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He was insane. If that went off? She’d be dead.
Porter swallowed the bitter taste of revulsion, and he went for the ladder again. Pure grit forced him up the railings. He wasn’t sure how, but Cadence’s face was the only thing keeping him going. He’d give up everything for her.
Her hands slid over him to help him the rest of the way up. “You’re hurt,” she whispered.
“I’m fine.” As much as he needed to pretend that he was Nash, he couldn’t keep his hands from her now that they were together again. He slid his good arm around her. “Is she okay?” He kept his tone brisk, like he was just assessing that Lacy had kept his promise.
“She’s fine!” Lacy said sharply.
Porter dropped his arm. He felt Cadence’s fingers find his back in the darkness, even as Lacy spread the papers over the floor. He couldn’t seem to find a pen. New hope flickered through him.
“He’s here,” Eva called below them. “West’s here!”
Turning, Porter caught sight of West in the darkness. Two hulking men took residence on either side of him. His heart dropped when he recognized Crawley and Stein. They’d caught up to West this time.
Lacy seemed to realize this at the same time. He let out a short bark of satisfaction. “You found West, did you?” he asked. “I bet that was no simple feat.”
Crawley nodded with a gravelly hoot of laughter that set Porter’s teeth on edge.
“You got a pen for me?” Lacy asked. “I’m about ready to make Nash sign this thing with his own blood.”
“Ooh, bad news, boss,” Crawley said. “That ain’t Nash you got there. Their brother is up on that stage declaring his undying love to that little songbird of his.”
Porter groaned.
Lacy’s chin snapped up. He turned to Porter. “You telling me I’ve got no need for this guy here?”
Cadence shook her head. Her hair brushed up against Porter’s neck as she tried to cover him like she’d done for Eva. His girl was braver than he’d ever given her credit for, but he wasn’t about to let her get hurt for him. Taking both sides of her waist, he slid her away from Lacy. “You want someone to direct your abuse at, I’m your guy. Leave her alone.”
“No!” Cadence breathed. “Please no.”
“Quit playing around,” West called up to them. “Get down here, Lacy. I’m the rightful owner of that deed. I’ll sign it over. I can even use my own pen.”
“I just need two seconds.” Lacy cocked his gun.
“You murder them,” West said, “and there’s no way the United States of America lets you get away with that land, but if you get down here right now, we make our deal and then we all keep quiet. Whatever happens after that, we stay out of each other’s way. This might be the last investment you have to your name after today.”
Porter’s grunt of dissatisfaction echoed Lacy’s. The thought of his family’s land in that weasel’s grasp was almost more than he could bear, but if it kept Cadence safe, he’d cheer that deal on to the end of his days. Lacy’s hand slapped over Cadence’s shoulder and he tried to bring her with him.
Porter shoved him aside, his temper erupting. “No, you get the land. You don’t get Angel.”
“You’re on my last nerve, boy,” Lacy hissed.
“West ain’t lying, boss,” Crawley yelled up at them. “Cops are going to be here any minute. I saw that old man Funches running around that concert with a shotgun. He’s a loose cannon.”
Snarling out in frustration, Lacy knocked Porter across the face with the butt of his gun. Sparks of pain flashed across his vision as he fell back. Cadence’s hands on him were enough of an assurance that he’d done the right thing.
He listened to Lacy make his careful way down the ladder like an oversized spider. Squeezing his eyes open, Porter groaned as that creep shoved the papers at West. Porter caught a glimpse of Eva’s blonde hair below them through the shafts of dancing light. “Keep out of my way,” Lacy spat at her. She didn’t. Porter noticed that she’d brought up her phone to brighten the papers for West to sign.
Just like both Eva and West had planned.
West might’ve rescued Porter and Cadence with his silver tongue, but it was that same tongue that had gotten them in this predicament in the first place. West reached for the papers. His blue eyes gleamed dangerously under Eva’s phone light.
Lacy smiled just as a shotgun went off behind them. He frowned.
Crawley and Stein hunched their shoulders. “It’s that old man!” Crawley looked especially spooked. “Get down!” He jumped protectively at his boss. Lacy crumpled like a ragdoll beneath his weight.
Lacy shouted out with pain and outrage. Disgust dripped through his voice like venom as he fought his way away from the lumbering man’s grip. “Who cares?” As soon as he was free, he staggered over to West and pushed the papers back into his chest. “Sign them or I’ll make you all sorry!”
