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“Chase,” Jacquie warned. “Don’t trust him.”
“I’ll meet you in the car,” Aiden said, then headed toward his silver sedan through the far side of the barn. That’s why he didn’t see it when he pulled in.
Chase waited for his brother to get out of earshot then walked over to Jacquie and took her hand. “I have to do this.” He hoped he wasn’t making a mistake, but he couldn’t leave his brother flying in the wind. He had to help him.
Jacquie stepped closer to him. “I don’t trust him. This isn’t going to end well. If he’s DEA, why doesn’t he call them for backup? Or Josh. Why does it have to be you?”
“I don’t know, but he’s asked me for help. He’s my brother and I can’t tell him no.”
“Yes, you can. You don’t have to go just because he asked.”
He leaned down and kissed her lips. “I’ll be back this time. I promise.”
“I don’t believe you, and if you go, I can’t guarantee I’ll be here waiting when you get back.”
He paused and gave a gentle nod, growing with a sad acceptance. “I hope you will. If I could stay, I would. But I can’t. I’m sorry.” He kissed her again, then turned and walked away, hoping he didn’t just push her away for good.
17
Jacquie watchedChase and Aiden walk out the back door of the barn and head toward the silver sedan parked out of sight. She wished she could say she was surprised Chase chose to go with Aiden, but she wasn’t. What she was, was disappointed. She’d wanted him to trust her. To respect her opinion.
Worse, she’d foolishly allowed herself to think they might have a future together, and that he wanted that as much as she did, but that wasn’t the case. He was there to help Aiden. First and foremost. To keep Aiden out of trouble.To save him.
Otherwise, he would have listened to her. He would have called Josh. He would have found a way for the four of them to work together.
She took out her phone and sent Josh a quick text.
Aiden says he’s DEA. He and Chase just left the barn.She paused a minute then added.I don’t trust him.
She heard a car pull up the drive and hoped it was Josh. She shoved her phone into her back pocket and walked out of the barn. An old blue truck was parked next to Chase’s Audi. She stopped short and was about to turn and hustle back into the barn when the skinny guy in a hoodie stepped in front of her.
“Hello, Jacquie.”
A lump lodged in her throat. She immediately thought of her gun lying on the desk in the study. Lot of good it was going to do her there.
He smiled, a twisted smile that made her pulse speed up. “Surprised I know who you are, and where you live? It wasn’t too hard to find out the name of that poor woman who’d been ran off the road.” He laughed. “That happens a lot in this town.”
“Does it?” She stood tall before him, keeping her voice and gaze level.
“Imagine my surprise when I saw that traitorous partner of mine pulling out the drive at the end of the road. He told me his name was Bryce. Come to find out he lied about that. What else has he been lying about?” He stepped closer.
“How would I know?”
“Because you know his brother.” He lowered his brows over his dark brown eyes, turning his smile into a leer. “Very well, according to this small-town rumor mill. Come on.” He gestured toward his truck. “We’re going for a little ride. My boss needs answers, and you’re the one who’s going to give them to me.”
She took a step back. “I’m not going anywhere with you”
He pulled a gun out of his waistband at the small of his back and gestured her toward his truck. “What makes you think you have a choice?”
Damn Aiden.If it wasn’t for him, Chase would be here with her right now.
Who was she kidding? This wasn’t Chase’s fault, and it wasn’t Aiden’s, it was hers. She made the decision to come back here with Aiden instead of waiting at the hospital. She hadn’t taken the threat against her life seriously enough. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be out in the open and unarmed, especially after what had happened in the woods earlier.
Her phone chirped from her back pocket. Inwardly, she cringed.
“Hand it over.”
Unable to avoid it, she pulled her phone out of her pocket, glanced down at the screen then hit the power button as she handed it to him. The screen went dark. He looked down at it, then tossed it as hard as he could into the paddock next to the barn. She gasped, thinking of the text from Josh.
