Chapter 21
We arrived back at the farm to find Clayton putting his bags in the back of the Town Car. He slammed the trunk as we approached.
“Going somewhere?”
“Duty calls. Ms. Delany has another assignment she needs me on. Are you going to be okay here without me?”
“I don’t know how we’ll ever manage,” I teased and pulled him into a hug. His stance remained awkward and rigid, as though I might give him cooties from the human contact, so I kissed his cheek for good measure and watched in amusement as he wiped the spot with a handkerchief.
“Your sister is still worried about you. She thinks you should leave with me and I should drop you back home.”
I gave a nonchalant flip of my wrist. “I’m fine. Go on without me.”
Nathan rested his arm over my shoulder and held out a hand to Clayton. “I’ve got her.”
They shook, and Clayton’s face softened. “Yeah, I’d say you do.”
****
Three hours later, under cover of the cloudy night sky, we parked in the same spot as before, only now lights peeked out from partially closed curtains. Two trucks were parked in the driveway. Nothing unusual there. It was the vehicle of choice in Texas.
Nathan and I sat in silence, watching and waiting, until I couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m just going to go peek in the windows. Then we’ll know.”
I opened the door, and Nathan hurried to turn off the inside overhead light, plunging us back into darkness. “No, you’re not.”
“It will be fine. You’ll be able to see me from the truck.” I slipped out of his hold.
“Cassie.” He said my name on a loud whisper just as I shut the door.
I jogged across the street and was sliding up next to the shadow of the house when a warm hand landed on my shoulder.
A squeak left my lips before Nathan covered my mouth with his palm and leaned in. “Don’t scream. It’s just me.”
I inched closer to the window on the side of the house, trying to stay out of view of the neighbors. I lifted my head over the windowsill, just enough to peek inside.
“Kitchen,” I whispered as I slowly lowered out of view. “Let’s try another one.”
“This is illegal, Cassie,” Nathan whispered as he followed me around toward the back of the house to a sliding glass door.
I peeked around the edge to find John, standing shirtless inside. Kissing him was Murray Ranch roughneck, Pete, who had a towel wrapped around his waist. My hand flew to my mouth to cover my gasp. Poor Monica. Did she know her husband was cheating on her with another man?
“What?” Nathan whispered and moved me out of the way to look inside. He leaned back out of view and pressed his back to the brick. The look on his face and lack of words said it all. Nathan hadn’t known either.
He took my hand and hurried me from the house and back across the street. He pulled open the door, and we both froze.
Uncle Dan was sitting in the front seat with a gun pointed at our heads and a phone pressed against his ear. “Get your asses out here.”
He motioned with the gun as he slid out of the car. He grabbed my wrist and twirled me to his chest, pressing the gun into my side.
“Why?” Nathan growled and moved closer. Dan cocked the trigger.
“Not out here, kid. I have a reputation to protect,” Dan said, just as John and Pete burst out the door and jogged across the street. They were both now fully dressed.
John grabbed Nathan’s arm and yanked him toward the house while Dan guided me with the gun.
“You know your son’s gay?” I asked, unable to stop myself.
“His little pansy-ass fell in love with the one man more dangerous than himself. I couldn’t stop it.”
