Chapter Four #2
“And tell him what, Colt? That you want to open an investigation into the local sheriff because you think he might be threatening the woman you’re trying to get next to?
Even you know that Hargrove wouldn’t entertain your request. And considering the man told me he wants to promote you, I don’t think you want him thinking history is repeating itself with you.
You’ve worked too long and hard to prove yourself, Colton.
You can’t throw it away now simply because you want to protect Seneca.
I hate to say it, but Holden might be her best way out of this. ”
Jackson’s logic was not winning him any awards with Colton at the moment.
He wasn’t wrong about his assessment of the current situation.
Between Seneca’s record, Colton’s history in the military, and what would look like his questionable involvement with Seneca, there was no way Hargrove would allow the use of manpower and resources to take on a dirty cop.
“Colton, as your friend, and a man who watched a psychopath put a gun to the head of the woman I love, I feel for the position you’re in.
But as your superior officer, I am ordering you to stand down and not interfere with Holden’s case.
I will not allow you to ruin the career and life you’ve rebuilt from the ashes.
Please listen to me. Don’t force my hand and make me go to Hargrove about this. ”
They’d been friends since childhood and had protected each other through some really rough times. The resigned expression and soulful look in Jackson’s eyes were all Colton needed to see to know his friend wasn’t tossing out an empty threat. He meant what he’d said.
Unsure of what his next move was, Colton headed for the door.
“Where you headed now?” Jackson asked.
“To go see if I can keep a certain network director from killing me with her keyboard.”
“In the event you can’t, I’ll make sure you get the full-service Texas Ranger memorial ceremony, seeing how you died in the line of duty.”
Colton didn’t bother to answer him, just waved a dismissive hand in Jackson’s direction before heading to the door. He and Seneca needed to get some things straight. No time like the present as far as he was concerned.
*
Seneca paced back and forth as her stomach turned inside out. It was a good thing she hadn’t shown up for breakfast this morning at the main house. As tasty as one of Aja’s meals would’ve been, the tension pulling at her insides wouldn’t have blended well with it.
She knew that wasn’t the only reason she’d stayed away. But thinking about Colton and his lies only made her feel worse, so she ignored his mandate that she be there and pretended he wasn’t a reason she’d missed eating with the group.
She felt her phone buzz in her back pocket, interrupting the marathon of thoughts running through her head at once. She stopped, noting the number to the security booth at the back gate.
“Morning, Ms. Daniels. The sheriff is here. He says he’s here to do a wellness check.”
“Send him up please.”
She disconnected the call and walked out onto the porch of her cabin.
No way was she inviting that snake inside her private dwelling.
When she was in prison, she’d had no privacy and Hastings had had no qualms about invading the six-by-nine space she called home for seven years whenever he wanted.
He might still wear a badge, but she wouldn’t let him defile one of the few places that brought her a sense of joy and tranquility.
When his cruiser pulled up, she stepped down off the porch and dug the hard heels of her boots into the earth.
Hastings pulled his tall, lanky form out of his department-issued vehicle and stepped in front of her with a sickening grin on his face.
The sight of him made her brace herself in disgust. He looked like a bad cosplay version of Shaggy from Scooby-Doo with the sparse whiskers on the tip of his chin to boot.
“I sure hope you brought me out here to give me good news, Daniels. Otherwise, we gon’ have a problem.”
“Morning to you too, Sheriff.” She tried hard to keep the contempt out of her voice by keeping her tone level and businesslike.
“I do have news for you. I can’t do what you’re asking.
But I still know some people who can. I can put you in contact with the best hacker I know who can and will get you what you want as a favor to me.
” She pulled a folded sheet of paper out of her back pocket and held it out for him.
“Just dial that number and he’ll take care of you. ”
He stood still, watching her carefully for a moment before he broke out in laughter.
“Look here, gal…” The sound of that particular diminutive crossing his lips made her eye twitch.
