Page 47 of Lone Star Protector

Nash quickly put in a search on the name while Bodie continued his gloating and gushing.

“Barney had a rap sheet, well, as long as the beautiful scars on your body. I did a service to humanity by eliminating him. You can thank me since the asshole nearly killed you.”

“So, he’s the one who fired the shots at me?” she asked.

“Hell, yeah, it was him,” Bodie verified. “I only wanted him to flush you out with that tear gas shit, and he starts blasting away like some special ops sniper.” He paused. “He didn’t hurt you, did he, darlin’?”

Caroline tried to make her voice sound as flippant as his. “No. There’s not a scratch on me.”

“Good. Because I’m the only one who has a right to put marks on you, not asshole convicts who don’t follow orders.” The anger dripped from those last few words. Bodie clearly didn’t like being crossed or challenged.

Or dumped.

“What do you want, Bodie?” she demanded.

“Oh, I want so very much, Caroline,” he said, shifting to a sappy sweet tone that turned her stomach. Then again, everything about the man caused her to have that reaction. “So very, very much. But let’s start with a simple visit. You come to me, and you do it now.”

Caroline had an Oh, God moment of near panic before she remembered Bodie wasn’t right there in the room with her. He wasn’t standing behind her with a skinning knife, and he didn’t have control over her.

“And why would I do that?” she asked. “Why would I come to you?”

“Because of her,” Bodie readily answered. The sappiness went up a significant notch. “All because of her.”

“Who?” she snapped.

“Your mama, that’s who.” Bodie laughed long and hard. “I got her, Caroline. I have Ruby.”

Chapter Sixteen

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Nash silently cursed every word of profanity that he knew. And he forced the muscles in his body to unclench. He needed to stay level. Needed to think.

Because he didn’t believe Bodie was lying about having Ruby.

On some off chance that he was, Nash used the landline on the desk to try to call his boss. And it went straight to voicemail.

Hell.

Bodie had her all right. With everything going on, Ruby would have answered if she had been able to do it.

Dreading what he would see, he looked at Caroline. She was way too pale and understandably shaking. But he saw some fight in her, too. Some anger.

Good.

Nash might have to tap into that anger to keep her strong for what they were about to face. And what they were about to face would be bad. The stuff of nightmares for Caroline.

“Still there, darlin’?” Bodie asked in a taunt. “Hope the cat didn’t get your tongue.”

“It didn’t,” Caroline snapped, and Nash saw another burst of anger. “Where’s my mother?”

“Right here with me,” Bodie supplied. “And now I’m going to have her say something. A proof of life kind of deal since I figured that’s something you’d press for. What would you like for her to say so I can have her repeat it?”

Caroline looked at Nash, and he jotted down a question. “Where is Bodie holding you?” she read.

Moments later, he heard Ruby’s voice. “Where is Bodie holding you,” she repeated.

There was the sound of some kind of movement, and Nash got the sense that Ruby had been about to add something else, but Bodie had silenced her. He didn’t want to think of how Bodie would have accomplished that. Ruby wasn’t an easy person to intimidate.

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