Chapter 18
Kurt had done a lot of thinking after Gene had left, his big lawyer goon beside him. A direct approach was probably best at this point. He had no doubt Gene would have told everyone in her family what had happened Wednesday.
He wasn’t going to give them that long to plan against him. To get her defenses in place even more.
He found himself at her apartment Thursday, early afternoon. Thursdays were the days she worked early hours, and left early, so she could work later hours on Fridays. He hoped her schedule hadn’t changed that much in the eleven weeks since he’d been stupid.
Now…he had to reevaluate.
Greer had apparently moved.
Kurt suspected he knew exactly where his woman had ended up—at the Hiller Castle, with those goon-brothers to protect her.
The door of the apartment next to her old one opened. A young woman stood there. She blinked at him, then a slow smile crossed her face. “Hello, Mr. Chase. Can I help you find someone?”
“You know where Greer Hiller went?” He had no idea who she was—but apparently she recognized him.
“Her? Got all freaked when someone broke into her place. Had her friends help her pack, and she took off.”
“Wait a minute, someone broke in? She wasn’t home when it happened?”
“Nope. But her cat got out. Apartment manager found him. She sent one of her brothers to get him, I think. Why? You can come in and we can talk.”
Yeah, her, him, and whatever alcohol that was on her breath. No thanks.
He had his woman to find after all. “No, but thanks. I’m already Greer’s.”
“You sure about that? I’ve not seen you around here before, and…shouldn’t you know where she went if you were hers?”
“I did something stupid. I’ll make it up to her.”
“I just bet you will.”
He was already heading to his truck.
He knew where she had most likely gone. It might be enemy territory, but…his woman and his baby—maybe—were there. Nothing would stop him from winning this battle. He was going to go find his woman, and just flat-out ask her about the baby.
Then they’d go from there.
He wanted her in his home, his bed, long before the baby made it into the world.
He was going to figure out a way to make that happen.
He’d deal with Gene Hiller when he had everything figured out, when he knew exactly what had happened fifteen years ago.
If Gene was truly responsible for Kevin’s death, Kurt would see to it that Gene paid.
But for now…the baby had to take priority over vengeance for Kevin. Much as he felt like he was abandoning his brother in that regard…the baby’s needs had to come first.
And if there was no baby, well, he was going to capture Greer long before they made one. He’d chase her to the ends of the earth if he had to, to get her.
And just hope she didn’t despise him forever if he had her brother arrested for murdering his.
He still didn’t know how to make that work, though. There was that.
Just lifting her off her feet and carrying her off was probably out.
Unless none of her brothers were around. They could probably stop him if he tried that. Besides, he didn’t want to go to jail right now for abducting the woman of his dreams. There were laws against that, after all.
Kurt was going to find the bastard who had broken in and scared her. And then he’d teach him exactly what Kurt thought about that.
No one would ever hurt her. Ever.
He pulled into the Hiller Ranch’s drive. It was long and winding and his breath caught. As he remembered the photos he’d seen. Of an old green car crumpled and overturned. Right there, around that first bend in the drive.
Where his older brother had died. Because of Gene Hiller and whatever that reckless bastard had done that day. Kurt would never forget the photos of his brother’s body on that road. He just wouldn’t.
Those photos were about all Lassiter had found him that felt authentic. Kurt was still trying to find out why. What secrets had been kept.
He would find his answers someday. Kurt had no doubt about that. But…finding his woman was more immediate. She got too ensconced behind that wall of Hillers, and he might not be able to get her out and to his place, where she belonged.
He parked his truck next to a big flashy red one.
Greer’s little blue SUV was right there.
He made a mental note. He’d have to buy her something a little bigger, with more room. They’d have three carseats to squeeze into the back, and he wanted something safer than that little thing she drove everywhere.
He liked the idea of taking care of her for the rest of their lives, providing for her.
He had enough money now to buy her anything she could ever need.
To him, that mattered. He hadn’t always been able to say that.
He was such a sexist sometimes, but…he’d never really had anyone to take care of or provide for before.
Just the girls. Some of his employees, a little.
It was probably why he tended to pay Luna very well, and see to it she had benefits that went above and beyond.
And Greer. He wanted Greer so much every cell in his body ached for that.
The front door opened the instant Kurt stepped around the front of his truck.
Four tall men filed out. Hell, this wasn’t going to go over well, at all. “Where’s Greer? I need to talk to her.”
Gene Hiller stepped off the porch, fire and brimstone in his eyes, fists balled and ready. “I ought to kill you for what you’ve done to my sister. Tell me, was it revenge or something? That shit with Carly?”
“Greer and I together has nothing to do with you, Hiller. I’m here to talk to her.” He wasn’t going to be intimidated. He was just as big and strong as a damned Hiller.
Of course, there were four of them glaring at Kurt now. But one of the identical ones was a minister. He probably wouldn’t resort to violence or anything. That lowered the odds to three to one. Well, Kurt had had worse odds than that before.
“You aren’t getting near our sister again,” one of the identical ones said. “You’ve done enough damage. Greer’s just a kid, you asshole.”
Ok, from the language, that was the twin to watch out for, then. They were almost dressed identically, too. He’d have to be aware of that. That one was probably not the minister.
“She’s old enough to make her own decisions. Where is she? I’m not leaving here until I talk to her.”
“Then come right in,” Gene said. It wasn’t really an invitation.
“You’re going to be waiting for a while. George and Ronnie took her to the OB I recommended this afternoon,” the one Kurt knew was a doctor said.
“She’s definitely pregnant?” Jubilation shot straight through him. “Hot damn!”
“You didn’t know?” the doctor asked. “She’s twelve weeks.”
“I had hoped. She hasn’t told me yet.” And he definitely wasn’t going anywhere now. “She’s not exactly speaking to me lately. I panicked then screwed up big time and now she’s a bit pissed. But we’ll work it out before our kid comes.”
“You aren’t touching my little sister ever again.”
A man flew right at Kurt.
He should have known. Gene Hiller was a violent man after all.
Kurt fought the bastard with everything he had.
Oh, he’d been waiting for this moment for a long, long time.