Colters' Gift (Colters' Legacy #5)(13)

“I don’t want any trouble,” Seth said, straightening his stance. “I need to be kept in the loop on everything. If there’s a problem in my town, it’s my problem. Plus, Lauren is family. My entire family looks out for her. I need to know whatever threat there is because you can damn well bet my wife, mother and sister will be in the thick of it.”

“Understood,” Liam said, his hold never loosening on Lauren. “We’ll give you whatever information we uncover as soon as we get it. We’ll get some of our people digging immediately and we’ll let everybody know what we come up with.”

Max looked reluctantly toward the door and then back at Lauren. “Are you sure you don’t want to come home with me?”

She broke loose from Liam and went to her brother. She hugged him tightly and then leaned up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for worrying about me, and I’m sorry I lied to you, Max. I didn’t know what else to do at the time. I was just scared. But I’m fine now. Promise.”

He didn’t look a hundred percent certain, but he nodded anyway. “Okay. I’ll go back home.” Then to Noah and Liam, he said, “I expect a report the minute you find out anything further.”

“I’ll get on out of here too,” Seth said. “Keep me posted. Holler if you sense anything out of the ordinary. Things stay pretty much the same around here. People pay attention when they see new faces in town. Get me a description of Knight. A photo. Any pertinent information on people who work close with him. I’ll distribute it to my deputies so we can all be on the lookout.”

Liam extended his hand to shake Seth’s. “Thanks. We’ll definitely keep you posted.”

Seth shook Liam’s hand and then nodded at Lauren. “Take care, Lauren.”

“Thank you,” she managed to get out.

Max leaned forward, kissed Lauren on the forehead and then trailed behind Seth out her front door.

She damn near wilted on the spot as soon as the door closed behind Max. But the look in Noah’s eyes halted her in her tracks.

Her brow furrowed, she glanced at him in question.

“Now that they’re gone, we have a hell of a lot else to discuss,” Noah said in a determined voice. “Starting with me. You. And Liam.”

Chapter 6

NOAH stared at Lauren’s pale face and for a moment considered backing off. Giving her time and space to deal with the fallout of their arrival. It was obvious she was on shaky ground.

But f**k it all. This whole situation was burning a hole in his brain. Liam had already made his move. And if Noah didn’t do some serious catching up, he was going to get left in the dust.

Liam had said for Noah to come back and see Lauren and then make up his mind. Hell. As soon as he’d laid eyes on her again and saw the shame and vulnerability in her gaze, he knew there was no goddamn way he was walking away from her. And Liam, the bastard, probably knew it.

“I don’t understand,” Lauren said in a faltering tone.

When Noah looked at Liam, his friend’s gaze was mocking. Challenging. It made Noah want to wipe the smug smile right off his face.

“Come sit down,” Liam said, gently herding Lauren to the love seat.

He settled her down beside him and then glanced expectantly back up at Noah. Noah had no choice but to take the armchair Lauren had sat in earlier.

Once he was settled and staring at Lauren, who was looking at him, expecting him to say what was on his mind, he struggled to find the words. How the hell was he going to explain this one when he didn’t fully understand it himself?

Son of a bitch, but he hated this uncertainty. He was a decisive person. He didn’t second-guess himself or his decisions, but he was paralyzed by the enormity of the situation. He and Liam hadn’t even fully come to terms with this . . . whatever the hell it was. How could he be expected to make Lauren understand what he wanted? What Liam obviously wanted.

“Lauren, will you excuse us for a moment?” Noah said bluntly.

Liam’s brows drew together, and then Lauren’s brow furrowed in confusion.

Noah stood and motioned for Liam. “We’re just going to go across the street.”

“And leave her?” Liam demanded.

Noah blew out his breath in frustration. “Come on, Lauren. You’re going with us. We’ll take her into the sheriff’s station.”

“What on earth is going on?” Lauren asked in bewilderment.

Her brown eyes were cloudy with confusion, and her mouth opened and shut as she glanced between the two men.

Liam put his hand over hers. “Noah and I need to work out a few things . . . privately. It won’t take long.”

“But why do I need to leave?”

Liam touched her cheek. “Remember everything that was just said when your brother was here? That wasn’t just talk, Lauren. For the next while, where we go, you go, and vice versa.”

She looked as though she wanted to argue, but then she closed her mouth and gave a resigned sigh. “Okay. Let’s go then. Let me get my book so I’ll have something to do. I’m going to feel pretty stupid just sitting in the sheriff’s station.”

As she walked to her bedroom, Noah leveled a stare at Liam. He was itching to say something. To break the building tension. He was ready to explode, but he didn’t want to have this conversation in front of Lauren. Not until he and Liam hashed this out between them. There were so many ways to f**k this up before they even had a chance with her. And that was assuming that Lauren wouldn’t run screaming in the opposite direction as soon as they leveled with her.