Page 26 of The Unbuttoned Ranger (Texas Heat: The Heart of a Texas Ranger #1)

CaDee sat down in the empty chair next to Sharp in the farmhouse kitchen and he could see that she’d been crying. “You okay?”

She reached into the pocket of her jeans and produced a piece of paper. “This is from Dante’s attorney.”

“What does it say?”

Tears welled up in her eyes. “He wants visiting rights with Carsen, or he’ll sue for full custody.”

Sharp didn’t know much about family law, but he doubted Dante deserved parental rights. “Weren’t you given full custody?”

“I was,” she replied, smoothing her hands over her lap. “But the letter says he’s taken parenting classes and entered a recovery program.”

“ So now that makes everything right?”

“ In the eyes of the court, he ’ s doing what the judge told him to do to have the case reevaluated.

” She stood as if sitting was too much. “ There ’ s something else.

The lawyer states in the letter that after the altercation between you and Dante recently they ’ re concerned.

” Her eyes bore into him. “ Please tell me he ’ s lying. ”

Sharp eased back into his chair. “ I did pay him a visit.”

Her shoulders fell like a crumbling wall. “ Why? When? How?”

“ Have a seat and I ’ ll explain.”

Reluctantly, she sat down. Her eyes were like lasers ready to cut him into pieces. “ So start explaining.”

“ I started digging because I felt like I needed to know more about Dante, to get an idea how dangerous he is and what I needed to do to protect you and Carsen. I had my suspicions that he was here in Fin ’ s Creek. Neighbors have been seeing a strange out of state vehicle driving around.”

She jumped up, nearly sending the chair toppling. “ You ’ re just now telling me this?” Anger marred her features.

“ Honestly, I didn ’ t know at first if it could be Dante or someone related to the ambush on my team. Either way, I didn ’ t want to worry you until I had time to investigate. I called in my buddy, Bear, and had him do surveillance.”

“ What did he find?” Her chest lifted and lowered with each breath.

“ Dante was here. He ’ d been here for over three weeks.” He hated telling her the news—he hated that Dante still controlled many of her thoughts.

“ Continue.”

He rubbed his temple. “ Bear had tailed him, watching. Making sure he didn ’ t come back to the ranch.”

“ Where has he been staying?”

“ In a motel room in Stubenville. Twenty minutes outside of Fin ’ s Creek.” He wanted to steal the fear out of her eyes. “ But he ’ s not been staying alone.”

She blinked. “ That doesn ’ t surprise me.”

“ No, but who he ’ s been seeing might. Emily Maines.”

Her breath came out on a groan. “ How?”

“ I ’ d like to know that myself but when I showed up at the motel, Emily was about as shocked to see me as I was learning that she was seeing Dante.”

CaDee plopped down into the chair. “ He leaves a path of destruction everywhere he goes. Emily has no clue what she ’ s dealing with.”

“ I think she has a good idea. Her moral compass is a bit skewed at times, but she knows when to pull the plug. She must have felt the heat because she left to visit her ma in Florida. That ’ s one less thing to worry about.”

“ So where is my ex-husband?” CaDee’s fear returned full force.

“ Bear ’ s still tailing him but Dante knows now that he ’ s being watched so he ’ s being on his best behavior.”

“ What happened between you two?”

“ It went about as lovely as I thought it would go. I walked away but I see now he intentionally spurred me into punching him.”

CaDee sunk her face into her palms. When she looked up she speared him with her narrowed gaze. “ You walked right into his trap. You should have never gone to see him.”

Sharp braced his elbows on his bent knees. “ You ’ re probably right.”

“ Probably?”

“ CaDee, this is Texas. He needs to realize we handle things differently here. He doesn ’ t have any power here. I don ’ t want you to run because I know he ’ ll follow you. His reign of terror needs to end.”

Her back was straight. “ I ’ m not running. I ’ ve allowed him to chase me away from my home before and it won ’ t happen a second time. Not as much for me but for Carsen.”

Relief spread through Sharp. “ I ’ m sorry that I stirred the pot by going to see him, but a man like Dante can ’ t feel like he has all the control. And you have leverage.”

“ I do?”

“ Bear took photos of Dante in the area. A neighbor also has camera footage of Dante in their field. If he wants to cause problems, I ’ m sure Sheriff Barnes would love to ask him questions.

Dante should be fully educated on trespassing and stalking.

I ’ ve always said it ’ s best to be the hunter and not the hunted. ”

She pushed her fingers through her hair in agitation. “ He ’ s dangerous. I know if he gets near Carsen I ’ ll never see my son again. He doesn ’ t care to be a father, he just doesn ’ t like the hit to his ego.” Tears rolled down her cheeks.

He stood and went to her, wrapping his arms around her. “ Hey, I know you must feel alone but remember you ’ re not.”

“ I ’ m exhausted.” Her words were muffled against his chest.

“ We ’ ll find a solution to this.” He stroked her hair.

“ I want you to take me to see him.”

He pulled back to look down at her, seeing if she was serious. “ CaDee—”

“ You won ’ t change my mind. If you don ’ t go with me, I ’ ll go alone. It ’ s time I faced him.” She lifted her chin, looking up at him through wet lashes. “ I ’ m stronger now. You ’ re right, it ’ s better to be the hunter than the hunted.”

He smoothed the backs of his knuckles across her cheek. “ I ’ d never let you go alone. I ’ ll be there by your side.”

“ Sharp…thank you.”

“ Does that mean I ’ m off the hook for punching him?”

“ No, you ’ re still partially in the doghouse but I understand Dante can needle his way under anyone ’ s skin. Now it ’ s time for him to see that I ’ m no longer running—no longer powerless.”