Chapter 16 Sam #2
The back of my neck tingles with awareness. Something about his demeanor feels off to me.
It’s the fact that he clearly wants her, dumbass.
But there’s something else, another aspect about Ben that I don’t like. I typically have spot-on instincts when it comes to people. I hire my ranch hands based on intuition, just like my grandfather did.
Dolly’s eyes float back up to mine while Ben is still talking to her and holding her hand. The waitress returns and takes their order, then mine. I keep glancing over at their table, where their hands are still touching.
“Twenty-four ounce rib eye, rare. With a baked potato and green beans.”
“I wouldn’t have expected anything else.” She shakes her head and walks off.
Dolly’s eyes graze over the waitress as she leaves before landing on me again.
“… the way that you’ve been locked away, doesn’t surprise me,” Ben is saying.
Her gaze slides to his. “Uh, yeah, dating isn’t exactly something I’ve done a lot of. I’m not really looking for a relationship. Just a casual thing for now.”
What?
I can’t see his expression, but he leans closer to her and says something I can’t hear. The restaurant is getting noisier, and there’s a large table of women being seated near us, who are laughing and talking too loud for me to keep eavesdropping.
The women quiet down as the waiter goes over to take their order.
Dolly tilts her head down, blushing. “No, I’m not really. But I do want to gain some experience. I just need the right guy to guide me.”
My mind is spinning. She wants experience, someone to “guide” her. She isn’t out to find her husband and pop out four kids before she’s thirty.
She wants to practice intimacy with … this dickface?
Their food arrives at the same time as mine. I eat without tasting it, watching his body language and counting her smiles.
Why is she smiling so damn much?
He can’t be that funny. I order another beer.
Once the check arrives, he pays for theirs and stands up from the booth, extending a hand out to her. She takes it, letting him help her up. My steak knife is still on my plate, ready to be of use. He walks right by my table without seeming to notice me.
I leave a couple of hundred-dollar bills on the table before standing to follow them outside. The hostess claps her hand over her mouth, eyes widened at me. I shrug as I walk by.
Ben guides Dolly through the parking lot. There’s a bar next door, with a neon sign illuminating the entrance. I stay about five paces behind them, realizing I probably look like a stalker, but I don’t care.
I haven’t cared about much of anything or anyone since my grandfather died. Except Dolly Mae.
Now what’s that about?
He leads her toward the bar, stopping underneath the neon sign. “I’m really enjoying spending time with you.”
My shirt feels tight, like it doesn’t fit my body anymore. I step closer, within five feet of them now. Ben lets go of her hand to wrap his fingers around her waist, where a sliver of her skin shows above her waistband. My blood rushes in my ears.
Yeah, no.
I step forward. “Wow, fancy seeing you two here. What’s up, man? How are you?” I interrupt them before he has the chance to dip his head toward her.
Ben turns, his eyes looking like a deer in headlights. He jumps back from her. “Whoa, hey. What’s up?”
I frown, wondering why he’s acting like he got caught doing something he shouldn’t have been. Dolly’s expression is … relieved.
Interesting.
She folds her arms across her stomach. “This is perfect. You can give me a ride home.”
Ben swivels his head back to her. His eyes darken. “I can drive you. Is your car not here?”
She shakes her head, but doesn’t offer any explanation.
“Well, great to see you, Benny. Let’s go, Dollface. It’s getting late.” I smile at her, extending my elbow. It’s barely eight thirty.
“It’s Ben,” he grits out.
To my surprise, she steps closer and loops her arm through mine. The warmth of her touch sends immediate relief through my tense muscles.
Ben’s mouth drops open, but he recovers quickly. A smile curls across his lips. He steps up to her, leaning forward to plant a kiss on her cheek. My chest expands, and I resist the very potent urge to plant my fist in his face.
Don’t be irrational. Think clearly. Take a deep breath.
Dolly doesn’t let go of my arm, but she lets him kiss her cheek. I tighten my hold on her, my entire body freezing until he pulls away.
