I care about Dolly. She cares about me.
Yeah, but you told her it was just for her to gain experience. She doesn’t know that you care.
“Was it another letter?” I hear myself ask, adjusting the hunting bow in my hand.
He shakes his head. His gaze is somber.
“It was a shell casing—from the same kind of gun Holden killed Cain with.”
I freeze, my water midway to my mouth.
“And it had Dolly’s name written on it in black Sharpie.”
“Fuck.” I stand, pacing back and forth across the small space in front of him. “What are we gonna do about this? Should I take her out of state?”
The urge to call her now makes me reach for my phone. We left her at the main house with Pops and Sterling.
He shakes his head. “Holden wants to set up a trap for him, like to lure him here, and we’ll get him then.”
“He wants to use her as bait? Fuck that.”
He raises a brow and stares at me. “We wouldn’t actually leave her there alone. We’d just pretend to and see if he approaches her in public. We need a lead. What’s your deal?”
“Leave her where?”
“We were thinking just at a bar in town or something. Whoever he is, he has to be watching her. We might have to try a few times. Matthews has been out of town, making the rounds at different fight clubs, so we’ve pretty much ruled him out.”
I don’t like the sound of it. If he gets too close, he could actually hurt her.
Duke notices the look of disapproval on my face. “You’re overreacting. We’d all be there staked out, waiting for him. She’d be perfectly safe.”
I try to remain calm. Maybe I can talk her out of this stupid plan. I can’t believe her overprotective brothers would ever cook up something this ludicrous in the first place.
“You seem different, man. How are you holding up since your grandpa passed?”
I take a seat back on the small bench seat, setting my bow back up and string up an arrow. I leave it loose. “I’m fine. Just working and focusing on the ranch.”
“Keely said you’re not returning any of her texts.”
“Why don’t you fuck her then?” I snap.
He’s silent for a few beats before answering me, “Are you still on that dating app? Have you met anyone?”
“Why do you care so much?”
“You’re being an asshole, and I think getting laid would help you chill the fuck out.”
“Oh, yeah? Well, maybe I have met someone.”
He turns to me. “Really?”
I face him, debating how much to say.
Not much.
“I’m talking to a girl, yeah.”
He pops open his bottle of Dr. Pepper. “Well, what does she look like?”
