Page 33

Jules

“ M orning,” I greet as Riley steps into the kitchen.

It’s barely seven in the morning, and I’m honestly surprised he’s already up since he was still awake at midnight when I’d finally turned in for the night.

Romeo looks just about as tired as he trots in beside Riley and heads straight toward the food bowl I already filled.

“Morning,” he replies as he crosses over and cups my cheek. Gently, he tips my head up and kisses me. It’s a tender caress of his lips against mine, a whisper of a promise that melts away even more of the walls I’ve had up for what I’m now realizing is far too long.

“Coffee?” I ask as he pulls away.

“Yes, please. Thanks.”

“Of course.” I pour him a mug of coffee then hand it over to him before refilling my own. “What time did you finally head to bed last night?”

“Three,” he replies. “I spoke to Frank Loyotta. He’s the one trying to find video evidence of what happened to you.”

A bit of hope leaps in my chest. “Did he find anything?”

“Not yet. He’s having a hard time getting the private airport Dodger typically uses to relinquish the footage without a warrant. And with no actual proof, he can’t obtain one of those either.”

The hope I’d felt only moments ago vanishes.

“Tucker is still looking for proof that money left Dodger’s account, but so far?—”

“What about my grandfather’s money?” An idea forms in my mind. It’s twisted, and I seriously hope I’m wrong, but I can’t shake it.

“You think Odie paid the killer?”

“I think that, if we operate based on the idea that Odie was blackmailing Dodger, he might have felt pressured to take action in order to keep the truth from surfacing.” It makes my stomach churn to even consider that he might have had something to do with our grandfather’s murder.

Then again, he made it clear that, to him, our family was a business move. A way to keep himself taken care of.

But could he have killed?

“It’s possible. I can have Tucker switch focus to Odie’s accounts. Then maybe he’ll find something before you go see him today.” He practically spits the words out, they’re so full of anger.

We’d talked about it some more last night, and he’d tried hard to convince me not to meet with Odie. But out of everyone we can talk to, he’s the one with all the answers, it seems. And I desperately want to face everything I’ve been running from. Maybe then I’ll be able to move forward.

Finally.

“I’ll be fine.”

Riley doesn’t respond right away. “After the only serious relationship I had back when I was in the service went sideways, I decided I was going to remain focused only on the job and not allow myself to be distracted by a woman ever again.”

I swallow hard.

“But then I met you.” He moves in closer. “You fought me every time we faced off, challenged me, called me out—I was completely and utterly frustrated with you from the moment we met.”

I smile. “The feeling was mutual.”

“But now,” he starts, then takes a deep breath. “I want this, Jules. Whatever is between us, whatever started that first moment we met, I want to know what it means.”

“So do I.” Reaching up, I place my hand on his chest. Touching him, these casual moments of contact, is far easier than I ever thought it would be. Especially when I could hardly stomach hugs even when they came from the man I trusted most in this world.

“I told you that I believed God placed me in your path for a reason. But I also think He brought you to me.” Riley covers my hand with his.

“So I need you to stay alive, Jules. I need you to value your life as much as I do because, if something were to happen to you—” He trails off then leans down and rests his forehead against mine. “I don’t know how I’ll survive it.”

Emotion burns in my throat as I stand here with him, trying to formulate the words to tell him that, until I met him, I didn’t have much of a reason to survive. I couldn’t see the point in my life—something I’m still not sure of.

But he makes me feel important. Like I’m actually worth something.

I open my mouth to respond, but a harsh knock on the door cuts my words off before I can even utter them.

“Hold that thought,” he says as he pulls away. There’s a weapon holstered at his lower back, and he raises his shirt so it’s easily accessible in the event the person on the other side of that door is dangerous.

Riley peeks through the peephole on the door then turns and offers me a confused look before pulling the door open.

The head of Odie’s private security stands on the other side, though this time, he wears a golden badge around his neck and is flanked by four uniformed officers.

“Can I help you?” Riley questions.

“Are you armed?” he asks.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

“That’s a yes. I will give you two seconds to tell me where your weapon is and place your hands above your head.”

“What is this about?” Riley demands.

I rush forward. “This is my property. You have no right to be here.”

“Actually, we do.” He withdraws a piece of paper and hands it to me. I open it and scan it while Riley reads it over my shoulder.

ARREST WARRANT issued for RILEY HUNT who is suspected of First-Degree Murder. My stomach plummets as I continue reading. Eyes wide, I look up at the man who’s been Odie’s head of security for the past few years. Even as his name isn’t listed, it’s easy enough for me to know who the victim is.

