Page 27 of Bounty

“I wrote that because I knew that if you sent me letters, they would break my heart. They would make me find you. I even contemplated getting rid of my father and taking over the farm so I could bring you home. But at the time I thought that letting you go was better for you. So I wrote that so we’d both be strong enough to do what was best.”

He kisses my neck, and the gesture is so intimate and foreign from him that I shiver.

“You cared about me enough to set me free?”

“Yes, Wisteria Jean. I cared about you so much that I stopped the guys from replying, too. I wanted you to have a fighting chance to start a new life, and you’d never be able to do that otherwise.”

I turn around, so we’re face to face. “It’s not the life I wanted. I wanted to be here,” I admit, keeping the‘with you’to myself.

Jude may be acting like a new man, but I don’t trust him—people don’t really change. My momma always warned me of that.

“Well you got your wish, although under the worst circumstances.”

He runs his hand up my neck, then stops, his lips hovering over mine. I kiss him, losing myself in him. Kissing Jude is like a sweet surrender. I feel as if I’m handing myself over, and hoping I don’t get hurt in the process.

“Get ready and come downstairs. We can’t put this talk off any longer.” He says as he pulls back from our kiss. His words are still an order, but they’re said much gentler than before.

After he leaves, I take a deep breath, and send a thought out to the universe.

Please, whoever is listening, please don’t let these men break my heart.

When I enter the kitchen, Colin, Cain, and Jude are sitting at the kitchen island, talking to each other as they eat through a giant breakfast spread. The last time I saw them eating together, they were twenty-one and twenty-two. They had just started getting more responsibilities in the business, both facets of it. They were so proud of themselves. I wonder if they knew exactly how entrenched in the business they would eventually become…how much it would change them.

I break myself from my musings. It’s pointless because for better or worse, theyarethe business now. Jude said he runs this farm, and I have no doubt that Cain and Colin are his right hand men.

There’s a fourth, empty place setting between Cain and Jude. When they see me, they all stop talking and change the subject.Ah yes, no talking about the business in front of the women. Old habits die hard around here.Cain gets out of his chair and gives me a hug, lifting me off the ground.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” he whispers in my ear before he kisses me lightly on the lips.

He sets me down on my stool, then makes me a plate. He remembered all my favorite foods—eggs, cheesy grits, and sausage links. With a side dish of fruit. Colin meets me at myseat with a cup of coffee, with milk and sugar. He kisses me on the lips, and a wave of electricity rolls through me. He wears a long sleeve, vee neck tee, and I can see black ink stopping at the hollow of his throat.

Jude hesitates before weaving our fingers together. He brings my hand up to his mouth and kisses my knuckles. It’s another tender, intimate gesture that will take getting used to. Cain and Colin must agree, because they glance at each other, having a silent conversation.

When I’m done eating, they clear the island. “Let’s go into my office,” Jude suggests.

His office sits right beneath my room. There’s a desk across from a large bay window that overlooks the same view of the lake and all the willow trees around it. There’s a sectional sofa, with a leather ottoman, coffee table and a matching sofa on the other side. I sit on the sectional next to Colin, and Cain sits on the couch. Jude meets us there carrying some files and his laptop.

“I want to preface this by saying that we discussed a few things ahead of time,” Jude starts. My hackles automatically rise from being excluded.

As if he can sense my change in mood, Cain says “Before you blow your stack, they’re good things, baby girl. We aren’t shielding you from any of this. Your life's on the line, so you deserve to be in the know and part of the decision making process, right Jude?”

I have the feeling Jude was outvoted, considering the frustrated look on his face.

“I guess so, although I would prefer you didn’t have to deal with this at all. We’re dealing with hardened criminals that have no moral code, no sense of loyalty. They attack innocent women and children…” he rubs the back of his neck. “That’s why you need to listen to what we tell you. If we say go inside, you go inside. If we tell you to hide, you hide. Do you understand?”

His gruff, dominant voice rattles me. I knew these people were dangerous, but hearing the seriousness of his tone and the stark expressions on their faces drives it home.

“Of course.”

“We’re serious,” Colin grits out. “I’m not losing you because you feel spiteful. You need to know we have your best intentions at heart. We aren’t holding you back—we’re keeping you safe.”

At first his words sting.Does he really think I’m that petty?But then after taking a moment thinking them over, I realize he’s sort of right. I can be petty, especially toward Jude.

“I’ll try my best to listen,” I promise.

“We think the reason The Skulls are after you is because your mom or aunt had something valuable to them. Something they passed on to you,” Jude explained.

Colin leans back in his chair, crossing his ankle over his knee. “We searched your home multiple times, your old job. We know you don’t have any safety deposit boxes and that you’re in possession of all Norma’s possessions. Do you have any idea what they could be searching for?”

---