Page 26 of Cruel Expectations

There was something oddly alluring about a man with power like that.

* * * * *

When Hunter reached for his phone, he realized how unsteady his hands were. He wouldn’t call them shaky exactly—but he wasn’t himself either.

Goddamn Ivy for throwing him off his game. Not even the deadliest sniper staring down his sights at Hunter and his men could do that. Facing danger was far easier than dealing with the spoiled princess pouting sullenly next to him.

Her arms were folded, her gaze fixed on the windshield and her adorable little jaw jutting forward enough to show him just how annoyed she was. As if their wild struggle the entire way across the parking lot of Badlands hadn’t been enough.

“Who are you texting?” She didn’t turn her head when she spoke, but her tone smoldered with a caustic ring.

“Colton. If they’re getting a ride home with us, he and Meadow better leave now.”

Again, she spoke while refusing to look at him. “You don’t own this truck. You can’t just take off.”

He held up the key.

She gave it a cursory glance. “How did you get that?”

“Colton gave it to me when we arrived.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Why would he do that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe he knew that I’d need to take you home early.”

She twisted her head to stare out the side window at the dark parking lot.

“This place doesn’t even have good security. The lighting out here is shit. Another reason why you should not be left alone. Not to mention the asshole clientele.”

She remained silent.

He didn’t need her agreement—he was taking her out of a bad situation that would turn worse the longer she stayed here. After a quick flurry of texts with Colton, the back door opened and Meadow slid in.

Seeing her sister didn’t even lift the mantle of anger Ivy cloaked herself in.

Colton jumped in next to his woman. “All good, man?”

“Yup.” He started the vehicle and retraced the road leading back to the Gracey Ranch.

Nobody spoke. When they reached the gates and he rolled beneath the arch with the name in the middle, he was finally able to draw a full breath.

Dammit. He thought that the tight sensation of his battle days was over. Until he and his squadron were safe in the neutral zone, he never could fill his lungs the whole way.

That small bar in the middle of nowhere was no threat like he knew one to be, but the second that man touched Ivy, Hunter was out for blood.

Once he parked in front of the big garage, Ivy jumped out and took off walking at a fast clip toward the big house, Meadow on her heels. He paused for a second, contemplating whether or not to make a security sweep of the place, but decided to back off.

The ranch hands had been here the entire time. In fact, Marks came out of the shadows. He thumbed the brim of his Stetson in greeting.

Colton nodded to the man. “Anything to report?”

“All quiet on the home front, boss.”

Hunter’s stare flashed to Colton. Boss? His friend didn’t react to the moniker.

“The others?” Colton asked.

“Guarding the perimeter, like you ordered. But Webb’s already got the fire going.”

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