Her Twin Wilde Cowboy Masters (Wilde, Nevada 1)

Wyatt, too, was taking stock of every shadow or crevice that might house a killer. It still wasn’t clear what her brother had gotten himself into, but it was becoming clear that at least one man had died for it. Those responsible likely didn’t even know Mackenzie existed, but he or Wyatt weren’t going to lessen their vigilance or protection of her until they knew for certain.

“Wade, are you sure Austin can be trusted?” Mackenzie whispered as they entered the club.

“I’m absolutely sure. You’ll see.” Such devotion to finding Trent amazed him. She was fearless and heroic, but she was also reckless and foolish. He wished she’d come to him and Wyatt the second she’d arrived in town. Perhaps there would’ve been a chance of finding her brother alive. Now, he didn’t believe there was any. Three months was far too long to believe otherwise.

Mackenzie would most certainly fall apart from a bottomless and pulverizing grief once the truth about what really had happened to her brother came to light. He’d be there to pick up the pieces, to console her through her anguish. Wyatt would, too.

He may not have spoken vows to her yet, but he felt them in his bones. In sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow, he and Wyatt would be there for her, always. She was the woman of their dreams, the woman they would spend the rest of their lives with.

* * * *

As they walked into the club past the unmanned front desk, Mac squeezed the Masters brothers’ arms. “I guess Austin is losing money tonight. A lot of money.”

They both shrugged.

Wyatt released her from his arm. “Keep her here. I’ll go check things out.”

Wade nodded.

She watched Wyatt head down the hall to the main rooms of the club.

“You guys think something is wrong?” she asked Wade.

“No. Just taking precautions.”

After a few minutes, Wyatt returned. “All clear. Let’s go. They’re waiting for you, Mackenzie.”

The three of them walked to the end of the hallway into the large cavernous main room of The Masters’ Chambers.

She looked around the massive space. “Where’s Austin?”

“In his office.” Wyatt sounded grim. She didn’t like that.

Her dread thundered to the surface with each step closer to whatever news Austin had for them. They arrived at a door at the end of another hallway. It was open. Inside was Austin, behind a big oak desk. The acting sheriff was there, too. So was Jessie, which was a nice surprise.

“Hi, Mac.” Austin’s wife rushed to her. “I’m here for you. We all are.” Then Jessie wrapped her up in a big hug. She melted into her friend’s embrace. “It’s going to be okay. You’ll see. We’ve gotten out of worse messes than this.”

“What have you heard?” Mac’s legs felt like they could give way any moment.

“Have a seat,” Austin said, pointing to the leather sofa.

Jessie kept hold of her until they both sat down on the couch. Wade sat down next to her, opposite Jessie. He pulled her in close. Wyatt remained standing but kept glancing her way with grim eyes. He was obviously expecting the worst from Austin and the sheriff.

“Enough stalling.” The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. “What have you got for me? Do you know where Trent is or not?”

Austin spoke first. “Your brother and I were working together to bring down Malcolm Winters.”

“The president of the bank…you think he had something to do with Trent’s disappearance?” Her heart was racing.

“Yes, Ms. Green,” Champion said. “After we linked Winters and Nardozzi, I was able to get a search warrant to Malcolm’s home.”

“How did you know they were linked?”

“From the text message that was sent to Winters from a cell we found in the car in Vice. We’ve got enough evidence on him now to put him away for a very long time.”

Then why were they all standing here? Why wasn’t the bank president in jail? “So where is Winters? Where is Trent?”

“We don’t know yet,” the sheriff answered. “Malcolm has skipped town.”