Page 84 of Don't Burn Bridges
Her smile faded.
She'd come dangerously close to forgetting why she'd been so frightened the day before. Shane had every right to know Troy was in Hazard Falls... and why he'd come.
Chapter 29
Shylo lowered her gaze to the coffee growing cold in front of her. Only a few minutes ago, she'd been trying to wrap her mind around everything Shane had offered—a place on the ranch, a chance to learn the family business, and, more importantly, the opportunity to become part of a family she'd never expected to have.
None of it had crossed her mind when she'd first driven into Hazard Falls. Instead, he'd shown her a future she hadn't known was possible.
Which made what she had to say next that much harder.
Troy had a way of poisoning everything he touched. He'd spent most of her life bullying, manipulating, and taking whatever he wanted from the people around him. Now, he'd followed her halfway across the country, and for a few precious minutes, she'd forgotten what he was capable of.
Shane needed to know about the threat Troy represented.
Gathering up courage, she looked across the table. “There's something I need to tell you.”
Concern crept into his expression. “What is it?”
“My half-brother is here. Well... my other half-brother. Troy.” She drew a slow breath. “He found the report the private investigator mailed after I'd already left West Virginia and followed me here. He showed up at my motel room Thursday morning.”
Shane's brow furrowed. “You mentioned something yesterday about him abusing you and your mom, right?”
She nodded.
“What does he want?”
“My inheritance.” She let out a humorless huff. “Or, more specifically, part of it. In his mind, if I inherit anything, he's entitled to a cut.”
Although his jaw clenched, he remained quiet, letting her continue.
“I told him no.” She stared into her coffee for a moment before looking back at him. “That he wouldn't get a dime. I wasn't even sure if I was getting anything.”
She wished that was the end of what she had to tell him.
“It made him angry.” The knot in her stomach tightened again as the memory replayed in her mind. “He told me I had until the end of today to get a check from you. I tried explaining that inheritances don't work that way. That you wouldn’t hand me a check just because I asked for one.” She met Shane's eyes. “He said if you didn't... he'd make you.”
Shane leaned forward and laid a hand over one of hers.
“What exactly did he say?”
“He threatened to hurt you, your family, or anyone who works on the ranch. He even knows about Seth. Troy saw him leaving my motel room the other morning.” She looked away, blinking hard. “You don’t know him, Shane. He’s mean, especially when he wants something. He said that accidents happen.”
His expression became unreadable. Warmth gave way to the calm, controlled focus of a man assessing a threat against the people he loved.
The moment Shylo uttered the words, “He said that accidents happen,” something inside Shane went still.
He'd spent years learning that anger solved very little. Panic solved even less. Threats, however, were different. Threats demanded a plan.
He reached for his phone and hit a speed-dial button.
Tucker answered before the second ring. “Hey. Everything okay?”
“Not exactly.” He glanced across the table at Shylo. She looked as though she'd been carrying the weight of the conversation alone for far too long. “Remember Shylo mentioning her other half-brother? Troy?”
“The asshole?”
“Yeah. He's in town.” The words tasted bitter. “He got hold of the report from the P.I. she hired and followed her here from West Virginia. Found her at the motel the other day. He demanded a cut of whatever she inherits, and when she refused, he threatened our family.”
