“What do you do besides help out at my uncle’s farm?” I try to keep the skepticism out of my tone, but it bleeds through.
He leans back in his chair and tilts his head with a slight grin. “Briar, don’t go poking your nose where it don’t belong.” His accent is light and disarming, even though that sure as fuck sounds like a warning if I’ve ever heard one.
I set down my cup and stare at him for a beat, trying to decide whether or not it’s a good idea to straight up ask him. “Are you into, you know, some bad things for work?”
Grahm leans forward and is about to say something when the front door swings open and two men walk in.
“Hey, Briar!” Taylor lifts his hand in greeting and seems all too jovial after the last time I saw him a week ago. My blood runs cold. Why did he and Gale come in and walk straight over to our table? How did they know I was even here?
My eyes instantly flick to Grahm. His jaw is set, and he takes a casual, long sip from his coffee. Although I’ve never seen a dark gaze replace kindness so quickly in someone’s eyes before. The air is electric with tension. Not like where you don’t know who’s going to punch who first, but with the fake grins that have sinister undertones kind of tension.
Gale eyes him carefully before muttering to me, “Come on, Briar. We’re already late because you weren’t at the farm.”
My brows instantly quirk. “Go where? I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Taylor drops his smile and shares a look with Gale.
Grahm slowly stands and crosses his arms. “Is there a problem?” he says in a calm, yet dangerous tone.
Gale, who’s only a smidge shorter than Grahm, sets his hand on the ranch hand’s shoulder and squeezes. “There will be if you try to do anything stupid, Sutherland.”
“Fucking shitheads,” Grahm curses, glaring at them as the two look at me expectantly.
“Either we walk out together or we carry you out, cutie.” Taylor smiles like a lunatic, and I unfortunately know he’s not joking.
“It’s fine, Grahm. I’ll talk to you later. My phone is working now, so I’ll text you when I get home. Is your number still the same as the one my uncle had pinned on his fridge?”
Grahm nods, still looking pissed off and like he might try to stop them from taking me.
I snag my drink and am glad that I got it in a to-go cup instead of a mug. Taylor grunts as he hooks his arm over my shoulders and guides me outside. Roman’s Benz is parked out front, and even though I can’t see through the blacked-out windows, I know he’s in there. It’s annoying seeing the same car that was parked out front that first night and now I’m being forced into it.
I can’t believe he already got it back after losing. What did he do? Pull someone’s teeth out? I shudder as the very realistic image of him doing that runs through my head.It’s messed up that I can picture him doing it.
“What’s this about?” I snap and tear away from Taylor’s arm. He chuckles and ruffles my hair. I bump into Gale as I try to get out of Taylor’s reach and realize that there’s something strapped to his waist that feels a lot like a pistol.
Is he carrying a gun? My eyes widen, and my stomach churns. I hold on to my coffee cup a little tighter as we approach the car.
“Not much. We just want to have some fun with our new friend in town. There’s no harm in that, now is there?” Taylor says with too much optimism. After a week of bliss, I thought I was in the clear and that they had forgotten about me. Obviously, I was much too hopeful.
The door swings open, and John extends his hand to help me into the car. My eyes go past his hand and straight to his waist, where I notice he also has a pistol holstered there. My heart races as I take his hand and am placed on his lap.
Taylor takes one side and Gale takes the other. Bensen turns around from the passenger seat and shoots me a big grin. “Long time no see, Briar.”
I give him a tight smile. “Not long enough.”
John laughs and threads his arms around my waist. The weight of his hands around my stomach makes my cheeks warm.
Roman is sitting in the driver’s seat and doesn’t turn to look at me. My eyes shift to the rearview mirror, and it’s there that I meet his heavy gaze. Those eyes are as cold as they’ve been since we met. He doesn’t say anything as he looks away and focuses on driving.
My stomach flips as John sets his chin on my shoulder. “I hope you like swimming,” he mumbles.
I mean Icanswim; I wouldn’t say I enjoy it. Not this late in the season. “You’re taking me swimming? I don’t have a swimsuit,” I say cautiously.
God, I know they are up to something awful. I just don’t know what that awful thing is yet. They wouldn’t just take me out somewhere fun for no reason. And regardless of how friendly the rest of them are, Roman’s doom-and-gloom expression is enough to set the forecast.
“We’re all adults, Briar. Just wear your bra and underwear. It’s the same shit.” Gale sounds like he’s not enthused about where his day is going either.
“Don’t worry. No one’s going to hurt you, okay? How’s your head?” John asks softly.
