No One But You (Silver Springs #2)(106)

Sadie blinked at her in surprise. “Excuse me?”

“Sly will be here any minute, and he’s pretty pissed. Who knows what he’ll do?” She started to walk out, but Sadie caught her arm.

“You called him?”

Although Dixie didn’t respond, her silence confirmed what Sadie had already guessed.

“Dixie, I know you’ll probably attribute this to jealousy, but I promise you it isn’t. This is one woman trying to look out for another. You don’t know Sly, not the way I do. Unless you want to screw up your life, stay away from him. He’s no good.”

Jerking away, Dixie made as if to leave but turned back at the last moment. “Why would you want to help me?” she asked, suddenly uncertain.

She’d obviously marked the sincerity in Sadie’s voice. “Because I wouldn’t wish a man like Sly on anyone,” Sadie said.

With a brisk nod that suggested she accepted the truth in that statement, Dixie hitched her purse higher on her shoulder. “Like I said, get out of here. That’s me returning the favor.”

Except they’d been hoping to run into Sly. That he’d been alerted that they were at the bar, and was coming to see for himself, was perfect—providing they could avoid an altercation.

“Sounds like Sly’s upset. Do you think we’ve done enough?” Sadie asked Dawson as they watched the door swing shut behind Dixie.

“Just by having a drink and doing a little dancing? No.”

The old uneasiness crept up on her. “Did you say no?”

“We need to put an end to what’s happening, Sadie—the sooner, the better. And the best way to do that is to piss him off so badly he’ll come out to the farm tonight for sure.”

She pictured the expression on Sly’s face when he’d nearly pulled his gun the night of the fire. “That’s a little terrifying, don’t you think? He might not settle for peeping, and I don’t want this to get you killed. Me, either, as far as that goes.”

“We’ll only be safe once he’s behind bars. Let’s deliver him into Chief Thomas’s hands and hope that Thomas will see what’s been going on all along—and put a stop to it.”

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and let him lead her back onto the dance floor.

*

Dawson wasn’t looking at the door, but he knew the second Sly walked into the bar. He could sense the change in the room. Sadie seemed to feel the same disturbance. The way she tightened her grip on him as they danced indicated she was uneasy.

“Don’t worry,” he murmured. “We’re in public. He can’t do anything here.”

“He could always follow us home,” she said.

“He has that meeting at the station, remember? We’ll stay until he leaves. Then we’ll go to the farm and wait for him there.” He pulled her slowly toward the far side of the room, where Sly would have to go to some effort to watch them. Dawson didn’t want to make it too obvious that they were tweaking his nose.

Sadie craned her head to get a peek at her ex. “I can see him searching the crowd.”

“Maybe you should stay at Petra’s tonight,” Dawson said. “Let me handle this.”

“What are you talking about? You know Petra and her family took Jayden with them to her parents’ place in Ojai.”

Thank goodness Petra had been willing to do that, or Sadie would’ve been even more nervous. “Doesn’t mean you can’t sleep at her place, out of the fray.”

“No. I’m not staying there, or anywhere else, alone.”

She made a good point. What if Sly didn’t come out to the farm but went to Petra’s instead, hoping to get hold of Jayden? That would be the worst possible outcome—for Sadie to have an encounter with him on her own. Dawson fully believed he’d harm her if he could. “What about a motel? He won’t be able to find you if we put you in a motel.”

“I’m not leaving you, so don’t even suggest it.”

Dawson was tempted to insist. He probably would have if the chief of police wasn’t coming to the farm. How out of control could things get as long as Thomas was there? “Okay.”

The crowd parted as Sly cut through. “Where’s our son?” he demanded, confronting them while they danced.

“He’s with Petra,” Sadie said.

“Don’t you think he spends enough time there?”

“What are you talking about? He’s hardly there at all anymore. I’m able to keep him with me now that I work for Dawson.”

“I’m going to get him.” He turned as if he’d act on those words, but she spoke before he could get more than a step away.

“They’re out of town, Sly. Won’t be back until tomorrow. She took Jayden with her.”

“What kind of mother are you?” he snarled.

Dawson wanted to punch him in the face. No one had ever deserved it more. But if he started a fight, he’d only enable Sly to claim he was the aggressor, would be playing right into Sly’s hands.

Sadie ignored him, too. They continued to dance until Sly had no choice but to move out of the way. But he didn’t leave. He leaned up against the closest wall and glared daggers at them.

“Hey,” Dawson murmured to Sadie. “Look at me.” He could tell she was worried when she lifted her face. “You okay?”