protect myself.

Right before she reached me, I lifted the nozzle and sprayed a heavy stream of water directly into her eyes. Lily screeched and batted at her face like I was dousing her in acid instead of water.

What the fuck is going on? Hayle’s voice suddenly boomed from the doorway, and if I’d been standing, my knees would have buckled in relief.

Chapter Two

Hayle

---

The scene before me was like something out of a nightmare. Except stranger. Much, much stranger.

My mother shrieked while Thea sprayed water in her face with the garden hose. It was the most confusing sight I’d ever witnessed, even without the added what the fuck of Mom hovering over Thea, who was lying on the ground, her skirt riding up to mid-thigh.

At the sound of my voice, my mother twisted toward me, and the water finally shut off. I jogged to them, my thoughts scattered. I wasn’t accustomed to having trouble processing information. But there was absolutely no way to make sense of this situation.

Hayle. Mom threw herself into my arms and began sobbing against my chest. She attacked me out of nowhere. I don’t know what’s wrong with her.

An expression of pure incredulity passed over Thea’s face as she put the sprayer down and wiped at the water soaking her clothes and legs.

I instinctively understood that I was supposed to be angry with Thea. That I was supposed to defend my mother and berate the girl I…uh, cared about. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Because I, more than anyone, knew that Mom wasn’t completely stable. And whatever had happened here, I didn’t believe that Thea had attacked her unprovoked. She wouldn’t do that.

Tristin reached Thea’s side, snapping me out of my wandering thoughts. With the almost unbelievable chaos we’d walked into, I’d totally forgotten about his presence.

He knelt by her side. Holy shit. Are you okay?

Thea nodded. Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay. She sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as him.

As he helped her slowly rise to her feet, she winced with the movement. Had she reinjured her leg? I itched to go to her, but my mother was gripping onto my arms so tightly, I had a feeling I’d have to pry her off with a crowbar.

What happened? Tristin asked, slipping an arm around Thea’s waist to anchor her to him. And, yeah, I wished that was me.

She looked from him to me and then down at the water-stained concrete floor. It’s, um, complicated.

Mom stopped crying suddenly and peered up at me. I already told you want happened. That girl attacked me. She dug her nails into my biceps. You believe me, right?

Shit.

I’d always had a soft spot for my mother, and I’d thought it was a good thing. I mean, wasn’t loving and supporting your mother a Commandment or something? But I also knew she was capable of emotional blackmail, and that may very well be what was happening right now.

I glanced over her shoulder to Tristin, using my eyes to plead for help. I couldn’t do this—couldn’t choose between my mother and Thea.

He must have gotten the message, because he suggested, Why don’t we go inside and talk this through? I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.

Was he really sure? Because I sincerely doubted that whatever explanation was given would be in the least bit reasonable.

I’ll make some tea, Mom offered, finally releasing my arms.

But Thea didn’t respond. Didn’t even move. If I didn’t know better, I might think she was in shock.

Tristin stepped away from her to retrieve her crutches. After grabbing both, he paused and reached for something else. He held up what looked like a black hoodie and asked Thea, Is this yours?

She laughed, sounding half-hysterical. Yes, though it’s been missing since around the time Bodie’s car was tampered with.

I narrowed my eyes at her and then the sweatshirt. What was she saying?

The police had told us that a female wearing a black hoodie was responsible for removing the lug nuts on two of Bodie’s tires the night of his accident. But I knew Thea wasn’t behind it. She’d been home that night, and Detective Dyck didn’t even consider her a serious suspect.

Where did it come from? I asked.

I found it over there. She gestured toward the corner a few feet from where she stood. It was stuffed onto the middle shelf.

My mother sighed heavily. I have no idea what she’s talking about.

Thea scowled at Mom, a look I’d never once seen on her beautiful face. Not even when Tristin was being a jackass. When her gaze flicked back to me, her expression softened, though she still wore a grimace.

There’s more. Lily came after me with a knife. She searched the floor and, finding what she was looking for, pointed. There. Sure enough, a chef’s knife with an eight-inch blade had slid under the counter. And she admitted to poisoning my mother.

What? Tristin barked, but if Thea replied, the sound was drowned out by the roaring in my ears.

