Page 71 of Shielded Hearts

She looked at Carson. “Gideon has lived in California his whole life. He grew up not far from where I did. It’s a smaller town in the northern part of the state. His pride took a blow when he didn’t inherit. There’s a reason for that. He’s well-known in that area as a trustworthy mechanic with a good business. Everyone takes their vehicles to him for repairs.”

“What you’re saying is he is very comfortable on his own stomping ground.” Carson picked up a pen and tapped it lightly on the leather desk blotter.

She dipped her head in a nod. “If he hears I’m in town, he’s going to be confident that he can get me.”

A strangled noise in the depth of Colt’s throat drew her attention. She swung her head to look at him.

“Colt,” she said softly. “If I didn’t know you’d keep me safe, I wouldn’t even suggest this plan.”

Carson kept a tight rein on the topic. “She’s right.”

“But we aren’t vigilantes, searching for criminals on the lam. Weprotectpeople.” Colt’s words ended on a low growl like he was close to losing it.

“Do you really want to leave it to the cops to make sure your woman is safe?” Gray spoke up.

Aspen met Gray’s stare. A beat of knowing pulsed between them. He saw the same thing that Willow had—that Carson probably saw too. She and Colt wereinvolved.

“You know damn well I don’t, but I refuse to put Aspen in danger.”

She touched his arm. The tendons and sinew rippled under her touch. “It’s the best way, Colt. Can’t you see that?”

“Fuck!” He sliced his hand through his mussed hair.

They all waited for Colt to come to the same conclusion that everyone else already had.

He blew out a breath through his nose. “How would we feed the news that you’re in town to Gideon?” Though Colt sounded about to gnash nails in between his molars, the fact that he was even entertaining this idea proved that they were halfway there.

She threw him a coy look. “I don’t suppose you’d consider throwing a parade in my honor?”

Her joke had the effect she was hoping for. Chuckles echoed around the office, and some tension eased from the group.

Before they could continue the discussion, Carson’s phone buzzed on his desk. He didn’t reach for it immediately, but the sound made Aspen’s jaw drop.

“Oh my god. I’ve got it!” Her words pushed off her tongue slowly.

The Malone brothers stared at her.

She jumped up, unable to sit still when there was so much chaos going on inside her. She snatched Carson’s phone and held it up. “He would know after confessing that he cloned my phone, the first thing I’d do is wipe it. But this is how I communicate.”

Colt blinked as understanding hit. “You let the information slip.”

She nodded.

“Post to your social media about how excited you are to be heading to this place, just like you did with your friend.”

“Yes!”

“Tell your followers that you’re headed to California to do research on a new locale.”

She bobbed her head in enthusiasm.

Colt pushed to his feet and reached for her as if he couldn’t stand to lose contact with her for more than a few minutes.

Gray cleared his throat, but it sounded like a swallowed laugh to her.

Carson nodded at the plan. “We’ll use Colt’s Lake Tahoe address to lure him via a potential client meeting. That way we have control onourterms—not the nephew’s.”

“Since my client needs the vacation property in two weeks, the dates won’t overlap. It’s perfect.” She and Colt locked gazes. Earlier, when Aspen heard him slip out of their shared bed, her mind immediately came awake and started picking apart ways to stop Gideon and keep Colt in her life.

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