Page 75 of Peaches

But he’s already moving, running for the house. I watch as he disappears inside, the screen door slamming shut before the wooden door thuds closed behind it. I stare at it, stare and wait and hope he’s coming back out to explain what just happened.

Thankfully it’s only a minute or two before he’s flying back outside, struggling to push his arms through the sleeves of a flannel jacket as he fists a shotgun in his hand. Wells trails behind him, a confused expression marring his face, and behind him is a baffled Layla.

“Kasey, what the fuck?” Wells says in a hushed tone, hurrying to keep up with him.

Kasey just looks at me. “Get in the truck, Olivia.”

I eye the gun before looking back at him. The dread in his eyes mixed with the demand in his tone sends me tripping over myself. I turn toward three trucks that are parked side by side, not knowing which one he means. But then the taillights flash on the closest two-door after Kasey unlocks it with a fob.

“Olivia?” Layla’s voice sounds from across the drive.

I hear Kasey say something low to Wells as I pull myself into the cramped back seat, heart hammering in my chest with a spicy heat of adrenaline coursing through my veins. And then Kasey’s sliding into the driver’s seat as I watch Wells briefly talk to Layla through the side window before he too is climbing into the truck.

Wells turns around to look at me as Kasey shoots the truck into reverse. “What happened?”

So I tell him what I told Kasey—about Rhett’s worry for the ranch, about our fight and the secret plans he refused to share.

When I’m done, Wells turns to Kasey. “Kase?”

Kasey doesn’t look at him. With his eyes glued to the road, he mutters, “He’s at Rustler Ranch. There’s a game tonight—a big one.”

Wells leans his head back against the headrest, eyes closed tight. “Fuck.”

“What does that mean?” I ask, looking back and forth between them. “What kind of game?”

Kasey’s eyes flick to me through the rearview mirror. “Cards,” he answers. “The Rustlers are . . .friendsof ours. Cattle ranchers in Silver Ridge County—out in the hills. They host illegal poker games with dangerous people, and shit has a tendency to go sideways.”

“How sideways?” I ask.

But he doesn’t say anything.

“How sideways, Kasey?” I demand.

He sighs. “Criminals tend to be an unhappy bunch, especially when they lose their money. And they also like to carry things that can stab or shoot.”

Oh god, I think, eyes burning with tears as Wells curses again from the front seat.

And then he turns to his older brother. “Why is he doing this? Why do we need money?”

Kasey frowns. I don’t miss the way his eyes flash to me again before he responds. “Long story. Let’s just focus on getting this dumbass home safe, and then I’ll tell you everything.”

It surprises me that Wells doesn’t already know whatever it is that threatens the ranch. That the Bennetts keep secrets amongst themselves.

“Should we call the police?” I ask.

Both Kasey and Wells shout out a matching “No.”

I blink as I look out the window. The night rushes past us as Kasey guns it down a four-lane highway.

“When we get there,” Kasey says, eyeing me through the rearview once more, “you stay in the truck.”

“What? No!” I argue.

“Yes.” Kasey’s tone is sharp. “Stay in the truck where it’s safe. If we . . .” He hesitates. “If we need you, we’ll come get you. But it’s going to be dangerous there, Olivia. And I need to focus on getting my brother out.”

He doesn’t trust that I won’t be a distraction, which I guess is fair considering he doesn’t really know me. “I won’t be in the way,” I assure him.

His jaw ticks. “I’m not worried about you. I’m worried about what we’re walking into. If you get hurt—if someone so much as touches you, Olivia—Rhett’s going to lose his fucking mind. And we need him to want to leave with us.”

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