“I need more money. I’m the one taking all the risks.”
“Bullshit. My son’s the one cutting fences in the middle of the night and moving sick cattle from his ranch to theirs.”
What. The. Fuck.
Harlan was the one sabotaging the ranch this whole time. How did I not know? We invited this nice old man into our home for our wedding, and he’s the asshole trying to destroy us?
Suddenly, my phone blares, and I fumble to turn it off. Shit. I look up and realize they’re staring in my direction.
“Goddamn it,” Harlan yells. “Get her, and shove her in the trunk. Bring her to my place when you catch her.”
Shit! With my heart in my throat, I run in the opposite direction. I hurdle over tombstones and memorials and floral arrangements.I’m sorry for running over your graves, dead people! I’ll bring you all fresh flowers if I make it out of here alive.
I nearly trip over a tree root, and my phone goes flying into a bush. I’m too afraid to slow down to grab it.
Footsteps behind me make me sprint faster, and a male voice shouts, “Stop now or this will be worse when I catch you!”
They plan to put me in a trunk. How much worse can it get? I have a feeling if I end up there, I’m not coming out. I don’t recognize that voice, but I don’t bother turning around to see who it is.
“No one’s gonna find your body when I’m done with you, bitch!” he shouts, closer now.
Terror grips me, and I pick up speed. As I cut through the cemetery, I worry my ankle won’t hold up, but it stays strong, and I pump my arms faster.
A million thoughts rush through my mind. Why didn’t I tell Rhett that I loved him last night? That we could get through the hard times together if he let me? That I didn’t care if he had a ranch or a straw roof over his head?
And now I might never get the chance.
Beyond this side of the cemetery is a forested area.
I sprint toward it like my life depends on it.
Because it does.
46
RHETT
I curseunder my breath as my truck skids across the gravel road.
Jace braces himself against his door. “Bro, don’t kill us. I have a big gig coming up.”
He’s trying to lighten the mood, but I don’t laugh. I can barely fucking breathe. “What if something happened to her?” I’ll never forgive myself for upsetting Paige like that.
“She’s probably sleeping in her car again. Calm your ass down. The park is just a few more blocks.”
Something’s wrong with that assumption, but I can’t put my finger on it. As I turn down the road that will take us to the park, I remember her telling me about Danny’s funeral.
She slept at the cemetery that night.
I yank the steering wheel and make a U-turn.
“Whoa.” Jace slaps the dash. “The park’s that way.”
“She’s not there.” I can’t explain why I know this. It’s just a gut feeling.
A sense of dread gnaws at my chest.Please let her be okay.
About a mile down the road, I spot her car. My heart thunders as we pull up to it.
