Page 121 of Thaw My Heart

“Sure,” Annie swallows, hesitant to leave. She glances at me once more and then walks away. I let out an exhale in relief. At least she’s safe.

“The ranch hired you as a cook?” Markus lifts a brow.

“Yes.” My throat feels thick with saliva as I try to swallow. “I haven’t improved.”

He chuckles at that. “I’m not surprised. You were always a terrible cook. And a terrible wife,” his jaw tightens.

Words that used to sting now only remind me how awful he is to me, confirming just how much I hate him. “How did you find me?”

He takes slow steps towards me with a dickish smile on his face. “I discovered a few things hiding in a box in the garage. After tearing the house apart for clues, I found this.” He reaches into his suit jacket, pulling out a page ripped from a magazine. An article featuring Lone Pine. “The box was full of these stupid things, but then I found these hearts and scribbles,” he taps his finger on the page.

A box I should’ve burned.

He crushes the article in his hand, tossing it on the frozen ground. “You thought you got away, didn’t you?” My pulse burns under my skin, not knowing how to respond. “Well, now that you’ve had your fun,” he rolls his eyes. “It’s time to go home, Emma.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Excuse me?”

“I-I’m staying.” I will never go with you.

He reaches for me, roughly grabbing my arm. “You’re coming with me, whether or not I have to drag your ass all the way back to Nebraska.” He opens the car door, trying to shove me in.

“I’m not going with you!” I struggle against his hold, but he’s too strong. Even after all my training, I can’t move him. Tears well in my eyes at the pain from his grip digging into my flesh.

I’m not strong enough.

“Let me go!” I cry once more.

In the next second, he pulls out a small handgun, aiming it at my stomach, pressing it in so deep that it hits a rib. My body goes rigid. “Get in the fucking car right now, Emma!” he growls.

“You alright, Sadie?” Ryker’s voice calls out to me from a distance. My gaze snaps to his, atop his horse. From where he is, all he can see is Markus pressed up against me.

“Tell him a lie,” Markus softly warns. “Or I’ll aim this right at his fucking head. You know I’m a good shot. I won’t miss,” he grins. Markus was a skilled shooter. It would only take one shot.

My voice shakes in my throat as I call out to Ryker, “Yes, I’m g-good. It’s just—my brother, Jaxson. He’s just—just visiting.”

Markus slowly tucks the gun into his jacket with a smile on his face. Turning around to offer a smile and a wave to Ryker.

“Oh,” Ryker strokes his mustache, assessing him. “Hi, Jaxson…” But Ryker doesn’t look convinced. “Should I tell Kit⁠—”

“No!” I shout loud enough over his name, hoping my voice distorts it. Markus has a gun. I don’t want Kit anywhere near him. “No, no, thank you. I’m just—I’m just going to show him to my cabin.”

“Emma…” Markus softly warns.

“I’m not leaving Foxie,” I shout whisper to him. I could never leave her, but I also need a diversion to keep him from driving off the ranch. Anything to keep him from taking me. I just needed time to find a way out of this.

I have to try.

“Alright,” Ryker says.

He’s still watching as I get into the sports car with a skeptical expression on his face. Pulling out his phone from his coat pocket, bringing it to his ear as we drive away.

But I already know in my gut… in my heart, who he’s calling.

Except I don’t want him to come.

Markus will kill him.