She couldn’t have said what I thought she just said. My mother…poisoned Amber? No, it wasn’t true. Mom had issues, sure, but she wasn’t a murderer. She hovered and made brownies and spent too much time in her greenhouse. And, yeah, she’d always been a bit flighty and impulsive. Moody, even. But she’d also been fun and affectionate and—

Time moved in slow motion as Mom moved past me and lunged at Thea. I grabbed her around the waist just in time, but that didn’t stop her from shouting, She’s lying. She’s trying to take you away from me. She wriggled in my arms, attempting to break free. To turn you against me. You believe me, don’t you?

I looked from her to Thea and then forced my gaze beyond both of them. My mother was asking me to choose between them, and that was something I could never do.

Chapter Three

Thea

---

Take Lily to her bedroom, Tristin commanded in a voice I’d never heard from him before. It was hard, but it was anything but cold. Authority emanated from every pore as he spoke to Hayle and stepped in front of me, shielding me from my would-be attacker.

And I was more grateful for his presence than I could even comprehend. He might be shit at protecting me from himself, but I had no doubt he would stand between me and Lily forever, if need be.

I d-d-don’t under-understand.

My heart clenched as Hayle tripped over his words. I hadn’t heard a single trace of his childhood stutter since returning to Moss Harbor. But if it was going to resurface at any moment, this would be the one.

Because, what the shit?

I still couldn’t believe Lily had come after me like that. And her confession about my mother seemed like something out of a dream. Or a nightmare. I couldn’t decide which.

Tristin took a few more steps toward Hayle and Lily, stretching his arms out, as though he was herding them. We’ll figure it out, but you need to get your mom out of here.

She had finally stopped writhing and wasn’t even looking in my direction, so Hayle pressed a hand to her back. Come on, Mom. Why don’t you lie down for a while?

Tea, was all she said in response.

Okay, we’ll get you some tea.

Right before walking through the door into the house, he glanced back over his shoulder at me, a look of pure torment on his now-ashen face. I wanted to give him some sign of encouragement—reassurance that this would all be okay—but I had nothing to give.

Not when he was currently comforting the woman who had murdered my mother and had seemed intent on doing the same to me.

Thea.

Tristin was suddenly standing before me, and I lifted my head to meet intense aquamarine eyes. He pressed his hands into my shoulders. Are you okay? Physically, I mean. Do you need to go to the emergency room?

I shook my head.

My entire body was shivering, from the water now clinging to my clothes or because I was coming down from an adrenaline rush, I wasn’t sure. Probably both. But I didn’t need urgent medical attention. Hopefully, the pain rolling up and down my injured leg would be temporary.

With one hand still on my shoulder, he reached into his pocket and retrieved his cell phone. A few moments later, he was saying, You need to get to the cottage. Bring our father and a first aid kit.

Through the phone, I could hear Leo respond with, What’s going on? Is Thea hurt?

She’s okay, but she has some scrapes we need to clean up.

At that, I stepped away from Tristin enough to look down at my hands and knees, only now realizing that they were, indeed, scraped up. It must have happened when I’d smashed into the concrete floor. Of course, now that I’d noticed the small cuts, there was no way to ignore the stinging pain they caused.

Leo said something else on the other end of the line, but I was now too far away to hear.

Get rid of him, Tristin replied harshly. I don’t care how.

Him. They must have been talking about Tobias. In all of the chaos of the last few minutes, I’d almost forgotten that my best friend from Kansas had shown up out of the blue, surprising me for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving. Had it really only been a couple of hours since we’d all sat down together to eat the delicious meal Susan had prepared? It didn’t seem possible. I felt older than I had then.

And damn tired.

Oh, and bring Thea a change of clothes, Tristin added before hanging up, not giving his brother a chance to respond.

After returning his phone to his pocket, he peered at me, seeming not to know what to do next. He crossed his arms over his chest, then dropped them, before finally shoving them in the pockets of his jacket. I know this isn’t the time to get into all of it, but I’m sorry.

All of what? Maybe I’d hit my head again, because I had no idea what he was apologizing for.

