I don’t know if she means it to be a dig or not, but I’m the guy who taught her how to tie a knot.Come to think of it, I taught her a lot of things about rope.She used to love the feel of the fibers straining against her wrists and would moan into my mouth as I kissed her while her hands were bound.
I shake my head, dismissing the thought.
“He’s not really my type,” I drawl.
The guy in front of me moves, opening space at the bar, and before I can think better of it, I step forward, inching closer into her orbit.
Her eyes find mine, and her lips purse thoughtfully.“No, I don’t suppose he is.”Releasing a sigh, she uncrosses her arms and braces her hands on the edge of the bar.“He broke my bull.I’m not sure how much it’s going to cost to repair yet.”
“Well, I’m not about to hand you a blank check, so I guess you’re going to have to call me when you have an estimate.”
I don’t hate the idea of her calling me again.A call means I’m going to have to come here and see her again, and that poses a big problem, one I’m suddenly eager to ignore.
“I’ll be sure to hire the most expensive guy I can find to fix it.”
My lips twitch slightly.The sweet, innocent version of Amelia, the version I fell head over boots for, is gone.Life has hardened her, just as it’s done the same to me.But I kinda like this side of her too.Feisty and full of fire.Trying to tame her would be fun as hell.
A loud crash sounds from behind me, and Amelia lets out an exasperated sigh as she stares over my shoulder.When I hear Rhett shouting at someone, I flinch.
“Jesus, Maddox.Your guys are wrecking the joint.Get them the hell out of here.”
Five seconds later a glass shatters, and I know my time with Amelia is up.If I don’t get my men out of here now, I’m going to have to sell a kidney to replace everything they break.
“Yeah.Time to go.”I tap my knuckles on the bar.“Let me know the costs, and I’ll drop off a check during the week.”I realize then that she called me from Wyatt’s phone, and the odds of her having my number aren’t in my favor.“You want to give me your phone so I can plug in my number?”
She pulls her lower lip between her teeth as she stares at me for a beat too long.
“That’s not necessary.”
I quirk an eyebrow.Does that mean she still has my number saved after all these years?
She breaks our stare and clears her throat.“I can just get it from Shadow.”
“Right,” I mutter.Stupid me.
My eyes cut to where Wyatt sits.“Do you want to untie him, or may I?”
Before she can answer me, my phone rings, and I reach into my pocket to retrieve it.A quick glance at the screen makes my brows pinch together.I swipe to accept the call and lift the phone to my ear just as the music starts up again.
“Hello?”
Tyler says something, but I can’t make it out over all the noise.
“Tyler, man, I can’t hear you.”I glance back at Amelia and excuse myself before making my way toward the hall where the bathrooms are.“Sorry, brother?—”
“Maddox, man, you need to get back here.”There’s an eerie tone of desperation in his words, and my stomach plummets at the sound of it.For a brief blip in time, I forgot about my responsibilities.I was just a man, lusting after the woman he had lost.
“There’s been an accident,” Tyler rasps.“It’s William.”
Time stands still as I try to process what he’s saying, but before I can, he says the words that are my undoing.
“He’s gone.”
ChapterThree
Maddox
“Yeah, Sheriff, it’s Tyler Henderson.”His voice catches just then, and the words that come next sound much more strangled.“I need to report a death at Meadows Ranch.”
