Rope the Moon (Runaway Ranch, #2)(106)

She tosses the cheese knife onto the tray. “Yeah, well.”

“It’s not for him, is it?” I ask softly. “Riding bulls?”

She laughs, a sharp blast of sound that has me wincing. “And give him that satisfaction? No. It’s for me. Getting under his skin is just a bonus.”

I want to tell her you don’t do this with someone you don’t care about, but I bite my tongue. There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Fallon’s walking a tightrope with Wyatt. It’s only a matter of time before they both get burned.

The doorbell rings.

I gasp and jump. My heartbeat pounds in my ears.

“Jesus.” Eyes wide, Fallon slaps a hand to her chest. “If they wake Dad, I’ll kill them.” She hops off the couch and rushes to the front door.

“Shit,” I hear her hiss.

I rub my arm, still achy from the cast. “What is it?”

“It’s Danny.” She pokes her head around the corner and makes a face. “Sorry, I didn’t know he was in town. Topper’s asking if we want to let him in.”

“It’s up to you.” I’m partly curious to meet the guy, even if I know Davis will be ready to murder me.

“We’ll keep it quick, then kick his ass out.” Fallon disappears, and I hear the crack of the screen door. “Jesus, Topper, get out of the fucking way. C’mon in.”

Fighting a yawn, I stand and pick up the bowl of popcorn. Low conversation sounds behind me.

“Danny, this is my sister—”

“Dakota.”

I freeze at the familiar voice. The hair on the back of my neck stands up.

No. It can’t be.

Slowly, I turn around.

Aiden King stands beside my sister with a triumphant grin.

He looks like the picture-perfect golden boy, mussed blond hair and rough stubble, casually dressed in jeans and a tight Henley. There’s a hard candy tucked in his cheek as he stares at me with those intense green eyes.

The bowl of popcorn hits the ground. The world roars in my ears.

Fallon frowns. “Koty, what—”

“Fallon,” I say in a low voice, reaching for my sister. “Get away from him.”

“What?”

“It’s Aiden.”

My sister goes ghost white. “What the fuck?” Fallon bites out. The raw shock and rage on her face gut me.

I grab her wrist and yank her behind me.

Aiden grins menacingly. “Hi, Dakota.” He jerks a gun from his waistband and points it at us. “Nice to see you again.”

My stomach twists.

Fear coils in my chest.

Davis.

The tracker.

Spurred by adrenaline, I reach for the tracker around my throat, but I’m not fast enough. A rough hand darts out and Aiden tears the dog tag from my neck.

I cry out.

He looks at the dog tag and sneers. “You came back for this. Couldn’t stay away, could you?”

I watch as he drops the dog tag and tracker in the cup of tea.

I choke down the scream building in my throat. “Aiden,” I say calmly. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just leave my sister alone.”

He scoffs. “Let you off that easy when I’ve played the game for so long? I don’t fucking think so.”

His handsome face is composed, but I see the cracks. The shaky hands. Those cold, stark eyes. Aiden looks sick, like he’s coming down with something, but it’s not the flu. It’s madness.

Revenge.

“I’d ask you if you missed me, but I see you’ve been doing fine without me.” His eyes drop to my stomach. “You’ve both been doing just fine without me.”

I press my palms to my belly, backing up into Fallon.

Her hand clamps down on my arm.

“If you’re wondering, I’ve been doing just fine without you, too, Dakota,” he says conversationally. A grotesque smile twists his mouth. His gaze bounces to Fallon. “I’ve been having fun playing with your sister. Your pussy was nice, but hers is nicer.”

“Fuck you,” Fallon snarls.

Aiden steps closer. “I jerked off to you every night, Dakota. Jerked off after I fucked your little sister.”

“Stop,” I say on a sob. I want to clap my hands over Fallon’s ears. Block out the bastard’s voice. My sister will never get over this. “Stop it.”

I don’t want this awful memory for my sister. This guilt.

I reach for her. “It’s okay.”

“Don’t touch her,” Aiden orders. The gun bobs in his hand. “He’s good. I’ll give him that. He kept you on that ranch. I couldn’t get to you, so I had to find other ways.”

Fallon swears under her breath.

A chilling rage stains his voice. “I told you that I always win. I get what I want. And I want to take everything away from you, like you did to me. My money. My bakery. My baby.”

No.

His vile words are terrifying, and I wrap my arms around my belly. “Never,” I rasp. “He’ll never be yours.”

Aiden’s mask drops. “Tonight, you’re going to see just what exactly is mine.”

A noise down the hall freezes us all.

Fallon and I lock eyes.

Fear for our father.