I never should have touched her at the club. As soon as she walked through the door, I knew it was some kind of setup, but watching the unholy temptation that was Temperance Ransom made me not give a shit. I was willing to take the risk because I can handle whatever anyone throws at me. Now, if I had to put money on who set it up, I know exactly where I’d put it.
On Magnolia.
One more reason I don’t trust her. She always has a hidden motive, and now I’m starting to see it. She wanted me with Temperance because she knew I’d move heaven and hell to save her brother.
After a few more moments of watching Temperance sleep, I tear my gaze away from the monitor. I have more work to do before the sun rises.
10
Kane
About five weeks earlier
Seeing Temperance in jeans and an old T-shirt, with her hair up in a bandana and her hand on the throttle of the airboat, is a hundred times more devastating than watching her work in those sexy little skirts and blouses.
This woman truly doesn’t realize what she brings to the table. She’s beautiful, but not afraid to get her hands dirty. She’s a hard worker, but rarely lets anyone see just how brilliant she is. It didn’t take me long to realize she’s the whole fucking package.
And what the hell am I supposed to do with that information?
I’m withholding more from her than I’m telling, but keeping her in the dark is the best way to keep her safe. And right now, that’s all that matters. That’s all I can let matter.
The thought of anyone trying to extract information from Temperance—or putting a single mark on her skin—sends me into a rage strong enough to tear this boat in half. I would do anything to protect her.Anything.
She sends us skidding around another bend in the bayou, and against all odds, I smile. It’s not something I did much before I met her, but Temperance brings it out of me.
She backs off the throttle for a beat and points. “There. Up ahead. See it?”
My head swivels in the direction she indicates, and I reach for the .45 tucked in the back of my jeans. It fits in my hand like I was born to hold it, and maybe I was.
Maybe I was born to hold Temperance Ransom too.
I push the thought away. Right now, I don’t know what the fuck kind of trap her brother might have rigged here.
He’s a bayou boy through and through, and it wouldn’t surprise me to find he’s got World War II claymore mines rigged to trees to blow our fucking heads off.
“Approach slowly,” I tell her, and she gives the boat just enough gas to keep it moving forward.
“It’s not like they won’t hear us coming.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.” I raise the gun in front of me, ready to pick off anyone who might have gotten here before us.
“Don’t shoot my brother.”
“If he shoots first, I make no promises.”
I say it, but I don’t need to. Ransom isn’t going to be here. There’s no way. Not with how fucking loud this boat is and how easily Temperance was able to find it. Ransom knows his ass is on the line, which means he’s going to be somewhere a hell of a lot harder to find. I don’t want to tell his sister that, because crushing her budding hope feels too cruel.
Toughen your ass up, Savage.
I shake my head, but she doesn’t see. When it comes to Temperance, I’ll never be tough. And that’s probably what’s going to get me killed.
We search the cabin, discovering a note in some gibberish only Temperance can read.
Don’t look for me.
Like that’s goingto happen, you fucking dick.
Ransom isn’t naive enough to think what he did doesn’t have consequences. The scent of cooked food hangs in the air, so he hasn’t been gone long. I don’t need to touch the ash in the metal fire pit to know it won’t be ice cold.