“I do lots of things I don’t tell you about.” She shifted her eyes away.
“Doctor’s appointments shouldn’t be one of them.”
“You worry too much.” She stroked my forehead again. “What did he want?”
I closed my eyes. Did I let her get away from avoiding my question? Was she hiding something, or had Teague’s father planted seeds of worry for no reason?
Every bit of the anxiety I’d brought home came crashing back. It was as if I’d had no rest at all. I didn’t feel more clearheaded. If anything, I was more confused.
And time was running out.
“Do you think he can be trusted?” I kept landing on the same answer but wanted to hear Miss Adeline’s wisdom.
“Teague? Yes. His father?” She wrinkled her nose. “Not a chance.”
She’d confirmed my worst fears.
“How do you get rid of a menace?” I rubbed Sadie’s back, who was peacefully snoring.
“I asked Teague if he was ready to make his stand. Are you ready to make yours?”
For Miss Adeline and the dogs, there was nothing I wouldn’t do. Did that include putting Teague in a terrible position possibly for no reason? There was no guarantee his father wouldn’t come after us anyway.
“I don’t know how to fight him.” I slapped the side of the bed. “I don’t even know why we’re fighting him.”
“The person to best answer that is sitting downstairs.”
I sat up a little. “He’s still here?”
“Out like a light, but yeah. Still here.”
My stomach did a nervous flip. I didn’t want to tell Teague what had happened. He’d do exactly what his father had asked. And I couldn’t allow that. I just wasn’t sure how to stop it. And I also wasn’t sure why this fight was on our doorstep. It had always been Miss Adeline and me simply fighting alone for our dogs. Yet somehow, Teague had broken into our unit, bringing added strength. And now, added risk. But for a while, it had felt good to have another person shouldering our drive with us . . .
“Take a shower before you see him.” She winked.
And I was never more grateful for that sassy attitude than now.
“Woman . . .”
She stood and pulled the covers off me. The cold air was motivation to get out of bed.
She paused in the doorway. “I always tried to take on everything myself, but it was the darnedest thing. Whenever I worked with my Hastings, the outcome was better.”
She disappeared, but I got her message loud and clear.
Talk to Teague.
Chapter Eight
Teague
“Hey, sleepyheads.”
Was I dreaming? Pepper sounded normal. Happy.
Ash’s body wiggled against mine.
I opened my eyes.
Pepper petted Ash’s head with a secretive smile on her face. “Think she’s trying to make sure you don’t go anywhere?”
I looked at the dog in my lap. The last thing I remembered was sitting in the chair and her jumping up with me. It was awkward, but she was content.
“I wish she wasn’t the only one.”
Pepper winced.
I snapped my mouth shut. It was too forward, even if it was the truth. And I was almost past the point of caring. But I didn’t want to push Pepper away.
“I don’t want to tell you about last night.” She propped on the edge of the desk.
“Did he hurt you?”
She shook her head. “No.”
My worst fears were confirmed when part of me had hoped I was wrong.
He was responsible.
My father.
“What does he want?”
If it was my attention, he had it. I tapped my foot in rapid succession. He’d gone too far. Again. Bothering me was one thing. Harassing Pepper? Completely another.
He was quickly dismantling her life.
I didn’t know how to stop him, only that I had to.
She reached down and placed a hand on my knee to still me.
“I’m sorry,” I said hoarsely. For dragging her into my mess. For disrupting her normal. For not being there to protect her.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” And she sounded as if she genuinely meant that. Even if it wasn’t the truth.
“He could’ve killed you.”
Ash popped her head up at my raised voice.
Pepper recoiled. “Is he . . . capable of that?”
I plowed a hand through my hair. “I honestly don’t know. I’ve seen a car that looks a lot like his at several fire scenes lately. Ones with bodies.”
The thoughts I hadn’t dared let myself think tumbled out. I shouldn’t burden her with this, but she was holding something back. Something to do with him.
“You think . . .”
“It’s a stretch. I’m not sure it was his car. And if it was, maybe he’s just watching me.” There were a thousand explanations for what I’d seen. I simply wasn’t sure which one was correct. But I didn’t like where my mind and gut instinct were taking me.
She swallowed hard. “If he’s responsible for any of it, there’s no reasoning with him.”
“If he’s not, there’s no reasoning with him,” I countered.
She hung her head. Was quiet for far too long. What did he do to her?
When she lifted her eyes to mine, they were tormented. I couldn’t stand it.
“I didn’t realize it until I was presented with the options, but I want you to keep the life you’ve built. I—I care about you.”
Her words washed over me like a soothing balm. I hadn’t realized how much I wanted to hear them. She wasn’t always easy to read. She seemed to keep me at a safe distance.
Now, Pepper made herself vulnerable. For me.
She knotted her hands in her lap. “I have to decide between your happiness and mine. There doesn’t seem to be a way to do both. And I can’t choose.”
Gently, I placed Ash on the floor. Then I stood, planted my hands on either side of her, and leaned in.
“But I can. Tell me what I have to do so you keep everything you love.”
Her face was etched with lines of pain. “I knew you’d say that. I’m not sure that’s the way it works.”
I kissed her forehead. “Either you tell me what I’m up against or I go in blind and pay him a visit.”
“Teague, your job is your world. You have a purpose. You’ve worked hard to get where you are.” She was almost pleading, desperate. I had worked hard for my career, but lately, more than being a firefighter had become my priority. My every thought.
“The damnedest thing happened.” I brushed her nose with mine. “A dog pissed on my tire and my life hasn’t been the same since.”
She clutched my shirt. “Choose yourself.”
I grinned at her. “If I choose myself then I choose you.”
Chapter Nine
Pepper
Only one person had ever put me first.
Miss Adeline.
Until Teague stormed into our lives.
If his father hadn’t kidnapped me, would I have ever admitted to myself that I cared about him? I was pretty sure I’d have never told him that.