Page 55 of Wild Bliss

Sabrina liked mimosas.

“He’s threatening you.” Wyatt was staring at the card. “It’swhy he mentioned your name. He wants me to know he can get to the people I careabout. It’s how my brother works. He wants more than a couple of accounts.”

“He needs to be taught the meaning of the word no.” Sawyerwasn’t about to let Wyatt get pulled back in because Wyatt was worried he couldget hurt. He was a big guy. He could handle himself. “Look, I don’t think weshould panic. Very likely the reason he came in person is he doesn’t wantanyone listening in. You know how paranoid they are about money.”

It was precisely why Wayne had wanted Wyatt handlingeverything. He wanted someone he trusted implicitly, and that had been his ownbrother. The brother he could scare. The brother who’d been raised to beobedient.

It had to bother Wayne he couldn’t handle his own brother.Sawyer wondered if it had caused some questions about his leadership. It wouldrankle.

“If I do this thing for him, do you think he’ll leave mealone?” Wyatt asked, though it seemed like he knew the answer.

“It depends on whether he decides you’re an easy target or ahard one.” Sawyer was a practical man.

“Sabrina makes me an easy target,” Wyatt said softly.

“She does, but your brother doesn’t know about her.” Heseriously doubted Wayne Kemp was in on the Bliss gossip grapevine. His menwould be holed up somewhere waiting to show up tonight. “Yet.”

“He knows I’m living with you. He knows where I work. If Istart dating Sabrina, he’ll figure it out, and the next time he wants somethingfrom me, he’ll use her to get it.” Wyatt finally said the truth.

“We don’t know for certain.” It was weird. He knew he shouldbe nodding his head and agreeing because Wyatt was finally getting a grasp onreality. He found himself reluctant to kill all his dreams.

Because they were normal, ordinary dreams. Dreams thatshould have been his right. The right to live the way he wanted, to love thewoman he wanted to love. To be himself. It felt wrong to give it up because hisbully of a brother wanted to get his way. Again.

“I do.” Wyatt glanced at the clock. “I know exactly what mybrother can do to a woman, and I won’t let it happen to her.”

He picked up his cell, and Sawyer worried whatever he wasabout to do would wreck Wyatt for a long time. “How about we think thisthrough?” He was the voice of reason, why? “Call Sabrina and let her knowsomething came up and you can’t make it tonight. Tell her about the break-in.Explain you need a couple of days. She’ll understand.”

“And what happens when Wayne shows back up in a month ortwo?” Wyatt asked, a dark look coming into his eyes. Sawyer remembered thatlook. He hadn’t seen the tight expression on Wyatt’s face since he left the MC.“If he figures out how I feel about her, he’ll threaten her any time he needssomething from me.”

“So you go through life alone because you’re worried yourbrother will hurt anyone you care about?” Sawyer understood the idea on a baselevel. People were trouble. Stay away from people. But it bugged him now.

He was kind of tired of being alone. It wasn’t like he wasgoing to start joining social groups, but he liked having Wyatt around.

He liked having Sabrina around, and if Wyatt was withSabrina, then Sawyer got to be Sabrina adjacent. He wanted to be Sabrinaadjacent.

“I don’t know.” Wyatt shook his head and took a long breath.“I didn’t expect I would have to deal with him again. I’m a little shaken.”

“Of course you are, but you’re not thinking straight. You’repanicking, and I don’t think you have a reason to panic. Sabrina isn’t somerandom chick you met in the clubhouse. I’m not saying those women don’t deserveprotection, too, merely pointing out they don’t usually have it. Sabrina does.She’s got an entire sheriff’s department who will look out for her. She mightbe your weakness, but she’s not a soft target. And she’s also not a shrinkingviolet. You need to talk to her and explain the situation.”

Wyatt nodded. “Yeah, I should talk to her. We’re supposed tomeet in an hour and a half. I can figure out what to say by then. I get whatyou mean about her sister being a deputy, but Elisa can’t be around all thetime.”

“Dude, Sabrina lives in the valley. People in the valleylook out for each other.” He wasn’t sure why he was pushing this. A couple ofdays before he would have done almost anything to keep Sabrina out of his life.He’d known he wasn’t good for her, and Wyatt wasn’t either. Now he was sittinghere with actual proof he was right slapping him in the face and he wasarguing.

Because he’d figured out she might be able to handle him,might be the person who could draw him out and make him comfortable with her sohe didn’t have to be alone.

“And they’ll get hurt, too,” Wyatt replied. “My brother canbe ruthless when he wants something. I’m trying to imagine what he could do tosomeone trying to defend Sabrina. Elisa might know how to handle herself, butwhat if Nell or someone like her is there and tries to intervene?”

Sawyer chuckled at the idea. “Then they’ll get to knowHenry’s serial killer side real fast.”

Wyatt snorted. “Yeah, sure. Henry Flanders is a killer.”

How little he knew. “Henry Flanders is ex-CIA, and youseriously shouldn’t fuck with his wife. He’s the most patient dude in the worldabout anything but his wife and daughter and the protection of the town heloves. If you’re worried about Callie, she’s got two former DEA agents whowould take apart anyone who tried to touch her. And Rachel… Well, Rachel scaresme all on her own. She’s always trying to get another notch on her I Shot a Sonof a Bitch club membership. The women of this town are fierce, and they won’ttake well to some asshole bikers threatening people. If Wayne wants a fight,Bliss will give him one.”

“Which is why I should think about leaving.” Wyatt sat back,a defeated look on his face.

Overdramatic bastard. “Can we get through tonight and seewhat he wants? I’ll send Lark home early. It shouldn’t be crowded. I can handlethe bar, and we’ll have Joe and Gil. Can you get the cameras back online? Iwant records of what happens.”

In case he needed to call in Nate. He wouldn’t involve thesheriff if this was a case of Wayne needing a password.

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