“Did you really believe he was gonna let us go?” I released a snort. “Look who’s deluded now.” When he didn’t respond, I said, “Hardshaw’s comin’ to Fenton County and this is my chance to stop them. I’m givin’ the authorities the money. Let the chips fall where they may.”
That didn’t mean I had to stick around and accept responsibility for killing the Hardshaw man. An anonymous call would have the same effect. I considered leaving the bag of money with his body, but I didn’t feel the need to tell Ronnie that. If I did, he’d probably lie in wait and try to snatch the money himself.
“You can’t do that, Neely Kate. If you get the police involved, Hardshaw’s gonna think I had something to do with it.”
I shot him a look of disbelief. “They’d think you shot someone in the forehead? Have you ever even pointed a real gun at someone?”
Shame washed over his face.
I rolled my eyes. “That’s what I thought. I’ll deal with this, just like I’ve dealt with everything else.” When he stared at me in confusion, I pointed toward the farmhouse. “Get the hell out of here and run. You’re really good at that, aren’t you?”
Anger filled his eyes. He started to say something then stopped, his anger bleeding out. “I never meant to hurt you, but I was stuck. I made some stupid mistakes when I was seventeen. They helped me get out of some burglary charges, but in exchange, I had to promise to help them with something whenever the time came. I was young and dumb. I figured no sweat. And the fact that I never heard from them again? Even better. Nearly two years ago, they came to me and said they had a job for me. A big one. They needed a blue collar guy. Fairly clean cut. Nice guy type. They thought you’d fall for someone like that—me—and not any of the guys on their payroll. It helped that we already knew each other. I told them I’d just married Amanda. I couldn’t start a fake relationship with someone else, in Arkansas no less. But they said they’d kill my wife if I didn’t.”
I didn’t say anything, just looked away.
“You have one of the kindest hearts I know,” Ronnie said. “I thought about confessin’ it all to you a million times because I knew you’d understand.”
“So why didn’t you?”
“I figured why hurt you too.”
I swung my gaze back to him. “Surely you planned to go back to her.”
“I’d hoped to, but I wasn’t sure it would happen. Amanda knew Hardshaw had sent me on a job, but she didn’t know what it entailed. In any case, it all just kept snowballin’ out of control, and the next thing I knew they had me tryin’ to infiltrate Mick Gentry’s group. I was sweatin’ bullets—I’m no criminal. Then I found out that Rose was part of it, only she was on the opposite side. I was genuinely scared for you, Neely Kate, but I couldn’t tell you nothing, so I tried to get you to distance yourself from her. You know that went over like a lead balloon. When Gentry was killed, I knew my handler would be pissed that I’d gotten absolutely nothin’ from him. They wanted me to hurt you to get you to tell me where the money was, but like I told them a million times before, you didn’t know nothing about the money.” He shook his head. “They didn’t care. So I ran. I felt awful because the timin’ was so bad. I knew how tore up you were about losin’ those babies.”
Tears stung my eyes at the mention of my babies. “You bastard!” I shouted. “You blamed me for losin’ the babies! And you didn’t even want them!”
“I know, Neely Kate, but I was confused.” His voice broke. “When you almost died…I realized how much I really did like you.” He licked his lower lip, then lowered his voice, holding his hand out toward me. “I think I loved you.”
“You think?”
“Did you really love me?” he asked quietly. “Really?”
I didn’t answer, instead turning my side to him. “I was already hurtin’ over our babies, and then you turned away from me after the doctor told us why I’d never get pregnant again. You were disgusted by me.”
He took a few steps then said, “I was disgusted by the whole situation. Hardshaw had brought me in because they thought you’d go for a nice boy, then I found out you’d slept around with God knows how many men in Ardmore…” His voice hardened as he shot me a glare. “And now you’re sleepin’ with Jed Carlisle? I gave up my life for nothin’!”
He was right. He’d given up everything to return to Henryetta—and then he’d lost his new life, too. “But you didn’t lose Amanda,” I said. “And you saved her life. So you didn’t lose everything.”
