Get ahold of yourself, Jensen.I straightened my path, shaking my head. I beeped the locks to my SUV as I approached and paused to grab a flyer shoved under one of the windshield wipers. I pulled open my door as I unfolded the paper.
I froze, my blood turning to ice.
Stop saving them, or you’re next.
Drawn next to the messily scrawled text was a rifle scope target.
I jerked around, my gaze jumping from vehicle to vehicle, but there was no one paying me any attention. A handful of people headed to or from cars, staff members and horse owners dotted the rows of outdoor paddocks and fields, but not a single person looked in my direction.
I shakily slid into the driver’s seat, closing the door behind me and pulling out my phone. I hit the most recent contact.
“What’re you wearing, Wilder?”
“Tuck?” I hated that my voice trembled on the single word.
All playful amusement left Tuck’s tone. “What’s wrong? Where are you?”
I swallowed against the emotion in my throat. “I’m at the equine center visiting Ember. And someone left a note on my car. A threat.”
“I’ll be there in twenty. I want you to go inside and sit in the office. Tell them what happened. I don’t want you alone. Have you called Walker?”
My eyes scanned the parking lot before I pushed open the door and got out. “No. I called you first.”
“I’m gonna call him as soon as I hang up with you. It’ll be a toss-up who gets there first.”
I nodded and then realized that he couldn’t see me. “Okay.” I jolted a bit as something hit me. “Tell him to check my horses before he comes out here. Tuck, what if something happened to the herd? Oh, God. Ember.” I lost all fear for myself as I realized whoever had left the note might be on the equine center grounds. I started to run for the facility.
My hand shookas I took a sip of water from the cup Dr. Neill had given me. But it was no longer from fear. It was from anger. Ember was fine, my horses at home were okay. Extra bodies were keeping an eye out now. But some asshole had threatened me and the creatures that held such a large piece of my heart. My blood was boiling.
“Wilder.” The voice cut through the equine center’s office like a whip.
I stood, water sloshing out of my cup and onto my hand. I set it down on the counter just as Tuck pulled me into his arms.
“Are you okay?” The words were a roughened whisper against my hair.
I nodded. “I was freaked. Now, I’m just pissed.”
Tuck pulled back, his hands going to my arms, his gaze tracking over my face. “Did you see anyone?”
I blew out a breath. “No.” My gaze tracked out to the parking lot. “I looked around as soon as I read the note. There were plenty of people, but no one seemed especially interested in me.”
That muscle in Tuck’s cheek ticked. “Where’s the note?”
I inclined my head towards the counter. “No one’s touched it but me.”
Tuck released me and turned, bending over the counter to study the note. His body tightened as he read it, and when he straightened, the movement was stiff and stilted. “Wilder.”
I edged closer, fisting his shirt in my hand. “I’m fine.”
He hauled me against him. “Wilder.” The single word was pained.
“I’m fine,” I repeated, unsure of what else to say to ease him. “I’m safe.”
“And we’re keeping you that way.”
“Is she okay?”
My brother’s voice had us startling apart.
