“Fine. I’m great. Dandy.” She stumbles back a step, not that she can get far with Owen holding onto her. “Busy day. I can’t wait to get home.”
“Do you see it?” Storm growls as he comes up behind her. “I told you, didn’t I?”
She winces.
Jett closes in on one side. “Rough night, Vi?”
“No.” She tries to step back, but that brings her in direct contact with Storm.
He steadies her with a hand on her elbow. “You sure you don’t want to tell us who gave you that black eye?”
She glances back at the house, the view blocked by Storm’s chest. “I need to get home. I’m a mess.”
“He did this, didn’t he?” Something dark flickers across Jett’s face.
“He hurt you, Violet?” Owen lowers his head close to hers and whispers something in her ear.
She swallows hard and jerks her chin.
My phone vibrates against my leg. I fish it out and light up the screen to a new group text message.
West: We discussed it, and we think the goat might have been an attempt to get Summer to leave. Know anyone who would want to make that happen?
Owen walks Violet to her van, holds open the door, and waits for her to climb inside. They exchange a few more words.
“Damn it.” Jett says. “I was prepared to have a conversation with Duke. Now I’m going to have to lay hands on the bastard.”
“He’s lucky that’s all we’re going to do.” Storm eyes the house like he’d like to set fire to it.
The van motor starts, and Violet drives away.
“He hurt her,” Owen says as he joins us. “She didn’t go into details, but he gave her that black eye. And then he threatened her if she told anyone what happened.”
“We’re going to hurt him back, right?” Storm asks, his voice cold.
“It’s the least we can do,” Owen’s gravelly voice is sharp with emotion. “I told her we’d check in on her when we’re finished here.”
Rebel: I might. Let me see what I can find out.
Jett and Storm go inside while Owen stands in the doorway. “Coming, Hollywood?”
If this prick killed the goat to scare Summer, I have to find out. I shove my phone back in my pocket and follow Owen into the house.
By the time we step inside, Storm is already holding the guy in the sight on his gun. His finger hovers over the trigger. Jett stands over Duke, who is on his knees with his hands clasped behind his head.
“You Hearts are all crazy. First your whore of a sister accuses me of assaulting her. Now you’re breaking into my home.”
I walk straight up to the piece of shit and punch him in the mouth. I get a small amount of satisfaction when his lip is split and bloodied. “Call Summer a whore again and you might not make it through the night.”
“I’m going to have you all thrown in jail for this,” he screams, reaching for his face.
“Come now, Duke. The door was unlocked. We’re here to talk. Nothing more.” Owen pulls a seat out from the table. Dragging it into the middle of the room, he sits backward on it and folds his arms over the top of the backrest.
“He already hit me.” Duke glowers at me.
“Did you?” Owen asks me.
I know how to play this game. “Nah, I didn’t touch him.” I turn to Storm. “Did I?”
