Page 50 of Hunted By Them

“A quiet night sounds perfect to me. Say hi to Lorna and the kids.” I smiled, tipping my hat.

“Will do. We’re having a barbecue in a couple of weeks for all the guys. Spread the word,” Rick said, as he started to gather his things from the booth.

I laughed. “I wouldn’t miss one of your famous barbecues or the chance to sweet-talk Lorna into giving me her potato salad recipe.”

“Ha! Good luck with that,” Rick chuckled.

I took a sip of my much-needed coffee and spat it back out on the ground when I looked over at the parking lot. Her car was back. Sage was here. My Sweet Daisy was here. Relief washed over me, and I hadn’t realized just how anxious I was until I sucked in a deep breath and it felt like the first one all day.

Glancing around, I searched for any sign of her, but she wasn’t in the lot. There were only three vehicles left, and I narrowed my eyes at the Ferrari. That was not the type of vehicle you brought here. The hair stood on the back of my neck, even though there was no clear reason.

Walking over to her car, I peered inside and tried the doors, but they were locked. I did the same to the Ferrari and studied the footprint left in the soft gravel.

I sniffed the air. A storm was coming. The cool, wet scent was on the breeze, and the pressure had started to change, like the storm was pushing down on the world as it passed. Beneath the storm smell was a faint trace of Sweet Daisy’s soap. And under that was a hint of the wild tang she had carried since I first chased her down.

I stepped around the vehicles and walked slowly toward the trailhead. I’d tracked and hunted my entire life. Finding those who didn’t want to be found was what I lived for. But Sweet Daisy wasn’t trying to hide.

I crouched, fingers brushing the fresh impressions in the dirt. The tread of her boots was the same, including the uneven impression where she walked harder on the inside of her heel. Her steps were light and quick. She moved with purpose. Layered over them was a much larger print. A man’s stride, heavier and careless. No care for silence, no respect for the trail.

Rage spiked hard in my gut.

Connor.

I had nothing to go on other than the car, but my instincts told me he’d followed her here, and they were always right.

I pulled out my phone instead of the radio.

“Jaxon.”

“What’s up?” His voice came through staticky from being deeper in the park, where cell service was sketchy.

“She’s back.”

“You’re shitting me.” His laugh was filled with the same relief I felt when I first saw her car. “Hey, Dash…Ryder says our Sweet Daisy is here at the park. That’s a good thing, so why don’t you sound happy?”

My jaw locked. “She’s not alone, I think she was followed.”

Silence for a heartbeat, then both Dash and Jaxon said the same thing. “Connor.”

“Yeah, that’s my thought. We have a Ferrari in the lot right beside her car. I don’t have a good feeling,” I said, standing up straight.

“Then we end him. You want us to bring the supplies,” Dash asked.

It was good to have him back on board. I didn’t like being at odds with my best friend, but his stubbornness almost got him a broken fucking nose.

“Not yet,” I growled as I marched for the work truck.

“What the fuck are you talking about? She’s out there with him right now, Ryder,” Dash argued.

“Fuck you two, I wish you’d both grow up,” Jaxon barked out. “Give me back my phone.”

I climbed into the truck as I listened to the two of them bicker.

“Hey! Fuck. Be ready, but I need to make sure it’s him. I’ll find Sage and let you know.”

“Why are you always so reckless? You’ve been like this since we were kids,” Dash snapped in the background.

I killed the call before his voice could needle me further. We were back on the same page where Sweet Daisy was concerned, so the last thing I needed was to start another war.