Page 113 of Property of Yak

“Don’t pretend like you didn’t know I was interested in you. I mean, come on. Did you really think your neighborhood was that heavily patrolled just because of your dad?”

Just a few more steps.

“Ray, I’m sorry if I ever gave you the wrong impression, but I’m not interested.”

He cocks his head to the side. “Don’t say that, Julie. You might not see it now because that criminal fogged your mind, but we belong together. I’ll treat you like a queen.”

“Ray, as flattering as all of this is, that isn’t going to happen. I’m in love with someone else. I’m sorry, but I think it’s time that you leave.”

He sighs as if he’s disappointed in me. “You really shouldn’t have said that.”

Turning, I rush toward the back door. I fight to unlock it and rush down the stairs, the cold air slapping me in the face. Before my bare feet can even touch the snow-covered grass, though, he wraps his arm around my waist and covers my mouth with a cloth.

“I really wish you didn’t make me do this, Julie,” he sighs disappointedly.

I try to fight out of his hold, but things go hazy.

It takes me a minute to realize what’s happening as my body goes limp.

Drugged. The buttwipe drugged me.

Yak

“Sir, I’m going to apologize in advance for whatever happens next,” I say to my girl’s dad as I drive.

He looks at me quickly before looking back at the road. “What the hell does that mean?”

“It means I genuinely have no idea how my brother is going to react when he sees I’m not alone.”

Benjamin grunts as I roll up slowly to the group of men before stopping.

“This is it,” I mutter as I get out of the car.

I watch as my brother’s eyes widen and everyone else takes a step back.

Yooper stomps toward me. “Yak, what in the ever-living fuck are you doing?”

“I’m here to end this,” I tell him, not backing down.

“And you brought a fuckin’ cop!” he snaps.

“I brought my girl’s dad,” I shout back.

“Un-fucking-believable. Out of all the reckless shit you’ve ever done…” He shakes his head.

“Look, Yooper, I don’t like this either, but when the man my daughter claims to be in love with shows up to my house and says I need to take care of her because he’s walking into a dangerous situation, I’m not going to turn the other way. Not when the threat has his sights set on my little girl,” Benjamin says harshly.

Yooper runs his hands through his hair as he paces. “God-fucking-dammit. Right when I think shit can’t get worse, it does.”

“This is going to work, Yooper. We both know it will.” I look him in the eyes.

He turns toward me. “What did you find out?”

“Swi…” I stop myself from saying Swift’s full name. I might trust Benjamin tonight, but who knows what tomorrow will bring. I don’t want to throw a brother, even a distant one, under the bus. “Six got with me and said the trackers were live. Some of them are still at our secure location, but the other half have been moved. He’s still going through phone records and shit, but we have proof. Enough for a take-down. He said if we don’t move now, this shipment will be lost to us.”

“Jesus Christ. You have someone stealing weapons from under your nose?” Benjamin mutters.

Yooper and I both ignore him. He doesn’t need us to confirm or deny. He’s not a stupid man and can read between the lines.