Apparently sensing my confusion, his mouth tipped up into an almost-smile. To be more specific, I’m sorry for all of the times I was an ass to you. And, yes, I know there have been a lot. He dipped his chin, his stance more slumped than rigid for once. But I couldn’t go another minute without saying it. I’m so damn sorry, Thea.

I remained silent, waiting for his eyes to meet mine once again. When they did, they were so full of contrition, I could have sworn I felt his regret glide off of him and crash into me like a wave.

The apology was a soothing balm to my soul, but I knew it wasn’t enough. He’d helped Leo and Hayle take care of me for the last few weeks, making a clear effort to get along with his brothers. He’d finally made peace with Violet. Most importantly, he’d stayed in Moss Harbor, when he’d intended to run away the day after the charity ball.

Still, I needed something else from him. I didn’t know what it was, couldn’t describe it even if he asked me to. It was just there, holding me back from telling him everything was forgiven and forgotten.

When too much time had passed for me to deliver a simple response, Tristin gave me a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. I get it. I’m not expecting anything. I just needed you to know that out of all the shitty things I’ve done, I’m most ashamed of hurting you.

Then, he scooped me into his arms and started walking toward the house. When I released a shocked gasp, he chuckled. No crutches until your hands heal.

Right. My crutches. My hands. My leg. I hadn’t been thinking about any of it while Tristin had been pouring out his heart and I’d remained silent, like I had no words left to give.

Maybe I didn’t.

At least, not right now.

Not when I was going to have to tell all of the Sharpe men the entire story of what had happened with Lily. Leo was going to lose his mind. Hayle was going to withdraw. And Vincent…hell, I had no idea how he would react.

Somehow, Tristin had become my solace in this storm. He was the only one I could count on to be rational, and that’s what I needed right now. To find a way past the field of emotional land mines standing between me and finally attaining justice for my mother.

He was carefully placing me on the couch in the living room when the eldest Sharpe brother sprinted through the front door, his expression frantic. Thea. Leo sighed my name as he knelt before me, inspecting my injuries. What the fuck happened? And why are your clothes wet?

It’s a long story, I hedged. I didn’t want to do this more than once.

Where’s Dad? Tristin asked.

On his way.

And, Tobias?

Even though Tristin had posed the question, Leo looked at me. I told him that we were having a family-only get together with Hayle’s mom. He glanced back toward the greenhouse, like Hayle and Lily might suddenly appear. Where is—

Lily’s bedroom, Tristin answered, interrupting the question. She, uh, needed to rest.

Leo narrowed his eyes on his brother. You’re acting strange. Well, stranger than usual.

Pretty sure it’s contagious, Tristin muttered.

Leo ignored his response and got to work disinfecting my cuts and covering them with bandages. He opened his mouth several times but closed it again before any more questions could pop out. I appreciated his restraint, though I was too dazed to tell him so.

After finishing the first aid, he helped me slip into one of his sweatshirts and a pair of gym shorts while his brother turned his head the other direction. Normally, it probably would have been a good time for an uncomfortable joke about them both having seen me naked. If there was ever a good time for that kind of joke.

Hayle appeared—alone, thankfully—a few minutes later, a deflated version of how he’d started the day. His skin was pale almost to the point of looking sallow, his deep brown eyes were bleak, and his white button-down shirt was as rumpled as his hair. It had probably only been fifteen minutes since he’d taken Lily away from the greenhouse, but it might as well have been days.

When he saw me nestled between Tristin and Leo on the couch, he sighed tiredly. She wasn’t going to hurt you.

My stomach churned with dread at his words. Hayle was taking his mother’s side—I knew it as surely as I knew I loved to procrastinate. No matter what I said from here on out, I was going to transform into the villain in his eyes.

All of the progress he and his brothers had made over these last few weeks would be lost. Because Leo and Tristin would stand by me. I could see it all playing out in my head. Hayle would shut himself off from all three of us, setting himself apart by choice. Just like he always had.

And I wasn’t sure if there was a damn thing I could do to stop it.

Chapter Four

Thea

---

Someone better tell me what the hell is going on. Vincent had only made it halfway through the threshold before voicing the demand. His expression was stoic, but it was impossible to miss the annoyance in his demeanor.

Tristin gestured to the only chair in the small living room. Dad, why don’t you have a seat?

So, he was taking control again. I was good with that.

