But that would only land me in jail for assault, and who knows how many cops he has on his payroll. I’ll likely never make it out of the cell they throw me in. So, I control myself—for now.
“I bet you hid it from her because you know she’d blame you too. See, I know you’re the one who took her from me. I watched the security tapes and saw you enter the boutique. Saw you leave too.” He moves closer, and I drop a hand to Delta’s head to keep him in place. “If you knew what happens to people who steal from me, then you’d never have touched her.”
“She’s not yours,” I growl, taking my own step closer. We’re nose to nose. So close I can feel the heat of his breath on my face.
My stomach churns as my mind tries to throw me back into that pit. Hot breath fanning over my face. My neck. Lord, don’t let me lose it now.
“You’re a bug compared to me, cowboy. And the sooner you realize that, the easier it will be for everyone involved. I will find Emmaline. And when I do, no one in her vicinity will be spared. I’ll lay waste to everything.”
“Whoa, looks like I missed a party invite,” Tucker announces as he steps into the room.
Heath continues glaring at me for a moment, waiting for me to break eye contact first, but I don’t even blink. Not until he tears his gaze away and turns toward my twin. “Tucker Hunt. Tell me, how is Alice?”
Tucker’s expression goes from cool to ice-cold in a second. He squeezes a cup of coffee so hard that it collapses in his grip, and hot coffee spills out, coating his hand and the ground. He doesn’t even flinch at the heat.
I drop my arms and clench my hands into fists as a fresh wave of anger pulses through me.
“I thought so,” Heath adds, then turns back to me. “I’ll be seeing you really soon, cowboy.” With one final glare in my direction, he steps back and heads toward the door. “You too, Mother.”
The door closes as the last of his armed bodyguards leaves the room.
“We need to get back to the ranch,” I tell Tucker.
He nods. “And prepare for war.”
Stepping out of my truck and making my way up toward my house should feel far better than it does now. But when I see my dad sitting on the porch, a familiar look on his face, I groan.
“I’m tired, Dad,” I say quickly, seriously hoping to avoid a conversation I’m really not in the mood to have.
“Not too tired for this. Sit with me, please,” he adds, then gestures toward the rocking chair beside the one he’s in. Delta wags his tail and plops down at my dad’s feet, and Dad pets him while he waits for me to take a seat.
I set my bag down near the door, then sit in the chair.
“That woman you brought back with you, is she dangerous?” he asks.
“She’s not.”
“But someone associated with her is.”
“She’s Heath Slater’s mother.”
He turns toward me, eyes wide. “As in the Heath Slater who intends to marry Emma?”
“One and the same.”
“Why is she here? You’re not using her as bait, are you?”
“I’m not stupid, Dad.”
“No,” he agrees. “But you’ve been known to be a bit reckless from time to time.”
I wish I could argue, but he’s not wrong. “With my life. But never with any of yours.”
My dad nods. “Then why bring her here?”
“Heath would’ve killed her. And she’s the only one who can give us all the answers.”
“She hasn’t already?”
