Page 88 of Barbed Wire Hearts

“I ain’t suggestin’ anything,” John growls. “What Iamsayin’ is that you three are keeping secrets and that poor woman is in the middle of it. You three have been in trouble before, so I expect it, but this? This feels bigger.” He shakes his head and hands me the folder. “I hope you know what the fuck you’re doin’.”

I blink down in surprise at the folder in my hands. “This is evidence.”

“Yeah, and I know you’re probably innocent in all this. You don’t fuck around with drugs, and I know you ain’t trafficking shit. So this is something more personal. But I can’t protect you from the law this time. This is clearly self-defense, but I can’t promise what any other incidents will be decided as.”

I straighten. “We don’t need your protection, John. We’ll do alright. I thought it would just be courteous to let you know there were dead bodies out here. You can see the bullet hole in my truck where they shot at us after I told them to move along. I ain’t lyin’.”

John studies me. “You ain’t lyin’ about that. I know. But why were they blocking the road? Why do they have Kate’s information? Where are these death threats comin’ from?” He picks up one of the guns with his gloved hand and points to a tiny crow etched into the barrel. “And why the fuck are you mixed up with a gang from the east coast, Dakota Steele?”

I pause, my face going blank. “I don’t know what you mean.”

John scoffs. “I ain’t stupid despite what my daddy claims. I know what this looks like. My question is what do The Crows want with a ranch clear out here in Wyoming?” He looks over at Kate with narrowed eyes. “And I’d damn sure like to know what they want with sweet little ole Kate over there.”

“You and me both,” I say before clapping him on the shoulder. “But you’re getting superstitious and paranoid in your old age, John. You know we’re all law-abiding citizens out here.”

His face pinches. “I don’t know that. Actually, I don’t think any of our town knows that.” He meets my eyes, and something passes through them, something I don’t want to look too closely at. “Tell me,” he says, straightening. “You been out to visit your daddy’s grave lately?”

My face twists. “No.”

He nods. “I figured.” Then he tips his hat at me. “You better know what you’re doin’, Steele. For Kate’s sake, I hope you don’t get her killed. Georgia is mighty fond of her.”

He turns and leaves me, dismissing us from further questioning.

His eyes follow me as we leave though, and his words do the same.

A hint. A tease. A fucking reminder of my past.

Bastard.

I ignore the speed limit on the way back, and once we’re through the gate, it clangs shut with a final menacing lock. When Kate asks if I’m okay, I don’t answer and leave her to Levi and Wiley. They can handle it.

For now, I need to make it safe. I need to make it safe.

It’s not fucking safe enough!

ChapterFifty-Four

Kate

The moment we get back to the ranch, everything seems to take a turn for the chaotic. Dakota storms off immediately with a refusal to explain what the fuck is happening. Everyone is buttoning up the ranch roads to make sure no one can come in. Besides that, all the trailers from the cattle drive are being unloaded and parked. I climb from Dakota’s truck with no idea what to do, my eyes wide at the chaos of it all.

“What the hell is going on?” I ask, not sure where to go and where to help.

Levi is watching everything the same as I am, a solemn frown on his face. “They know where you’re at for sure now and they’re sending people to take you.” He turns to meet my eyes. “Dakota essentially sent that asshole back with a challenge, and we have to assume that they’ll rise to meet it.”

Wiley grimaces. “I think it’s time you moved into the big house, Kate.”

“What about William?” I ask, my brows raised. He’d ridden home with Naomi. She’d taken Fuzz as well. Both critters are fond of her so it wasn’t a big deal, and now that I know what was waiting for us, I’m glad they went ahead of me and were never in danger.

“Bring him with you,” he says. “I need to go check on the horses. Levi, you got this?”

Levi crosses his arms. “Yeah.”

Wiley rushes off, leaving me standing with Levi on my right, more confused than I’ve ever been. I don’t really know what to do, or even how to handle this situation. It feels so overwhelming, like at any moment, all the pins are gonna drop and we’ll lose control. All these people, all in danger.

Because of me.

Guilt starts to eat at me. Naomi. Her family. Wiley, Levi, and Dakota. They’re all in danger now because of me. They’ve gotten mixed up with the Crows for me and me alone.

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