Page 47 of Guarded Hearts

“Shh. Just stay right here with me.”

She didn’t think he meant to stay pinned to the wall.

Chapter Eleven

Carson gave the screwdriver a few more hard twists, securing the new security camera to the fence. He aimed it at the side of the house to cover the previous dead zone.

“Justfucking tryto get near those windows without me seeing you.” He pocketed the tool and stepped backward, into the camera’s view. Then he checked the app to ensure he was visible.

Setting off in a brisk walk, he moved from the far left to the far right. After that, he checked that he was on the recording.

That did the trick. Nobody was getting past him ever again.

Not that he and Layne planned to remain at Golden Horizon for much longer. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that this guy wasn’t going to back down. He was going to keep targeting Layne—and now him too. He was just cocky enough not to know how afraid he should be of Carson.

When he suggested that he and Layne should go to Lake Como, he was as serious as a member of the explosives team defusing a bomb.

As soon as he could arrange the details of the flight and their stay, they were out of here. The bullet casing on his windowsill was a warning, but those thorned rose stems had fucked with his head far too much. Over his dead body was he allowing anyone to get close to Layne after that.

He walked the fence line and did a sweep of the barn. All clear. As he circled back to the house once again, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Mounting the porch steps, he drew it out and leaned against the post to answer the call.

He looked out over the land. The grass was tipped in gold, painted by the sun. Now he could see what attracted Layne to that landscape hanging on her office wall. The rolling fields and the deep blue of the sky were nearly exact replicas of the scene before him.

“Took ya long enough,” he said without preamble to his brother.

“What’s up, Carson? Besides you being a demanding dickhead?” Oaks’s insult didn’t come with even a hint of animosity. Though his brothers liked to set boundaries, Oaks wasn’t setting one now.

“You know me. I like being the dickhead of the family.”

Oaks gave a low chuckle, tinged with exhaustion. “While you’re in there getting the hot babe, I’ve been running around to find the things you need.”

He let the comment about Layne slide. “What did you find out?”

“The lab tested the threatening note. Speaking of babes—Kyleigh who works at the lab is smokin’. For a lab rat, I mean. I bet that white coat she wears hides a bangin’ body.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting for patience. “Oaks. The note.”

He went on as if he didn’t just have an outburst. “Willow is still working on finding the producer. The lab has the paper sample and they’re even analyzing the ink used to print it.”

“Fuck.I can’t risk him making any other moves to kidnap her. I’ve been considering taking Layne far away from here. Now I’m certain I will.”

For a moment, his brother fell silent. “I hoped it wouldn’t come to this. I’ll help in any way you need.”

“I need the jet readied. We’re going to Italy.”

“Damn. Okay. I’ll speak to the pilot after I get off the phone. But before I go, I just got a notification from the security app that a new camera has been installed.”

“I just finished installing it. Layne and I won’t be here, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be keeping an eye on every inch of this ranch. After you speak to the pilot, I’m going to need an escort to the airstrip.”

“I already figured you would.”

“And since Colt is back, he’s going to come fetch Faye, the Londons’ housekeeper, and take her to the Black Heart. She can stay at the ranch. I want Colt here keeping an eye on things.”

“I’ll brief him on it.”

Having four other brothers in the military was helpful when it came to working together. They already had the lingo down and there was never any question as to rank or duties. When it came to the security company, everyone took orders from Carson. Period.

“I’ll see that it’s all done. Look for my text with the departure info for your flight.”

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