I pull out of the parking lot, jaw tight. Trying to assess our options. I have a ton of money. But, there aren't many properties to lease in New Falls. Hence, we ended up in Reese’s apartment.
“We start looking for somewhere else to live.”
She turns toward me, surprised. “Seriously?”
“Yes. Because he’s our landlord. And if this gets messy, we’re stuck. This could just be another method for him to try to control me. I think he believes I’m actually his girlfriend.”
The realization settles heavy between us. I might be being dramatic. But it might also keep me safe. I’ve met men like him plenty of times before. No doesn’t exist in their vocabulary.
And here? I don’t have my parents' unsavory connections to save me this time.
“I think it’s best to play this safe,” I say quietly.
Violet nods slowly. “Okay. Then we move.”
I exhale, tension still buzzing under my skin, because suddenly New Falls doesn’t feel quite as safe and simple as it did yesterday. And somehow, the only thing in this town that doesn’t scare me…
Is the dangerous cowboy I slept with in the back of his truck.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
HUNTER
Song- The Summoning,Sleep Token
The Kourakos brothers arrive at Sterling Ranch in two black supercars that look about as out of place as tuxedos at a rodeo.
Dust coats their polished paint before they even reach the house.
I lean against the stable fence, hat tipped low, arms folded, watching them approach. Rex, my cattle dog, is sitting beside my feet. Although he's more of a family dog now, he’s done his years of work. Now that Wyatt is here, they’re best of friends. Behind me, Tornado stomps in his stall, annoyed at the disruption. Somewhere outside, a ranch hand shouts about a busted gate.
Normal morning. Except today we’re hosting the Greek mafia.
Ace strolls up beside me, cracking his knuckles. “You gonna be polite?”
“No.”
Colten steps out of the barn, wiping grease off his hands. “Could’ve at least put chairs out.”
I nod toward what we threw together. A feed trough flipped upside down with planks thrown across it for a table. Hay bales for seating. Horses shifting in their stalls behind us.
Ace grins. “You invited LA mafia royalty to sit in horse shit.”
“They invited themselves when their guy trespassed.”
The SUVs stop and their doors open, and Rex erupts into a fit of barking.
“Enough, boy,” I tell him, holding out my hand to him for him to stop.
He halts his noise as two suited men step out, all polished shoes and city swagger. Nikos Kourakos leads, his younger brother Stefanos just behind him, eyes scanning the ranch.
They approach, noses twitching at the stable smell.
“Mr. Sterling,” Nikos greets smoothly.
“Hunter is fine.”
His gaze sweeps the barn. “You conduct business… here?”