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“You scared the life out of me, you reckless cowgirl,” I managed to choke out between bouts of laughter.
My sister just winked at me, her face glowing with pride and adrenaline. “But you should’ve seen me, Clo. I was practically flying.”
The terror I’d felt moments ago started to ebb away, replaced with relief and a begrudging admiration for my sister’s fearlessness. I glanced at Declan, ready to share a relieved laugh, but found him staring at me instead.
His eyes were soft, thoughtful, his thumb still tracing gentle circles on my hand. He looked like he wanted to say something, but instead, he gave my hand a reassuring squeeze and turned to Avery.
“Sure gave us a show there, Avery,” he said, his voice steady and strong. “You did good.”
His simple words, spoken with such sincerity, were like a balm to the chaos of the evening. For a moment, it felt like we were just regular folks at a rodeo, not a group of people hovering over the edge of disaster. It was a comforting illusion, one I allowed myself to get lost in, if only for a little while.
Then Hank and his crew materialized out of the crowd. He was a mobster in a cowboy hat. The smell of smoke and whiskey lingered around him like a cloud. He walked over to Avery, clapping her on the shoulder.
“Good job, girl,” he growled, his voice rough like gravel. He shoved a wad of cash into her hand. Then he turned to me, his gaze lingering curiously. “I remember you. The worried sister. How’d you end up here with Declan?”
My blood turned to ice. I swallowed hard, looking over at Declan, searching for some kind of sign. But he was cool as a cucumber, his confidence masking any hint of concern.
He chuckled, reaching around to slap my butt. “She’s a fun piece of ass for the night,” he said with a shrug.
I squeaked in surprise, forcing out a nervous giggle. Inside, I was screaming, my mind racing. How had things spiraled so out of control? The danger we were in felt obvious, and all I could do was giggle and play along, hoping that we would somehow make it through this night.
Hank lingered, his expression taking on a perverse gleam. “Is that so?” he drawled, looking me up and down. “Well, missy, you’re more than welcome to come to our rodeo anytime you like.”
His smile was all teeth as he looked from me to Avery. “It’s nice having two beautiful women here,” he continued, his stare settling on Avery. “I want to see you at every event, darling. You’ve got talent. It would be a shame to waste it.”
The words were sugarcoated, but the threat underneath was clear as day. He was telling Avery she didn’t have a choice. And with his look still fixed on her, I knew he was serious. I felt Declan tense beside me.
With a gruff, raspy chuckle, Hank turned away, leaving us alone. The moment he was gone, a surge of panic washed over me, constricting my chest. I forced a shaky smile at Declan, hiding the fear in my eyes. Without a word, he steered me away from the arena, toward the parking lot.
My mind was already racing, formulating a plan. As much as I cared for Declan, as much as he stirred something inside me, I knew I couldn’t stay here. I glanced over at him, the man who had saved me and placed me in harm’s way all at once. He wouldn’t understand. No matter what, I knew what I had to do.
We had to leave this town for good.
DECLAN
Walking into Hank’s lair was always a unique experience. The smell of cigars and the undercurrent of fear that clung to the men who served him was a cocktail that drove the point home—this was Hank’s world and we were just living in it.
Iwas living in it until I could flip the switch and burn it all down.
Fucking bastard.
“Declan!” Hank boomed as I entered, his husky laughter scratching my nerves as he toasted with one of his goons. The stench of whiskey was heavy in the air, adding another layer to the perfume of power and debauchery. His shark eyes pinned me with a grin, full of unspoken threats and challenges.
“Hank,” I greeted, my tone casual, a smirk teasing at the corners of my mouth. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly at my nonchalance, but the grin didn’t fade. Oh, he loved this game of ours. The power play, the show of dominance. It was what he lived for.
“You look like a man with a plan,” he stated, a spark of amusement in his eyes as he took another swig from his glass.
“I’ve been thinking,” I started, my voice calm, controlled. “The horse trail gig . . . it’s too public. Too predictable. A cabin, on the other hand . . .” I trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.
Hank’s eyes sparked with interest. “A cabin, you say?”
“They rented one for the wife’s birthday weekend. It’s remote, secluded. A much better spot for a . . . quiet conversation.” I offered a hint of a devilish smirk tugging at the corner of my lips.
Hank chuckled, a sound that scraped at my nerves. “And I suppose the trail guide wouldn’t need to be there, would she?”
I shrugged. “Wouldn’t make much sense, would it?”
Hank leaned back in his chair, studying me with those ice-cold eyes of his. Then, out of the blue, he chuckled. “Wasn’t the trail guide the hot piece of ass you had at the rodeo two nights ago?”
