Chapter 49
Chapter Forty-Nine
R onnie watched Dallas fume as they drove the rest of the way to the inn. “You okay?”
“Yes.” He shook his head. “No.” He shot her a sidelong look when she didn’t respond. “I don’t know.”
She smiled. “I get it. If I ever thought anyone was taking advantage of Margot…”
Dallas nodded, his knuckles whitening where he clenched the steering wheel.
“Look, I get that it might seem like I’m overreacting.
But Eric and his family…” He trailed off with a shake of his head.
Then he let out a sharp exhale. “They’ve made it clear they’ll do whatever it takes to get the contested lakeside land. ”
“And that would be bad,” Ronnie confirmed. She’d heard a little about the Spencer-King drama over the years. She knew there was a history of feuding there but never quite got what it was they were fighting over today.
Dallas snorted. “Yeah, it would be bad. It would be very bad.” He shot her a look as they pulled into the inn’s drive. “Think ugly, modern condos destroying our untouched land.”
She winced. “Got it.”
“We already had to spend way too much money fighting an airstrip?—”
“Seriously?”
He nodded as he turned off the car. “Seriously. They helicopter their rich guests in all the time, but they wanted a private airport as well.”
“Nooo.” She didn’t have to feign her horror. She’d grown up in these parts, and while everyone understood the economic value of wealthy tourists…there were limits. Because everyone in these parts also understood the value of nature and keeping this land as undeveloped, and as pristine, as possible.
Dallas turned to her, and the worry in his eyes had her reaching for his hand and squeezing.
“When I say they’ll do anything, I mean it.” His jaw clenched. “And Willow…she’s way too sheltered. So naive and willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt.”
Ronnie nodded, her own chest tightening with worry on the Kings’ behalf. “And you think Eric would take advantage of that?”
“In a heartbeat.” Dallas met her gaze, giving her hand an answering squeeze. With an apologetic wince, he muttered, “I’ve gotta tell Bailey what’s going on.”
She was already reaching for the handle. “I’m coming with you.”
“You can go rest.” He looked so worried as he hurried around the front of the car to meet her. “I can find you a room and?—”
“Dallas King.” She planted her hands on her hips, her tone teasing. “I know I’ve been leaning on you today, but I sure hope you haven’t gotten it into your head that I’m some sort of damsel in distress.”
His lips twitched with amusement, but he feigned earnest sincerity as he shook his head. “No, ma’am. I would never.”
She gave one sharp nod. “Good. Now, let’s go talk to Bailey.”
He ushered her toward the door with a magnanimous wave.
Once inside, they didn’t have to go far to find Bailey…or the rest of the family. His sister, brother, Giselle, and even Baby Nate were already huddled together in the kitchen talking.
Ronnie listened as Dallas recapped what had just happened. And boy, did Bailey and Brandon take it to heart.
Giselle cast Ronnie a worried frown. They were outsiders together, but they both understood how serious this was.
Bailey looked distraught as she paced the kitchen. “Why did she lie? That’s what I want to know.”
“It’s been going on for a while,” Dallas added. “I know she’s been lying to me, acting all shady when I’ve tried to ask her how she’s doing.”
Bailey stopped and spun to face him, her expression crumpling. “What do you mean?”
“Well, haven’t you noticed her going for really long walks and disappearing on a whim? Since when has Willow cared anything about staying fit.”
Bailey’s eyebrows dipped together and she opened her mouth to argue, then ended up sagging. “She works so hard. I wanted to give her some space, and she always came back so refreshed and upbeat.” Her expression fell, her skin paling. “Have I completely let her down?”
“No, of course not.” Brandon, bless him, looked like he was torn between flying off in a rage and trying to keep everyone calm.
“Maybe she just didn’t want…this.” He threw a hand out to encompass all of them.
“Maybe she just didn’t want us to worry about her.
She always goes on about being a grown woman.
She hates it when we treat her like a kid. ”
“But maybe she still needs protecting,” Dallas shot back. “Maybe this isn’t the first time he’s been ‘nice’ to her.” He used air quotes around the word nice , and he managed to lace it with a world of sarcasm.
“Maybe you should talk to her about it.” Giselle’s suggestion was spoken softly, and Ronnie was pretty sure no one heard until she cleared her throat and stepped into the fray. “Actually, guys…” She clamped her lips together, looking completely torn and guilt-ridden.
“Baby, what is it?” Brandon ran his hand down her arm, instant concern buckling his expression.
She let out a sigh, her shoulders deflating. “I promised I wouldn’t tell.”
“Tell us what?” Bailey pinged straight, her eyes flashing with annoyance until Brandon warned her off with a glare. She huffed, forcing a tight smile. “Tell us what?”
Giselle worried her lip for a second, glancing at Brandon, who gave her a patient nod and a kind smile. “It’s okay.”
“Well…a while back, I saw Willow. In No Man’s Land.
Brandon was giving me a tour of the property, and I spotted her behind your back.
” She looked up at her fiancé with an apologetic wince.
“She begged me not to tell anyone. But I think she must go there a lot. She wouldn’t say why or anything, just that it was her secret place. ”
“So, that’s where she’d been running off to,” Dallas growled. “I knew she’d been sneaking around.”
“Do you think she’s meeting up with him?” Ronnie asked, shocked by the idea. “Why would she do that?”
“I don’t know.” Dallas fisted his fingers on the counter, his entire body tensed in obvious rage.
“He’s probably trying to manipulate her.
Maybe he’s playing nice, and sweet Willow, who never thinks badly of anyone, is being caught in his trap.
Maybe he thinks he can use her to win us over or something.
Try to turn this thing around and claim the land without a fight. ”
“To target Willow of all people?” Bailey’s brow furrowed. “I wish I could say nobody could stoop that low, but we all know Eric Spencer would!”
“Exactly,” Dallas hissed. He and Bailey shared a long, meaningful stare.
Ronnie watched the twins with more than a little fascination. She’d always found them to be highly entertaining, but right now she was seeing a whole new side of their strange relationship.
Each was formidable in their own right, but she straight-up pitied the fool who had to face them as a team.
“What are you thinking?” Brandon asked, because he, too, seemed to realize that the twins were currently sharing a brain and were holding a conversation the rest of them weren’t included in.
“We have to protect Willow,” Bailey said. “From him…and maybe even from herself.” She winced, rubbing her forehead.
A surge of protectiveness hit Ronnie and she nodded, coming to stand next to Dallas. If anyone noticed that he placed a hand on her lower back, they didn’t say anything.
But honestly, she loved Willow like her own sister. And the Lord knew, if anyone ever messed with Margot like that…
She shook off the thought. It would only make her angrier. And this conversation didn’t need any more hot tempers.
Dallas was nodding slowly, his expression so serious it made Ronnie shiver.
He looked at each of his siblings in turn.
“It’s time we stop playing defense and let it be known that we won’t just lie here and take it if the Spencers are going to let their little prince go rogue and hurt our sister in the process. ”