Chapter 31
Jules
Apparently, there’s a small carnival happening outside of the Steele Mountain Ranch.
They’d set it up as a celebration for the town finishing most of their repairs after the literal shoot out this place had.
Which blows my mind honestly. I still don’t exactly understand what happened a few months ago, but I’m not even sure the guys know all the information.
What they’ve given me is pretty vague so far.
The small carnival is apparently the setting for our date.
Honestly, I’m a little excited. I can’t remember the last time I was ever at a carnival.
So, I get dressed in a comfortable little sundress and sandals and do my best to look cute.
I also can’t remember the last time I was on a real date.
Long before I had to go into hiding for sure and those were supervised.
The carnival is small, made up of only a few small rides, lots of carnival games, and a few food trucks that serve everything from fried Oreos to funnel cakes.
It’s exactly the kind of vibe I love, small, entertaining, and full of life.
The people of Steele are enjoying themselves, children running around from game to game, trying to win the big stuffed animals.
It’ll be here all weekend, so I know I’m going to bring Genie here the next day.
She’d love it and there are a few rides she can actually ride on.
“You any good at basketball?” Cash asks me, gesturing to the carnival game. “They’re pretty rigged so you gotta be extra good.”
“No,” I answer honestly. “But I’m pretty good at the ring toss.”
He grins. “Let’s go do that then.”
I’m dragged from game to game, Cash, Sawyer, and Oak at my side.
They take turns between holding my hand and playing the games.
Each of them decides they’re going to try and win me a stuffed animal so that after an hour, I’m already cradling two in my arms. Oak has the biggest one under his arm so I don’t have to carry it.
“I think that’s enough,” I laugh when Cash insists on winning me an extra panda.
Cash grins. “You can never have enough stuffies,” he teases. “You need that panda.”
Oak bumps his shoulder to mine. “You want a funnel cake?”
“Is that even a question?” I ask, smiling up at him.
“Noted.” When he leans down and pecks me on the lips, I blink in surprise but he’s already gone to get in line for the funnel cake.
“Still not used to it, are you?” Cash grins.
“I doubt I could ever get used to three men proclaiming their love for me and then taking me on the best date ever,” I admit.
Sawyer smiles and reaches out to take my hand. “The best date ever, huh?” He presses a kiss to my forehead. “Well then we for sure need to win you another stuffie. How about the cap gun?”
I expect Cash to step up to it. Instead, Sawyer does.
“You can shoot still?” I ask, surprised.
He winks at me. “Watch.”
The little targets are moving behind the counter. When he takes aim and holds still, I realize he’s listening to the sounds of them moving. His first shot hits one. His second knocks another out.
I gasp. “You can hear them!”
He nods and hits another. “I had good aim before this but . . . well, I had to adapt.”
In the end, he wins me a giant squid stuffie, one that I know Genie will lose her mind over. She loves things with big eyeballs. Don’t know why, but it’s always been a thing.
It’s only as I turn around and see Oak coming back, his hands full with my large stuffed bear and a funnel cake, that I realize someone else is watching me.
At first, I ignore it, thinking it’s just someone watching a woman on a clear date with three men.
And when I do realize who is exactly watching me, I stumble backwards into Sawyer.
His arms come around my shoulders, stopping me from falling.
“Whoa there,” he says. “You good?”
“He’s here,” I rasp, clawing at Cash as he frowns and comes closer.
“Who?” Cash asks, looking around. His eyes land on the one man who looks out of place in the carnival. “Who the hell is the suited asshole?”
It’s not my father, but it is possibly the second worst person I could see here.
Augustus Harrington. CEO of Harrington Enterprises. Rumored to be with the 27 Foundation.
And my fiancé.
Panic seizes me as he starts to walk toward us and I clamor backwards. Oak, sensing my fear, immediately sets the funnel cake down on the nearest table along with the bear before taking a step in front of me. They have no idea what’s happening, but they move to protect me anyways.
“Well, funny seeing you here?” Augustus purrs, his voice as annoying as it always has been. “I’ve been looking for you, Mrs. Harrington.”
It’s a threat. A warning. And I know what this means. I’ve reached the end. I have to leave.
Cash moves closer on instinct, trying to protect me. “Mrs. Harrington?”
Augustus narrows his eyes on him. “This is a conversation between me and my fiancé, asshole. Not for some rat like you.”
I feel them tense but none of them react. I can’t stop my body from trembling, and they all take note. Sawyer has his fingers threaded with mine a second later. On the other side, Cash does the same. Despite my fear, I feel safer than I ever have.
“We know where you are now, Juliet,” Augustus continues. “You think you can escape this time?”
He takes a threatening step forward, like he intends to grab me, but Oak pulls a large knife from his hip and flicks it open. I didn’t even know he had the thing on him. It’s menacing as he holds it loosely in his hand, clearly prepared to use it.
“Take one more step motherfucker and you’re going to wish you were never born,” Oak warns.
Augustus looks at Oak with disgust. “Of all the places, you had to run to this Podunk town and hang out with all these . . . hillbillies,” he says, shaking his head. “Disgusting.”
“I don’t want you here,” I say, my voice less strong than I’d like.
Augustus laughs. “I want what I’m owed, Juliet.”
“I don’t owe you shit,” I spit.
He curls up his lip. “I expect more from a Ward than language like that.”
“Ward?” Sawyer repeats, as if he hasn’t seen my name on the contract. But seeing Augustus here must make him connect the dots because he tenses a second later. “As in the political empire Ward or . . .”
Augustus laughs, looking between the three men protecting me. “They don’t even know who you are, do they?”
Oak starts to press me backwards. “Time to go.”
I let him because I don’t know what else to do. I’m in danger. We’re all in danger. Oh, god. I’m too late.
“Your father sends his love, Juliet,” Augustus goads, clearly amused. “Daddy misses you.”
My heart freezes in my chest as they drag me away.