He was silent for a moment. “What do you need?”
That familiar rage pushed at the box I’d tried to force it back into. “As much dirt on Rick Anderson as you can find. Something that will make him sell all his properties to me—and on the cheap because that fucker deserves to lose some money.”
The sounds of a construction site faded, and I knew Anson had walked away. “Who is he, and what did he do?”
“Does it matter?”
“If you want Dex’s help, it does. He’s a crusader these days. Only gets motivated for a cause he thinks is just.”
My jaw worked back and forth. “He’s a local asshole who’s messing with Sutton. Trying to raise her rent over and over. When she pushed back about her legal rights, he kicked her and Luca out of the apartment above the bakery. She can’t afford somewhere decent to stay right now.”
A low growl sounded across the line. “You’re not serious.”
“I am.” But I wished like hell I wasn’t.
“Her cupcakes are fuckin’ heaven,” Anson muttered.
I choked back a laugh. Of course, Sutton’s cupcakes were the thing to win the cantankerous prick over. “That mean you’re helping?”
“I’ll get Dex on it ASAP.” Anson paused. “Where is she going to stay for now?”
I shifted in my seat. “Takin’ her and Luca to my place.”
There was a beat of silence. “You like her.”
I could hear the smile in Anson’s words, which only pissed me off. “That’s what you got from all of that?”
“Pretty much.”
“Fuck off and help me fix this.”
“Done,” Anson clipped and hung up before I could even say thank you. Typical.
I pulled up to the massive gate Shep had installed at the mouth of my property. It might’ve seemed like overkill, but I got the occasional overzealous fan trying to sneak in. And I liked the extra protection—for Arden more than me.
I waited until Sutton’s small, navy SUV pulled up behind me. I’d already given her the code to the gate, but it would be easier if she could just pull in after me. I hit the opener on my visor and wished I could see the property through her eyes.
In my mind, it was the perfect patch of land. Removed from town and with epic views of the Monarch Mountains and Castle Rock. The quiet stillness out here helped put my restless mind at ease. I hoped she felt the same.
The moment the gate was open, I stepped on the gas, and Sutton followed right behind me. You couldn’t see the majestic views yet. The only thing in front of us was a winding lane flanked by aspen trees. It wound through the landscape for several minutes, leading us across a bridge over a creek until it finally opened to the vast spaces.
I took a moment to really take it in. The golden stone faces of Castle Rock, and the staggering peaks of the Monarch Mountains that were still capped with snow. It was the perfect reminder of how small we were compared to the rest of the world.
The house itself stood as a complement to the surrounding scenery. A blend of deep reddish wood, stone, and glass, it was massive for sure, but when the backdrop was endless nature, it didn’t look overly ostentatious.
I rounded the curved driveway and came to a stop by the front doors. I’d get Sutton a remote for the garage so she could bring her SUV in out of the elements, but for now, here was good. I cut my engine and slid out of the vehicle, only to find Luca already jumping out of Sutton’s.
“Coach Reaper! This is your house?” he called.
The awe in his voice was clear, and it sent a feeling of pride coursing through me. “It is, Speedy.”
“This is freaking AWESOME!” Luca jumped and then proceeded to do some sort of dance that had very little rhythm involved but was fucking adorable.
Sutton shut the door to her SUV, her gaze moving from the house to me as she swallowed. “It’s certainly beautiful. And big.”
“Is big bad?” I asked her, my brow furrowing.
“Depends,” she said, dropping her voice.
