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“I was in the army with Blaine”

Bree had always been slow to anger Herstate She didn’t see life’s highs and lows Instead, her e pastures than draered a spark unlike anything she had ever known

“You listened to me You let me tell you what it was like when my family takes overand the whole time” Her hands curled into fists “Take me home, Rylan”

“We’re going to my ranch—”

“Take Me Hoer, hurt and sorrow quivered in each word

Rylan lance in her direction, he checked for onco the car onto the opposite side of the highway They completed the return journey in stony silence

When Rylan halted the vehicle in the Dia lot, he turned to face Bree “I respect what you ht now, but I can’t let you risk your personal safety Someone fired a shot directly over our heads Because we left the scene fast, I have no way of knohat happened next Was that a single incident, or was it an active shooter situation? I have to find out if ere the only target, or if other shots were fired”

Through the fog of her co emotions, Bree’s initial reaction was fear for his safety What if the person who fired that shot had intended to kill one, or both, of the for their return?

“Can you shoot?” Rylan’s question jolted her attention back to him

“I grew up on a far me how to handle a firearm”

“Good” He held out his gun “Take this Go up to your apartment Don’t open the door unless you’re sure it’s me, or the police”

Bree’s feelings were in free fall Rylan had deceived her She wanted to cling to her anger, to wrap it around herself like a security blanket as a defense against the pain Instead, the fear that thiselse aside