Page 63 of A Rogue Cowboy's Kiss

When everyone said yes, Tatum started to test out some lyrics, and soon they were in a creation hotspot, writing a song together about women.

Bella smiled as she listened to the conversation. These women, by marriage or by finding, were her family. Her sisters. All different, but all amazing people.

This is what she’d been missing. The power of women coming together, supporting each other, making each other laugh. And she’d had it all along. All of these women literally lived within walking distance of her house.

And she’d thought she had to run to Boston to find them.

Meg sat down next to Bella and nudged her shoulder. “Aside from the video, how are you going to shine your light, sis?”

“I don’t know.” She hugged her knees and rested her chin on them.

Tatum looked over. “What are you going to do about Falcon?”

Bella stiffened. “Nothing.”

“Girl, he was sitting at the counter looking very distraught,” Sofia said. “He looked like a man whose heart had just shattered. Did you dump him?”

Guilt flashed through Bella. “I didn’t dump him. I just called his bluff, and he failed.”

Meg raised her brows. “What bluff did you call?”

“I asked him to marry me, and he said he couldn’t.”

The women all screamed, and Meg hit her shoulder. “What are you talking about? Tell useverything.”

Bella paused, looking around at all the women. She’d always been honest with Meg, but these other women? She wasn’t used to that. She was used to not trusting. But these women had won over her brothers, and they were her family now. So, she took a deep breath, and she told them everything.

And it felt amazing.

It was when they started asking the tough questions that things got hard.

TWENTY-SEVEN

Falcon was still sittingat the kitchen counter when the front door opened.

He looked over his shoulder, then turned when he saw it was Dylan and Brody. “Hey.”

Both men nodded their greetings.

“Thanks for letting us know Bella took off,” Brody said. “We tracked her and she’s safe. The women are with her, and some of my brothers are hanging out, keeping watch.”

Falcon nodded. Bella said he couldn’t follow her, but he wasn’t about to let her go out there unprotected. “I’m cancelling her request for you guys to take over the situation with the guy who attacked me on the Cape.”

Dylan parked himself on the couch and put his feet up on a footrest. “No can do, buddy. You didn’t hire me, so you can’t fire me.”

Falcon wasn’t surprised by the response, but he tried again. “I’m not having someone endangered because of my shit. It’s my job and I’ll take care of it.”

“How? By getting stabbed again?” Dylan grinned. “You did good. That guy was well-trained. He has a history. I’ll have notrouble tracking down his connection to you and Bella. It’ll be over soon.”

Falcon ground his jaw. “Dylan?—”

“You realize that this shit you went through for twenty years could have been over a long time ago if you’d let us help?” Dylan leaned forward. “I know you decided not to be a Hart, but you’re still one of us. No more of this crap of going alone, Falcon. It’s bullshit, and it’s over.”

Falcon stared at him, surprised by the vehemence of his words.

Brody cleared his throat. “Here’s the thing, Falcon. Man to man, I respect your need to live your life. But I heard the fear and pain in my sister’s voice when you were passed out next to her, and she thought you were dying. Damn near broke my own heart. We’ve all been through too much to take on any pain we don’t need. She deserves to be whole and loved. You say you love her, but you’re going to ditch her and go get yourself killed?”

Guilt settled in Falcon’s gut. “I didn’t mean to scare her.”

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