Blair nods, the gesture distracted as her eyes lower to my chest.
“As for the others…” I hedge. “I was just looking for Ledger to talk to him about Rhett. Honestly though, I think you handled the situation better than any of us could. Clearly, skirting around him and letting him wallow wasn’t helping. Whatever you did?—”
“I almost shot him four times, then I hit him a handful of times, and then I, ah, hogtied and threw him in the back of a truck to let him get rained on the entire way home,” she mumbles. “I’m not sure if that’s really ‘handling’ someone in that state.”
Well, shit. That explains the bruises I’d seen on him this morning.
The snort of laughter that slips past my lips surprises us both. Her head jerks up and I can’t help it—I laugh softly again.
“That’s one way to handle that situation,” I say, still chuckling softly. “He didn’t pick up a drink today and he was smiling on his way out with Santi, so it worked.”
A rueful smile pulls at Blair’s lips.
“I’m glad you showed up right now, Wes.” Her smile grows as she stares up at me. “You said that I could lean on you whenever I needed it and right now, I need you.”
I need you.
How is it that three little words can bring both a sense of joy and terror at exactly the same time? Blairneedsme. That confession coming from a hyper independent woman means the world to me. It means I’m doing something right by Blair and that fills me with absolute exhalation.
At the same time, my blood turns cold.
I’ve allowed Blair to stay under this roof under the guise she was safe. Oh how wrong I’ve been. She’s in danger because I couldn’t say no to my friend. Why did I believe I could control Ledger’s impulses? Ledger put atrackerin Blair. How the hell am I supposed to protect her from him if he’s tracking her every move?
Pushing aside that panicked thought, I try to focus on this moment with her. All else can wait. I reach up, cupping her cheek and leaning forward to press my forehead against hers.
“Lean on me for as long as you need. I’m here for you,” I promise, my voice thickening with emotions as I realize how true that is. “I won’t pull away or think less of you.”
Blair has brushed off the cobwebs growing around my heart and let in a warmth that I haven't felt in so long. My heart continues to beat now, solely because of her. I never noticed howunfulfilled I’ve been feeling, for years now, until Blair came into my life. I can, and do, love Santi, Rhett, and Ledger, but Blair? Iexistsolely for her now.
I’ll protect her from Ledger, somehow, some way. In the meantime, I’ll be here to help Blair in any way possible.
Chapter 33
Blair
Isquint.
It takes a second to find it, but my eyes snag on the target I made from spare pallet wood. Climbing that tree was a feat in itself, but carrying the target, nails, and a hammer had me breaking into a sweat even though it’s in the low fifties today. I purposely nestled the target between some thicker branches so it wasn’t too easy to spot, and given how dark it’s getting and the slight wind, it’ll make for a nice challenge to try to hit it.
Without taking my eyes from it, I reach over and grab the tripod I’ve lugged up to the roof of the cabin. I adjust the three legs, then slide down onto my stomach. Reaching for the rifle I grabbed from Ledger’s stash of weapons in the basement, I set it up on the tripod.
As I peer into the scope, the aluminum ladder rattles behind me. I ignore the intrusion as I focus on my task.
“Hey,” Santi greets as he joins me on the roof. “What are you up to?”
I’m not surprised by his presence. He said he would come find me after the meeting Ledger had called with managers and assistant managers for the last twenty minutes of work today.
I don’t look away from the scope when I answer, “Practicing my shot.”
The ladder rattles again, letting me know we’re about to have more company.
“Where’s the target?” Santi asks.
“North a hundred yards out, then…” I adjust the scope to sharpen my focus. “About thirty-five or thirty-six degrees east.”
“Um, which way is north?”
I point in the general direction. Then, I take my index finger and slowly guide it right so that it matches up to the barrel of the gun. “My target is in the tree, three next to the one that looks like it was struck by lightning a few years ago.”
