Page 137 of Reckless Skye

‘Maybe.’

Skye rolled her eyes. ‘The next best explanation is that this child is following me to rodeos, injuring my animals, slashing my tyres, and potentially trying to kill me because …?’

TJ tipped his head. ‘Point taken.’

He leaned forward and grabbed her by the waistband of her jeans. When he gave her a tug, Skye went willingly. She sat on his lap, rested her body against his. She could feel the tension in him immediately. His muscles were taut, pulling tight everywhere. ‘Do you need your pain pills?’

‘Maybe. Let me see how I feel after physio.’

‘I can give you a massage too,’ Skye suggested.

TJ’s arms came around her. He trailed his lips down her neck, igniting a slow burn of need in her. ‘How did I get so lucky?’ he murmured against her skin.

‘You worked for it,’ Skye replied simply.

TJ took her chin in his hand and turned her face so that their eyes met. ‘I’m sorry about your run. That wasn’t fair.’ He placed his lips on hers gently, as if kissing away a small pain. ‘What can I do?’

Skye settled back against him. She didn’t want to tell him that there was nothing he could do. That time had passed. ‘I think it’s time to blow the lid off this thing.’

TJ nodded slowly. ‘I don’t think we have a choice anymore, Skye. You could have died,’ he whispered.

‘The most going to the cops will do is get it on record. We still have no solid proof besides videos recounting my side of the story. Holden still has my mom.’ Unspeakable defeat filled her at that. ‘But I can’t live my entire life wondering what he’s going to do next.’

The front door opened. Janey came out, two mugs of steaming tea in her hands.

Skye took hers with murmured, ‘Thanks.’

TJ protested. ‘Mom, I hate that shit. It tastes like wet hay.’

Janey only continued to hold the mug out for him. ‘I don’t care, Jesse James Jones. It’ll relax you.’

TJ took the tea, but he muttered, ‘If I were any more relaxed, I’d be asleep.’

Janey took a seat in the chair next to them. She was quiet, but when Ryan came out a moment later and sat by her, Skye knew they had a purpose.

‘Your father and I have been talking,’ Janey began. ‘And we feel that something has to be done.’

‘We were just saying the same thing,’ TJ agreed.

Janey’s posture relaxed at that.

It was Ryan who looked at Skye. ‘We’ll support you in however you choose to handle this, Skye. But it’s time.’

‘Yeah,’ she rasped. ‘I know.’

‘We’re thinking that Ryan and I go in and get your mom.’ Janey looked to Ryan, who nodded firmly. ‘If we can get her out of the house for long enough to talk to you, maybe we could all convince her to leave. We’ll take care of her.’ Janey linked her fingers with Ryan’s. ‘She has a place here while you two are on the road.’

Tears clogged Skye’s throat at that, and she simply nodded.

TJ’s fingers trailed up and down her arm, soothing her, comforting her. ‘We start fighting back. Through the legal channels at first,’ TJ said. ‘If that gets us nowhere, we resort to more traditional means.’

Skye loved that they were prepared to fight for her. But she was also terrified. Because they didn’t know Holden. He’d destroy them. ‘We need a plan. Something airtight.’

She shifted her eyes away as headlights turned down the driveway and cut through the night to where they sat on the porch.

‘Wonder who that could be?’ said Janey.

Skye tensed up at that. After the night she’d had, she couldn’t face any more.