Later that day, as I was working Oakley in the arena, I noticed an odd-looking black SUV sitting in the parking lot. My interest got the best of me, so I decided to check it out. As I walked Oakley up to the driver’s side door the black tinted out window rolled down. A face I hadn’t seen in months greeted me. One I thought I’d never see again. My skin crawled with panic, blood pumped faster as my heartbeat quickened. Why him? Why now?
That dark creepy voice from my past, “Well hey there Cassidy.”
A nauseous feeling crept up my throat. The bile was acrid and bitter. I wanted to scream but no noise would come to me. I couldn’t crumble in front of him. I wouldn’t let him see me falter. Do not show him you’re afraid.
“What are you doing here, Devin?”
A grim frown marred his face.
“You tell me, bitch. I want to know what happened to my brother. No one’s heard from or seen him since you skipped town.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, my voice filled with fake concern.
“Now I wonder why all of a sudden you’re out here in the middle of nowhere when your husband mysteriously disappears. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that now, would you, Cassidy?”
“I’m just now finding out about it like you are. I left him, Devin. He was a horrible cheating husband and a cruel man. I fled and didn’t look back.”
“Cheating on you, huh? From what I’ve been seeing he isn’t the only one cheating.”
Beau.
“You leave him out of this. It’s between Andrew and me. I gave him divorce papers before I left town.”
“If only it was that simple. My brother is missing and I have a sneaking suspicion that you know exactly who was behind it. You’ll be hearing from me again, soon.”
He sped off and I was left reeling.
I couldn’t breathe. My body was being pulled into the undertow and trying to drown me. Fears crashed into me like unrelenting waves. Every single memory bitter like saltwater on my tongue.
I took Oakley back to the barn and my hands shook as I untacked her from our ride. Devin knew that I had either seen or knew something about Andrew’s death. My gut churned. I’d put every single person I cared about in danger. Who knows what he had the potential to do. Devin was someone you just didn’t mess around with and if he truly believed I knew what happened, then I had more coming my way, and it wouldn’t be good.
I’d just finished untacking Oakley when I saw Beau coming out of the tack room, a big grin simmered across his cheeks and lit up his eyes. It took everything in me to smile back at him. He couldn’t know. He was already in enough danger and I wouldn’t make it worse. I’d brought this down on him and his family and I hated myself for it.
“Hey sweetheart, how was she today?” His arms wrapped around me as he kissed my forehead. I melted into him, even though every single nerve in my body said not to. But that was Beau, he always made me feel so safe. So…loved.
“Oh, she was, um, good. Really good. I think she’ll be ready to go, by the fair for sure.” I wouldn’t make eye contact with him fearing that every emotion wrecking my body would be broadcasted across my face.
“Cassidy Mae… are you okay?” He pulled away from me, but I still didn’t look up.
“Yeah… everything’s fine.”
“Now I know you’re lying to me darlin’ when you won’t make eye contact. Hey, look at me. What’s going on?” His hand cradled my chin as he tipped it upward. Fighting the urge to look into his eyes for reassurance I continued to look away or past him. At anything that was directly in front of me.
I shrugged it off. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I am always going to be worried about it, Cass. Especially if it involves you. Now tell me what’s going on…please.”
I shook my head but my mouth opened anyhow.
“He knows…” That was all I said. Nothing else would come.
“Who knows?” He bent down looking me in the eye. “Who knows, what, baby?”
“Devin knows that I know what happened to Andrew, Beau. I’ve put every single person on this farm in danger.”
“How did you find this out?” A sob escaped my lips and I shifted closer to him. Reaching for any comfort he would give me. My body jittered, my muscles twitched with the nervous energy flooding my veins.
“Devin found me.”
“Who’s Devin, sweetheart?”
“Devin is a… private investigator who also happens to be Andrew’s… brother. He showed up earlier in a black SUV. I rode out to see who it was. I shouldn’t have gone, Beau. Now he knows. And he’s going to come for me. And every person here is in his path of destruction.”
He pulled me in even closer if that was possible. Our bodies were so pressed together that I couldn’t tell where I stopped and he started. He kissed my forehead again and stroked his calloused fingers through my hair. I was shaking, my blood pumping so hard. I wondered if he could feel it beating against his own chest.
“Shhh…. Baby it’s okay. I’m here. I’ve got you and I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
“But how do you know? Devin is not a nice person. He has ties to the mob. He will come after me and take anyone out who gets in his way, especially if he believes I had anything to do with Andrew’s death.”
“You’ve seen me darlin’, I’m not weak by any means. If it comes to fighting him for you, I won’t back down. I’ve finally got you after all these years and he’s not taking you away from me. So, let him come. We’ll be ready. The guys will
