I stopped to stand still, hoping to quiet my pulse enough to hear what direction he was going. Even breathing sounded like the roar of jet engines to my heightened hearing.
“Fuck,” I cursed to myself.
When I was on my way to Romy and Jude’s house, I spotted him creeping along one of the fence lines. I intended to go to his house soon, but fortunately, he’d come to me. After quickly checking on Penn, I hopped back in the truck, speeding down the dirt road to where I saw him last. Swinging the steering wheel to the right, I hit the gas and off-roaded across the field. I’d barely cut the engine before I grabbed my Glock from beneath the seat and hopped the fence after him.
The crunch of what must be a pine cone sounded behind me. I spun on my heels, leveling the barrel in that direction.
Movement shifted behind a tree. Our eyes connected. His going wide, mine narrowing, before he pivoted and started running again.
I growled, clipping the gun at my waist to bolt after him. This time, with him in my sight, I wasn’t about to let him go. I used every bit of power I had to propel myself forward, gaining on him as he stumbled and fought for his footing on the uneven ground. He may have fear fueling his flight right now, but I had rage and a family to defend, and that was far more powerful. I needed to know what Junior was up to before it was too late. Before he got near Lina. Before the whole ranch was at risk.
Hissing breaths through gritted teeth, I threw myself at him, tackling him to the ground.
He grunted, the air leaving him momentarily, giving me a chance to wrap my hand around his neck and dig my knee into his back. Kicking his legs, he squirmed, trying to get out from under me.
“Going somewhere, Wayne?” I pulled my gun, pressing it to the back of his head.
He froze beneath me, his hands raising to his sides to show he was unarmed.
“You’re an idiot if you think you can trespass on private property and not get shot. The least you could do is come armed.”
“Who said I was unarmed?” he grumbled against the ground.
“What? Do you have another knife somewhere ready to slice me?” I asked, letting go of his neck to check his pockets and coming up empty.
He tried to shift, to loosen my hold, but I dug my knee harder into his back and pushed his head into the dirt.
“I warned you what would happen. You didn’t want me to come after you, Wayne. That was the wrong move.”
I put as much of my weight as I could against him. “Get off me,” he muttered against the ground.
“You think this is what Lina felt when you cornered her?” I moved my hand from the back of his head to his jaw, digging my knuckles in, pressing his face as hard as I could without breaking it. “Do you think this is what she felt when you put your hands on her? Doesn’t feel very good, does it?”
He groaned a sound that sounded a little bit like a “no.”
“Now you’re going to tell me what you know.”
lina
“Get away from her,” I said firmly. I was surprised my voice sounded so calm compared to how my entire body was vibrating with panic.
Junior’s hand rested on Penn’s shoulder. Her little eyes were big, bouncing between Junior and me as she hugged her Elsa doll.
“I don’t think you have a say in any of this,” he said, stroking his dirty-blond scruff that shadowed his face.
“The fuck I don’t,” I ground out between my teeth. My hands balled at my side as I searched the kitchen for anything I could use as a weapon within reach. “Come here, Penn.”
Penn took a step toward me, but Junior’s hand gripped her firmly, making her stall in her tracks and look up at him. “Don’t you want to go see your mama? She’s been missing you.”
She stared at him, not saying a word. She looked so scared, and I was barely holding my shit together, not wanting to freak her out more, but this was so fucked up.
“Reed’s going to be back any minute,” I warned him.
He cocked his head, looking at me like I was the stupid one. “No, I don’t think he will be. He’s a little preoccupied at the moment.”
I could feel my face fall and my stomach twist. “If you did anything to him, I’ll make sure you don’t walk off my ranch in one piece this time.”
He clicked his tongue in disappointment, shaking his head. “See, that’s where you Larsens keep fucking up. This isn’t justyourranch.”
