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“I’m someone who could make life very difficult for you.” James glowers at him.
Tim goes to climb to his feet, but the sound of a pistol loading makes him freeze.
“I’d think really hard about whether you want to do that.” James nudges the barrel of the gun against Tim’s temple. His hands shoot up in surrender.
“Easy, I’m not looking to—”
“Good, that’s very good. Hadley, would you come here please?”
Cole gives me an encouraging nod, and I climb to my feet. Gingerly, I walk over to them, letting Cole tuck me into his side.
“It’s going to be okay, Dove,” he whispers against my hair.
But everything is still hazy, and I don’t understand what’s happening right now.
“Now, Mr. Davenport, I’m almost certain my son would like to see you with a bullet through your skull for touching his girl, but lucky for you, he’s recently learned the art of self-restraint. I, however, have not.
“But since your history is with Hadley, it seems only right that she gets to decide how we deal with you.”
The air is sucked from my lungs. Is he saying what I think he’s saying? Surely not.
Surely Mr. Jagger isn’t actually talking about killing Tim?
But as I think the words, I know they’re true. The Jaggers aren’t a normal family, not by any means. And something tells me there is far more to James Jagger than meets the eye.
“Hadley?” he says softly. “This is your decision. I can make Tim go away, or we can send him back to wherever he came from with a stiff warning never to return.”
“Hadley, babe, come on. It’s me,” Tim implores. “We had something once, didn’t we?” Fear is etched into every line on his face, and I want to bask in his terror for what he has done.
But can I do it?
Can I give James the order to kill him?
Seconds tick by, my heart beating harder as they pass. My palms are sweaty and blood roars between my ears as I choose between life and death for a guy who just tried to hurt me.
A whimper spills from my lips as I bury my face in Cole’s shoulder.
“It’s okay,” he says, hugging me tightly. “He walks.”
“Are you sure, Son?” James asks.
“He walks on one condition, if you ever step foot in Sterling again, I will kill you. You don’t contact Hadley again, you don’t come find her, you don’t even think about her, asshole. Are we clear?”
Tim mumbles something inaudible.
“I’ll see that Mr. Davenport is accompanied back to Gravestone County. Take care of your girl, Son.”
There’s a commotion and then the door opens and closes, followed by deathly silence.
“It’s safe to come out now.” Cole coaxes me out of his arm.
“What was that?” I tremble. James acted like he knew Tim, and the way he talked about Gravestone... but it doesn’t make any sense.
“I wish I knew. But you’re safe, and that’s all that matters. Tim won’t ever hurt you again.” He cups the back of my neck, pressing his head to mine.
“I know,” I breathe.
And I do.
