She stepped out onto the front porch and gasped, looking across the way to where my truck was parked.
I was by her side in a flash, letting a slew of curses fly. “Stay back.”
My hand went to the holster at the small of my back, the one I wore for running because you never knew when you might run into wildlife that was less than pleased with your appearance. I slid my gun out and held it at my side, peering around the door.
Someone had smashed every single window on my SUV. The side mirrors, too. Tires slashed. This wasn’t simply anger. It was rage.
But I didn’t see any signs of life other than the trees moving in the breeze. “Stay here. Lock the door.”
I slipped out the screen door, holding it so it didn’t slam. I systematically made my way around the cabin, then the dilapidated house next door and the two new storage sheds that had gone up yesterday. I checked paddocks and piles of lumber to make sure no one lurked there. Whoever this was seemed to be long gone.
I started back towards the cabin, my steps faltering as I took in Everly. She stood in muck boots and those tiny-ass sleep shorts, a shotgun resting under one arm, surveying the damage to my vehicle. “I thought I told you to stay inside and lock the door?”
She didn’t jolt or startle, which told me she’d known where I was at all times. “I’m not hiding away when someone’s messing with things on my property. When they still might be around, and you could need backup.”
My back teeth ground together. “I have training. You don’t.”
Her eyes narrowed on me. “I have more training than you could ever dream of. I started shooting when I was five—every weapon my father could get his hands on. I’ve run drills in the blistering heat, waist-deep snow, and the pouring rain. I’ve learned to fight off an attacker blindfolded. Been woken up from a dead sleep and taken through simulations that would never actually happen.
“And when that was all over? When I could finally walk away? I had to keep it up because I was so damn scared my brother might show up. And I refused to be surprised again. So, don’t you tell me I don’t have training.”
I moved fast, pulling her against me and wrapping my arms around her. “I’m sorry. I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“If it does, I’ll be ready.”
But the last thing I wanted was for Everly to have to face whoever had enough rage pulsing through them to do this to my vehicle.
32
Everly
“Hey, are you okay?”
Tim looked down at me as my head rested on the break room table. “Long weekend.”
He shuffled his feet, sneakers squeaking on the linoleum. “I heard what happened to Hayes’ SUV. But you guys were okay, right? You weren’t hurt?”
Normally, I would’ve blushed over the fact that everyone in this town likely knew that Hayes had been spending nights at my cabin. But I was too tired to care at the moment. After a crime scene tech and a couple of officers had come out to process the scene, we’d cleaned everything up and had Hayes’ SUV towed to a body shop a county over. Work had started again, but I hadn’t been able to rustle up the positive glow I’d had the day before.
I let out a long breath and sat up. “No. No one was hurt.” My stomach twisted at the thought of what might have happened if Hayes had heard the destruction. It was only the fact that he’d parked farther away to leave room for those helping out yesterday, combined with the noise from the storm, that had kept us from hearing the destruction.
Tim looked down at the tips of his sneakers. “You know, you’re welcome to stay with me if you need. I don’t have a ton of space, but you can have the bedroom, and I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“Thank you. That’s so kind, but I think I’m going to stick it out at the cabin. Hayes is staying in my guest room until they figure out what’s going on.”
“Okay. But if you change your mind, you have my cell. You can call anytime.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the tall but somewhat gangly boy-man in front of me. His kindness was more of a balm to the wounds of the past twenty-four hours than he would ever know.
“I want to talk to my fucking sister. I don’t care if she’s on her lunch break.”
I stiffened at the sound of Ian’s voice coming from the waiting room. I pushed to my feet and hurried out there. Kelly was scowling at my brother from behind the counter. “I’ll call the sheriff if you don’t back off, buddy.”
“You think I give a damn about some pig? I don’t.”
“Ian,” I clipped. “I’m right here. Why don’t we go outside and talk?”
Tim stepped up to my side. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Everly.”