I dip a big piece of calamari in the marinara sauce and take a bite of it. Sam’s denim-clad knee brushes mine under the table, but he doesn’t pull away. My heart is thundering in my chest from all the excitement, but it’s also from the sudden memory flashing in my brain of the last time Sam Seymour gave me a shred of his attention on his boat out on the choppy lake.
Don’t think about it.
Duke takes the chair Ben just vacated and leans back against it. He lifts up his ball cap to scratch his overgrown dark hair before placing it back on his head. The waiter returns with the beers and drops them in front of the guys.
Sam grabs his, gulping down almost half of it. He still doesn’t pull his knee away from mine. Duke clears his throat and leans forward, his face suddenly solemn, eyes focused on me.
“Dolls, you know I’m not just some dick who doesn’t want you to have any fun. I … we didn’t plan on crashing your date. We were gonna let you guys finish eating, but then we saw you taking shots on a first date. Really? That guy had one thing on his mind for tonight.”
My mouth drops open. I resist the urge to look at Sam’s expression, instead staying focused on my brother. “And? What if I only wanted one thing too?”
I see Sam gripping his mug beside me, his body going rigid.
Yeah, someone else wants me. Someone else sees me and doesn’t play games.
Duke scoffs and shakes his head. “With that guy? Come on. You can do better than that. You deserve better.”
I roll my eyes. “So, you guys can do hookups and date for fun with no commitment, but when I do it, it’s suddenly a problem?”
He raises his beer to his lips and takes a long swig before answering, “You’re my baby sister. Last time I let you try to go out on a date and have a little fun, you know what happened. I could never forgive myself if history repeated itself.”
His intense gaze is laser-focused on my face, but I can sense the guilt swirling in his cerulean eyes. A pinprick deflates my anger. Duke blames himself for Cain nearly raping me and Holden going to prison for his murder. The overprotective-brother routine is a reaction, and it’s the only way he knows to act when he sees me trying to stretch my wings. It’s a trauma response.
I fold my arms over my chest, jutting my chin out. “That was years ago. I deserve to go out on dates, to get to know men and go home with them.”
The food arrives, interrupting us. The waiter sets my plate in front of me and places the second order intended for Ben between Sam and Duke. He offers us Parmesan cheese, and I nod. Duke digs in as soon as he leaves.
My appetite has shrunk considerably. I nibble on a bite of chicken.
“It’s not really about Ben.” Duke clears his throat, washing down a bite of his food with beer. “It’s really not just about tonight. Something happened.” His eyes find mine.
My pulse flutters. I glance at Sam. He’s studying the tablecloth, his jaw clenched. I can’t tell if he’s pissed that he’s having to deal with this family drama or angry about whatever Duke is about to tell me. His knee presses up against mine even closer.
“Holden got a letter from someone who’s angry about Cain’s death. Someone who wants revenge.”
My fork stills. Goose bumps prickle the skin on my arms. Sam’s knee presses even farther into mine, and I know it’s not an accident. The heat of his body leaks a steady stream of comfort into me and eases the tension in my muscles.
My lower lip trembles. “What?”
10
SAM
The way the Redford family operates is nothing new to me. They’ve always prioritized Dolly’s opinions and desires above their own until it comes to safety. Safety in the Redford family is top priority.
Dolly’s hands shake as she holds the letter. Rosie went to put the twins to bed, but Monroe is sitting quietly beside her.
“I don’t understand. What family could he even have?” Her voice shakes. She seems to be going into shock and possibly experiencing some PTSD.
Cash’s expression is grim. “We don’t necessarily believe it is a member of his family. Rosie can’t think of anyone it could be, and she reached out to her mom and aunt to ask them. They both agreed that Cain was universally despised. We’re doing some digging, but for now, we’re assuming the threat could be anyone.”
Her eyes widen.
Cash is the expert in this field. He knows the stalker universe, being the bodyguard to a world-famous celebrity with countless obsessive fans.
He kneels down in front of her, his grim face softening as he takes her hand. “We will find who this is and deal with them,but until then, we don’t feel that you’re safe at Redford Ranch. You’re there alone for hours at a time, and whoever this is will know to look for you there. We think, for the time being, you’ll be safer at Moonlight.”
I watch her face drain of color. When I agreed to let Dolly stay with me at Moonlight, it was before Duke and I went to get her at Mario’s. Now that I’m face-to-face with her, I wish I could take it back. There has to be another way, some other solution that would keep her safe and keep her at arm’s length from me. As her pale gray eyes dart to mine, her pouty pink bottom lip quivers, and all I want to do is bite it to keep it still.
