Page 206 of Things Left Unsaid

But it is.

The only thing that could be sexier is her in my shirt. And I’m not sure if that’d win over her being naked.

Seeing her today out by the lake?—

“Colt?” The fear’s gone. Humor’s replaced it. “Are you regretting sticking me in here?”

I huff. “I wanted you to?—”

“I remember. You don’t have to remind me.” She rolls her eyes, her disdain for my request very clear.

“I need you to stay in your room.”

“What?” Her brow puckers. “I’m not a child?—”

“You heard those bikes?”

“Of course. The noise woke me. But?—”

“I need you to get inside because they’re going to approach the property and I don’t want you anywhere near them.”

“But—”

“No! No ifs, buts, or maybes. Keep your pretty ass in that bedroom or I’ll tie you to the radiator. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”

She blinks. “You’re being serious, aren’t you?”

“Deadly. So, do I have to lock you in the bathroom or…?”

“I’d prefer that option to being tied to the radiator. But I’ll stay put.” Her mouth works. “What’s going on?”

“There was a weed farm on the Bar 9. MC owned and operated.” When a squeak escapes her, I tut. “It’s fine. I handled it.”

“Are you in danger?”

“No, chaos, I’m not.” I cup her cheek. “Ifyou stay here. I can’t be thinking about shielding you at the same time.”

She bobs her head. “Understood. B-Be safe.”

“Of course.” I press a quick, hard kiss to her lips then stride off, splitting my attention between the crankshafts that are getting ever closer and the sound of any footsteps behind me.

Once I make it to the end of the corridor, I take off for the office where our gun safe is.

Quickly retrieving a shotgun and a box of cartridges, I slip them into my pockets for easy access before loading the empty chambers.

That done, I head for the door and open it just in time to see four single headlights coming up my driveway.

I cock the gun, lift it so the front sight is at eye height, then I watch the bikes and once they’re forty feet away, I pull the trigger.

The sound echoes around the homestead, as does the screeching of the bike as it brakes to a halt. The other three stop too and one of them growls, “What the fuck?”

“Plenty more where that came from,” I shout into the distance. “If you think you can come onto my fucking property and not shed any blood, you heard wrong.”

There’s only silence in response to my warning.

Then, the security lights from one of the nearby outbuildings pop on as a single biker walks toward me.

Because he could be armed with only God knows what, I reload, cock the gun, lift it to eye height, and aim five paces away from his feet.

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