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FOURTEEN

Rowdy had finally ed to convince Kelly and herThey were both exhausted when he and his father walked into the bedroo in each other’s arms

Rowdy had taken Kelly to his bedroom where he held her as she slept, and Ray had taken her otten noand Natches had slept downstairs until the security systeht, Rowdydownstairs

"Kelly still asleep?" Ray kept his voice low

Rowdy nodded sharply

"Coffee?" His father’s eyes glittered with anger

"If I knog, it’s already on" Roas certain he had sed at the band of his jeans and sniffed sharply, his jaw bunching "Let’s go get so around and thinking"

Rowdy knew exactly what he was talking about

Theyand Natches in the kitchen Bothquietly as Rowdy and Ray entered the roo nodded to the pot on the counter

"Did you ?" Rowdy asked as he " Dawg sighed "Me and Natches went over this place with a fine-toothed cohost and back out the same way"

"Bastard!" Ray snapped "I’h sleep They don’t need this"

"I know, Dad" Hell, he didn’t need it He was having night her until you ca infor the house from The rains have wiped out , but he likes to snack while he’s watching A few candy papers, a couple of soda bottles No prints though We checked for that He’s watching from points above the house, several different areas"

"She said she knew she was being watched," Rowdy sighed "She felt it"

"We’ll find hi move soon"

Rowdy rubbed the back of his neck as he pulled out a chair and sat His cup smacked the table as he sat it down

"He destroyed every fucking piece of clothes she owns Every godda she possessed He destroyed her"

And Roould destroy hiot his hands on the bastard, he was dead Painfully dead The hurting, screahost?" Ray snarled as he sat at the other end of the table "The sheriff has been looking for hi out for anyone suspicious, and no one has seen shit"

Rowdy’s gaze connected with Dawg’s and Natches’s The bastard had coain because he knew she was on the boat with Rowdy He was pissed He would oing to keep ood at those sneaking little looks as you think you are Tell , Dad" Rowdy pushed his fingers wearily through his still damp hair "He’s mad He had to have known Kelly was on the boat with irl She’s not waiting for hih"

"Especially if you have your way?" Ray growled "Be careful, Rowdy Don’t try to play gaames" Rowdy lifted his cup to sip at the coffee as he stared back at his father "I won’t have to play any ga to scare her away from me with this When it doesn’t work, he’ll cooes after Kelly?"

Dawg shook his head at that one "He’ll co"

Ray stared at the three of the," he warned hilanced at Rowdy

"The three of you are going to piss me off," Ray snapped

Hell, just what he needed, his father getting in on this If Ray was suspicious, then Maria would be too and then she would start working on Kelly Rowdy knehat it was going to take to bring Kelly’s attacker out of the ork If they didn’t push him, then he would strike when none of them expected it They couldn’t take that chance

"I’ll take care of this" He stared back at his father fir it One way or the other, he wouldKelly further?" Ray’s expression was suspicious

"There’s no way to keep Kelly out of this," Roarned him "She’s the one he’s after"

"And she’s the one that needs to knoe’re going to stop him," Kelly’s voice stated from the doorway

All eyes turned to her She was dressed in one of heraround her, her gray eyes stor Kelly was enduring He had known that years ago, but he was learning it ht have her weakAnd what he needed her to do noas fight