Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88463 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88463 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
“It’s already hot out,” I say to Ryker as we head out into the sunshine.
“Yeah, we might all end up in the lake again this evening,” he says. “It’s handy. I could put in a pool, but what’s the point?”
“Aunt Wills would probably prefer a pool.”
His gaze whips to mine. “Why?”
“She doesn’t love swimming with fish and bacteria and all the other creatures in the water. Those are her words, not mine.”
“She didn’t say anything yesterday.”
I smirk. “Of course not. It’s not like she can choose a pool out here.”
He starts to say something, but his phone rings. “I have to take this, buddy. Ride ahead, and I’ll catch up.”
I nod and turn Sunflower toward the fence line closest to the house. But as I get closer, I frown.
Why are there people here?
They aren’t anyone that works here. Half of them are women.
Girls.
As I approach the fence, they start to wave, and I feel Sunflower hesitate.
“Whoa, girl, it’s okay. We’re just going to say hi.”
“You’re not Cap,” someone says with disappointment in her voice.
“You all need to leave,” I announce, keeping my voice strong. The girls are pretty. They’re not wearing much of anything. Bikini tops and jean shorts, their hair up, and their eyes hidden behind sunglasses. There are four of them, along with two guys.
They all look older than me. Maybe in college.
“We don’t have to go anywhere,” one of the guys says. “Where’s Ryker James?”
“This is private property,” I reply, keeping my eyes hard. “And you need to get the fuck off our property.”
“We were invited,” one of the girls says. “And you’re kind of cute. I’d do a lot of fun things to you if you introduced us to him.”
What the hell?
“Oh my God, I think that’s him!”
The girls start to squeal, and Sunflower spooks. She rears up on her hind legs and then bucks, and I can’t stay on her. The next thing I know, I’m airborne, and then I’m in the dirt, and everything hurts.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Ryker
“Good morning,” I say, answering the call from Gideon as Aiden points his horse toward the fence. I love seeing my kid on his horse. He’s a fucking natural.
“You’re not going to like this,” Gid says in my ear, and I let out a gusty breath.
“It’s Andy, isn’t it?”
“Right the first time.”
“That motherfucker.” I filled my brother in yesterday on the cops going to my condo with Mac. “They found six cameras in my house, Gid.”
“I know. I talked with a Lieutenant Matt Montgomery. How did you get a high-ranking murder cop to help with this?”
“He’s Will Montgomery’s brother.”
“Ah. Makes sense.”
“There were two cameras in my bedroom, two in the living room, one in the kitchen, and one out by the rooftop pool.”
Thank Christ there wasn’t one in my office.
“They ran fingerprints,” Gid informs me. “All Andy’s. He wasn’t even smart enough to wear gloves.”
“He wasn’t even smart enough to demand a different amount of money from what he’d asked me for not a day before he sent those photos.”
Gideon scoffs. “I never liked that guy.”
“Yeah, yeah, so you and Wills have said many times.”
“There’s a warrant out for his arrest, and he’ll likely be picked up today. I can prove that he’s the one who sent the photos, so in addition to stalking and a host of other charges from the cameras, extortion . . . hell. A ton of things—he’ll be arrested and is likely going to prison for a while.”
I think of Willow and how upset she’s been, and I can’t help but be okay with that.
“Hopefully he’s arrested before he sends those photos to the press.”
“I believe it’s happening as we speak,” Gid replies. “I’ll keep you posted on that.”
I notice some commotion at the fence, and that Aiden is talking to . . . a group of people?
“Why are there people on my property?”
“What do you mean?”
I head that way. “There are six of them. Four female, two male, and they’re harassing Aiden.”
“I’m calling the sheriff,” Gid says. “Christ, can’t you live without drama for one day?”
“Yeah, yeah.”
I hang up and urge my horse to move faster. As I approach, one of the girls squeals.
“Oh my God, I think that’s him!”
They start jumping up and down and high-fiving, but I don’t give a rat’s ass about that, because Sunflower rears up and then bucks Aiden off, and he’s in the air, falling from the saddle.
When he lands in the dirt, I know it’s not good. He moans as I dismount my horse, run over to him, and fall to my knees beside him.
“Hey, sorry,” someone calls over. “We just got excited.”
“Why the fuck are you here?” I demand, still not looking their way.
“Hey, if you didn’t want people at your new guest ranch, why did you post the address on Insta?”
I spare them a glare. “I didn’t.”