I pinch my eyes closed, knowing full well this can only end badly for all involved as I mutter a defeated, “Awwshit!”
And just as I knew would happen, Sully pivots around and races toward Easton with the rest of the Whispering Willows crew on his heels. An almost war cry resounds as both ranch crews clash in the middle of the dance floor, and innocent patrons scatter to either rush inside, or to the relative safety of their cars.
“Stay here.”
My words are firm as I maneuver Emmy and Lissie to the side of the main stage before chasing after my old friend.
Sully is in the thick of the fray, a smirking Easton watching with his arms folded across his chest from a safe distance. Broken Hart men fill the space between us and their owner when he winks pointedly, his words having done what he set out to do. But I don’t have time to dwell on that when I narrowly avoid a punch to the temple.
Ducking down, I grab my assailant’s fist, twisting sharply before I push him back when I hear the satisfying crunch of bone snapping. He falls away, cradling his broken hand with a cry of pain.
Broken Hart’s ranch manager, Caleb, and a burly ranch hand I don’t recognize grab Sully from behind and hoist him onto the main stage, where he lands among the drum set with a reverberating clang. As they move to follow, a sharp scream to my right draws my attention, and I swing my eyes around, landing on the source of the sound.
A tall man I don’t recognize has Emmy slung over his shoulder. She’s pummeling his back while Lissie tries her hardest to stop him, but he’s too big.
“Sonuvabitch!”
I spur into motion, ducking and weaving through the fracas, shielding blows left and right as I go. A red mist descends over my eyes as the desperate need to get to her in time flows through me.
My legs push me faster, and I reach them right as they pass the long bar that runs alongside the stage. I fist his hair with my right hand, deftly tugging Emmy from his shoulder with my left before bringing his face down on the wooden bar.
She drops to her feet, and in my peripheral, I can make out Lissie coming to her aid.
Her would-be assailant’s eyes roll back in his head, blood spurting from his nose as I grab him by the belt and the scruff of his neck. Then I hike him up onto the bar to run him the length of it, glasses and bottles smashing in his wake before I toss him off the end.
He’s lying there in a heap, trying and failing to stand, when a gleeful Sutton appears at my side. With a speed that belies his age, his hand snakes forward to smash an empty beer bottle over the guy’s head, and he crumples to the ground.
Jesse approaches, and he watches his grandfather with indulgent eyes as Sutton grins. “I’vealwayswanted to do that!”
Emmy rushes into my arms, holding me tight around the waist with one arm as she pulls Lissie closer with the other. I quickly assess both women for damage, relief unfurling inside me when I see they’re both just fine.
Once I’m more at ease, I bury my nose in Emmy’s jasmine and rose-scented hair, and inhale deeply before planting a soft kiss on her forehead.
“You’re safe, baby,” I murmur for her ears alone before turning to Jesse. “Grab Faith from inside and get the girls outta here, Jess. I’ll gather this lot and follow after.”
Jesse nods, ushering both women and a reluctant Sutton toward the parking lot as I rejoin the melee. I quickly locate Lawson brawling with Caleb, attempting to keep him from bloodying Sully up any worse than he already is.
My old friend is still standing his ground against Caleb’s companion, but I swiftly dispatch him with a solid roundhouse kick to the jaw. He’s out cold before he hits the dirt, and Sully moves off to help Lawson, who, surprisingly, is more than holding his own.
I vaguely note a small gash on his brow, but it doesn’t appear too bad despite the blood, so I quickly scan the area for Easton. When I zero in on his back as he walks to his car, I jump from the main stage in pursuit, intent on making that bastard pay for the unnecessary pain he caused his own sister.
I pump my legs as fast as they’ll go, almost upon him when he swings around, a pistol pointed straight at me.
“If I were to pull this trigger here and now, she’d never even know it was me.” His eyes spew a malice that knocks the wind right out of me as he hisses, “And my family could be free from thestainof yours forever.”
He notches the trigger, tilting his head to regard me through slitted eyes. “You can’t tell me you—the heir apparent—knewnothingabout Jasper Holloway’s dark deeds?—”
As I open my mouth to refute that statement, he cuts me off with a snarl, “You’re as goddamn guilty as he is.”
At the almost manic look in Easton’s eyes, I curse myself for running after him half-cocked. My entire body breaks out in a cold sweat as I stare down the barrel of my old friend’s gun. His eyes are filled with unfettered hatred, and I hold my breath,waiting on the bullet that’ll end it all before it’s really begun, when the sound of a shotgun racking reaches my ears.
We both look in the direction it came from, my eyes blowing wide when they land on Fallon. Her shotgun is leveled right at Easton’s head, not a hint of hesitancy in her slender frame, and he freezes as every ounce of triumph drains from his face.
“I’m gonna give you to the count of two, Easton Hart, to get your lyin’, schemin’, worthless ass outta my crosshairs.”
He swallows audibly, holding his hands up on either side of his head. “Don’t be like that, Fal?—”
“One!”