“Thanks for dinner, Ben. I had a great time.” Her voice sounds warm and genuine.
“Have a good one, Benny.”
“It’s Ben!” he shouts at my back as I turn her toward the parking lot, where my truck is.
She doesn’t say anything as I weave her through the cars and open the passenger door for her. I grab her hand, wanting to erase the memory of his touch as I guide her up into the seat.
She doesn’t look at me as I reach around and buckle her seat belt for her. I close the door and walk around the front of the truck, forcing the air out of my lungs.
Just as I reach for the handle, my phone starts to ring. I pull it out of my back pocket, swiping to answer the call from Holden.
“Hello?”
“Is she with you?” His voice is tinged with panic.
I frown into the phone just as I pull open the door. “Yeah, we’re leaving her date with Benny.” I spit his name out.
He sighs in relief before his voice reeks of irritation. “Date?”
“Yessir.” I shut the door and start the truck.
“Why is she on a date when there’s someone threatening her life?”
I put the phone on speaker. Dolly turns to me, looking down at the name on the screen.
“Sam? Why is she going out on dates?”
“Because I’m a grown woman and I can do what I want,” she fires back.
I set the phone down on the console before putting the truck into drive.
“I never let her out of my sight. What happened?”
He sighs. “We got another note. This one was tied around Oyster’s neck with a pink ribbon.”
Oyster is the yellow Lab that belongs to the Redfords.
“When did they leave it?”
“Had to have been in the last two hours. We were out at the Riders, watching Sterling ride a bull. When we got back, it was around her neck.”
That rules Benny out.
The Riders is an illegal underground bull riding ring that the Redford brothers and I compete in for money and for the adrenaline rush. I usually stick to cage fighting, but sometimes I join them in the arena.
I wasn’t exactly suspecting him of being the one sending the letters, but … there’s something about him I don’t fucking like. My instincts aren’t usually wrong about people.
“What did it say?” Dolly’s voice is barely above a whisper.
I want to reach over and grab her hand, to offer any amount of comfort that I can. So, I do. She lets me hold her hand, but she doesn’t hold it back.
He sighs. “It says that he wants you gone. That he won’t stop until he hurts me by taking your life, the way I took Cain’s.”
Her hand tightens around mine, just as my stomach drops. “Did you catch anything on the security footage?”
“No. Oyster must’ve wandered out of range. They’re only on the outside of the houses and the front gate. She goes all over the damn place.”
“She’s safe with me. I’m not letting her out of my sight.”
“Is your house secure?” He’s all business. Holden doesn’t fuck around when it comes to family and safety.
“I’m still waiting for the cameras to be installed.”
I glance at Dolly. Her expression is solemn as she leans her head back on the seat and stares out the windshield.
“Take me off speaker,” he says.
I let go of her hand so I can grab the phone. I tap the button to turn off the speaker.
“Yeah.”
“Until they are, she needs to be with you. Make a pallet on the floor or something. He threatened to torture her. There was another picture. This one was from the farmers market.” I haven’t heard Holden sound this afraid in years, not since his wife was kidnapped and held hostage by her own father.
I try not to crush the phone in my hand. Rage courses through me like wildfire.
“I think it’s time we go for a hunt,” I grit out.
“Yeah, about damn time. And, Sam? I might not be as against it as Duke, but I’d really prefer if you don’t fuck my little sister while we’re dealing with this shit. That doesn’t mean I’m saying no for forever. Just not right now. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
The call ends.
Fuck. Was that him giving me … future permission?
Holden is essentially the head of the Redford family.
Pops has been a deadbeat alcoholic for years.
He quit running the ranch years ago, leaving it to his boys.
He spends his days drinking and wandering around the ranch like a zombie.
They’ve discussed therapy, rehab, even a nursing home.
But the old man is essentially harmless.
His mind doesn’t seem to be all there anymore.
I reach back out to grab her hand, which is planted in her lap. She lets out a quivering breath and squeezes mine back.
“I’m scared,” she whispers.
“I’m not letting you out of my sight. This fucker won’t get anywhere near you.”