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His weight presses me into the mattress, and I wrap my arms around him, silently begging him to stay just as we are; our combined essence dripping from me. Laying under him, cocooned in his scent, I’ve never felt so safe or loved. The words hang at the tip of my tongue, eager to burst from my throat—but the unknown is too daunting.
After a moment, I let him lift just a little, and turn us to our sides. My nose finds the crook of his neck, taking deep inhales as my heart rate slows.
“No matter what happens, promise me if you decide to run, you’ll take me with you,” his voice whispers to me so softly that I almost don’t hear it. But when it registers, I lift my chin to study his face. Yearning covers his features, wrapping me in love. His fingers trace gentle circles along my back—and I never want us to be apart either. How did this happen?
“I promise.”
Chapter Twenty- Three
“Stupid fucking chores,” I mutter. Although it’s completely unfair, working the ranch has me so damn annoyed.
The muscles along my back strain as I grab the ropes to lift another bale of hay and toss it off the truck. A cloud of dirt and dust flies up from beneath it, spreading across the air and right up my nose. My eyes immediately water and I can’t hold back the sneeze that erupts. Fucking hay.
“You okay?” Reed asks, coming to drag the bale into the barn. “Hopefully, we can finish up fast so you can get back up to Arden.” He reads me like a book. It’s been a few days since the showdown with that shitbag Frank, but I don’t trust that things are okay.
“Honestly? It feels too quiet,” I say, tossing the last bale down before jumping from the bed of the truck. “Like we’re on the back foot waiting for his next move.”
Reed looks at me seriously before taking a stalk of the hay and sticking it in his mouth. Hillbilly. Any other day I would mention it, just to rile him up. But not today. Not when I need to get back home.
He grabs the other end and we lug the heavy rectangle inside. The barn is dark, and I blink a few times to help my eyes adjust. This was not how I wanted to spend the day, but all of my brothers have been picking up my slack since Frank arrived. Being away from Arden and Theo is impossibly hard. And today is harder than most because Theo had to return to school. The lawyer told us Frank’s lawsuit would be stronger if we denied him an education or something stupid like that.
“Want me to kill him for you?” Reed offers, making me scoff.
“You’re the soft brother. Not gonna kill anyone. Maybe we should hit up Adam though?” I joke, feeling lighter at the offer. If nothing else, my brothers always have my back.
“Hit up Adam for what?” the man in question asks, walking toward us with Prince trailing behind him. The stunning white horse has become a barn favorite since Arden started working with him, but his owner is coming to get him in a few days. I haven’t even had the heart to tell her yet.
“Oh, just to go kill Arden’s wife-beating ex-husband,” Reed says, climbing up to the loft so we can put up the hay and finish the sweaty, itchy job. My nose twitches when I lift a heavy bale, pushing it high over my head for Reed to grab.
“Well, you need me; I’m in. Got a few shotguns at the house,” Adam mutters, leading Prince to the stall. My jaw drops to the ground. Guess Arden really has made an impression here if the Beast himself wants her to stay.
The crunch of tires catches my attention, and I stop what I’m doing to peer out the door. Arden’s rusted grey sedan is waiting for the gate to open. Where is she going? Worry drops like a boulder in my stomach, my heart beats faster and I break into a sprint, rushing to reach her before the gate opens.
“Arden,” I yell, and her head snaps in my direction. Her eyes are glassy, and her face is so pale that she looks like a ghost. The gate creaks, starting to open but not wide enough for a car yet. Arden rolls down her window, and my legs pump faster.
“Jeremy, he’s trying to take Theo from school. They just called. I have to get down there.” Arden’s voice is shaky. The gate opens wider as I get closer. Fuck.
“Wait! We’ve got to be smart about this,” I shout, but her eyes are wide and wild with panic. My chest tightens, my breathing coming in short gasps, not from the exertion but the adrenaline. She’s only thinking of getting to her baby before Frank takes him away forever.
This is the other shoe. Falling and shattering everything…
“Follow me there! Call Tucker,” she cries out, stepping hard on the gas and flying through the gate. Away from me and into danger.
Panic claws through me, shredding my self-control as I scream and holler for the car keys and my dog. Adam appears, already in his shiny black truck. He skids to a stop in front of me.
“Get in,” he shouts, reaching across and throwing the passenger door open. Blue beats me inside, his legs bunching under him—sending him flying through the air. He lands gracefully in the front seat, then leaps into the back so I can climb up.
Before the door is even completely closed, Adam takes off, his car screeching as he peels out of the ranch, following fast behind.
“Where are we headed?” he asks, and I barely hear him through the throbbing pulse in my ears.
“The elementary school,” I choke out. Something about this feels off. Dread pools in my stomach, swirling around me and causing sweat to soak my shirt. Why would he do this now? What does Frank gain from making a scene at the school?
Certainly not the ability to see his son…
“I think it’s a trap.”
Chapter Twenty- Four
