Bad karaoke plays through the bar, and I look forward to the band set to perform in a half hour.
Harloe catches me up on her family, on the bar. On all that’s happened since I left a few weeks ago. It’s strange how nothing seems to change in this town, and yet, I feel like I’ve missed so much.
“Have you seen your family yet?” Harloe asks, taking a sip of her beer.
“Not yet. I’ll drop by the ranch tomorrow.”
“Or…” Harloe’s teeth grit. “You could face your sister right now.”
I follow Harloe’s gaze to the door, where Eden walks in like she’s been summoned. Her blonde hair is even brighter than it was last time I saw her. Her smile perfectly practiced and fake.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I grumble, taking a sip of my drink.
Eden is wearing a bright-pink dress that cuts low in the front, showing off her cleavage. Her bleached-blonde hair tied in a ponytail. She’s the picture of sweetness when she’s anything but. Kincaid walks in behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist when he spots me.
“Like I said. Asshole,” Harloe mumbles.
My attention moves to Dean and Soul, who noticed Kincaid as well. They stand at once, tension brewing.
“Crap, this isn’t going to go well.” I eye the cops across the bar, recognizing them as some of Kincaid’s closest friends. “They’re already watching Dean and waiting for him to fuck up, but if they get into it, Kincaid will throw charges at them just for fun.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Harloe sets her drink down. “I need someone to call me a ride anyway. I’m sure Dean’s hot, tattooed biker friend won’t mind playing bodyguard while I wait for them to show up.”
“You’re just as bad as they are.”
“One can only hope.” She winks, giving me a quick hug. “Be safe.”
“I can handle Kincaid and Eden.”
“I know you can.”
Harloe splits off, walking over to Dean’s table and smiling at Soul. She must be convincing because I see Dean’s mouth move in the way that says something like he’s got it handled and he’ll see him tomorrow.
Soul leaves with Harloe, while Dean walks over to me just as Eden and Kincaid approach.
“You actually came back.” Her gaze pauses where Dean wraps a hand around my waist.
“Were you hoping I wouldn’t?”
“I couldn’t care less.” She brushes a hand down Kincaid’s chest, acting like she doesn’t care when she’s the one who called me begging me to come home. “You aren’t my competition, Willa.”
I huff out a laugh because that’s exactly what this is to her. She only wants Kincaid because he was my fiancé. She enjoys stealing other people’s things and proving she can get anything she wants. Once she realizes I honestly don’t care, she’ll get tired of him.
“Why did you come back if you’re just going to cause problems?” Eden asks, not letting it go. “You left. What does it matter what happens with the ranch now?”
“Don’t worry about it, baby.” Kincaid pulls her closer, smirking at me. “They aren’t getting what they’re after.”
“Aren’t you tired of being his fucking puppet?” Dean levels Kincaid with a glare. “All these years, and you’re still doing your father’s dirty work.”
“We’re business partners now.”
Dean huffs out a laugh. “Is that what you tell yourself? He doesn’t see you as his equal, Kincaid. Not when he thinks he’s the center of the universe.”
“What would you know?”
“I know him.” Dean’s fingers twitch on my hip, but he doesn’t let it show in his expression.
“This isn’t your business anymore. It’s between family, and you cut yourself out of ours.” Kincaid’s shoulders stiffen.
