Page 26 of Lone Star Target

“There’s no metal detector at the entrance, but everyone will be searched, and all weapons will have to be surrendered. That’s their security protocol. A deputy will keep watch outside to stop anyone from charging in, and I’ll have Slade check the roofs of nearby buildings to make sure there are no snipers. In fact, he’s there now doing just that.”

Jace knew that Ruby was being as thorough as possible about this, but there were still way too many things that could go wrong. Then again, the same could be said about tomorrow when Kit would have to go to the Bandera Bluff courthouse to testify against Marvin.

There was an irony to the location.

The courthouse was where Kit and he had gotten married nineteen years ago with the Justice of the Peace officiating with Angel and Presley as witnesses. That’d been the one and only time Jace had been in the building, but apparently Kit and he would be going back. Under much different circumstances this time.

“When is this meeting with Marvin supposed to take place?” Jace asked, forcing his mind back on the here and now.

“As soon as you can get Kit there. Angel is already on his way to you, and he’ll wait at your gate for you.”

“Hell,” Jace muttered, and neither Ruby nor Kit questioned him.

They both knew a meeting like this came with risks. Huge ones. Because while Marvin might not be able to get a weapon inside the sheriff’s office, that didn’t mean he hadn’t set up some kind of attack.

“We need to know what Marvin has to say,” Kit spelled out. “And if this is a plot to get to me, then Slade, Angel, and you can stop it.”

Kit obviously had a lot of faith in them. So did Jace. But sometimes, all the training in the world didn’t stop someone from being killed. Still, Kit was right. They needed to hear Marvin out.

Jace stood, and that was apparently enough to signal Ruby that the meeting would happen. “I’ll get an update from Slade and send it to you while you’re en route to Bandera Bluffs,” she added. “And I’ll let Marvin know you’re on the way.”

Jace muttered a thanks, ended the call, and turned to Kit. He wanted to spell out some rules. Wanted to tell her not to take any unnecessary risks. Heck, he wanted to vent about that all of this shit was happening to her.

But she stopped him.

She walked to him and kissed him.

It wasn’t one of those for show kisses either. Nor was it an anger kiss like the one that he’d doled out in the SUV. This was honest, real. And hot.

So very hot.

Then again, it was probably impossible for Kit and him not to generate a boatload of heat whenever they were kissing. Or touching.

Or anything else for that matter.

Kit’s mouth moved over his. Both soothing and arousing. It instantly made him want more. But more wasn’t going to happen.

Not now, anyway.

“We’ll finish this later,” she muttered with her mouth still against him.

She pulled back, meeting his gaze. And cursing. Yeah, she cursed, making Jace smile. Because he so understood this fierce battle she was having with herself. To give into the heat would feel incredible. But it could also be a very dangerous mistake.

“Later,” he agreed, and then he shoved the kiss and the heat aside to focus on keeping her alive.

They went to the garage, got in the SUV, and drove to the gate. As Ruby had said, Angel was there waiting for them, and like before, Angel followed them on their drive.

Jace kept watch around them, and he knew that Angel and Kit were doing the same. This wasn’t a high-traffic area, but there were still plenty of places for an attacker to lie in wait.

His phone dinged and a text from Ruby appeared on the dash. “Got an all clear from Slade. No suspicious activity. He’ll stay in place on the roof of the courthouse just up the street from the police station to make sure it stays that way.”

Good. From what Jace had learned about Slade, the man was a good shot and kept a steady head. He was hoping though that Kit and he wouldn’t need that kind of skillset.

It didn’t take long, less than five minutes for Jace to reach the town, and like many of the small towns in this area, Main Street was mainly mom and pop type of businesses with the courthouse in the center.

Less than a half block away was the sheriff’s office, and Jace immediately spotted a uniformed deputy who was clearly watching for them. He motioned for Jace to park directly in front of the building. Jace did and was thankful the parking arrangement meant there’d be less time out in the open for Kit.

Angel parked behind them, and hurrying, the three of them went into the sheriff’s office. Ruby had set up things here, too, since Sheriff Soloman “Sol” Manning was right there, waiting for their arrival.

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