Page 84 of Cautious Love

“Wonderful,” I mutter. I thought that’s what I smelled, but wasn’t sure.

Shiloh sets a t-shirt on top of another, looks up at me from the floor, and promptly bursts into tears.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” I say, rushing over to her and dropping onto the floor, gathering her into my arms. “Everything is going to be okay. It’s stuff. It can be replaced.”

“This is my fault. He got even with me by hurting you. I should never have done what I did, but… but he deserved so much worse,” she grits out, angry yet the tears still falling.

“I need to tell you something.”

Her brows scrunch together. “What?”

“I want to be clear: the only reason I’m telling you this is because your safety is my priority.”

She leans back from my shoulder. “Now you’re scaring me.”

“I’m not trying to, but if Grey had the balls to do this despite everything, then it’s safe to assume he could come after you somewhere else.”

“What are you trying to say?” she asks, quietly. Her body is stiff in my arms, and I don’t want her to feel this way, but she needs to be aware of the reality.

“I’m investigating his father, and Kensington Ranch as a whole.”

“Do you think he knows?” she asks.

“I hope not, but I think Grey is retaliating against us. We hurt his pride, especially since you’re here and we’re married.”

She purses her lips and looks away. “I’m pretty sure it was him. He left me a calling card,” she says.

Pushing some of her hair out of her face. “What do you mean?”

She huffs. “I don’t know if I should laugh or be even more concerned. But there’s a teddy bear on my bed. I forgot all about it. He won it for me at the fair when we were teens, and I kept it all these years, but I left it when I moved out.”

I don’t know why it bothers me; and it shouldn’t, but I don’t like the fact that they have a history.

It is what it is. No one can change it, but a bit of me wishesourhistory was more memorable other than seeing each other in town or arresting her for petty theft, vandalism, and bar fights. Maybe things would be different.

“So jealousy as a motive isn’t far-fetched,” I mutter.

“Probably not, but are you worried he’ll come back?” she asks.

“Worrying and being prepared are two different things,” I tell her, but what I don’t say is that I don’t know what to expect, and that makes me more nervous than anything else. I hope and pray Will has something actionable because I don’t know what I’ll do if he doesn’t. This is way too close to home.

We’re playing with fire, and someone is going to get burned. I’m doing everything in my power to make sure it’s Grey and the Kensingtons, and not my people.

Shiloh yawns, and I find myself doing the same. The adrenaline crash is real, and I’m sure she’s exhausted. “Alright,let’s get you to bed.” I pull her up, and she takes her hands from mine and hugs me, resting her cheek on my chest.

I wrap my arms around her, thankful that I can hold her.

“Come on,” I tell her, leading her to her room.

I pull the covers back and help her into bed. “Why are you doing this?” she asks.

“Doing what?”

“This,” she says, gesturing to her.

I frown. “I’m taking care of you.”

“I don’t need you to, Ledger,” she whispers.