Page 176 of Five Mountain Daddies

I watch as she leaves. I head to my front window and catch a glimpse of her lighting a cigarette in her car. She drives off and I’m left standing there, feeling shell-shocked andangry.

The bastards are going after my mother. That’s a step too far. They can threaten me, come after me, but my family’s off limits. That’s the kind of people I’m dealing with here. They’re monsters and they have no limits, none at all. They’ll go to any lengths to stop this investigation, because they know I’m going to discover theirsecrets.

I sigh and shake my head. What the hell am I thinking? I’m not the one doing anything, it’s all Wyatt. I’m just tagging along, trying not to get in the way, and trying not to get hurt. My poor mother didn’t ask for any of this. She never wanted to get involved, that was mychoice.

Without thinking, I grab my things and head outside. I get into my car and start driving, not really sure where I’m going, except I end up exactly where I knew I’d endup.

It’s getting late. It’s almost nine, and I know I should go home. I should just turn around and pretend like this never happened, or maybe go to my mother’s house and make sure she’s not drinking herself todeath.

Instead, I get out of the car and head up toward hisroom.

18

Wyatt

When I get back from the bar with Mitch, I find Cora leaning up against the railing outside my moteldoor.

She looks up as I approach, but doesn’t say anything. Wordlessly, I let her into my room, and I shut the door behindher.

She walks over to the bed and sits down at the end. “My mom got a call,” shesays.

I stop in my tracks. “Same guy that calledyou?”

She shrugs. “I didn’t hear the voice, but I thinkso.”

“Samethreat?”

“Similar.”

“Shit.” I lean up against the desk, crossing my arms. I didn’t expect it to escalate thisquickly.

“What do wedo?”

“Nothing,” I say. “Although it might be good if your mom could go stay someplacesafe.”

“I asked her to stay with me,” she says. “But sherefused.”

I nod, not surprised. “Your place isn’t much safer,anyway.”

She looks away, frowning. “I guessnot.”

I sigh and walk over to her. I stop in front of her and tip her chin toward me. “It’ll be okay,” I saysoftly.

She looks up at me, gorgeous eyes defiant. “How can youknow?”

“I just know. I’ve done this before,remember?”

“Do you usually get threats likethis?”

“No,” I admit. “Not at all. This is unique toMason.”

“Of course it is.” She sighs and I let go of her chin. I sit down next to her, our sides touching, and she turns to me. “Do you think you could, I don’t know, get a protective detail for mymom?”

I frown. “That’sexpensive.”

“The police might doit?”

“I doubt it,” I admit. “They’d have to pay someone to sit outside your mom’s trailer, that’ll cost them overtime for sure… I just can’t see ithappening.”

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