“She’s different now,” he said, not meeting my eye. “She changed after she found out you and I were sleepin’ together.”
“Oh.” Then I added, “But if you want me to say I’m sorry, that’s not happenin’. My life was ruined too.”
Anger filled his eyes. “I never asked you to apologize.” He pointed to the bag at my hip. “But I am askin’ you to give me the money. I need a fresh start, Neely Kate.”
“And I need to find a way to protect Fenton County, Ronnie. Are you really sayin’ your life takes precedence over a whole county full of people?”
His jaw clenched. “A whole county of people aren’t gettin’ hurt. Only the criminals, and you reap what you sow.”
My heart hurt at his callousness. “That’s bullshit and you know it. Whenever Hardshaw moves into a city, the crime rate drastically increases—burglaries, rape…murder.” Seeing he was unmoved, I decided to make it more personal. I lifted my chin. “Rose is pregnant and in Hardshaw’s crosshairs. If we don’t try to stop them, they’re gonna hurt her.”
“She reaped what she sowed, Neely Kate,” he said in a half-pleading, half-angry voice. “With all that Lady in Black nonsense.”
“And what about me, Ronnie? I guess I reaped what I sowed when all those men screwed me in Ardmore. A slut like me doesn’t deserve to be a mother.”
“I never said that.”
“But you sure as hell thought it.”
His silence was answer enough.
“I was raped,” I whispered, but his head jerked up and he stared at me with wide eyes. “I was held against my will and sold to man after man after man until one man nearly killed me and I got away.” My voice hardened. “And I took his bag of money with me.” I took a step closer. “I paid for this money with my body, my soul, and the chance to have more babies.” Poking his chest, I said through gritted teeth, “So if anyone is owed this money, it’s me, Ronnie Colson.”
His eyes flew wide in shock. “Neely Kate. I didn’t know…”
“There’s a world full of information you don’t know, so keep your judgin’ to yourself.”
For a moment, I thought he was going to leave willingly, but the phone in my pocket rang and he took a step back, his back stiffening. “Is that your criminal boyfriend?”
That pissed me off. “I don’t know, criminal bigamist. Let me check.”
I took several steps away from him to the back of his car, keeping him in sight as I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked the screen.
Jed. But then it stopped ringing and the screen said no service.
“Dammit!” I walked several feet from the car. One bar popped up and I quickly placed the call.
“Neely Kate,” he answered, sounding leery.
“Are you at the farm yet?” I asked in a rush.
“I’m here,” Jed said slowly. “And so is Kate.”
My heart skipped a beat. “Is she threatenin’ you?”
“Let’s just say she currently has the upper hand.”
“I’m coming,” I said, running a hand over my head as I kept Ronnie and the dead man in my line of sight. “I promise, I’m coming.”
I hung up and raced for the driver’s door.
“Where do you think you’re goin’?” Ronnie asked.
“I’m goin’ to save my boyfriend from my sister. I suggest you stay here, far from the barrel of Kate’s gun.”
“You keep talkin’ about your sister, Kate. Kate who?”
I laughed. “Y
ou really are out of the loop.” Then I added, “Kate Simmons.”
His eyes flew wide. “Wait. What?”
“That’s right. Remember how I always wanted to find my father? Well, turns out he was J.R. Simmons.”
He shook his head as though trying to clear it. “That would make Joe Simmons your brother.”
“Look at you,” I said in a derisive tone as I opened the driver’s door. “It’s like you’re a geneticist all of a sudden.”
“Neely Kate…” Then his gaze narrowed and his jaw ticked. “I need that money. I can’t let you leave with it.”
I tossed my gun onto the floorboard of the driver’s seat, then slammed the door shut and turned to face him. “Did you just say you can’t let me?”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Neely Kate.”
My brows shot up to my hairline. “You don’t want to hurt me.” I snorted. “It’s okay, Ronnie. You can go ahead and try, because I have absolutely no intention of givin’ it to you.”
