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Mateo grinned.

We clapped when the song ended. Lila joined hands with Emma, who joined hands with Lennon. Lila reached for Holly with her other hand, and I chuckled at Holly’s startled look. They took a bow, and we all hooted and hollered. Lila grinned at me.

I could not wait to get her home.

The crowd was thinning. Lila came to me for a quick kiss before getting swept back into a conversation with Emma and some of the ranch hands—Alex, Clay, Hank, and Billy. I watched her for a minute, long enough to notice her eyes flicking back to me even as she nodded at what Emma was saying.

I really could not wait to get her home.

I turned to Jay. “Well, this has been fun, but I’m going to get my wife and head out.”

Jay’s eyebrows went up. “That word just rolls off your tongue now, doesn’t it.”

I shrugged, but I was smiling.

Lila was still talking to people. Her brow furrowed, and she touched her triceps, but then Emma said something and she threw back her head on a loud laugh. But I’d had enough. I waved her over. She nodded, said her goodbyes, and ambled to me as the rest peeled out the door.

“I take it you’re ready to take me home now,” she said, wrapping her arms around my waist.

I dropped a kiss on her nose. “I thought you’d never ask.”

She smiled and rubbed absently at her triceps. “Ouch. What…” Her forehead furrowed. “Is my shirt torn?” She craned her neck, trying to see behind her. Red glistened on her fingers. She blinked, holding them up like she couldn’t believe it. “I’m…bleeding?”

My skin went cold. I caught her elbow and gently turned her so I could get a better look. Clean, straight, no frayed ends—this wasn’t a tear; it was a deliberate cut. Likely a razor. It had barely grazed her skin. If the blade was sharp enough, she wouldn’t have felt the cut right away, which meant I had no idea who she was standing with when it happened.

“What in the world…” Her voice trailed off, and she looked around. “Maybe I snagged it on something?”

“It’s not a snag, Lila. It was on purpose.” I fought to stay calm as her expression morphed from confusion to fear.

“He’s here,” she whispered. “Shit.”

I pulled her against my chest, my arms creating a protective armor around her. He’d have to go through me to get to her, but I knew he wouldn’t dare. Fucking coward.

The two-inch mark was little more than a scratch. She wouldn’t need stitches, and the wound was already clotting, but fuck.

He had cut her. With all of us right fucking there.

My head swiveled as I took in the room. Only stragglers remained. Jeremiah, who had the keys to lock up. Liam, who was taking Emma and Blair home. Holly. Everyone else had gone. Lila’s attacker had probably walked right out the door with them, easy as you please.

That pissed me off. It pissed me off, and it scared me.

Because I had recognized every single face at the ranch tonight.

Which meant that Lila’s attacker wasn’t a stranger.

He was one of us.

THE GHOST

That wasn’t part of the plan. It was always supposed to be an eye for an eye, a mark for a mark. But that cut wasn’t one we shared. It was all mine.

Pride and excitement shiver through me as I watch her expression change from confusion to fear. Her head swivels as she takes in her surroundings, searching for the danger. That’s right, bitch. I’m here.

But her gaze skims right by me. She doesn’t see me. Typical.

I almost want to make her see me. Peel her eyelids open so she is forced to reckon with all my suffering. Because of her. Every mark, every wound, every scar was for her. How would she feel about that?

Not bad enough.