“Odie is dead?”

“I told you that it was in everyone’s best interest Landers remain alive. But that just wasn’t good enough for you, was it? Now, are you going to go peacefully, or am I going to get the pleasure of knocking you down a peg or two?”

“You can try,” Riley growls.

Just behind me, Romeo lets loose a warning growl. I glance back—his hackles are raised, his ears pinned back.

“Get your dog under control or I’ll do it for you,” Odie’s head of security snaps.

“ Ruhig, Romeo,” he orders. Romeo falls silent but remains where he is.

“Riley.” I speak his name. One simple word that is loaded with fear for him, shock over the death of Odie, and so many other emotions I can’t even begin to name. One thing is for sure; I know Riley didn’t kill him.

But after the fight at the hospital, I also see how he’s a suspect.

He looks down at me, and I watch the fight leave his expression. “Wake up Beckett and Tucker,” he tells me then puts his hands on the back of his head and turns around. The weapon is ripped from his back, and he’s shoved down onto his knees.

Tears burn in my eyes as I watch them cuff him for the second time in what feels like as many days. “He didn’t kill Odie,” I tell them.

“Then we’ll figure out who did, and your boyfriend can go on his way. But right now, he’s the only suspect we have. Don’t leave town, as I’ll have some questions for you soon.”

Riley is dragged from the house, and I stare after him.

Romeo tries to run. He barks shrill, panicked sounds as I reach down and grip his collar to keep him from running out after his owner as he’s loaded into the back of a police car.

“What just happened?” A sleepy-eyed, bare-chested Tucker sprints down the hall and rushes out onto the porch.

I hand him the warrant.

“You have got to be kidding me.” He turns and rushes back into the house, heading toward the bedrooms while I remain on the porch, staring after the cars as they speed down the driveway with the man who holds the last remaining shreds of my heart.

I’ve never actually been arrested. But the interrogation room where I’m sitting alongside Beckett, waiting for Riley to be brought in, looks just like I imagined it would. Cold concrete walls, a metal table with a ring welded in the center for handcuffs.

It’s cold in more ways than one.

The door opens, and Riley is ushered in by a uniformed officer. His hands are cuffed in front of him, and his belt has been removed. He’s still wearing jeans, boots, and the same T-shirt he’d had on this morning.

He takes a seat in the chair across from us, and the officer cuffs him to the table.

“That’s really not necessary,” Beckett says.

“I have orders to keep him locked up tight,” the officer replies then turns and leaves the room.

“Are you okay?” I ask Riley.

“I’ve been better, and I’ve been worse,” he replies with a half-smile in my direction. I reach across the table, desperate to touch him, and grip his hand in mine. “Any idea what happened to Landers?” he asks Beckett.

“Nope. Tucker is looking into it. So far, all they have is the fight at the hospital. I did some digging, and it looks like the guy posing as his head of security has been deep undercover for the past couple of years. Ever since Odie made a couple of financial moves that raised some red flags.”

“White collar crimes?” Riley asks.

“Yes and no. I can’t get any real answers because everything is confidential, but I’m going to keep doing some prying.”

“What’s my bail set at?”

“You don’t have one,” she says, frustration ebbing her tone. “Something else I’m working on. Right now, I need you to keep your mouth shut and play the part of a model prisoner. My guess is Dodger is pulling strings to keep you in here because that means you’re not doing any digging.”

“Okay. I’ve yet to have the face-to-face I’m guessing is coming with the guy who arrested me, so I’ll see what I can get him to tell me too.” Riley turns to me. “Are you okay?”

“I’m not currently handcuffed to a table, so I’d say I’m doing just fine.”

“It’s going to be okay.” He squeezes my hand. “Stick close to Tucker for now. Don’t leave the house unless absolutely necessary.”

“We’ll keep it locked down,” Beckett says.

“What’s the status of the things happening at the ranch?”

“When I spoke to Nova earlier, she said that Elliot and Bradyn managed to catch two guys as they were prepping to set one of the pastures on fire. They’ve been arrested and confessed to getting paid fifty grand each to cause some trouble.”

“So it was a paid distraction.”

“Looks that way. They’re all on high alert, ready to fly out here if necessary.”

“I need them at the ranch. My parents are sitting ducks if this thing escalates.”

“Do you really think it will?” I ask, fresh fear icing my veins.

Riley shifts his gaze to me and gently squeezes my hand. “With Odie dead, I think it’s entirely possible.”