“Safety precaution,” he corrects. “More for her than you.”
Frustration rises when his head tips at me like I put myself in this position. “Nobody is coming after me.”
“There’s always a risk,” he says smoothly.
“But we’re just going shopping at Life’s a Stitch.” Paisley points at the brick building on the next block.
“The craft store is extremely dangerous.” A dramatic eye roll pairs well with my sarcasm.
My bestie glances between me and Brody. “Then why do we need a chaperone?”
“They’re paranoid,” I mutter.
She grips my arm. “What aren’t you telling me?”
I inhale a lungful of fresh air, but it doesn’t offer clarity. “According to the overbearing men in our lives, it’s not for us to worry about. Isn’t that right, brother?”
He grunts, but doesn’t dispute the explanation regurgitated by Dad and Colton.
Paisley tugs me off to the side, avoiding fellow pedestrians. “Is this about that creepy guy we had to meet to get Echo back?”
“Yes.”
“Did you find out who he is when you talked to him alone?”
“Yes,” I repeat.
“And?”
“It’s probably better if you don’t know.” I’d kept her in the dark on purpose, but that makes me somewhat of a hypocrite.
Her blue eyes narrow in agreement. “Tell me, Bee.”
“He’s…” I blow out a heavy breath. “Colton’s father.”
Paisley’s jaw drops. “No way.”
“Mhmm, caught me by surprise too. I wasn’t sure if I should believe him, but why would he lie? Anyway, that whole ordeal caused Colton to double down. It’s worse than before, which was already suffocating. He’s following meev-er-y-where,” I drag the word out for emphasis. “Even to the arena on my own property. I can’t ride my horse without a shadow.”
“But he isn’t here now,” she notes absently.
“Only because this one is,” I remind her with a stab of my thumb at the glowering grump. As if we could forget my brother’s intrusion.
“Seems strange if Colton has been hounding your ass harder than ever.”
“Thanks for that visual.” I clench involuntarily, but then a realization strikes. My stare whips to my brother. “Where is he?”
The intensity in my voice catches me off guard. It’s not that I care. Nope. Not even a little bit.
“Gave him the night off,” Brody drawls.
A prickling sensation sneaks along my nape. “Is he confronting his father?”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Cut the shit. You know by now that he wanted me to pass along a message to Colton.”
“Which is…” Paisley interjects.
