Tobias (Reynolds Ranch 2)

“Shut up, you stupid bitch.” I’ve heard that voice before. She’s the woman that called and threatened me—Tobias’s stalker in the flesh. I know her, but I’m not sure from where. I haven’t gone out much over the time that I’ve been here.

Tears fill my eyes, thinking about what they’re going to do. I’m a goner. I relax to the point that David removes his hand from my mouth. “Scream, and we’ll shoot you.”

“Why are you doing this? I haven’t done anything to you,” I sob out.

“Why? You stole my man, you dumb bitch. I hate you. You took him from me. You must have put a spell on him.”

“What if I promise to leave him?” I ask her, hoping there’s a way out of this mess. I know she probably won’t believe me.

“Oh, you are leaving him. Whether it’s with him—” The nut with a gun waves to David. “Or in a pine box is up to you.”

“Now that’s not fair,” I say, attempting to negotiate, but it only seems to make her angry. They’re both armed, and I have a feeling that I stand a better chance with David. She’s fucking crazy. Like super-psycho, batshit crazy.

She takes a step closer, which makes me step back, but then David points his gun at me from the side. If I run, they’ll shoot me. The only way out of this for me is to make an escape when I flee with David. “I gave you a fair warning, and instead of heeding it, you took it as a challenge. You convinced my man to forget his promise to me. He was supposed to be my husband.”

“I had no idea. He lied to me.”

“He never lies to anyone. You tricked him. It’s the money, right? You bribed him.” She’s getting angrier; her hand holding the gun shakes violently as she aims it at me.

“I’m sorry.”

“Hey, fucking relax. You know that this isn’t supposed to go down like this,” David warns her.

“Calm down. If she’s dead now or tomorrow, you still get your money.”

“No. It needs to happen at the right time.”

“So that’s what this is about? Money?”

“You know that I’m about to inherit money. Why kill me? Maybe I can offer more than my father.”

“I won’t be able to get away with it, so don’t play that shit. I’m not a dumb motherfucker.”

“Why? Why do this to Tobias?”

“He’s a fucking asshole who’s been given every advantage in life. He wants to pretend to be one of us, but he’s fucking rich and spoiled.”

“Don’t talk about him like that. He’s perfect. It wasn’t until this jezebel showed up.” She waves the gun at me while glaring at him. I take a step back slowly, but the sound of crunching hay under my boot catches her attention. “Where the fuck are you going?”

“I’m not going anywhere. I thought you’re supposed to take me somewhere, David. Are you going to get on with it because I have to pee.” I look at him with seriousness as if this isn’t a life or death situation to be in. I’m praying that someone finds us, but that’s probably not in the cards. I’m betting the cow in the pasture was just a diversion so that Tobias was pulled away from me. After all, we’re newlyweds.

“I don’t take orders from you. God, I’m so tired of bossy motherfuckers.”

“Yeah, I suppose hard work seems to be a waste when you can commit felonies for money.”

“Shut the fuck up, you uppity bitch. Your dad should have broken your mouth. Women like you don’t ever learn their place. And then you had that sad fuck in there at your beck and call like a stupid fucking puppy in love.”

“Both of you—enough.” She raises the gun and the sound rips through the barn. As I fall, I swear I could hear Tobias shouting for me.

Chapter Sixteen

Tobias

“It’s okay. We’ll find this person,” John says as we make our way to the pasture. The sun’s beaming in my eyes, so I’m glad I have my favorite cowboy hat on. Damn, Ava loves this hat. She slipped it on after she had it steam cleaned, pretending to be a cowgirl. She looked so sexy that I can’t wait to order her one if she’s willing to stay married to me. I’m such a prick.

Shaking my head, I can’t keep thinking how shitty I feel for snapping at her. Of all the people to be angry with, it’s not her. She loves me and worries about my safety. I need to go back and apologize. “It’s not that. I just had my first fight with Ava, and she stormed out of my office. I should have gone after her and talked it out instead of leaving.”

“I’m sorry. What happened?” John asks.

I explain how I raised my voice at her.