Page 14 of Easton’s Claim

He’d never gone after innocents before, but he had no choice now. Not if he wanted to establish his reputation as a top contender. The organization was watching him; he needed to impress them and show that he was merciless enough to warrant bringing on board.

Greg’s nostrils flared, a move that had to be painful considering his broken nose. “She’s got nothing to do with this. Leave her alone. It’s between you and me.”

Brandon barked out a laugh. “You don’t get to call the shots this time, asshole. You brought her into this. Whatever happens to her is on you.” He was going to make an example out of them, as a warning of what happened to those who crossed him.

Leaving the prisoner to bleed and sweat in his seat, Brandon turned and walked away. “Think I’ll leave you to think things over for a while,” he threw over his shoulder. “Maybe when I come back you’ll have figured out a way to get what I want.”

He stepped past the man guarding the door and out into the hallway. His shoes were quiet against the tile floor, the air cool and smelling of cleaner instead of blood and sweat. In his world, power and money were the only currencies that mattered. Fear and respect were how you got them.

Brandon knew exactly what he would do.

He’d get back what was his, then kill the ex-wife in front of Greg before giving the bastard the death he’d earned.

Chapter Five

After helping his dad bring the horses in from the pasture and put them in the barn, Easton walked out to the nearest white rail fence and paused to stare out at the rolling fields beyond it. The pastureland spread across the property like a lush green carpet beyond the paddocks. They sloped down the hill, then disappeared into the acres of forest that banded three sides of the property, offering them total privacy.

Setting one booted foot on the lower rail, he braced his stacked forearms on the upper one and inhaled a deep breath of the cool morning air. Fall was definitely here, he could smell the sweet dampness of it and see it in the bright bursts of color forming in the distant trees. His favorite time in the Valley, and while he loved being home with his family, all he could think about was Piper.

He hated that she’d been dragged into more drama from Greg, and wished he could make it all go away for her. She’d been understandably emotional last night after seeing the mess and blood at her house, and though he’d loved to have comforted her, she’d clearly wanted to be alone so he’d given her space.

Then the cops had come to look through the shed with them. They’d found the dresser Piper thought Greg meant, but hadn’t found anything in it that would explain his desperation.

He glanced behind him to check her window in the house, the need to see her pricking at him like sharp needles. She probably wasn’t up yet because the blind was still down and it was still early. After all she’d been through yesterday, she needed a good sleep.

Tamping down his impatience, he walked across the lawn and the gravel border that surrounded the house. He opened the back door and stepped into the kitchen.

“Hey.”

Startled, he whipped his head around. His sister Charlie walked toward him from the living room, coffee in hand. Her long, dark brown hair was drawn back into a low ponytail and she was dressed in sweats. She must have rolled right out of bed and headed for her car. “Hi. When did you get in?”

“About an hour ago. You guys were out in the barn. Where’s Dad?”

“Out there with the farrier.”

“He still does that? Hovers over the guy while he files down the horses’ hooves?”

“Oh yeah. Die hard control freak, gotta love it. So why’d you drive out so early?”

She covered a yawn. “After you called last night and told me what was going on with Piper, I couldn’t sleep, so I just decided to head out.” She looked over at the staircase. “She still sleeping?”

“Think so.”

His sister plunked herself into a chair at the long farmhouse table and rubbed at her eyes. “I hate that she’s going through this crap again.”

“I know.”

The floorboards creaked overhead. They both looked up and a moment later Piper appeared on the top of the stairs, her honey-colored hair loose around her shoulders, dressed in snug jeans and a black sweater that hugged the plump mounds of her breasts. Her face brightened when she saw Charlie. “Hi!”

Charlie got up and enveloped her in a hug. Easton wished the hug and the smile were for him. “Hi, hon.”

Several inches shorter than his sister, Piper leaned back to peer up at her. “What are you doing here?”

“I was planning to come down and spend the weekend anyway, but Easton called me last night and told me what happened.”

“Oh.” She stepped back and lowered her gaze to the floor. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Charlie snorted and gave her a hard look. “Uh, yeah I did. You’d do the same for me, right? So what’s the difference when you need me?”

---