Page 115 of Live for Me

“This guy is unstable, Beau. If we try to take him out and he somehow escapes, he could go after Abbie.”

“Abbie is safe here,” I told him.

The safest place for her was at Hallow Ranch, and that would never fucking change.

“Which leads me to my next point,” Ash sighed. “I’ve gone through everything Abbie gave me, his notes and little gifts. I’ve studied his wording and even sent some pieces to my contact in the FBI to analyze his handwriting.”

“And?” I prompted, looking at the cowboys, cows mooing in the background. A bead of sweat trickled down the back of my neck as Ash gave me the rest.

“Abbie’s stalker is someone she is familiar with, Beau. Someone from her past.”

I let my head fall back, my jaw jumping as the vein in my temple pulsed. “Fucking hell.”

“What?” Denver asked.

I looked directly at him then. “More ashes are going on the mountain.”

“Majority of stalkers are someone the victims either knows or comes into contact with,” Ash explained on the other end, ignoring my comment. “Abbie told me she hasn’t dated anyone is over six years, the only male friends she has are gay, and she doesn’t go out. She’s a recluse in Denver, which led me to believe her stalker is from Hayden.”

“Fuck,” I bit out.

“What the fuck is going on?” Mason growled, coming up beside me.

“Ash thinks the stalker is from Hayden,” I said, my voice vibrating with anger. “Did you get a good look at his car? Run the plates.”

“Yeah, the plate registered to a Tina Darwin from Colorado Springs. She owns a minivan, and this guy is driving a 2012 Honda Civic. Put a tracker on it last night while he wasdestroying her fucking coffee table, but I haven’t seen any movement all day.”

“Where is it at?”

“In a parking garage. Downtown Denver. I’m leaving to go check it out now.”

“Let me know what you find,” I ordered, ending the call. I looked over at the Mason and Denver. “You know, after I took Abbie back to the cabin, she told me what she and the girls talked about last night on the porch.” The two brothers waited for more, their brows furrowed. My upper lips curled. “Valerie and Harmony thanked Abbie for doing what she did. They told her that if she hadn’t left me, Hallow Ranch probably wouldn’t fucking be here.” Denver looked to his saddle; his shoulders stiff. Mason didn’t look away from me, his jaw jumping underneath his scruff. “If anyone on this fucking ranch owes her an apology, it’s you two.”

“We know, Beau,” Denver clipped.

“Realized the second she fucking finished the story,” Mason added, his voice hard.

“We owe Abbie, and we’re not stopping until she is safe,” Denver promised.

Mags, as usual, said nothing.

“Her stalker comes first,” I told them, directing Spirit to face the other direction. “After he is taken care of, we can find the others.” Then, I snapped my reins, and my horse took off.

I needed to see Abbie.

“Beau, what—”

I crossed Harmony’s living room, my boots pounding against the floorboards, heading straight for the most beautiful woman in the world. She was wearing a pink and orange sun dress today, the kind of dress that clung to every curve, driving a man like me insane. The skirt flowed down to the middle of her calves, and the top of it had four dainty, pearl-colored buttons. Her silky hair was down, flowing over her shoulders like a waterfall as her head spun to me. She opened her mouth for a second time, but I didn’t give her the chance to speak.

My hand shot out, grabbing her by the back of the neck and pulling her to me. Our lips met, and I kissed her hard, needing to feel her, to taste her, to know she was safe.

She was here.

With me.

Visions of a faceless man filled my mind as I pulled away, my eyes dropping to her swollen lips. “We need to go,” I declared.

Her hands were fisting my blue flannel, her chest heaving. “What’s wrong?”

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