Kara knelt down and wrapped her arms around him. “Yes,” she said softly. “I love you, Nick.”
“Well, well, isn’t this a sight for sore eyes.” Wilbert stepped out from the shadows of the barn just as Willy stepped through the barn doors. Both men held guns aimed directly at them.
ChapterTwenty
Nick’s entire body went on guard. If he and Kara hadn’t been kneeling on the cement floor, he would have shoved her body behind his. As it was, he didn’t dare make any sudden moves. He didn’t trust his uncle or his cousin not to just shoot them right then.
“What do you want?” he asked, holding up his hands. Kara did the same, slowly.
“What do we want?” Willy laughed. “Everything you have.” He rushed over and yanked the ring from Kara’s fingers as she cried out. “Starting with this.” He held up the ring.
“That was my mother’s,” Nick hissed.
“Which was bought with Howe money. Money stolen from my daddy by yours,” Wilbert yelled.
“This too.” Willy reached for the bracelet Kara was wearing. “That was my grandmother’s,” Willy said, fighting to get it from Kara’s wrist.
“You can’t expect to steal the ranch from us,” Nick pointed out. “I’ve filed my will. If anything happens to us, everything goes to Daryl.”
Wilbert laughed. “You have no authority. You see, my brother’s will stated that if you weren’t married by Christmas Day, which is today, then I get everything.”
Nick tensed. “That isn’t…” He shook his head. “That’s not…”
“That can’t be right,” Kara finished for him.
“Oh, but it is. When my brother’s lawyer gets here, he’ll confirm it all.” Wilbert looked down at his watch. “When that happens, I’ll have you both arrested for trespassing.”
“We’ll see how you like that.” Willy laughed and started dancing around the barn. “I think I’ll start by shooting this here pig.” He pointed the gun at Wilbur and Nick felt his anger grow.
“He’s not yours yet,” Nick said, standing up and pulling Kara to her feet, making sure to put her body behind his.
Willy’s gun moved to them, but Wilbert stopped him.
“No, not until we hear the reading of the will.” He glanced at his watch again. “Where is that damn lawyer?”
“You know that Stephen is supposed to be here?” Nick asked, confused. The man had agreed to stop by sometime before five that evening to officially read his father’s will. He’d lost track of time and didn’t even know what time it was now.
“Of course, I do.” Wilbert laughed. “I know everything that goes on in my town.”
“Then you know who broke into Nick’s house and destroyed everything?” Kara asked firmly.
“Of course, I do,” Wilbert hissed. “As I said, I know everything that goes on here. My son was pissed that you got his friends in trouble at the Firehouse. They were just going to show that slut friend of yours a good time. Everyone in town knows she’s nothing more than whore.” Wilbert laughed. “Paybacks. Besides, all that shit your mother put in the house was trash anyway. She never did have any style. My Marge has better taste in her sleep than your mother ever had.”
Nick felt his anger grow, but Kara held his hand firmly and kept him back.
“What about attacking Nick and burning my barn? That isn’t your property,” she pointed out.
“Nick deserved it. I had hoped they’d discover his body and blame him for the fire. Too bad he woke up and you returned when you did,” Wilbert said with a chuckle.
“You just confessed to trying to kill me?” Nick growled. “And you think they’d let you keep the ranch?”
“Course they will.” Wilbert’s smile doubled. “A man has a right to defend his property against two thieves.” He lifted his gun and aimed it directly at Nick’s heart.
Just then, they all heard a car in the driveway. Wilbert and Willy turned towards the sound, and Nick took that moment of distraction to yank open the door to Wilbur’s stall. The pig didn’t disappoint and rushed towards Wilbert, taking his uncle to the ground. The man’s gun went sliding across the cement floor and landed at Kara’s feet.
Willy yelled and rushed to help his father just as Kara picked up the gun. Then, as if sensing his mistake, Willy turned towards Nick, his gun circling around with him as Kara lifted Wilbert’s gun and shot two bullets into Willy.
Willy cried out as his gun hit the ground. He fell directly next to Wilbert, in a heap. Wilbert was still trying to fight off an angry three-hundred-pound pig.