He moved closer, looking more unsure of himself.
“Smart man,” I said in disgust. “You should look scared of me.”
“You’d shoot me, Neely Kate?”
“I don’t have the gun on me, you fool. I tossed it into the car. I had to try to make it somewhat fair for you. I’d tie a hand behind my back, but I don’t have any rope.” I patted the bag at my side. “How about I just hold onto the money. That should even things up.”
Anger flooded his eyes. “Are you insinuating you can beat me up?”
“Insinuatin’? By all means, no. I’m not insinuatin’ any such thing.”
A smug look curled his lip. “Good, because—”
I put my hands on my hips. “I’m flat out tellin’ you I can beat you up.”
“I’ll fight you if I have to,” he said, taking a sidestep toward me. “I need that bag.”
“Then come get it,” I taunted. “Unless you’re scared of a five-foot-four blonde woman.” I cocked my head. “You’ve got a good half foot on me and at least eighty pounds based on the paunch you’ve got under that baggy shirt.” I waggled my fingers at him. “Come on. Come get it.”
He lunged for me and I lifted my left hand and throat punched him as he approached with his arms wide, likely intending to pin my arms to my sides. Staggering backward, he made a gagging sound as his hands lifted to his neck.
“Is that all you’ve got?” I asked.
His face reddened and, still gagging, he lunged for me again, this time with an upraised fist. When he was close enough, I wrapped both hands around his wrist and spun around, pressing my back to his chest, then dropped to my knees and jerked him forward, flipping him onto his back.
He groaned, tears filling his eyes as he looked up at me with a mix of confusion and fear.
“I can keep this up all day, Ronnie. Let it go.”
“When did you learn to fight like that?” he whispered, wincing with each word.
“Long before I met you, but didn’t want you to feel threatened by little ol’ me, so I kept it to myself. You weren’t the only one who compromised yourself. I gave up a lot of myself to try to make you happy.” I placed my foot on his crotch, pressing slightly. “But screw that. If a man can’t handle me, then that’s his loss.” I pressed harder. “It’s your loss, Ronnie.” He cried out and I removed my foot, taking a couple of steps backward. “Now tell me you release all claim to this money.”
He pressed his lips together, clearly pissed but too scared to make another move.
“Ready for round two then?” I asked in a playful voice. “This time I start breakin’ bones.”
“Fine!” he shouted in a panic. “It’s yours.”
“No, now it belongs to the Secret Service, but I’ll accept your surrender.” I spun around and headed for the car.
“You’re just gonna leave me here?” he shouted as he sat up. “You’re gonna take my car?”
“Call Amanda. I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to pick you up.” I opened the car door and stared at him before I climbed in. “Oh, and Ronnie? You might want to wait for her someplace else. This field’s about to be swarming with all kinds of law enforcement officers.” I got in the car and drove past him, giving him a finger waggle goodbye, happy he was finally out of my life for good.
Chapter 25
I didn’t hide the fact that I was pulling up to the garage. There was no point. Kate knew I was coming, so I might as well walk in as big as I pleased. I stuffed the gun in the back of my waistband, hoping I wouldn’t need it. I had no delusions about what Kate was, but we’d formed some weird kind of bond, and wrong as it might be, I hated the thought of having to shoot her. I’d rather turn her over to the police.
“Kate,” I called out as soon as I opened the car door. “I’m here.”
“We’re in the back,” she called from the garage.
They were by the work table. One of them had relit the lantern and Jed was sitting on the floor with his hands tied behind his back, secured to the table leg. Kate was standing to the side, cradling a rifle in her arms.
“I take it you and Ronnie had a good talk,” she said with a smile.
“We hashed things out,” I said nonchalantly as I walked closer, not wanting to set her off.
“And Sebastian?” she asked.
I forced a laugh even though I was reeling at the reminder. I’d just taken a man’s life. “His name was Sebastian?”
“Was?” she asked hopefully.
