I sucked in a breath. “I guess I should send Cain a muffin basket or something. Do billionaires like muffin baskets?”
Tuck gave my shoulder a firm squeeze. “Stop. You’re making light of all this, which means inside, you’re freaking out. Talk to me.”
He knew me so damn well. Traitorous tears began to gather in my eyes. “Are Noah and I safe? Are these people going to come after us?”
Tuck shook his head and reached his hands up to frame my face. “No, Wilder. They have no idea you exist, and that’s how it’s going to stay.”
I nodded into Tuck’s hands, and he used his thumbs to wipe away my tears. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
I turned my head so I could press my lips to Tuck’s palm. “For getting him gone. For protecting Noah and me. You’re a good man, Tucker Harris.”
His body jolted as though the smallest bolt of lightning had hit him. “You deserve better.”
My eyes bored into his, trying to make him understand. “I want you.”
38
Jensen
There wasa tug on the back of my shirt. I looked up from helping my mom slice veggies for our family dinner to see Noah.
“Mom, where’s Tuck? I need him to help me withTheKarate Kidfight.”
I glanced over at my mom. “He’s still coming, right?”
She shut the door to the oven. “He called this afternoon. Said he was still coming but that he might be a bit late. That case and all.”
My stomach twisted. I wanted Tuck to find the person terrorizing the mustangs, but I hated that doing so meant that he was in danger every day until the guy was caught. I ran my hand over Noah’s hair. “You hear that?” Noah nodded. “Maybe you can practice until Tuck gets here.”
“Good idea.” With that, he took off for the den on the other side of the house.
Grams, who was perched on a bar stool next to Taylor, took a sip of her wine. “Maybe I should go help him with his moves.”
Taylor attempted to cover her laugh with a cough. My mom and I just let ours fly.
Grandma scowled. “What? I was a brown belt in my day.”
“You were not,” my dad called from the living area. “You took three weeks of classes and then got bored. Just like those hatchet throwing lessons you started a few months back.”
She let out a huff. “Well, my teacher said I had a lot of promise. Maybe I’ll pick them back up again and go with Noah. We can go for our black belts together.”
Dad tipped his head back as if searching the heavens. “Lord, save me.”
“Oh, shut it. Just remember who gave you life.” Grandma’s eyes narrowed on him. “I can just as easily take it away.”
Walker thumped Dad on the back. “You better watch out, old man.” He chuckled. “Come on, let’s go out to the barn and you can show me that new Paint mare you picked up.”
The men headed out, and we returned to cooking and sipping wine.
“Finally, some peace around here,” Grandma muttered.
My mom dressed the salad and began to toss it. “If you’re around to cause trouble, I’m not sure there’s much hope for peace.”
Grams threw up a hand. “No respect, I tell you.”
Mom handed me the salad greens so I could add the veggies. “So, how is Tuck doing?”
