I gritted my teeth and was about to launch into a diatribe the likes she’d never seen or heard before when dust kicking up on the gravel driveway caught both of our attention.
As the vehicle coming toward us got closer, the black and yellow wording became clearer and clearer.
“Ahh, there’s Sheriff Black now.” Kelly Waller sounded smug.
I wanted to throat punch her. Or maybe I’d pop her in that nose, accidentally pull that stupid ass bull ring out.
The sheriff’s cruiser pulled to a stop outside of the fenced-in area, and he frowned when he saw the two of us standing on the porch. Me blocking the door with a pissed-off expression on my face, and Kelly Waller, the fucking trespasser, looking smug as fuck.
Her and her box-dye self needed to get lost.
Sheriff Black got out of the cruiser and took two cautious steps toward us.
I was sure it was never a good idea to approach pissed-off women.
But it was his job, after all.
“Black.” I smiled sweetly at the sheriff. “Could you escort this woman off our property?”
I’d never met the man in my life.
I’d seen him around, of course.
It was impossible not to notice him in a town the size of the one we lived in.
Not to mention I had a staring problem when it came to my husband, and Black was often with Gentry.
Black cleared his throat and said, “I thought I told you to wait at the gate?”
Kelly smiled. “I did. But it got awfully cold, so I decided a nice walk would be wonderful.”
Black didn’t look impressed. “There was a reason that I told you to wait at the gate. Firstly, because you don’t just walk into people’s property and expect to make it out alive. This is Montana, not Oregon. You will get shot. Secondly, there’s a traumatized dog that lives on this property. He doesn’t react well to strangers.”
Kelly’s face fell slightly. “I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.”
“It is, though,” Black insisted. “And I wouldn’t lie to you about this. I asked you to stay in your vehicle. As it is, I’m trespassing, too. But I was fucking worried you’d get mauled out here on your own.”
I smiled sweetly at the sheriff. “You know you’re always welcome, Black.”
Black’s eyes sparkled.
I was sure he knew Gentry and my background. He probably knew exactly what I was doing here, and he likely knew exactly what I was playing at.
There was no way that Gentry held his disdain for this woman in check.
She seemed very entitled and likely hadn’t ever suffered the consequences of her actions.
Speaking of consequences of her actions, one of those consequences came running up from the field to my left and started barking and snarling on the other side of the fence.
“Please get in your cruiser,” I said to the two of them.
Black and Kelly walked steadily toward the cruiser. When Kelly tried to run, Black caught her by the arm and soothingly said, “Don’t appear as quarry. It’ll spark his prey drive.”
Neo stalked them to the cruiser and continued his growling.
Gentry appeared moments later on the top of the hill, took one look at the cruiser still there, and whistled before turning around again.
I snorted.
