Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 111359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
He understood what she was saying.
“And I guess I came over here to talk to you because she’s had a crush on you for the longest time. You used to be our favorite topic of conversation. She was always moaning about how she’d acted in front of you, embarrassing herself. God, I’d give anything to watch her get all flustered around you. I didn’t think you felt the same . . . until you rushed off after her the other night.” Melody bit her lip. “What I’m trying to say is that if you’re not interested in her, then maybe it would be better to stay away. But if you are, and God, Raid, I hope you are. Then please, don’t give up on her. Don’t let her push you away. And I know it’s utterly ridiculous of me to ask that of you when all you did was walk her home. But I am that desperate. You might need a moment to think about that, and I get it. I just . . . I want my Hannah back, and I’m willing to beg, borrow, or steal to help her.”
Empathy had him leaning forward and taking hold of her hand. “She’s lucky to have you as her friend, Melody. And whatever happened to her wasn’t your fault. It was all on this asshole. Understand?”
Relief filled her face for a moment. “I don’t know what this guy did to her. But if you can help her . . . if you can bring her back to us, then I’ll make you my world-famous pavlova every birthday and Christmas.”
“What the hell is pavlova?” Tanner asked.
“It’s beaten egg whites and sugar, baked, then served cold with whipped cream.”
“That sounds . . . interesting,” he drawled. Was that meant to be a good thing or a threat?
“It’s really good. My grandma was from New Zealand. They had it every Christmas.”
“It actually is good,” Brye said. “I thought it sounded weird at first, too.”
“I’ll do what I can, Melody,” he told her. Although how the hell he was going to get Hannah to talk to him when she wouldn’t even open her door, he had no idea.
Melody opened her mouth as if to argue, but Brye shot her a look, and she nodded. “Thanks. Anything you can do, we’ll be grateful for. Hannah is worth fighting for.”
They headed off, and Tanner turned to him. “Fuck.”
Fuck was right.
“Might need to fake an injury just to get her to see me.”
Or better yet, he could actually injure one of his brothers so he could take them in. Maddox would be a good idea. That bastard was growing bossy as hell now that he was a dad. Even Beau was ready to murder him.
Raid didn’t know how Scarlett put up with him.
Yeah, that was a much better plan.
“Sounds like if you’re interested in her, you better make sure you’re serious. Because if something has happened to Hannah, she’s too fragile to be messed around with.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
Tanner shrugged. “And Jake would kick your ass.”
“Like he could manage that. He’s an old man now.” He sat back with a sigh. “What the fuck do you think happened to her?”
“Nothing good, brother. Nothing good.”
Yeah. And that thought fucking terrified him.
6
Raid was just getting out of the cab of his truck the next day when his phone rang.
He glanced down at the name of the caller.
Wet Blanket.
Hmm, why would the Haven’s sheriff be calling him? He hadn’t done anything lately to warrant a call from Jake. And if he had, the asshole usually went to Alec first.
Raid was kind of sick of that. He was a fucking grown man. He could deal with any fallout he’d caused. Fact was, he hadn’t instigated much havoc since Beau and Maddox found Scarlett.
Since then, he and Tanner had tamed right down.
So, in other words, all of their wildness had been because of Beau. And a bit due to Butch.
They were the troublemakers. Not him.
The phone stopped ringing, and he climbed out of the truck, looking over to where Tanner was taking off his boots before heading into the house for lunch. Hopefully, Mia had baked them some goodies. “What did you do?”
Tanner turned back. “What?”
“Wet Blanket is calling.”
Tanner narrowed his gaze. “Why would Jake call? Shit, do you think Beau has gotten himself arrested?”
Fuck. That hadn’t occurred to him.
“Wait,” he said. Then he shook his head. “Nah, he’d call Maddox first, then Alec or Jaret.”
Tanner nodded. “Yeah, we’d be last on the list. Well, still ahead of West since he’d probably leave him in jail to rot.”
His phone started ringing again.
Okay, he was getting a bad feeling about this.
“Yeah?”
“Raid, it’s Jake.”
“What can I do for you?”
There were a few seconds of silence before Jake spoke. “Duncan told me he saw you last weekend with Hannah McLeod.”