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“Why are you here?”
“Urick wanted to see me,” Austen says in a tone so similar to her mother’s.
“He’s wanted to see you for years, but you discarded him.”
“He’s dying, and I want closure,” she replies and then adds, “I’m staying in McMurdo Valley now. I’ve decided to visit Urick often until he’s gone.”
“Typical,” Peter says and chuckles bitterly. “You refuse to put in the effort, yet you want to bask in Daddy’s praise.”
“Urick doesn’t have much time left, and I figured he’d suffered enough without me,” she says in a tender voice contrasting the knife she digs into Peter’s heart. “My presence offers him a chance to die at peace, so I will be visiting.”
“I should forbid you from stepping in this house.”
Austen effortlessly changes topics. “I’m sorry about Erik. Will he be released from the hospital soon?”
Peter narrows his eyes, hating how she dismisses his threat. I smile at Austen’s inner bitch taking hold. This display right here is all Suzanne Knutsen. I absolutely love watching Austen stand strong.
“Why is he here?” Peter asks and throws a hostile glance in my direction. “I thought the problem was solved.”
Austen wraps her hand around mine, allowing Peter to put shit together himself.
“Like my mother, I’m drawn to powerful, rugged men,” Austen says and glances at where Peter’s shifty wife lurks down the hall. “Will Erik have access to the care he needs once he’s released?”
“Are you accusing me of being stingy with my brother’s health?”
“You’re known for pinching pennies,” Austen replies, and Peter’s expression shifts to absolute fury. “Erik deserves to be well cared for. It’s what Urick wants.”
“You sneaky little bitch,” Peter sneers, inspiring me to step closer to draw his attention to me. “What are you going to do? Beat me up?”
“A few of those ranch hands were interrogated before they died,” I tell Peter who goes rigid. “The things they said made me worry Austen isn’t safe yet. I got to wondering if they went after her for reasons beyond upsetting Urick. Now, when I see the way you treat her, my mind can’t help spinning theories about why those assholes really ended up in Banta City.”
“If you’re accusing me of something, just spit it out.”
“Your wife gets it,” I say and gesture toward her down the hall. “Why else would she be so fidgety?”
“Keep your mind off my wife.”
“Fine, I’ll just focus on you,” I say and stare into his eyes. “And ask why you came out unscathed from the attack on your family?”
“I refuse to stand here and be accused of nonsense by a man clearly hoping to marry above his lot in life.”
Austen’s face clenches, and I feel her temper rising. If I weren’t in the middle of threatening her brother, I’d kiss her tight lips and reward her protective streak.
“If something happens to your sister, I’ll do more than accuse. Do you get me, Peter?”
“Fuck off.”
I grab his shirt before he can storm off. He thinks to hit me but decides to avoid pain. I stare into his eyes while his wife inches closer.
“Your dad is dying, and your brother is in the hospital. Your ranch hands went rogue. You’ve got a handful of people left to keep me from ending you. So, while you can play like the big man in charge, you’re against the ropes with no one coming to save you. Remember that if you get any ideas about interfering with your sister’s life.”
“Fuck off,” he says and tugs himself free.
I watch Peter stalk off toward his wife. She immediately starts whispering in a conspiratorial way as they disappear around the corner.
“She gives off quite the ‘Lady MacBeth’ vibes,” Austen tells me.
I have no clue about her reference. I skated through school doing the bare minimum. As an adult, I’ve only read thrillers bought at the airport. However, the context clues put together for me what Austen means.
