Evie.
Cade’s outside checking on the bulls before turning in—which means it’s just me here with my little girl.
I sprint down the hallway, heart pounding like a hammer, bare feet smacking against hardwood. Bandit’s barking, frantic and low, his deep woofs rattling the walls.
I skid into the living room—and the world tilts.
“Get away from her!” I shout.
Violet stands in the lamplight like a ghost clawed up out of ash. Her hair is wild, strands stuck to her damp face, makeup smeared into jagged streaks. She’s wearing a once-silk blouse ripped at the shoulder, mud-caked boots, and scuffed jeans like she’s been crawling through fields. Her eyes are feral. And in her hand…there’s agun.
It gleams as she waves it toward Evie. My little girl’sclutching Bandit, face buried in his fur, her tiny body shaking.
“Violet,” I rasp, voice raw, tight as barbed wire. My hands spread, palms up like I’m gentling a spooked bull. “Put the gun down.”
Her laugh slices sharp, brittle. “You ruined everything, you whore!” Her gaze slashes to me, full of hate that makes my knees weaken. “You’re the reason Cade turned on Landon.”
The front door groans open; a draft sweeps in. Violet’s eyes flick away for a fraction of a second. I move without thinking, slotting myself between her and Evie, heart hammering so loud I swear Violet can hear it. I want her to. I don’t want her to lose her shit and shoot—Cade…or Evie.
“Sure am, Violet. So point the fucking gun at me, okay?” My voice is firm. I am firm. No one’s hurting my Evie.
“Sarah, no—” Cade’s voice comes from the doorway. I hear the fear buried in it.
I want to tell Evie to run, but I don’t dare provoke Violet. Evie’s little body crashes against my legs, Bandit still in her arms. Her whimpers are breaking me open.
Violet’s finger trembles on the trigger. “You think the world’s going to believe you? You think anyone’s gonna listen?” Spit flies with her words, mascara cutting black rivers down her face.
If today’s the day I die….
Oh God. I never told Cade I love him. I never told him I forgave him.
“Violet, think about how this is going to look on Landon.” Cade eases toward her, his movements deliberate. Her body turns half toward him, but her gun stays locked on me.
“Thanks to both of you, Landon is done!” she shrieks. “Done!”
For some reason, that’s when Bandit chooses to lunge from Evie’s arms, snarling, circling my legs, barking sharp and furious like he’s ready to rip her apart. Violet jumps a little.
Movement flickers outside the big floor-to-ceiling windows—a shadow splitting the dark. Then—glass explodes—a deafening pop.
Violet cries out, staggering; her gun clatters to the floor as blood blooms down her arm.
Cade kicks the gun out of her reach, snatches it up, and tucks it into the back of his waistband.
I grab Evie, hauling her up, pressing her wet face into my neck as she sobs. My knees threaten to buckle, but I hold on. I will not let her go.
Kaz bursts through the shattered glass of the tall windows that Cade’s so proud of.
He’s carrying a rifle like snipers do. He doesn’t look like he just shot someone, but I’ll bet my practice he’s the one who shot Violet.
“Get Evie out of here, Dove!” Cade wraps an arm around Evie and me, steering us toward the hallway. His voice is all command, no compromise.
I see Kaz shove Violet against the wall, twisting herwrist until she howls. She kicks, spits, curses, but he’s pulling cuffs from his pocket like this is routine.
If he’s a tech bro, I’m going to eat Cade’s hat!
I bolt with Evie into her room.
We collapse on her bed, both shaking. She clings to me, her little body rigid with fear.
