Chapter 27
Kade
“They tried to run Allie off the road last night,” I explain to Calder on the phone as I follow Allie and her two pursuers out of town.
“I followed their tracks and saw them at the bar later. They told Rick they’re in from Utah, same as the family Allie is supposed to be marrying into.
Now, they’re following her from the sheriff’s office. ”
Calder’s voice is quiet when he asks, “And what does any of this have to do with you?”
Fucking hell. Like I want a lecture when the clock is ticking. “Remember when we talked about trust? Me having your back? I need you to have mine now. And we don’t have a lot of time,” I add. “They’re on their way. Allie is headed straight to you.”
“So I don’t have a choice but to get involved.”
“Are you going to step up and help, or not?”
He sighs heavily. “All right. We’ll be waiting to cut them off before they reach my place. Tell Allie to keep driving through. Saint will be waiting at home for her.”
I would thank him, but he ends the call before I have the chance. He’s irritated. That’s his problem. Not like he wouldn’t do the same damn thing if Saint asked him to save her best friend. It’s only my asking that pisses him off.
I call Allie from the burner phone.
“What am I supposed to do?” she shouts before I have a chance to speak.
“My brother will cut them off. All you have to do is keep driving to Saint’s house, all right? She’ll be waiting there for you. Not too fast,” I add, checking my speedometer. “Don’t let them know you know they’re following. Got it? We don’t want to scare them off.”
“Okay,” she says, but she sounds like she’s on the verge of tears.
“So you gave Tanner hell back there, didn’t you?” I ask, trying to calm her down some.
Her surprised laugh tells me that was the right question. I needed to change the subject. “I’m pretty sure he shit his pants. I threatened to sue the entire department.”
“I wish I could’ve watched it on camera. What I saw on the street was bad enough.”
“I made sure he knows I think he’s a waste of taxpayer dollars.”
“He probably already knew that,” I point out.
“That’s true. Anyway, I gave him the same story as always. I almost believe it by now,” she adds with a breathless laugh that tells me she’s still too amped up.
“That’s good,” I tell her, trying to be soothing while making sure not to tail the SUV too closely. Fuck, I should have checked if they were armed while I was watching them. “If you believe it, it sounds more convincing.”
“I guess so.” Anxiety is leaking into her voice again, making it high-pitched. “What do they want with me? Why are they doing this?”
“They want to scare you into confessing something. They want you to feel like the walls are closing in. The more pressure they put on, the more likely you are to crack. But you won’t do that, right? Because you don’t break down.”
“I don’t break down.” If only she’d sound like she believes it.
“There you go. That’s what I want to hear.” We’re getting closer to the ranch now. “I’m gonna let you go and check in with Calder. Make sure they’re ready.”
“What will you do with them?”
“Don’t worry about it. Just worry about getting yourself over to Saint’s.” My other phone rings with Sawyer. “I gotta go.”
I hate getting off the phone with her when she’s so spooked, but I convince myself she’ll be fine as I pick up Sawyer’s call. “Yeah?”
“What the hell is going on?” He sounds tired and maybe disappointed. “Why are you getting involved in Porter shit? Didn’t we already talk about this?”
“We have a couple of guys from out of state harassing our neighbors.”
“And how, exactly, is that our problem?”
“Do this for me. I will explain everything after we find out for sure what their boss wants. This matters a hell of a lot to me, Sawyer.”
“Yeah, well, we’re ready,” he grunts. Because he has to twist my balls before admitting he’s already prepared to help. “Around a quarter mile from the house.”
“We should be there in another couple of minutes. Listen for my horn. I’ll lean on it when we’re coming up.”
Allie turns off the main road. The SUV follows. This road narrows, so there won’t be any room for them to get around Allie or to make a U-turn, with trees growing thick on either side.
I press my hand to the horn to signal my brothers.
The brake lights flicker in front of me like the driver has realized they’re caught in a trap, but it’s too late for them to do anything about it.
Allie’s tires kick up dust, which Calder’s truck cuts through. He blocks the road while Sawyer and Levi jump out, rifles aimed at the SUV. I cut my wheel to the right to block the road, then hit the brakes, making it impossible for them to back up.
“We just want to talk!” Sawyer shouts as I climb out. “This doesn’t have to get messy.”
“You’re on Bishop land,” Calder informs them, exiting the truck with his own rifle at the ready. There’s no movement from the SUV. No attempt to escape. I still approach slowly, a pistol in hand.
