I made a mental note to ask Mazzie more about Josh. His threat earlier about breaking my arm or leg lingered in the back of mind, and I had no doubt he and I would run into each other again. But the way she was trembling, I didn’t want to upset her any more than she already was.
Silence followed us under the moonlit sky as we wound our way through the parking lot. Cedar Ridge was out in the middle of cattle country, oil fields, and open land, and on a clear, crisp night, the stars were brightly visible from the right spot. I thought about taking a detour to a lake I knew in Cedar Ridge and kicking back with Mazzie as we gazed at the stars. But I had to take baby steps. I didn’t want to come off as overbearing like her ex.
As I opened the passenger door to my truck for her to hop in, she studied me.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Stay away from Josh. He’s got a temper the size of Texas.”
A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. “Are you worried about me?”
“Seriously, Lucas.” She stuck her hands on her hips, angling her head. “If you run into him on campus, walk away.”
“He goes to Lakemont?” He didn’t strike me as the college type. More like the criminal type.
“He can ruin you. His family can too. The Turleys own one of the largest cattle ranches in these parts.”
I was touched that she was worried. “Mazzie, I can handle myself.”
“I heard him say he would break your arm.”
I pulled her to me, wanting nothing more than to kiss her until the sun came up. Instead, I brushed my nose over hers. “I’m not about to seek him out. But if he comes at me, I have to defend myself. Anything else I should know about him, though?”
She dipped her fingers into the waistband of my jeans. “That guy who was driving the SUV. That’s Shane Blackwood, the casino owner’s son. He was in prison. I don’t know much about him, but he might be trouble too.”
I guided her chin upward. “Hey, nothing is going to happen, but I am worried about your safety.”
She closed her eyes briefly. “Josh won’t do anything drastic.”
My anger flared. “He hurt you in the casino. That to me is drastic. He’s trying to control you, and you two aren’t even dating.”
“He won’t do anything more than he did tonight.” She sounded as though she was trying to convince herself more than me.
I wanted to believe her. She had kneed him in the groin, after all. But Kurtis had been nearby then. What would happen if Mazzie was alone with Josh?
I wanted to somehow protect her, but we weren’t dating.
Her phone rang, cutting off the conversation. She climbed in the truck as she answered, and I slid behind the wheel.
Fifteen minutes later, after she’d talked to Bailey about her sister and I called Ryker to tell him I was heading home, we rode in silence. Nothing but country music filled the cab while my mind kept circling back to Josh. I needed to know more about their history, but pushing too hard would only make her shut down.
Then Sam Hunt’s song “Locked Up” came over the radio.
While I liked Sam Hunt’s music, this song wasn’t great. So I turned the volume down.
“I like Sam Hunt,” she said.
“I do, too, but not that song.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Why was your dad in prison?”
I shot her an incredulous look. “That’s quite a jump from Sam Hunt.”
“The song got me thinking about my mom. I’m sure you know her car accident landed her in jail. Bailey said she told Erik.”
I guessed the song did tell a story about being in jail. “Right. I’m sorry about your mom.”
“Me too.” She frowned. “I’m not sure how things will go with her case. But she was denied bail.”
