Page 86 of Outlaw

“Hudson,” I said, standing up, “what—what is wrong with you? What are you talking about?”

Locke moved to stand in front of me. Blocking my view of Hudson.

“Oh, is that it? You’re gonna be tough?” Hudson let out a demented-sounding laugh. “You think I’m scared of some Gen Z. Jesus.” His tone sounded disgusted. “I can’t believe this is why you broke things off with me, Branwen. Telling me that her father wanted to spend time with her. Wanted to get to know her. But you’re out every day with this guy. Where is the so-called father? I thought you were staying locked up on that property with him, but now, you’re out with this one? Can’t make up your mind?”

“Stop this,” I told him sternly, stepping over to see him around Locke. “This isn’t your business, and what are you, stalking me?”

He pointed a finger at me. “Don’t turn this around on me. I was worried about you. Then, I see you out with him. You used me. You took my money. You’re a gold-digging WHORE!” He shouted the last word as his face morphed into a crazed look that made me take a step back.

Stevie let out a sob. “Don’t yell at my mommy,” she wailed, then ran around the table to cling to my legs. Her little body trembled as she pressed against me.

“It’s okay,” I told her, bending down to cup her face and wipe away the wetness from her cheeks.

She sobbed again. “But he is scweamin’ at you,” she said, her face crumpling. “It scaywas me.”

“Yeah, go ahead and make me the bad guy. That’s just great. I loved you. I love you now! But you tossed that away for this—this?! Does he have Daddy’s money? Is that it? I didn’t have enough money for you? What happened to Stevie getting toknow her dad? Huh? Did you lie about that? You’re cheap white trash, just like my mother warned me, but I let your face and body blind me!”

Stevie sobbed and buried her face in my chest as I winced at his words, closing my eyes, as if I could make him go away. I covered Stevie’s ears with my hands, waiting for more awful words to be hurled at me.

But there was only silence.

“Take her to the car.” Locke’s tone had me snapping my eyes back open and looking at him.

He’d moved over to stand in front of Hudson. I heard Hudson’s heavy breathing. He wasn’t moving away from Locke or shouting at him. What had changed?

Then, I saw it. The reason why Hudson had stopped talking. Locke had a gun shoved inside his mouth.

Oh dear God. I sucked in a breath and kept Stevie’s face buried in my chest.

“Locke,” I said very slowly so as not to startle him, “don’t do it.”

I didn’t want Stevie to hear what he was doing. She was too young for this.

“I won’t. Linc will want to handle him. Now, you two go to the car. I’ll be there in a moment.” The twinge of satisfaction in his voice was almost evil.

I shivered. It sounded nothing like the polite guy who had followed us around the past three days.

Standing while keeping Stevie’s face against me so she couldn’t see anything, I picked her up, holding the back of her head so she didn’t lift it, and hurried to the car. She was shaking in my arms, and her hands held fistfuls of my top.

“I’m scaywud, Mommy,” her muffled voice said.

“It’s okay. We are almost to the car, and Locke is making sure that Hudson goes away and leaves us alone.”

“I want my dad,” she said on another sob.

I’d like to blame him for this, but the behavior that Hudson had just displayed wasn’t sane. The realization that I’d almost moved my baby into a house with a man who could turn into that sent a wave of horror through me. Oh God, what if I hadn’t come here? What if Linc hadn’t seen her? I felt sick.

I heard the doors click and knew Locke must be close behind. Jerking the back door open, I put her inside her car seat, then hurried around to the other side. There was no view of Hudson. Just Locke as he headed our way, carrying the cooler we’d brought our lunch in. When I had Stevie buckled, I held her small hand in mine, and she squeezed me before peeking out at Locke, afraid of what she might see.

Locke opened the driver’s door and climbed inside. He looked up at the rearview mirror at me. “Are y’all okay?” he asked with a concerned expression.

I nodded.

“Will you tell my dad that I want him to come home?” Stevie asked as her voice wobbled.

There was a pause, then, “Yeah, I will.”

She sniffled, then looked up at me. “I want my dad.”

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