I use it to tap on the driver’s side window. “Come on out.”
The two of them are unnervingly calm, showing their hands as they join us. “The man we work for knows where we are,” one of them announces. He’s the one who stepped up to the bar last night, with shifty, dark eyes that dart around like he’s sizing up the situation.
“Does he know you’re trespassing? Because that’s what you’re doing now. This is private property, got it?” Calder announces.
“Why were you following that girl?” I ask while Levi takes their wallets, and we check their IDs. “Mitch and Derek,” I add. Sawyer pulls out his phone to take pictures of the licenses before handing the wallets back.
They lean against their vehicle, hands visible, smirking at each other. The way people do when they think they’re going to get away with something. I can practically hear their silent conversation. They’ll be sorry they ever did this.
“Who said we were following anyone?” Mitch asks, still glancing around like he’s waiting for an ambush.
“Because I was following you,” I tell him. “I know you’re from out of town. I know you were following her around. You were waiting for her outside the sheriff’s station. Why?”
“What’s it to you?” Derek asks before spitting on the ground. “We have a job to do.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch my brothers staring hard at me. They want the answer to that question, too. “She’s a friend of mine.”
Mitch shrugs under his fleece-lined denim jacket. “Well, our boss wants us to follow your friend. That’s our job.”
“Why?” Levi asks.
“Who hired you?” Sawyer demands. I know who did, but I won’t give up the name in front of these assholes. That’s for them to offer.
Derek scoffs. “None of your business. As for trespassing, we weren’t aware we were on your land. We’ll be glad to leave.”
“I don’t much care what your boss wants.” Ignoring my brothers, I step up to them, looking from one to the other. “You’ll leave her alone, unless you want us to get better acquainted.”
“You don’t know who you’re screwing with,” Mitch warns.
My brothers raise their weapons.
“I think it’s you who doesn’t know. Got it?” I reply with a smile that knocks the smugness off their faces. “And don’t bother getting law enforcement involved in this. If it’s between your boss and us, we’ll win. Bet on it.”
They don’t look so sure of themselves anymore when they exchange another glance. “Fine,” Mitch mutters.
“You’re gonna be good boys and leave the girl alone?” I ask.
“He said fine,” Derek grits out. Mitch only glares at me.
A quick look at my brothers tells me they’re satisfied. “All right. Get your asses off our land.” I return to the truck and pull it off to the side of the road so they can back up, then make an awkward turn as soon as there’s enough space on either side.
I’m climbing back out when the window rolls down on the passenger side. “You’ll regret sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong,” Mitch warns. I’m supposed to feel intimidated, but I only chuckle before they pull away.
Now, the real challenge will be explaining this to my brothers.
Sawyer wastes no time tearing into me. “Now, can I ask why the hell you’re getting involved in this shit?” His disappointment is pretty fucking obvious.
“This is about that guy Emma set Allie up with, isn’t it?” Levi asks. “He went missing after the gala.”
“I’m guessing it is.” I shrug.
“You know it is,” Calder snaps. He looks at Sawyer. Sawyer looks at Levi.
Now I get it, and understanding makes me grit my teeth. “Wait a minute. Fuck off,” I grunt, shaking my head at them. “Do you think it was me? You’re assuming I did something, and that’s why I give a shit.”
Calder runs a hand over his head before letting it drop with a sigh. “That’s one thing I wanted to have a talk about,” he announces. “There have been some rumors around town.”
Suspicion leaks into my confidence, turning it sour along with my stomach. I do my best to play it off—it’s second nature by now. “What kind of rumors?”
“The kind where the guy who was supposed to inherit your biological mom’s ranch went missing right after you announced you were her heir.”
It’s so fucking obvious.
How did I not already hear this? Oh right. I’ve been focused on Allie.
I thought I had everything planned out. Like I was looking at this from all angles, anticipating every move, and staying a few steps ahead. The sound of faint laughter on the chill breeze makes my shoulders lift. Where is it coming from?
It’s coming from inside my head. It’s Roman fucking laughing at me, taking pleasure in this. He always did think I was less than nothing, completely worthless. He’d have a great time with this, watching my plans fall to pieces.
“Did you do it?” There’s no judgment in Calder’s question, not exactly, though that doesn’t make it any easier to hear. “Tell us.”
“We can’t help you if you don’t tell the truth,” Sawyer adds.
“And if I said yes?”