“I’m on my way. It’s gonna take me a bit, though.”
I scanned the woods around me. “Move slow and be quiet as a mouse. They could be anywhere.”
“Got it.”
I hit the button to end the call, shoved the phone into my pack, and pulled my gun. My steps were steady and as quiet as I would be when tracking an animal. Except, this time, I followed a trail of blue threads.
“I need a break. Please. My head.”
I froze at the edge of the forest. Jensen. I’d never experienced anything like the relief I felt at hearing her voice. I wanted to charge forward, put a bullet between the eyes of whoever had done this. I stayed still, hidden under cover of the forest, the only option to hide as the trees melted away to a rocky ravine.
“Fine.” The voice was so familiar. “I guess I’ll just have to send you over right here.”
Jensen screamed, and I lunged.
46
Tuck
The world slowed.Everything happened in heartbeats. One pulse of that life-controlling organ after another.
Jensen. A gun to her head. A hand squeezing her neck as a man shuffled her back towards the ravine’s edge.
One wrong move was all it would take to wipe her from this Earth. All I could think about was how I had wasted so much time. So much damn time listening to my father’s lies, letting them color my life. Allowing them to steal my shot at happiness.
Never again. I was going to find us a way out of this mess.
I aimed my gun. “Bill, you don’t want to do this.” That kind and concerned interest I’d seen in him was nothing but a façade.
A sneer stretched across his face. “Don’t I? You and your girlfriend here have been sticking your nose in matters that are none of your concern. I tried to warn you off. Gave you chance after chance. But, no, you just couldn’t listen.”
My jaw clenched. “Your brother know about this?”
Bill stiffened. “David has nothing to do with this.”
I inched forward. “Of course, he does. You’ve been killing horses on land he’s in charge of safeguarding.”
Bill’s eye started to twitch, and his hold on Jensen tightened. “Those fucking vermin are ruining the livelihoods of human beings. Don’t you think people are just a little more important than horses? They tear down fences, eat grass that is supposed to feed livestock, take up valuable space that other ranchers could be using. They have to go.”
“This is not the way to make that happen.” My gaze cut to Jensen. She was struggling to pull air into her lungs. My grip on the gun tightened. “Ease up your hold there.”
Bill let out a cackle. “Now, why would I do that?”
“Because if you don’t, I will put a bullet in your fucking brain.” And I would. No hesitation. I wanted to do it right now, just for his grip on her neck, one I knew would bruise.
Bill stepped more fully behind Jensen. “Nope, nope, nope. You’re gonna toss your gun over here, or you’re going to watch all the blood drain from your girlfriend’s body.”
The minute I tossed my gun to Bill, Jensen and I were both done for. I looked at Wilder. She motioned downward with her eyes. I squinted. She made the motion again. I adjusted my grip on my gun. My Wilder, so fucking smart. “Bill, let’s just take a breather here. Don’t do something you’re going to regret.”
His hand closed harder around Jensen’s throat. “I’m not going to regret a fucking thing—”
Jensen dropped like a ton of bricks. The move startled Bill so much that he lost his hold on her, and I got my opening. I exhaled and squeezed the trigger. I wasn’t taking any chances. Right between the eyes.
I knew I would feel no guilt for taking the life of the man who was trying to steal my future. Attempting to snuff out the brightest light to ever walk this Earth. No one would do a damn thing to hurt Jensen if I could do anything to stop it.
Bill crumpled in a heap to the side of Jensen. Her gaze flew to him and then to me. “I knew you had me.”
Her words took flight in my chest, warmth spreading. I was a better man because I knew her. Because I loved her. “Are you okay?”
