Page 108 of Reins

She shifts her arm to block her view, letting me lead her back into the living room. “What is it? Do I even want to know?”

“Well, Eli came back after you left.” I fight the bile rising in my throat. “But I’d say he was pissed you were gone.”

That lower lip disappears between her teeth, then she thins it and clenches her jaw. “Tell me.”

“It’s Zeus.” I barely catch her before she crumples.

“No.” She falls into my arms in silent sobs. “I wondered. I should have come back.”

I tuck her head under my chin, squeezing her as she heaves. “And what? Been a victim too?” I don’t think I’ll ever get the image of the rotten, dried head of that poor horse out of my head.

Better mine than hers.

“Cade? You gotta see this.” Wade stomps in, frowning when he looks at Rosalyn. “Is everything okay?”

“Yea,” I grunt. “Just an unexpected present from a psychopath.”

“It’s always some new fuckery. I’m so sick of this shit.” He scowls, waving a handful of papers. “Look at this.” Gripping the top, he shoves it close enough I can make out the lettering.

An invoice?

“Fertilizer. Half a ton of it.” A feeling of dread grips me in a way I haven’t felt since I learned that Ava had died.

Wade’s features are mottled with rage. “Delivery was due two months ago. I got the guys checking the property but there’s no fucking sign of it.”

“We’ve never raised crops.” Rosalyn’s voice is muffled against my chest. “Why would they order that much?”

“You gonna tell her or you want me to?” Wade’s dark eyes soften when he looks down at her huddled against me.

I take a deep breath to break the devastating news. “They can use it to make a bomb. A big one. And my niece’s wedding is tomorrow.”

Chapter 51 - Rosalyn

Bomb.

I don’t want…anything.

To think. To breathe. Every sound, every thought, I shut it all down.

I can’t be in control. It’s all too much.

I give everything to Cade. He holds the reins to my movements.

My legs are wooden sticks under my hips when he guides me to the truck. His whiskers brush my cheek when he buckles me in.

I can’t.

No reaction.

Bomb.

More will die.

So many cattle. Zeus. Cade’s parents. Ava.

No matter how hard I rub the sea glass on my wrist, the flood keeps hitting me.

Who else? A stadium of people?