Page 144 of Split You Open

Anchor’s smile doesn’t budge. “You sure?”

Rhett’s glower grows darker. “About what?”

“That your name is Rhett Wells.” Anchor’s eyes narrow. “Because when I did a quick search on all the men that live under this roof, I found that a ‘Rhett Wells’ didn’t exist. The government has a large database, I’m sure it would’ve come up if Rhett Wells was real.”

To his credit, Rhett only freezes for a second before he takes another drag of his cigarette. When he lets out a puff of smoke, he smirks at Anchor.

“Fuck the government, am I right, William?”

I have to shove my hands into the front pockets of my jeans to keep from strangling Rhett. He’s always a prick to new people so his attitude isn’t unexpected. But Rhett knows Anchor is a dangerous man. Pissing him off is a death sentence and Rhett has to know using his real name will do the trick.

Anchor’s smile widens. “Fuck the government, indeed.”

I nudge my head to the man manning the grill. “Then you know that’s Wesley Richardson, a.k.a. Wes.”

My friend nods, his eyes leaving Rhett’s face to slide over my shoulder to where Wes is finishing up.

“I do.”

Of course he does. I don’t know why I thought he wouldn’t do his research before showing his face. Which… is another concern. Anchor doesn’t just turn up and sit through introductions. Not if he believes they could be a threat to him later on.

With a frown, I ask, “How long have you been in the⁠—”

“DAD!”

I jerk my head toward the cabin to see Blair shove the dish in her hand into Santi’s arms before jumping the stairs and hurrying toward us with a wide grin. She’s nearly upon us when Wes steps forward and wraps an arm around her waist.

It’s not to stop her.

Not necessarily.

But as Wes tucks her beneath his arm and into his side, I can see the flash of protectiveness in Wes’s blue eyes as he stares down at her, then shoots a warning look at Anchor. My stomach drops further as I tick off all the things that Wes did that Anchor would find offense at within just these few seconds.

He’s touching Blair with too much ease and familiarity.

He stepped between Anchor and his daughter.

And that look he’s giving Anchor? That don’t fuck with my girl look? Yeah, that’s just adding fuel to the fire.

Fuck… Maybe I should’ve had a quick pep talk with everyone about who they were dealing with.

“Have you guys been introduced?” Blair asks Wes eagerly.

“We were just going through introductions,” Wes assures her warmly as he guides her over.

When they get to my side, Blair leaves Wes’s hold to greet her father. Given her exuberance, I half expect Blair to throw her arms around him.

But of course, she doesn’t.

She knows better than that.

Yet, while they don’t embrace, Blair beams up at her father with such adoration that it melts the coldest parts of Anchor. I can see a flicker of humanity return in his eyes. It’s there and gone in a flash but it’s something.

“My Blair Bear,” he greets with as much affection as someone like him can muster.

Which probably looks like nothing to the guys, but I can hear the warmth in his voice that wasn’t there a second ago.

“I was so worried with you on your own out there!” she tells him.