Page 52 of My Three Rivals

“Don’t say that, Tegan,” Atticus muttered, ire lighting his eyes. “We’re paying him because he’s apt to come over here, put a bullet in all of us, and take the land back to do exactly what they were doing before. So no, it’s nothing like that.”

Guilt took over her face, but she was steadfast. “No. You have to stop paying him. I don’t know what the consequences will be, but… no. He’s a trafficker, a dirtbag, the lowest form of criminal.” She paused. “Why don’t you go to the police?”

We all shifted uncomfortably at the mention of the cops, and understanding fell over her face. “You have skeletons, too.”

“The cops aren’t going to shut down criminal organizations like that, Tegan,” Maverick said gently. “If they could, they would have a long time ago.”

She sat on the floor as we exchanged a look amongst ourselves.

“Stop paying them, or get out,” she said flatly. “Because I can’t live with myself knowing that you’re lining the pockets of human traffickers.”

“Tegan—”

“It’s your choice.”

With that, she got up and stumbled toward the butler stairs, but none of us moved to follow after her.

We had some things to work out amongst ourselves.

CHAPTER23

Maverick

Ireleased a whoosh of breath as Tegan disappeared, straightening myself to go after her.

“Where are you going?” Atticus demanded. “Leave her alone.”

I shook my head. “No way. She thinks we’re as bad as her brother right now. Are you going to let her?”

Atticus’ jaw tightened, and I again moved for the stairs, but he stopped me again. “Are we really just going to stop paying Lou?”

I turned and looked at my partners and friends, pursing my lips together. Another sigh escaped me. “Maybe we should,” I offered slowly. “I mean, haven’t we been looking for a way to get him off our asses all along?”

“That’s not going to get him off our asses,” Wyatt interjected, folding his arms over his chest. “That’s going to get us all a bullet in our heads.”

“We knew this couldn’t go on forever,” Atticus said slowly. “Maybe Tegan is just giving us the kick in the pants that we need.”

A tingle of bittersweetness at his approval came down my spine, but it meant little if we didn’t discuss it with Tegan. Without a word, I turned back up the stairs, and the other two followed me.

Her bedroom door was closed, but that didn’t stop me from knocking on it. “Tegan? Hey, Princess, can we talk to you for a second?”

Silence met my question, but when I turned the handle, I found it wasn’t locked. Tossing my friends a glance over my shoulder, I poked my head inside. Tegan curled up on her bed, pillow clutched in her arms as she looked out the window toward the vineyards.

Outside, the few employees still worked under the scorching August sun, collecting the grapes for production. But I didn’t think she was really looking at them.

“Princess,” I murmured again, moving to join her on the bed.

She curled her body tighter, and I instantly recognized the position. She was trying to shut us out.

My hand tentatively moved toward her shoulder, fully expecting a withdrawal, but she didn’t shove me off as I expected, and I gently massaged her shoulder, willing her to look at us.

“We’re going to stop paying Lou,” I informed her quietly.

Her chin jutted toward me finally, and she seemed surprised to realize that Atticus and Wyatt were lingering in the doorway.

“I always knew he was a piece of shit, you know?” Tegan said. “I mean, drugs and robbery were commonplace with Emerson. Will always bailed him out of jail, insisting that it was ‘a phase.’ Yeah, armed robbery. Good phase, Will. Great parenting,” she muttered.

I eyed the guys, and they slowly entered, like Tegan was a frightened rabbit and might scamper off under the bed if they moved too fast.

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