Page 85 of The Billionaire Who Saved My Cat From The Mafia

You and me both, girlfriend.

I stroke her fur as she sits curled in my lap.

Last night, without Special K, all the fears came back with a black vengeance.Every sound in the wilderness made me jump.My heart raced.

There’s no escaping the truth.No amount of wishing will change the predicament I’m in.I can’t continue to live under the delusion that I’m safe here in the wilderness.That Niko won’t know where to look for me, or that he’ll lose interest in searching.

I’m lying to myself if I think I can outsmart him.Or predict the wild swings in his moods, his wants.I was in danger the day I met him and every day after.I was in danger the night I arrived here on this mountain and every hour since.And I’ll be in danger every day for the rest of my life—even with Special K.

And the more time that beautiful, loving man spends with me, the easier it will be for the evil that clings to me to jump onto him—and his family.Like a contagion.

I should just go.Like right now.I should pack the stuff that I’ll likely need, hike down the mountain with Pussy, and get in the Toyota.

And leave.

I don’t want to.Of course, I don’t want to walk away from what has all the markings of something outrageously good.Real happiness.I’d give anything to stay.

I’ll be a crying mess, for sure.Leaving Special K will be the hardest thing I’ve ever done.I’ll be angry and heartbroken for a long, long time.Probably for the rest of my life.

But the fact remains—I should go.Just rip off the Band-Aid and keep moving.

My only hope is that one day he’ll forgive me for everything I couldn’t do.How I couldn’t open up to him and how I left without saying goodbye.I hope he’ll one day be able to remember me and smile.

I know I’ll carry him with me for as long as I live—however long that might be.

“Mmmmrrrup.”

I glance up, hearing it too.

It’s the sound of horse hooves coming up the ridge, and I already know it’s not Special K and, his handsome roan.I hear lots of hooves, not just four.And the steps are lighter, quicker.

I grab Pussy and run inside, closing the door.I grab the gun and peer out the edge of the wavy window glass.I don’t know what I expect to see.A sheriff’s posse?Do those things still exist?

I wait to see what’s about to become the next thing I’ll have to deal with.

“What the hell…?”

I set down the gun and fling open the door.I stand on the threshold, waiting.

It’s not Special K and it’s not a sheriff’s posse, at least not the one in my imagination.

A striking, dark-haired woman in a cowboy hat moseys in on a Palomino.Behind her is a beautiful redhead, who’s followed by a third woman with golden eyes and freckles on a working ranch horse, and in the very back is a cute, smaller woman with straight black hair and huge brown eyes.

The last woman is riding the smaller Quarter Horse mare Special K tried to get me to keep on hand.

Which means these women are connected to him.

Which means I know who they are.

I let out a startled laugh because I’m looking right at Special K’s sisters-in-law.He told me all about his family, and I’m pretty sure I can pick out each of them—Victoria, Emma, Phoebe, and Summer.

I step outside and place Pussy on the ground, her leash wrapped around my wrist.

“Nailed it!”the woman in front says.It’s Summer, without a doubt.She studies me from her saddle, controlling her spirited horse while looking me up and down.“Verdict’s in—surface of the sun, ladies!”

Victoria is right behind her on a regal, slender Thoroughbred.She produces a diplomatic smile.“We’re very sorry for interrupting your privacy, but we were hoping we might have a little visit and chat a bit.”

“Sure,” I say.“I’m Frankie.You must be Victoria.”