Some white people in the south calling Black people gal and boy took on a whole new meaning and everything she knew about Hastings told her he ran in those particular circles.
“I don’t know what you think this is, but you getting to subcontract out the work is not an option. You’re gonna do this or else.”
He tipped his hat in mock salute and walked back to his car. He looked over the hood and winked at her, making her stomach do another somersault. “I’ll be in touch soon.”
He got in his car and drove away, and Seneca nearly crumbled under the defeat pressing down on her shoulders. She would’ve sat down on the ground if she hadn’t seen Colton storming in her direction.
Damn, why can’t I catch a break?
Too tired to deal with whatever trouble Colton was preparing to stir up, she turned on her heels and headed for her cabin. She couldn’t bar him from the ranch offices, but she could sure hide like a child in the comfort of her own home.
She made it up the porch and was just about to grab the knob when she heard, “Seneca! I know you saw me!”
Her spine snapped straight. She was busted and there was no getting around that now. Resigned to her fate of having to deal with the man screaming her name in such an insistent way, she turned around.
Bad move, she should’ve kept going. The sight of him was like a horse sitting on her chest. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t move, and she wasn’t sure if she was going to survive.
He was gorgeous in a pair of worn jeans and a plaid shirt with the sleeves cut off, his big arms and thick-as-fuck thighs flexing with every rushed step he took toward her cabin.
Stop looking at his rippling muscles and remember he lied to you. Do not let your thirst make you fall for the okey-doke.
She struggled to take in a raspy breath, trying to get her head clear of the lust his sculpted physique was currently causing.
When he was finally standing in front her, she managed to stand up straight and cross her arms over her chest, hoping she looked like she wasn’t to be fucked with, and Colton would turn tail and run.
“Colton, I’m not up for your nonsense today. What do you want?”
“Seneca, do you really want to have this discussion on your porch where if we get as loud as I’m sure we’re about to, anyone within ten feet of us can hear what’s going on?”
Why did his words sound so dirty even though he was damn near yelling at her? She blinked to push the thought out of her head and then considered what he was saying. The last thing she needed was Aja or Brooklyn coming to her rescue and making things worse with Colton and Hastings.
“Fine,” she relented. “Come inside, say your piece, then leave.”
She opened the door and walked into the middle of the open room, waiting for him to shut the door behind him.
As soon as she heard the loud click of the lock latching into its groove, she heard, “What the hell, Seneca?”
She threw up her hand to stop his rant before it even began. “What do you want, Colton? Spit it out or get out.”
Pissed at her dismissal, he stepped closer to her, shoving his tongue in jaw as if he were fighting to keep his words in check.
He took a deep breath, then placed his hands on his hips and the desire to lift his shirt and run her finger along what she knew would be a deeply defined crease along his hip down to his groin nearly consumed her.
“Don’t be that way.” The sound of his voice snapped her out of her impure thoughts, and she struggled to focus on his face instead of the running fantasy of him naked on display for her pleasure. “I’m just worried about you. What the hell was Hastings doing here?”
“Last I checked he was the sheriff and can roam pretty much any place he pleases in this town.”
“Not without an invitation or a warrant. And if he had a warrant, I’d know it. Why was he here, Seneca?”
“As far as I know, I’m not actually a principal in one of your cases… this time. So, I don’t really need to answer your question, Ranger. He was here, because he was here. That’s all you need to know.”
He took his Stetson off and ran rough fingers through his light brown hair. The move made her want to push his hand out of the way and replace it with her own.
Why is this motherfucker so damn tempting when he’s getting on my damn nerves?
“Hastings is in a world of trouble. He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s going down hard, Seneca. Stay the hell away from him. Anyone even moderately adjacent to him is going up in flames. Do you understand that? This is not a game.”
“Trust me, Colton,” she answered. “I know this isn’t a game. It’s my life and I’m the only one who can fix this.”
He squinted at her, seemingly picking apart her words to find meaning. “God, please tell me you didn’t tell him I’m a ranger.”