She’d obviously wanted him dead for some reason—likely for something mundane like stepping on her shoe. “I took care of your dirty work if that’s what you’re askin’.”
A huge smile spread across her face. “I didn’t doubt you. And your bigamist husband?”
“I made sure I’ll never hear from him again.” I knew she’d presume that meant I’d killed him. It seemed like the safest way to get her to leave him alone. I felt bad that he’d been forced into this situation, but he’d made plenty of bad choices, especially tonight. Still, he’d paid for his choices, and as far as I was concerned, we were even.
As I suspected, that pleased her even more. “So all that we have left is Mr. Sexy here.”
I moved between her and Jed, tilting my head as I narrowed my eyes. “He’s mine, Kate.”
“I thought sisters shared.”
“Not him.”
She made an exaggerated pout. “That’s disappointing.”
“Would you have shared Nick?” I asked quietly, without malice or goading.
Her entire body stiffened. “Don’t you bring him into this.”
“Kate,” I said softly, moving one more step closer. “You said the hardest part of losing your baby was knowing that it was half Nick.” I gave her a small smile. “That’s love, Kate. You loved him with everything in you. He was your soul mate.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“That’s how I feel about Jed. He’s my soul mate.”
She curled her upper lip. “You can’t know that.”
“I do,” I said, reaching for her forearm and holding on. I ignored the cold metal of the rifle barrel that brushed my knuckle. “Every man before him made me feel like I wasn’t good enough, smart enough, rich enough, pretty enough. But Jed…he makes me feel like I’m enough. Just the way I am.”
Her eyes softened, and she glanced over my shoulder at him. “Do you love her?”
“More than my own life,” he said in a firm voice. “I’d give up everything to keep her safe.”
His answer seemed to confuse her. “You really mean that, don’t you?”
“I do.”
She turned her attention to me. “So he’s really what you want?”
I couldn’t help thinking this was a test. “Jed’s not an all-or-nothing deal, Kate. I have plenty of room left in my heart for you. And Joe. And—”
“And Rose Petal,” she said, the words thick with disgust.
“Yes,” I said evenly. “And Rose. She believed in me before anyone el
se, then the others followed. You seemed to be late catchin’ on, but I won’t hold your tardiness against you.”
She stared at me with a blank expression, then started laughing. It took her a moment to settle down, but when she did, she turned serious.
“I don’t know what you had planned for Jed,” I said softly, “but I’m beggin’ you to let it go. If you care about me at all, Kate, you’ll never want me to go through the pain you felt with Nick.”
Tears filled her eyes again. “We haven’t spent enough time together.”
“Just because you don’t hurt Jed doesn’t mean you and me are done.”
“You’re going back with him,” she said, sounding defeated.
“You’re my sister, Kate,” I said. “I can love you both.”
Her face lit up, but she quickly covered her reaction. “You don’t love me.”
“You’ve answered questions I never would have gotten the answers to. You didn’t have to give them to me. You didn’t have to share your heart.” I paused, holding her gaze. She was a monster. She’d done horrendous things, but she was family. Like she’d told Rita, it was possible to detest someone and love them at the same time. I could detest what she’d done with everything in me and still care about her. “Of course I love you, Kate. You’re tryin’ to save me.”
“After putting you in danger in the first place.”
I shrugged. “So you made a few mistakes.”
She released a small laugh. “You need to learn to hold a grudge better, NK. Simmonses hold grudges.”
“I’ll keep that in mind for the future. But for now, I want the grudges between you and me to be done, but I can’t be lookin’ over my shoulder, worried you’re gonna hurt me or the people I love.”
“You’re safe,” she said, then glanced down at the bag resting on my hip. “Or you will be as soon as I take that money back to Carson.”
I steeled my back, prepared for a fight. “No. I’m gonna keep it.” Then I added, “I paid for this money with my literal blood.”
She looked surprised. “I’m gonna get them off your back, Neely Kate.”
“I have my own plan.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What is it?”
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