Page 55 of Return of the Bad Girl (Rock Canyon, Idaho 4)

“You know, I’ve been back in this town for a little over a month, and I’ve gotten nothing but grief from my father, random freaks, and crazy women. Even the fucking checkout girl at Hall’s Market has been giving me ’tude every time I go in there! The only people who are willing to give me a snowball’s chance, I can count on one hand!”

“Maybe because they’ve never been screwed by you before,” Val said sharply.

“You think I screwed you?” Caroline said, incredulous.

“Yes. I think you fucking bailed because Dad wasn’t going to let you do whatever the fuck you wanted, and you left Ellie and me behind to pick up the damn pieces.”

Caroline knew Val had been upset with her for leaving Rock Can

yon at first, but she’d never given any indication she’d felt betrayed. But regardless, Val’s assumptions beat at the flames of Caroline’s temper, causing it to flare. “You don’t know anything about what happened back then, so why don’t you shut the fuck up, Valerie?”

“The only reason I don’t know things is because you don’t talk to me! Since you’ve been back, it’s been all surface stuff and casual conversations. Every time I get too personal, you shut me out.”

“Or maybe I’m trying to protect you.”

“I am a grown-ass woman who has managed to survive this long without you shielding me from the bogeyman. Is this about Dad and his shady dealings?”

Shady dealings? She knew their dad hadn’t always walked the straight and narrow when he wanted something, but . . .

“What are you talking about?”

Val seemed surprised that Caroline didn’t know. “Ellie found a file with all of this evidence against Dad that could potentially put him in prison. I used it to . . . well, to get him to leave Justin and his family alone. He was threatening to have their farm taken away, and I used the folder as ‘incentive’ for him to back off.”

Caroline believed her. It figured that their father wouldn’t stop at intimidation, especially if it came to one of his daughters doing something he didn’t approve of. He’d tried to do the same thing to her when she’d left home, but she’d had nothing left to lose.

“So where’s the evidence now?” Val asked.

“Ellie has it.”

The tense moment wasn’t lost on Caroline. Part of her wanted to drop all the defenses and tell Val the hard stuff, but she was afraid Val would pity her. Or worse, challenge Kyle to a duel. Val was finally settled and happy; she didn’t need to be dragged down by Caroline’s problems. She’d been through enough on her own.

Wanting to reassure her sister, Caroline reached out to Val and pulled her in for a hug. At first, Val held away stiffly but slowly relaxed in her arms.

“I know you think I’m shutting you out, and I’m sorry. Just give me time, okay?”

Val nodded against her shoulder before pulling away. “I know you had it rough after Dad made you leave. I just missed you and want to be close again, like we were when we were kids.”

That seems like a lifetime ago.

“We will be.”

“Okay,” Val said, gathering up her purse. “Well, I have to get home. I’m going to try to impress Justin and his family by making a cake.”

“What kind of cake?” Caroline asked.

“The kind that comes from a box and takes about an hour to bake.”

Caroline saw her sister out and closed the door with a thud. Leaning back against the cool wood, she ran her hands over her face and hair. Her head was pounding, and she knew it was part emotional exhaustion, part stress. It seemed like the more time she spent with Val, the more Caroline wanted to tell her everything, if only to unburden herself. But how fair would that be? Val would be ready to drag Kyle into the police station and press charges, but so many things could go wrong. Kyle was dangerous—Caroline knew that better than anyone—and if she tried to bring him down and failed . . .

He would hurt the people you love to get to you.

Suddenly, the apartment walls seemed to be closing in on her. She wanted to get out of there but had nowhere to go, really. She was antsy and irritated, with no outlet. Heading into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, she noticed a drawing hanging from it: two wheels and a set of handlebars surrounded by flames.

Moriarty’s Custom Motorcycles

121 Main St.

Rock Canyon, Idaho

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