Accidental Knight: A Marriage Mistake Romance(61)

“Jonah knew he had prowlers. Nothing was ever stolen, but there was plenty of evidence. Prints in the mud, a few old fence boards pulled apart, cigarette stubs that couldn’t have been left by visitors he’d have around. It stopped after I moved from the cabin to the house.”

“Is that also when you put up the cameras?”

I nod, and then, because we’re almost to the edge of town, I ask, “You need anything before we head back?”

“No.” She leans back in her seat. “But we can stop if you need to.”

“I’m good.”

She slumps in her seat, folding her arms, giving me too good a view of those pert tits. “Did you recognize those guys from their mug shots?”

“No. Never seen ’em before.”

It’s true. I’d barely glanced at the pictures because I’d planned on calling Wallace later today.

He’ll tell me more in person than the pictures ever would.

“Not even the one with that creepy tattoo?” She shoots me a look.

A creeping, wet cold settles over my shoulders. “What tattoo?”

“You didn’t notice it? Behind the guy’s ear? You could only see it on the side view.”

Every nerve in my body kicks in. “What was the ink? Did you get a good view?”

“I’m not sure. It might’ve been a dragon.”

My jaw goes so fucking tight I might bust a tooth.

“Dragon? You’re sure?”

“Yeah, a big one breathing fire. Or maybe it was just a scary looking snake with its tongue sticking out. It was blurry, like it was old or not done quite right.”

Goddamn, I could kick myself. Why didn’t I look closer at those mug shots?

It could be him.

The living, fire breathing past catching up with me. The man I tried like hell to stop and couldn’t. The bastard who made me fail Winnie.

And if it is, Wallace won’t be able to hold him in jail. He’ll be out in a hot second, one way or another. I’ve always suspected he’s got an ace in the hole.

Avery Briar.

That soulless, two timing, criminal shit. Also the asshole I believe is responsible for bringing that demon into the world.

Still, something doesn’t add up.

Why the hell would Avery have had his own son arrested? Why would he squeal on his boy when he’d just covered for him before?

He wouldn’t. But he had, assuming Bella’s pretty eyes are right about the man with the ink.

“What’s wrong?” she asks quietly.

I stare straight down the road. “Nothing, darlin’.”

“Funny, your version of nothing looks awfully pissed.”

Don’t I know it. A blind man could sense the tornado churning in my guts.

Trying to cover up the fury building, I say, “Because those fucks got on the property. That never should’ve happened. I should’ve paid closer attention. Should’ve seen them pull in.”

That won’t happen again. I can’t fucking let it.

They wouldn’t have stopped with Edison. He was just a test, probing our defenses, trying to leave us alone and isolated so they could pick us off, one by one.

They’d done the same shit with me and Jonah. But we were always ready. Can’t count the times that old man burst out the door a second ahead of me with his shotgun primed, before the cameras were installed.

Trouble is, there might be a worse fate in store if we’re dealing directly with Dragon.

It might not end with being hauled off and shaken down by Avery Briar.

I know Briar’s son. Know he’s a savage with an instinct for doing much worse.

“You were in the kitchen, Drake. The back of the house. You can’t see the driveway from there. It’s not your fault. I didn’t see them either, or hear them, and I was in the office. I should have.” She sighs. “I just can’t figure out why they tried to take Edison.”

A dozen hellish scenarios fly through my mind.

Because they’d wanted him as bait. They’d wanted me to follow, hoping I’d leave her there, alone. Or they’d planned on trying to run us off the road once we took chase. Or they thought I’d left the shields down, and Edison was just the start before they came for Bella, and then for me.

Fuck.

After Bella locked herself in the office, I’d pulled my truck into the huge garage, which I never do. Guess I half expected the cops to show up after she thought I was swindling her.

I usually leave it outside, or park it in the pole shed, but only when it’s snowing.

Her Jeep was the only vehicle in view that night. Maybe someone thought she was home alone.

“Can you?” she whispers, looking at me. “There has to be a reason they wanted him.”

“No,” I answer. “No good reason for anyone to steal Edison.”

Realistically, I’m sure nobody ever planned on stealing that horse. They’d planned on drawing her outside, using him dead or alive, whatever it took to create enough commotion to flush her out of the house.

That’s Dragon’s M.O. Evil as it is obvious.

My brows furrow, diving into my eyes, imagining how easy he could’ve made her disappear. Just like Winnie.

Worse, he’s the main reason I stayed in North Dakota. A big, ugly reason why I’m even part of Jonah Reed’s post-mortem escapade.