He’d caught sight of a small mob gathering. What the hell was that about?
Nothing was going as planned.
But he wasn’t without his resources. He had other men in town. He’d placed them here after he’d discovered her whereabouts. If he couldn’t waltz out on his own, he would have to find another way.
“Laura,” Christian began, a plan coming to mind. “I have some paperwork in my car. Would you mind sending someone to get it?”
He wasn’t about to walk through that crowd. He’d already spied the back exit.
The deputy, who looked slightly uncomfortable in his khaki uniform, strode forward. “Of course.”
“It’s on the passenger seat. It’s her full psychological profile.” He’d had one invented a couple of weeks back when he’d known he was going to come after her.
He handed Deputy Kincaid the keys with what he hoped was a deeply honest smile. The deputy, who looked far too hard to have spent all of his life in a small town, took the keys. He winked at Laura and started out. He turned back. “Looks like Cam’s back. He’s having a little trouble with the boys, though. Looks like they’re coming in, too.”
He smiled back at Christian, but there was no humor to it. “Your wife is coming in. You get to meet her men. I think she’s going to want a divorce. If you’re telling the truth in the first place.”
He walked out, his feet carrying him quickly away. From behind the door to the sheriff’s office, he could hear Sheriff Wright mention the name Grady.
Christian knew when he was fucked. He had been pulling long cons since he was twenty years old. He understood when an operation wasn’t going to fly. Hope had these people in the palm of her hand. She was going to win this particular battle. If he was going to win the war, it was time for a retreat.
Laura walked to the door, opening it and saying something to a woman standing outside. He could hear them laughing.
Christian decided it was time to be what he’d been for the last several years—a ghost.
He quietly slipped out the back and retreated to wait for a more proper time.
Chapter Fourteen
James parked the truck and decided he could probably leave the shotgun in the car. It looked like the whole damn town had come out. The only thing they were missing were torches and pitchforks.
His stomach was in knots, and yet he really wanted to get in there. He wanted to look at this guy, size him up, and figure out just how bad the situation was. Then he could pick up Hope, throw her back in the truck, take her home, and force her to tell him everything. He would get to the goddamn bottom of this, and Hope would be filing for divorce.
He slid his brother a long look. Noah was out of the truck, holding his hand out for Hope. Hope took it, but there was no masking the anxiety on her face. Her shoulders squared. He wanted to tell Noah to keep her here, that he would handle everything, but that wasn’t fair to Hope. This was her fight. He couldn’t take it from her. He’d simply make sure she survived it.
He and Noah would make damn sure.
He gave his brother a nod as Noah walked Hope toward him. Noah’s smile was grim, but he felt a deep solidarity with his brother. His brother would lay down his life for Hope.
Would he stay in Bliss?
James wasn’t sure, but he had to believe Noah had learned his lesson. He had to try.
They walked through the throng at the front of the building.
“Nate’s inside. He wouldn’t let the rest of us in, so we’re tailgating,” Max explained.
“You’re tailgating my interrogation?” Hope asked. Her lips quirked up, the first smile he’d seen on her in hours.
Zane Hollister stepped forward. “It’s not an interrogation, Hope. You know that. Nate’s making some calls. You go on in there and see if you can identify the bastard. We have to know for sure it’s him before Nate can really do anything.”
Zane knew about Hope’s trouble. That little bit of information twisted in James’s gut. He looked at Callie, and it was written all over her face. She knew, too. Whatever was happening, the Hollister-Wright clan was on the inside. Hope had trusted them.
James took a step back, allowing Hope to speak to Zane. His brother immediately moved in.
“Don’t,” Noah said, his mouth a flat line.
“Don’t what?” James asked, but he was pretty sure what his brother was going to say.
Noah kept his voice low. “Don’t you pull away from her just because someone else knows what we don’t. You can’t expect her to just open up. We have to earn that. Apparently Callie and her husbands earned Hope’s trust. We’re going to earn it by loving her and not making a fight out of this.”
Noah had always been the logical one. James felt his doubts start to ebb. His brother was right. He couldn’t expect her to tell him some deep, dark secret just because he’d fucked her once. He’d screwed up when he’d let her walk away. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
He reached out and grabbed Hope’s hand. “Come on, baby. Let’s get this over with so we can get you home.”
“James,” she started.
The girl wasn’t going to listen to reason. He pulled her close and had his lips on hers in a heartbeat. He kissed her, gently forcing her mouth open until he felt her sigh and submit. Her hands found his waist, and her tongue slid against his. He pressed her close to his body, her chest against his.
“Took you long enough, Glen,” someone shouted.
There were hoots and hollers, and someone asked if he was planning on sharing.
James decided to make his intentions plain. He dragged his mouth away from hers, pleased at the glazed look in Hope’s eyes. Noah stood behind her, his front to her back. James gently turned her around. “You know a Bliss boy always shares with his brother.”
Noah didn’t hesitate or pay a bit of attention to the catcalls. He put both hands on Hope’s backside and dragged her in, molding her lips to his. Hope stood in his arms, a sweet, soft treat.
Their woman.
“You better be glad you decided to share, James Eugene Glen.” Teeny shook her small, birdlike head his way as her life partner Marie backed her up. The pair had been like second mothers to him and Noah.
“Your momma would have spanked your bottom red for not sharing with your brother. She taught you better than that,” Marie said with a shake of her hand.
Noah finally came up for air. He hugged Hope to him. “She did indeed, Miss Marie. You’ll be happy to know that Jamie and I intend to make our parents proud. We’re going to marry Hope as soon as we figure out who this fellow is.”
“Noah,” Hope began.
His brother simply kissed her again. When she came up for air, she tried to push away.
“You can’t just kiss me every time I protest.”
Noah kissed her again.
“Damn it,” Hope managed after a moment.
James turned her around. It was his turn. He pulled her close and thrust his tongue in before another word could pass those lips.
She sighed when he finally let her go. “Fine. You’re both stubborn. I won’t deny you. I won’t pretend I don’t care. I won’t try to leave you, but just know this; I’ll let you both go when you want to go. I won’t try to hold you to your promises.”
She was scared of more than just the man in the station house. She was scared that whatever they heard would cause them to turn from her. Suspicion tried to worm its way in, but he knew Hope. He knew her deep down, and she was beautiful. If she’d done something ugly, it was because she’d had to. He felt a sudden certainty.
Whatever she told him, it wouldn’t make a difference. He controlled that. Whatever Hope told him, he would hold on to her because that’s what people in love did.