Vincent sat before looking between each of us. Well?

Leo lightly gripped my thigh. You’re up.

I wiped my clammy hands on my borrowed shorts and searched for something to focus on other than Vincent across from me. My gaze snagged on a framed photograph of a bee perched on a bright yellow flower. That would have to do.

It started with my mother’s silver shoes. Hayle mentioned Lily used to have a pair just like them, and then Susan told me my mother had them with her the day she died. I was curious and wanted to see if Lily knew anything about them.

I went on to describe how I’d showed up at the cottage, and when no one answered the door, I’d wandered out to the greenhouse. How I’d been admiring the flowers when I spotted the black hoodie—my black hoodie—shoved into one of the shelves.

Why would Lily have taken your hoodie? Leo asked, clearly not rising to my level of natural suspicion.

She thinks Mom sabotaged Bodie’s car, Hayle answered coldly, and in spite of myself, I turned my head to look at him. He stood with his back against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. And he was scowling. Not at me, exactly, but at the situation.

How would she have even known about Bodie’s involvement in setting me up? Tristin asked. He looked at Hayle. Did you tell her?

No, Leo replied instead, understanding seeming to dawn on him all at once. Thea and I told her. He glanced down at me, and I nodded for him to continue. When we got back to the house after talking to Violet and that sorority girl who was involved, Lily was there. We told her and Hayle everything.

So? Hayle said petulantly. That doesn’t mean anything. Why would she even go after Bodie?

Why would she go after Thea with a knife? Tristin shot back.

I felt Leo stiffen next to me. What?

Thea. Vincent said my name like a command, and I instinctively obeyed, probably because I didn’t want to face Leo’s wrath right then. Are you absolutely certain that the hoodie in question is yours?

Yes. There’s a small tear on the cuff that was already there when I bought it at the thrift store.

When did you discover it was missing?

I glanced up at Leo. That day we went to Friday Harbor. I thought it was strange that I couldn’t find it, but I figured I’d probably left it somewhere.

Okay, Vincent replied. Please continue with your story.

Returning my gaze to the bee, I described what happened when Lily caught me in the greenhouse. I attempted to fill in every detail, from Lily’s claims that I was trying to steal Hayle away from her—like my mother had—to her attempts to take me down with the massive kitchen knife. Leo muttered curses under his breath, Tristin slipped his hand gently into mine, and Hayle scoffed in disbelief at least once. But I didn’t look at any of them. I was going to get this out, no matter what anyone thought about what I was saying.

Lastly, I told them, word-for-word, what she’d said about poisoning my mother.

And, then, I waited.

Here’s what’s going to happen, Vincent said almost immediately. I’m going to get Lily into the best mental health facility I can find, so she can get the help she so obviously needs. He stood. Hayle, you stay here and keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn’t go anywhere. Tristin and Leo, help Thea back to the house. And none of you will breathe a word of this to anyone. This is a private, family matter, and we need to keep it that way.

A sudden coldness struck my chest and slithered outward, moving through veins and bones and skin. That was it? He was going to have Lily committed and then wash his hands of the whole thing?

I shouldn’t have been surprised. This was Vincent Sharpe we were talking about, after all. But I still couldn’t wrap my mind around it. He hadn’t even reacted to the news that his ex-wife had poisoned his fiancée.

What kind of person could remain apathetic in the face of that kind of revelation? Tristin had never been the heartless one. It had always been his father.

Leo shot to his feet. What the fuck, Dad? You can’t sweep this under the rug. Lily murdered Amber, for god’s sake. And it sure looks like she went after Bodie. Not to mention that she tried to kill Thea with a fucking knife. This is not okay.

Stop it, Hayle snapped. She’s not a murderer. She’s just…not.

I agree. Vincent gave his son the closest thing I’d ever seen to an encouraging smile from him. At the most, Lily is delusional. Which is exactly why we need to get her help.

So, you think Thea is lying? Leo accused.

No. I think that what sounded to Thea like a confession was the rambling of a confused, disturbed woman. I’ve suspected that Lily has had deeper psychological problems for a while now, and this incident confirms those suspicions.

I wanted to laugh. I wanted to cry. I wanted to rail at the entire fucking world.

No