Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Rem’s eyes narrow into slits. “He opened the door?”
“Yeah, but I threw it in gear, pushed on the gas, and lurched forward, which broke his arm and hit him in the head with the door. I didn’t stop, either. I drove directly to my uncle Matt’s house, and we made the report. He was arrested that night and went to prison.”
“And now,” John says, “he’s out of prison.”
“I don’t know how or why. He was supposed to have another five years, and we were supposed to be alerted when he either came up for parole or was released. My dad wasn’t notified. Dad said that my uncle is looking into how he got out early.”
The room is quiet as everyone soaks in what I’ve just told them.
“If you need to fire me, I understand. I truly do.” The thought fills me with so much sadness and so much regret that I want to crumple into sobs, but I firm my lip. “It would be nice if I could have twenty-four hours to find another place to live.”
“You’re not fired,” Remington says, shaking his head. “A gate will be installed just off the highway first thing in the morning. We have men setting up cameras all over the property as we speak, as well as motion-detecting lights.”
“They’ll go off all the time, thanks to all the animals around,” Ryan says with a laugh. “But it’ll scare off any psychopaths, as well, so it’s worth it.”
“I have my men patrolling town,” Chase continues, “with photos of the perp. As far as we’re concerned, he’s a wanted man. He’s violated the conditions of his parole if he left Washington.”
“Like I said, he could be trying to dick around with me from Washington.”
“I hope that’s the case,” Chase agrees, “but we’re going to treat this as if he’s in town. We’ll put up wanted posters all over town and talk with the business owners.”
“What do I do?” I ask. “How can I help?”
“Bruiser will be riding with you when you take the kids to school or pick them up,” Remington replies.
“Who’s Bruiser?”
“One of my ranch hands. He’s huge. I wouldn’t fuck with him,” Remington adds. “Of course, he’s a fucking teddy bear at heart, but no one needs to know that.”
“I’m fairly certain that I’m safe in the car—”
The look Rem shoots me could melt iron. “You’ll have my children. And in case I haven’t made myself clear to you up to this point, you mean something to me, too. If you think I won’t do whatever it takes to keep the three of you safe, you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
“Okay, that was sweet,” Millie says to me, making me laugh for the first time. “Seriously, let these guys protect you. No one will be able to touch you with my family standing guard, I guarantee it.”
“I do feel safer already,” I admit with a small smile. “But I also feel immense guilt. You shouldn’t have to go to this huge expense because of me.”
“We should tighten up the security around here anyway,” Brady says. “We have expensive horses and equipment.”
“I’ll also get in touch with the sheriff and the highway patrol,” Chase continues. “We’ll have plenty of patrols out this way, too.”
“Thank you.” I shake my head. “That feels way too small for how grateful I am, but thank you. I’ll let Bruiser ride with me. I’ll agree to a curfew, and if you’d like a location app put on my phone, that’s fine. I’m not too proud to admit that all or some of that might be needed. I won’t put up a fight when it comes to safety for not just me, but for your entire family. I’ve come to love your family, and I would never want anyone to be harmed because of me.”
“It’s not because of you,” Chase says. “It’s because of a psychopath who shouldn’t be out of prison. You haven’t done anything wrong.”
Those words are like a balm to my heart.
“I think we should go start overseeing some of the work,” John says as he moves to the door. His gaze falls to me. “I told you before, you’re always welcome here. That hasn’t changed.”
He winks, and then he’s gone, and I have to swallow to control the emotion that wants to boil up and out of me.
“I love you,” Millie says, hugging me. “We’ve got this, babe. I’ll call you later.”
“Thanks.”
One by one, they offer words of encouragement before leaving, and then I’m left alone with Remington.
He watches me quietly for a moment, and then he stands, walks over, and closes the office door.
He doesn’t return to his seat behind his desk. Instead, he scoops me up, sits down, and settles me in his lap.
“What would I do if something happened to you?” He buries his nose in my hair and kisses the side of my head.