Page 127 of Cowboy Heat

It all starts with Alice Dean and the pain she’s holding at her waist.

Turns out she’s just been waiting to pull her knife.

I don’t need the world to slow down again for me to see the worn handle.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-NINE

Kissy

I don’t understandwhy he asked it, buthowBeau asked Micah the question about the Bayou Cowboys was enough to raise goose bumps along my arms. It’s probably the only reason Alice doesn’t bring her knife against me the first time she swings out.

Beau made me look at Alice Dean differently, and that look was enough to save me the first time.

The second time, not so much.

“Kissy!”

Alice uses me as a shield. Guidry’s shot where she had been standing goes off into the distance and not right into the woman. She spins me around so I’m staring at Beau, one gun in his hand the other now dropped to the ground. Micah says something, too, but he’s not jumping at us.

Probably because Alice has her knife against my neck, my back against her chest, and me feeling seven kinds of shame for trusting her at all.

“You two drop those guns, or I’ll slit her throat,” she snarls out at them.

I can’t help but cry out as the blade cuts my skin. Not deep but enough to spill blood. Beau’s eyes zip to it. Guidry’s face lights up with boiling anger. Beau’s has gone impassive. Blank.

I don’t think for a moment that he’s not feeling something.

I just don’t know what it is he’s thinking.

“No way am I droppin’ my gun,” Guidry bites back. He aims, but I can’t tell if it’s at me or the woman holding me, though I hope he knows the difference. “You drop Kissy, or I’ll drop you.”

Alice laughs in the unkindest way. I can feel it go from her chest into my back.

“You’ve gotten too used to giving orders, Everett. This town has made you feel invincible. You aren’t.”

“You’re outnumbered,” Guidry shoots back. “We got guns, an’ you got a knife. You hurt Kissy, an’ we’ll kill you next.”

Beau shakes his head. His gaze has gone from me to the space over my shoulder to Alice.

“I think Alice knows she’s outnumbered, Guidry. She doesn’t care.” Beau lowers his gun. His tone shifts to something like someone you care about trying to convince you that you don’t need to do whatever impulsive thing you’ve been wanting to do. “She’ll hurt Kissy just to hurt you no matter what. Isn’t that right, Alice?”

Alice’s other hand is wrapped around my right forearm. It tightens. Not a lot, but enough to let me know that Beau’s words meant something.

He continues before she can respond.

“You aren’t a local, but you’re more a part of Robin’s Tree history than the Guidry clan.” Beau keeps on. “Your daddy was a Bayou Cowboy, wasn’t he?”

I wish I had a different seat in this production so I could see Alice’s expression. All I can see is Guidry’s disbelief.

Yet Alice doesn’t dispute it.

She stays quiet.

Guidry’s disbelief wanes the more Beau keeps talking.

“The teenager who fell in love with the Bayou Cowboy was your mama. That’s who visited you, that’s who showed May the picture.”

Alice doesn’t stop him, despite a small pause. He continues like she’s already confirmed it.