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“The food pantry was also on the list of projects we didn’t have estimates for. Mrs. Collins has only made the one payment so far, but she might have some information. Possibly even copies of those estimates we can look at. If nothing else, she can clue us in on any conversations she may have had with my dad or Matthew that don’t make sense.”
He hated that she’d been dragged into this mess. If she hadn’t come in to work for him while Matthew went off to do whatever the hell he did, she’d be out of harm’s way. Oblivious to the questions and suspicions brewing in his gut. She had enough on her plate without adding to it from his.
Towering evergreens and patches of maple trees whirled by as he continued down the mountain. He wanted nothing more than to get out of his truck and get lost in nature for the rest of the day. To breathe in the fresh air and wander along trails to gurgling creeks. Maybe discover a waterfall or new vista. Anything but drive into town and deal with the headache of backorders.
Especially when his mind was consumed with so much other shit.
Shit that he couldn’t even begin to wade through because he didn’t understand it. Or didn’t want to understand it because if his instincts were to be trusted, things would be going south very soon with his best friend.
He made the turn that led to the food pantry. He needed to discuss Mrs. Collins’ options with her now that the tile she’d ordered wouldn’t be available for six weeks. A detail that seemed so trivial at the moment but still needed to be addressed. Then he could talk to her about the missing estimates.
“We’ll ask her about it,” he said. “Brooke said she’d check her records to see where the extra payments she made were sent,but Mrs. Collins might have more information at the forefront of her mind. Maybe we’ll get lucky.” He slid into a parking spot on the side of the road and shut off his engine. It didn’t take long for the heat from outside to take over the vehicle once the air conditioning stopped pumping out cold air.
“Fingers crossed,” Laura said and slid down from the truck.
He sat for a moment, impressed with her positivity. The world made it so easy to get sucked up in the negative—get weighed down by the darkness.
But not Laura. She was a shining light. A beacon of hope urging him forward and promising something better. Something more.
Something he wanted to keep in his life for good.
A slamming car door stole his attention and snapped him back to the moment. He searched through the windshield for the source of noise and his blood began to boil.
Isaac stalked toward Laura, murder in his narrowed gaze and determined motions.
Shit. Cade jumped out of the truck just as Isaac got to Laura and grabbed her wrist, yanking her to him on the sidewalk.
Laura’s eyes were wide. Her mouth slightly parted. She swiveled around until she found Cade. She tried to yank her arm away from Isaac, but he kept her rooted to spot.
Cade stormed forward. “Let her go.”
“Stay out of this,” Isaac hissed out then pivoted to block him from Laura. “Come on, Baby. Just talk to me. You know I love you. I want us to work this out. We need to be there for the baby.”
“Stop. Leave me alone. You and I will never be together again.” She pulled back, but Isaac refused to release her.
The sun glinted off something metallic in Isaac’s free hand. He maneuvered Laura so her back was pressed against his chest.His hand came up to Laura’s side. The blade of a small knife pointed to her ribcage.
Red outlined Cade’s vision and the need to get her away from Isaac had him fisting his hands at his sides. She’d already survived so much. This stress and fear weren’t good for her or the baby.
Laura let out a long breath and kept her gaze locked on him.
He wanted to reach out, to punch her asshole ex in the face, then figure out a way to keep the sonofabitch away from her forever. But he couldn’t move. Couldn’t take charge. Couldn’t do a damn thing except hope Isaac wouldn’t actually hurt the mother of his child—or even the baby inside her.
It took every ounce of effort he had to lift his palms in the air. “Dude, don’t do something stupid. Let her go.”
Isaac snorted. “You need to leave. I’m here to talk some sense into Laura. Get her to listen to reason and realize she needs to come home. I love her andourbaby. We’re a family, and it’s about time she understood that. But she won’t stop being stupid and see that with you sniffing around.”
“Isaac, please. Don’t.” Laura’s voice trembled. She swallowed hard and cradled her belly with her palm. She inched her hand as close to the knife as she could, as if to create a barrier between the sharp blade and her baby. “You don’t want to hurt me or the baby. This won’t get you anywhere. Not with me, and not with the law.”
He pressed the knife closer to her, burying the tip into the soft cotton of her dress. “Shut. Up. Come with me now, and no one will get hurt.”
She winced. “Isaac. Stop.”
Cade’s phone burned inside his pocket. He needed to get help here before things took a deadly turn. His mind raced as he tried to come up with a plan. He couldn’t let Isaac drag Laura away, but if he made a wrong step, it could lead to disaster.
Like it had before. When his decision had cost the lives of his brothers in arms.
A wave of fear slammed against him, heating him from the inside out.
