There is a heavy, round crystal paperweight with feminine etchings that looks out of place on the masculinedesk, everything around the sparkling orb is stained dark or is of dark leather. In the center of the weight is a felt disc with a picture of three dancing women stamped onto the middle. I’ve always wondered who it belonged to.
It fits snugly in my palm and is big enough that I can’t close my hand around it, it would make a good weapon if one was needed in a pinch. I open my palm and toss it in the air a couple of times, the weight and shape of it fits nicely each time it lands in my hand.
“Planning on hurtin’ someone with that?” Mason’s voice is nearly next to my ear, and I almost drop the weight as I jump and turn around.
“Freakin’ Mason, how do you sneak up on me every time?”
His smile spreads across his face, his ballcap is on backward which makes him look even more gorgeous, and his hands rest on my hips. “Part of the job, darlin’.”
Oh yeah, his job. He’ll be leaving soon. My eyes fall to the button of his henley between his pecs and I push the panic down that’s tried to swallow me all day when I think of the box that Kinley left in my bathroom.
The knuckle of his finger touches my chin and tilts my head back to bring my eyes back up to his, “What just happened? What were you thinking?”
Forcing a smile, I try to be casual and say the first thing that comes to mind, “When do you think you’ll be leaving to go back to work?”
His eyes move between mine and his expression turns serious, he opens his hand to cup my chin, and his thumb moves over my cheek. “I won’t be leaving before we settle this issue with you,” he pauses and pushes a tendril of hair that has broken loose from my ponytail behind my ear, “You won’t have to worry about this anymore when we leave.”
That’s not what I’m worried about.
Just as I am about to respond, his gaze moves over myshoulder and fixes on something outside the large window behind the desk. His eyes narrow as his brows come together and I turn to see what he’s looking at.
His whole demeanor turns from relaxed into warrior mode and I feel the muscles in his arms turn hard as steel.
Down the hill is Marley’s stables, she is out in one of the paddocks with a horse and a strange man is walking in her direction. Her back is to him, so she hasn’t noticed him yet. Before I can turn around to ask Mason if he knows that man, he has turned and is out the door.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
MASON
“STAY INthe house and lock the doors,” I say to Sloane over my shoulder as I walk down the hall.
Spits’ head jerks in my direction when I stride into the kitchen to get my gun I left on the table, “Possible asshole, west of the house, cover the inside.” I say and slide my gun into the waist of my jeans.
He pulls his gun out of the holster he has attached to the underside of the table and crosses the hall to find a west-facing window.
As I pass the family room, I see Callum is already next to the window, gun drawn. He nods to let me know he’s got me covered as I walk by.
Knowing that Jax is somewhere by the stable and has eyes on Marley, I don’t have to hurry to her, so I stop the screen door from slamming and quietly step across the porch. It’s noteasy to keep calm as I watch the fucker walk toward my sister who is unaware of the slug moving behind her.
Who the fuck walks onto someone’s property and bypasses the house? Not someone who’s actions are above board, that’s for fucking sure.
Moving quickly, but quietly, I look for the vehicle he showed up in. He didn’t even park close to the house, his car is parked next to the fence that lines the long driveway, almost like a sneak attack. It’s a nondescript black SUV that I’m willing to bet is hiding items that wouldn’t normally be in a car behind the tinted windows.
Barely containing the rage that I failed to control when my sister was attacked fourteen years ago, I see Jax move out from beside Marley’s stable. His movements are casual and controlled as he walks toward the paddock she’s in with the horse she’s working with.
His hands are loose at his sides, and he looks completely relaxed, but I know he sees the guy and only stepped out to be ready for anything that might happen. Jax always has several weapons attached to him, knives being his weapon of choice. Not only does he excel at hand-to-hand combat, but he’s also twisted enough to enjoy the fight.
Marley’s horse jerks when it sees both men approaching from different sides and her head jerks to Jax instead of the man behind her. I can’t hear what he’s saying to her yet, but he’s saying it with a smile and almost looks like he is joking with her to keep her calm.
She shakes her head and points toward the barn, adjusting her ballcap to shade her eyes while looking in his direction. He’s giving her the distance he knows she needs as he leans toward her.
The shit stain is still walking toward the paddock but with Jax’s appearance, his whole demeanor changes as he slides his fingers into his jeans pockets, and he smiles. There isa slight flinch in his shoulders when he notices me coming up on his side.
He seems way too relaxed; this fucker is doing recon on us.
Jax moves to stand between him and Marley since the guy is still walking toward them even after seeing me. Marley turns as Jax moves to her other side and sees me and the man approaching. The panic that crosses her face sends my anger to every nerve ending in my body.
“Can I help you?” I ask as I close the distance between us.
