Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
“It’s not an obligation if I’m doing it because I want to.” I tried to pull my hand from his thigh. Just because Hunter was quiet didn’t mean he wasn’t listening and watching. But Colton was faster; his heavy hand dropped on top of mine and weaved our fingers together.
“I’m supposed to be making your life easier.”
“Life ain’t easy, Molly. Anybody who thinks that isn’t doing it right.”
There he went, saying words that hit me right in my romance center. “Colton, he doesn’t know where I am, even if he wanted to make trouble. It was probably just some kids hazing a newcomer.” I didn’t even believe it, and I wanted to. Desperately.
He let out a huff of laughter. “Kids don’t play like that around here.”
“Maybe it was the same person who did the…goats.” The goats. Shit. Could both of those be attributed to Travis? But how would he know where I was?
“Goats?” Hunter piped up, loud and clear at the mention of goats, and he bounced in his seat. “Can we go play with the goats, Molly? Please?”
“Sure thing, kiddo.” As soon as we arrived at the ranch, Wyatt was there with something that needed Colton’s attention, so I took advantage of his distraction and put away the bags before Hunter and I went to the goat pens. They were a guaranteed way to relax because the goats loved people and were incredibly affectionate, especially the kids who loved to cuddle while they received back and belly rubs.
Slowly, the tension eased from my body, but my mind continued to race with thoughts of Travis. Even if he could track me down, would he slash my tires? Maybe. But would he hurt the goats? I couldn’t say for sure, which was pretty much an answer in the affirmative. “Damn,” I whispered, and just like that, all the tension returned.
Chapter 16
Colton
“It wasn’t just a flat,” I informed Wyatt, who leaned against the closed door of my office with his arms folded across his chest. “Someone slashed the tires. All four of ’em.” Just thinking about it now still pissed me off.
“I’m guessing it wasn’t a one-off?”
I shook my head and relayed the story about her ex-boyfriend. “The guy hasn’t accepted that it’s over between them.” Part of me was grateful that his actions had sent Molly into my world, but the other, saner part of me was angry on her behalf and wanted to shred him limb from limb. “She’s scared, but she’s putting on a brave face.”
“And it’s over between them? Really and truly over?” His eyes studied my face carefully, in search of any hint that I didn’t believe her.
He wouldn’t find it because I took Molly at her word that they were over. “It’s over,” I confirmed. “He wasn’t a nice guy. He accused her of all kinds of things she didn’t do, based on nothing more than her body and his insecurities.”
Wyatt’s brows shot up in shock.
“I’m sure,” I confirmed. “I’m damn sure he was wrong.” I wasn’t about to get into the details of the state of Molly’s sexual experience, and luckily Wyatt didn’t push the issue.
Wyatt’s brows shot even higher as he pulled his lips into his mouth as if to literally bite back whatever he’d been about to say. “So he’s one of those,” he growled, waiting for me to say more. “Is she sure she didn’t tell him where she was going?”
“She seemed positive that he had no clue where she was. She didn’t tell her cousin because she was sure her cousin might let it slip just to get rid of him.” I believed her. Without a doubt, I believed Molly, but part of me thought she was being naïve to think there was no way for him to find out where she had been for the past two months. Almost two months, I corrected mentally. “I believe her, but I think someone that insecure and controlling would find a way.”
“Exactly,” Wyatt nodded. “He isn’t giving up on a woman like her that easily, which means we need to be on alert and extra cautious just in case.” He shook his head and pushed away from the wall, taking the lopsided metal chair on the other side of my desk. “What do you want to do?”
I let out a heavy sigh and scrubbed a hand over my face. My options were terrible and worse than terrible. “Not much we can do without any kind of confirmation, other than keep a close eye on her and Hunter and maybe put someone on overnight video surveillance.” The ranch had a series of video surveillance cameras in key areas, but since there was very little trouble, the footage just went to the server and sat there for six months before it was recorded over.
“Yeah, I can handle that,” Wyatt nodded. “In the meantime, we have actual business to discuss.”