Page 74 of The Blackmail of Denise Randall

Trent throws his arm around me as we exit the restaurant laughing. “I’m sorry.”

“You promise you won’t punch any more guys in the face on my behalf?”

“What if you ask me to?”

“Okay, then we agree—only do what I say.”

Trent pulls me against him and rubs his knuckles on top of my head. “You’re still a bossy little brat.”

“Trent! My hair! My hair,” I whine. He releases me laughing, and I give him a light shove. “Look, Keaton isn’t a bad guy.”

Trent stops and looks down at me. “He’s really gotten to you, hasn’t he?”

“No.”

“No?” He mocks. “Liar.”

“Shut up.” I try to walk away, but Trent tightens his arm around my shoulder.

“Nah, c’mon. All I’m saying is, I have some reservations about you dating a guy who blackmailed you.”

“It wasn’t a serious blackmail.”

“And since I do know him. Sloan has a reputation of being quite the flirt whenever he and Charlee would be on a break. Which brings us to another concern, what if you’re just a fling until Keaton and Charlee get back together?”

“Trent.” I reach up and place my hands on his shoulders. Those strong shoulders that carry the weight of every Randall sibling. “I promise that I’ll be careful, but you have to allow me to make my own mistakes.” I stare into his blue eyes and see the dark lashes that match mine. “And if I fall, just know, it’s not going to be your fault. If I do stumble now and then, or I fall completely on my ass, it won’t be on you. Stop taking all our problems as though you’re the root cause or you could’ve prevented them. You’re a great big brother, but you’re not Superman.”

“No, I’m not,” he says in all seriousness, “I’m Iron Man.”

I roll my eyes. “You’d be Captain America if you were a superhero. But that’s my point. You don’t have to be everyone’s superhero. Just be my brother.”

“You used to think I was both. Your big brother that was a superhero.”

“You still are a superhero in my eyes.” As I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him down to my level, I whisper, “Just don’t always try to save the world. Some people you can’t save.”

Trent pulls back and searches my face. Before he can say anything, my cell phone rings. I pull it out to see Wyatt’s name on the screen. Trent must see it too because he asks, “Is he still bothering you?” I roll my eyes and send the call to voicemail.

I shake my head. I take in Trent’s worried scowl and groan. “I know that look. What did we just talk about? Let me handle some of my own problems. That’s why I don’t want to intern with any of you.”

“Okay. On the condition that if he doesn’t stop by the end of this week, you let me help.”

“Let you interfere at the end of the week, got it.”

“Any way you want to put it. Let’s shake on it.” We shake and then he wraps his strong arms around me again. Trent opens the door for me and then drives me back to the guest house. My new house, as I consider it now.

He waits in his SUV until I get the door unlocked and then I wave for him to leave. I open the door and flip on all the lights. It’s a chilly night, so I slip into my favorite fleece pajamas. I decide to have a hot chocolate while I read a book before bed.

As I’m heating some milk on the stove, I hear a rustling noise outside. I peak through the kitchen window to find a stray cat running out from underneath a bush. With my cup of hot chocolate, favorite blanket and book in hand, I’m content. I’ve about finished my hot chocolate and am halfway through another chapter when I hear the rustling again. Maybe I should go outside to give the cat some food. It’s probably hungry and trying to find shelter. I pull a bobby pin out from the side of my hair and place it in the book to save my place. I wrap my blanket around me and head over to the cabinets to see what I can use to feed the cat. As I’m looking through the cabinets that Mom was nice enough to stock, I hear a faint click and the room suddenly goes black. I pull my phone out of my pocket to use it as a flashlight. I jump when it suddenly rings in my hand.

UNKNOWN NUMBER.

Probably spam. Frustrated, I send it to voicemail with a growl. I swipe the screen and press the light on my phone. I hurry over to the window to see if the lights are out at my parents’ house. They’re still on. I swipe my phone, intending to call my dad, when there’s a knock at the door. I pause. The knock comes again. I go ahead and call him just to be safe. It rings three times before going to voicemail. I end the call and try Mom’s cell. The knock comes again. I call out, “Who is it?”

“Lumberton Electric, ma’am.” That was too fast. It just went out.My phone rings again. I look down to see that it’s Keaton. I answer the call.

“Hello? Keaton?”

“Denise? What’s wrong?”

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