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“Not until you agree to come back.”

Ry squeezed Katie’s waist, and Jed did the same.

“I’ve already told you, Father.I’m not coming back.”

“Maybe this will change your mind.”Ry didn’t like the gleam that came into her father’s eyes.The man was up to something.“You come back, and I won’t expose these two to the entire town.”

Ry started to remove his arm from Katie’s waist, but she wrapped hers around his waist, tightening it to let him know she supported him.

Katie lifted her chin and stared at her father.“First off, I don’t know what you’re talking about.I’m happy, and I don’t plan on leaving Felton’s Creek.”

“How the hell can you be happy in this little hick town?”the younger man asked.

Katie took a sharp breath.“It’s not a hick town, and you stay out of this, Walter.”

“It comes down to choices, Katherine.Either come back with Walter and me or I expose these two to the entire town.”

“Expose what?”She shook her head.

“How about I tell everyone here how these two have been with my daughter, together, doing unspeakable things to her, against her will?”

Ry and Jed took a step forward, and Katie latched onto their belts.Ry glanced down at her, but she was staring at the two men.Her grip on their belts didn’t ease up.

The carnival music, ringing bells, and the voices from the celebration were more prominent at Katie’s silence.Damn.He was the one who told her they didn’t flaunt their relationship in front of the town.But he wasn’t going to keep it a secret, either.Not when they decided it was time to take the next step.

He glanced over at Jed, who was staring at him.Jed nodded.They were in agreement.It didn’t matter who knew about them.They weren’t giving Katie up without a fight.

“Katie.”

“No, Ry.”Her voice was low and tight.“You are such a hypocrite, Father.Have you conveniently forgotten what I walked in on before I left?”

Her father’s gaze turned freezing cold.He held up his hand.“Excuse me, everyone.”His voice was loud enough to garner attention.

Katie’s chin dropped to her chest, and Ry’s heart contracted.

“Is there a problem?”Mayor Thompson asked, walking up to them.

It was do-or-die time.Ry stiffened his spine.

“Yes, these two men won’t leave my daughter alone so we can talk.”

“You say you’re Katie’s father?”Mayor Thompson asked.

“Yes, that scum is.”Gran’s voice was strong and clear.All eyes turned toward Miss Mazie, who held two young teenagers by the ears.More people gathered around the group.“I saw these two boys talking with Randall behind my booth, and I just happened to overhear the conversation.Tell them, boys.”

The boys looked down at their feet, scuffing their toes in the grass.“We’re the ones who keyed the car, broke the windows, and some of the other stuff,” one said.

“They said to just scare her, but they never paid us,” the other said, pointing at Katie’s father and Walter.

“What about the attempted robberies?”Ry asked.

“We didn’t try to rob anyone.I swear, Sheriff.We would never do that.”The one boy looked up at him, and Ry saw the truth in his eyes.

The boys’ parents had joined the group, and both sets glared at their children.The fathers stepped forward and took an arm of each son.“We’ll take care of this, Sheriff.”

“Bring them by the office.I’m sure we can work something out with the judge for community service for the entire summer to pay for the damages.”But that still didn’t explain the couple of robberies they’d had.

The boys groaned.