Page 13 of Danger

Red floods my vision. I damn near snap the bottle in my hand. Trouble reads me fast.

“Go sit at the bar. Take a minute. Let me talk to her first.”

I grind my teeth, but I move. Barely. Honey sees it, quick as always.

“Need to go out the back door?” she asks.

“Just pour me something strong.”

She doesn’t argue, already reaching.

Then I hear it.

“Danger, I need to talk to you.”

Her voice.

Trouble’s trying to block her. “Rylee, step back?—”

“It’s fine,” I snap, the words rough. “Outside.”

Trouble nods and backs away but doesn’t take his eyes off us.

She plants a hand on her hip, chin lifted like she has any goddamn right. “You can’t even look at me? No ‘hey, good to see you’ after all this time?”

My jaw ticks. “You’re lucky I’m givin’ you two minutes.”

Her smile flickers. “It’s… good to see you too, Dutton.”

I don’t bother answering. I just turn my back on her. If she wants something from me, she’s gonna have to chase my fucking shadow.

Her heels click behind me, crawling under my skin as she tries to keep up. I push open the back door hard enough it rattles.

I turn, crossing my arms. “Talk.”

She launches right into it.

“I know you’re angry, but I finally made it. I’ve got an agent and everything. Had tons of gigs over the past few years, but I finally landed the big one. A movie. With Dylan O’Brien as my… husband. Some kind of Stepford Wives thing, but it’s perfect for me. It’s going to open so many doors.”

Like I give a fuck about anything she’s saying. She looks the same, even after six years. Her hair’s got more blonde in it, eyes look tired, and she’s got too much make-up on, but all I see is a stranger wearing Rylee’s face.

“So what the hell are you doin’ here, Rylee?”

Her eyes shine, desperate. “I got everything I wanted after all these years, but the moment my agent told me about this movie, all I could see was you. The way you loved me. The way you protected me. Men in LA don’t treat women the way they do here. They don’t touch me like you did?—”

“Your two minutes are almost up.”

“I start filming in three months,” she presses, breathless like every second is slipping through her fingers. “I want you to come with me. My agent didn’t think it was a good idea for me to come back here. I walked out in the middle of a fight with him because he wants me to stay in acting classes in Los Angeles until the movie, but I told him that I needed to use my last three months to convince you to come with me when I film. I got in a fight with my roommate about leaving so soon, and drove through a storm to get here. I know you won’t just… say yes. But we could have a life, Danger. Away from here. Away from the baggage that comes along with the ranch.”

“You think I’m givin’ you three months?” I laugh once, humorless. “I can hardly stand you in my face now. The answer’s no. Now get the fuck out of here.”

I turn to leave, but her voice cracks behind me. “Dutton?—”

I whirl back, cut her off with a hand. “You know what the worst part is? You ain’t even asked about your son. Ain’t said shit about him. You’re standing here, talkin’ aboutyourlife,yourcareer,yourbig break… you forgot to mention the only goddamn thing in this world that matters. So let me make it clear—stay the fuck away from me.”

She steps forward, tears threatening.

“And don’t you dare come near my son while you’re here without askin’ me first,” I threaten. “Don’t fucking test me. I’m not the same person I was when you left.”