Page 51 of The Spice Is Nice

She told me about Seth walking into the shop. About the recording she’d started on her phone before he saw her do it. She even played it for me. It was all there, the fence-cutting, the bribery of the county officials, and more, all of it coming out of his mouth like a man who didn’t think she’d be able to tell anyone—because he didn’t plan on leaving her behind. A chilling fact that set me on edge.

Next, she told me he’d grabbed her, blurting it so quickly, like she wanted to get through it before I could react.

My control snapped. “He put a hand on you? Show me where,” I gritted through clenched teeth.

“I’m fine. Really. It doesn’t hurt anymore.” She took her arm out of her sweater sleeve. The bruising was already showing. Four distinct black and blue marks were where his fingers had been.

I had to calm myself down, breathing in and out, because if I didn’t control the rage inside of me I felt for Seth, if I unleashed it and went ballistic around the county looking for him…

“The next time I lay eyes on him, someone had better be there to hold me back.”

“Colt, no. He has a gun. I saw it when I searched his room. I can’t have you hurt or worse. Seth isn’t worth it.”

I tore my eyes away from her arm, back to her face, making no promises. “Keep going.”

She told me about the bracelet. About the threats he made against her sisters, unless she left with him, and that he intended to make her pay for sending him to prison.

“There’s no way he’ll get away with this. You have the recording. It’s time to go to Sheriff Patrick with everything you know,” I urged.

“I agree, but how can I be sure my sisters will be safe?”

I stood and paced, taking out my phone, the adrenaline refueling my body. “There’s only one place I trust for you and your family to be safe, and that’s on the ranch. Call your sisters right now. Tell them we’re coming to collect them, and they need to be ready to go. No arguments.”

She blinked. “Poppy’s at college?—”

“She’s outside Silver County, so she’s the safest one right now. Focus on Daisy and Sage first. I’ll call Ash and get the plan mobilized. But you need to get on the phone with Sheriff Patrick now and turn over everything you know. It’ll be okay, Ivy. It’s time.”

She nodded, and we both followed through.

Ash understood the assignment immediately when I called. Pissed when he heard Seth admitted to cutting fences, he vowed to watch over the sisters.

“Send Knox for Daisy. We’ll pick up Sage and be there within the hour,” I explained.

“Done. I’ll have men posted at the front, and watching every building.” He hesitated. “Is Ivy okay?”

I glanced across the room at her, talking to Sage, trying to be brave, her voice only slightly rough at the edges. “She will be.”

She set the phone down and laid eyes on me. “They’re getting ready.”

“Good. Now, the sheriff,” I prompted.

We called Gavin together.

I let Ivy do the talking—it was her story to tell. Isupported her, sitting beside her on the couch. She walked the sheriff through the basics of everything she knew on speakerphone. He listened without interrupting.

When she finished, he said, “Send me that recording right now.”

She did.

There was a brief silence while he checked the playback after receiving it. “Ivy, you did well. It should be enough to get a warrant and put out an APB tonight. Seth Brewster will not leave this county under my watch. We’ll find him and bring him in. Where are you now?”

I spoke up. “At her shop. But I’m taking her and her sisters to the ranch where we can protect her.”

“Good. I’m sending two patrol cars to escort you. They’ll be there shortly. Wait for them before you leave. Understood?”

“Yes. Have the officers pull into the alley,” she instructed.

“I’m going to see justice done on this. You have my word.”