That rules Benny out.
The Riders is an illegal underground bull riding ring that the Redford brothers and I compete in for money and for the adrenaline rush. I usually stick to cage fighting, but sometimes I join them in the arena.
I wasn’t exactly suspecting him of being the one sending the letters, but … there’s something about him I don’t fucking like. My instincts aren’t usually wrong about people.
“What did it say?” Dolly’s voice is barely above a whisper.
I want to reach over and grab her hand, to offer any amount of comfort that I can. So, I do. She lets me hold her hand, but she doesn’t hold it back.
He sighs. “It says that he wants you gone. That he won’t stop until he hurts me by taking your life, the way I took Cain’s.”
Her hand tightens around mine, just as my stomach drops. “Did you catch anything on the security footage?”
“No. Oyster must’ve wandered out of range. They’re only on the outside of the houses and the front gate. She goes all over the damn place.”
“She’s safe with me. I’m not letting her out of my sight.”
“Is your house secure?” He’s all business. Holden doesn’t fuck around when it comes to family and safety.
“I’m still waiting for the cameras to be installed.”
I glance at Dolly. Her expression is solemn as she leans her head back on the seat and stares out the windshield.
“Take me off speaker,” he says.
I let go of her hand so I can grab the phone. I tap the button to turn off the speaker.
“Yeah.”
“Until they are, she needs to be with you. Make a pallet on the floor or something. He threatened to torture her. There was another picture. This one was from the farmers market.” I haven’t heard Holden sound this afraid in years, not since his wife was kidnapped and held hostage by her own father.
I try not to crush the phone in my hand. Rage courses through me like wildfire.
“I think it’s time we go for a hunt,” I grit out.
“Yeah, about damn time. And, Sam? I might not be as against it as Duke, but I’d really prefer if you don’t fuck my little sister while we’re dealing with this shit. That doesn’t mean I’m saying no for forever. Just not right now. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
The call ends.
Fuck. Was that him giving me … future permission?
Holden is essentially the head of the Redford family. Pops has been a deadbeat alcoholic for years. He quit running the ranch years ago, leaving it to his boys. He spends his days drinking and wandering around the ranch like a zombie. They’ve discussed therapy, rehab, even a nursing home. But the old man is essentially harmless. His mind doesn’t seem to be all there anymore.
I reach back out to grab her hand, which is planted in her lap. She lets out a quivering breath and squeezes mine back.
“I’m scared,” she whispers.
“I’m not letting you out of my sight. This fucker won’t get anywhere near you.”
17
DOLLY
My heart isn’t beating right. Ever since Holden’s call about the new threat, it’s like there’s a space missing, a gap in the rhythm.
Once we get home, I grab my bottle of heart medication and take two pills. Sam watches me wash it down with a gulp of water.
The same way he watched me throughout my entire date with Ben.
