Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
“Hey, Shane.” Max sounded more than serious now. He stood and put a hand on Shane’s shoulder. “This is going to be okay. You and Bay are going to be fine, and we’ll figure out how to protect you. Well, Nate and likely Stef will. Maybe we could bring a couple of guards out here. We’ll tell that Taggart fellow to send some cute ones since I know the new waitress they hired down at Trio is looking.”
“Also, Del at the school. Sabrina promised her she could get two men as her signing bonus,” Gemma quipped. “And I wouldn’t worry about Shane going back to the G this afternoon if Henry’s going to be there. How about we call Stef and see about a couple of bodyguards? Until then we can take turns watching them. At night they can hole up at Stef’s or stay with Seth. Both have excellent security, and that way Brooke can finish her work.”
Max snorted and started to say something.
Shane pointed a finger his way. “Don’t you dare make less of Brooke’s work.”
Max sighed. “Sorry. Force of habit. I wish she’d become something I can understand.”
He wasn’t going to argue with his future brother-in-law. “I need a ride back to the G. I should talk to them before they come into town. Brooke’s going to be at the theater soon if I don’t catch her.”
There was the squawking sound of the radio and Gemma hustled to pick it up. “Go ahead, Tate.”
“Hey, Gemma. We’re bringing in two men suspected of assault and battery at Stella’s. The alleged victim is being looked at by Doc, but I’m not so sure I trust him to actually fix what those cowboys broke. Apparently he was flirting with one of their girlfriends. I would say both because of where we are, but one of them is already married, so I don’t think she belongs to both of them. It would be a weird trio since one of them is old.”
“I am not old, asshole,” a familiar voice said.
“Rye?” Max had the biggest grin on his face. “Hey, Nate, is your new twelve-year-old deputy hauling my brother in?”
“He is not twelve but apparently yes,” Nate growled. “Tate, what happened? Did you say Rye Harper got caught fighting? Tell me he didn’t beat the crap out of Bay Kent.”
Shane’s gut went tight. “Is Bay all right?”
“He did not beat the crap out of me,” Bay complained over the line. “Though I did have to protect him from a guy who practically crapped his pants.”
“Hey, he got a couple of good hits in,” Rye replied.
The deputy was back. “Uh, no, Sheriff. Apparently they fought the guy from New York City together. We’re about three minutes out. Could someone get a cell ready for me?”
Well, at least they were getting along.
* * * *
Bay didn’t like handcuffs or getting his ass hauled away via police vehicle no matter how comfy said vehicle was. It sucked.
But nothing sucked more than the look Brooke had given him. Like she was disgusted.
“Stop it, Bailey Kent. You stop it right now,” she’d yelled.
He hadn’t listened. He’d seen red when he’d caught that man with his hands on her. The fucker had her backed up against the window, and there had been nowhere for her to go. He had no idea who the asshole was, and he didn’t care. No one laid hands on her. No one.
When the deputy had come in and hauled him off the guy, Brooke had stood there with tears streaking down her face as though she’d lost her last friend.
“Okay. We need to figure out how we’re going to play this because Brooke will not be far behind.” Rye sat beside him. “Honestly, if this deputy had an ounce of experience in his adolescent body, he would have walked us to the station. It’s literally at the end of the block. This is stupid.”
“This is protocol, Mr. Harper,” the deputy explained. “And I am twenty years old and have an associate’s degree in criminal justice.”
“Whoop-de-do, buddy. Look, son, I used to be the sheriff of this town and if you’re a slave to protocol, you’re going to have a tough time. What the hell are you going to do when the next alien invasion happens?”
Tate stopped at the only light in town.
Bailey could see Trev and Brooke gaining on and then passing them. Brooke followed his boss, her arms crossed under her breasts and tears still clinging to her cheeks.
“I will enact protocol forty-seven in accordance with the intergalactic treaty of solar year 4750.7,” Tate replied simply.
He would give it to the deputy. The kid seemed unflappable.
Bailey tried to get Brooke’s attention, but it wasn’t like he could knock on the window. Well, he had his head. He kind of tapped it against the window. “Brooke!”