The door swung open, and Jade looked up, expecting to see her handsome boyfriend rushing inside to hold her close.
It wasn’t Parker.
Jade gasped and leapt to her feet. If Mrs. Francis noticed the danger, she made no sign of it. The old woman didn’t even bother turning in her seat to see who had just walked in, and Jade assumed it was because Mrs. Francis thought it was just another resident.
Pippa, on the other side of the bank, frowned at the stranger.
The trouble with the newcomer wasn’t that he was a stranger. The issue was that hewasn’ta stranger at all. Not to her.
Jade immediately recognized him, and the second she did, she shivered.
This was bad news, and she knew it. She could feel it down to her bones. This was the exact moment that Parker had warned her about. It was going to happen just as he had warned, and she hadn’t even wanted to listen to him, the stubborn woman that she was.
“Can we help you?” Pippa asked as she made her way to their side of the bank.
“I’m sure you’ll find a way to do just that,” Rueben grinned. The smile was nothing short of terrible. It showed just way too many teeth, and it made his eyes look dark and foreboding. Jade had the strange impression that he was all predator and was getting ready to pounce on them.
“I’m sorry, sir,” Jade said. “Our system is a bit on the fritz right now. Our tech guy is in the basement getting it back online, but who knows how long it will be? Maybe you should come back in a little while. You could always wait in Moony’s. Lovely diner with good food. Tell them we sent you, and they might throw in a free slice of pie.”
She hated to send a clearly dangerous man to the diner that was undoubtedly full of people, but what else could she do? Hopefully, Mason would be there with Lila, and he would be able to keep this stranger under control.
If only her phone worked, she would be letting Parker know what was going on. This was all kinds of bad. She could feel it in her bones, and there was nothing she could do to shake her fear.
“Oh, I don’t think we need electricity for what is about to happen here,” Rueben said.
“I beg your pardon?” Mrs. Francis finally spoke. She slowly turned in her chair to look at the man, and she actually managed to glare at him. “You need to leave.”
Rueben’s grin widened. “I don’t think so, grandma.”
Mrs. Francis snorted. “Actually, what you need is to be taught some respect.”
“And you need to be taught some fear, little bunny.”
Jade frowned. What a strange and rude thing to say to a woman! An elder to boot, as well. “Easy, there,” Jade snapped. “You don’t know who you’re talking to!”
“Sure I do,” he insisted. “This is clearly one of the elders in town. I must thank you for the glitchy electricity. If it wasn’t for that, we wouldn’t even be here.”
As if on cue, two other men entered the bank. They were dressed all in black, just like Rueben. Jade was flooded with even more fear and apprehension. Of course, the bad guy would bring bad-guy-backup.
“All good in here, boss?” the one on the left asked, cracking his fingers together.
“Sure is. I was just going to tell these ladies what is about to happen.”
“Nothing is about to happen in here,” Jade insisted.
“Well, see, that is where you are wrong, little woman. There is definitely going to be a bad thing happening in here.”
Jade didn’t want to shiver, but her body didn’t comply with her plea to keep it down in her spine. “Parker is on his way.”
“He might be,” Rueben chuckled. “But by the time he gets here, we’ll be long gone with all of the money Half Moon Key has. If you don’t behave, there might be more for him to find and clean up.” The threat was heavy and terrible.
“Nope,” Pippa shook her head. “I’ve had enough of this bullshit. Men think they can walk into your life and take over and leave you high and dry. I am sick of it. This isn’t happening, fellas. Bye, now. Please do fuck right off.”
Rueben nudged his chin toward the man on his left, and the lackey made his way to Pippa. She tried to get away from him, but with very little effort, the man had her in a tight hold. One of his hands was wrapped around Pippa’s neck while the other was clasped around both of her wrists behind her back.
“What are you gonna do? Put me in a hold too?” Mrs. Francis asked.
Rueben laughed. “No. I can sense you won't be trouble. You can’t be. Not anymore. How you still wield so much power over the town is a mystery to me. Well done, but I’m afraid it will stop now.”