“I’ll tell you what. You find out what the fuck he meant by that, and I’ll let you walk away from here.”
I pocketed his switchblade before reaching over into the truck bed to get his wallet and cell phone. Uncocking the revolver, I stuffed it back into my waistband before flipping open his wallet. Sure enough, he’d given me his real name. I pulled my own cell phone from my back pocket, opening the camera to snap a photo of his ID.
“But now that I know where you live,John Wayne Urbanfrom Livingston,” I said, shoving his phone and wallet into his chest, “the next time I see you—let’s say in two weeks—you better fucking have answers for me, or my face will be the last thing you see. I promise, you won’t want me to come looking for you.”
Wayne gulped, the natural human emotion of fear finally registering, before he offered, “I’ll make it easy on you.”
“Appreciate that.” I said the words calmly, but I was anything but calm. Next to the boiling rage in my gut was a sense of panic.I needed to get back to Lina. “Now let me see you walk away from here, and don’t fucking look back.”
Wayne nodded, backing away before turning on his heels and doing exactly what I told him to do. Once he had disappeared into camp, I hurried back to the trailer. Lina let me in as soon as I knocked and called out to her. Just like she had last time, all the lights were flipped on and her hair was frazzled, like she’d been running her fingers through it while waiting for me.
“You found him.” She nodded, stating it like a fact.
“Did you hear us?”
I watched her throat bob on a swallow. Her face was pale. “He knows Junior.”
I grimaced at his name. “Yeah, but he’s going to find us some answers.”
She shook her head now, a look of panic mirroring my own. “We need to go home to Thornbrush.”
29
lina
Romy met me in the stables as soon as we pulled in. She had Penn with her, who ran full speed at her dad when she saw him. It warmed my heart to see them reunited. I could tell he missed her. Reed practically lit up, swooping her up into his arms.
“Hey, Rom,” I greeted her, going in for a hug. It was the first time I saw her without baby Charli, and she appeared absolutely frazzled. “You look like you’re stressed out. Getting some wedding jitters?”
Romy suffered a laugh while helping me unload Mushu’s tack. “You arrived just in time, it seems. We moved the wedding up to this weekend.”
“Wait … what? Why?” I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my tired brain, then leveling her with a look. “You already got knocked up, so there’s no need to rush it. We all know you’re not a virgin.”
She smiled at my joke, but I could tell that whatever was bothering her was causing her to withdraw. “You’re not having second thoughts, are you?”
I followed her into the tack room, both of our hands full. Mine with the saddle, hers with the bridle, reins, and lead ropes.As we put everything away, she said, “Hazel’s being sentenced next week. Her lawyer told her it’s looking like she is going to be serving three years. It’s the minimum, which I guess is good, but that means she’ll miss the wedding. We want her to be part of our day while she still can.”
“Oh, Romy.” I positioned the saddle on the rack before taking her in my arms. “Of course you need your sister on your big day. I know Dad would’ve loved to walk you down the aisle, but there is no one better to do it than Hazel. She’ll probably steal the show,” I teased.
That received a watery laugh from Romy. She pulled away to wipe a stray tear from her eye. “Ever since I became a mom, I’m all waterworks,” she complained.
“But you look gorgeous doing it. I’m sure Jude would’ve married you a year ago if you’d let him.”
Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes shone at my mention of Jude. “Being in Vegas last summer, I’m surprised he didn’t drag me into one of those chapels after his fight.”
“Kicking and screaming, probably.”
She giggled at that. “Don’t worry, I’m not running this time. Jude has me talking with a therapist. There won’t be a runaway bride at this wedding.”
“Oh, God, I hope not. Otherwise, we may need to hog-tie you.”
“You’d probably like that too much,” she teased back.
“Look at you with your smart mouth. I must be rubbing off on you. But yes, you’re probably right. I would like that too much.” I winked.
Reed entered the stable, Penn skipping at his side while he led Mushu to his stall. I couldn’t help it. I had to stop and look at him. The man was pure sin. Even after the roadside car sex earlier today, I was ready to go again.
“Looks likesomeone’srubbing off on you, too,” Romy quipped, her eyes flitting to Reed.
