Page 37 of Stilettos & Whiskey
“Should we call the paramedics?” Frank asked.
Mom pulled a smelling salt capsule out of her purse. “Won’t be necessary.” She broke the capsule under Elvira’s nose.
“Noooo!” She shot upright. “You’re lying.”
Dad shook his head. “Afraid not.”
Fury contorted her face. “No matter how long it takes, I will kill all of you. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, we all heard you and we have everything you said on video tape.” Frank tapped his body camera.
Elvira burst into tears.
Judge Savage stood in the doorway of his chamber. “I think we need to expand your restraining orders, deputy.”
“Yes, sir.”
An hour later, we walked out of Superior Court with a handful of restraining orders. Sheriff Maxwell and Dad had atalkwith Jim Bob, and he admitted Reggie Evans had not only hired him but had also posted his bond. Papa Garza was nothing but a patsy in their attempt to take me down.
Chapter Ten
I grabbed my purse and headed for the front door.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Lucas growled.
I gave him the stink eye. Like it was any of his business. “I’m going to my apartment to see what kind of damage was done.”
“Dressed like that?”
Color me confused. I was wearing an Alpha Dog T-shirt, jeans and sneakers. “There’s nothing wrong with what I’m wearing.”
Lucas scowled. “Where is your vest?”
“I have one in my car. Happy now?”
“No, you’re confined to the ranch until Roger Evans is captured,” Lucas announced.
“Oh, hell no. You can’t stop me from leaving,” I shot back.
Lucas stepped in front of the door and folded his arms. “The hell I can’t.”
Okay, he was three times my size, and an expert in hand-to-hand combat, but I could take him down. Maybe, if I cheated. A lot. I put my purse on the coffee table and dropped into a combat stance. “Bring it.”
“Knock it off you two. You break any more furniture and you’ll be sleeping in the barn again,” Nate yelled, grabbing me around the waist. “You’re not going anywhere alone, Julie.”
I pried at Nate’s fingers. “Let go of me or I will hurt you.”
“When Gemma was taken Mom lost it. Do you want to put her through that kind of pain again?” Nate demanded.
God, I remembered the fear in Mom’s eyes. I stopped struggling. “No.”
“And you’re still not in fighting shape, squirt. It would take me less than sixty seconds to take you down.” Lucas took the car keys out of my purse and stuffed them in his pocket.
A growl escaped me. I was so going to kick his ass.
Grandpa Reynolds walked into the room and dropped Lucas with a single blow. “No one picks on my granddaughters.”
Lucas groaned.
