Fighting Chance (Misty Grove Book 1) (4 page)

“Yeah, yeah, serve and protect—”

“Cassie,” Trent growled. “You call us and have what transpired documented. It’s for your protection. If you’d done so in the first place, Bowman wouldn’t have had a leg to stand on with his accusations, and I wouldn’t have stayed up until eleven a few nights ago trying to keep you out of county lockup.”

This time she looked contrite. She wouldn’t look at him. “I’m sorry I wasted your time.” This was said with sincerity, and it pinched a part deep in him.

Sighing, he reached across the table and covered her hands with his. “Hey, you didn’t waste my time. I was doing my job.”

“I didn’t mean to be a nuisance.”
 

“Well, well, well, what’s going on here?” a voice drawled from beside them.

Cassie tried to withdraw her hands, but Trent held on tight before casually cocking his head to observe the newcomers.

One of them could only be Cassie’s twin. Lucas had the same color hair and eyes, but that was where the similarity ended. He was probably an inch or two shorter than Trent, but what he lacked in height, he certainly made up in muscle. Stacks and stacks of them as outlined by a tight white tee. He was the tattooed man he’d seen leaving Foster’s garage. However, it was the man standing beside Lucas that drew most of Trent’s attention. Shaved head, full beard, and dressed in a faded Black Sabbath tee and worn jeans. There was unmistakable hostility in the other man’s eyes.

Cassie finally yanked her hands from him, causing Trent to return his attention to her. Guilt flashed across her face, which quickly turned to defiance as she exchanged a meaningful look with the bald man. Unwanted conclusions started to form in Trent’s mind.

“Sheriff, my brother Lucas.” She nodded at the big guy before jerking her chin to the bald man. “And Wyatt Stratford. Guys, Trent Stone.”

“Wyatt Stratford III,” Trent enunciated slowly. The man who owned almost all of Misty Grove and the land surrounding it.

“I’m quite flattered you know of me, Sheriff,” Wyatt said smugly, but his eyes were sharply assessing Trent’s presence at the table.

“You can be sure I’ll make it my business to know more about you, Mr. Stratford.”
 

Other patrons in the diner turned their heads toward their corner with interest.

Wyatt’s eyes narrowed at the veiled warning, hitting Cassie with a disapproving look before slicing his gaze back at Trent. “Don’t mean to be rude, Sheriff,” he said. “But I have business to conduct with Cassie and my time is limited. I’m sure there’re more pressing matters at county than our little town.”

“Why, Wyatt, our dear sheriff was just showing some concern for me seeing that you have done nothing to dissuade Bowman’s men from showing up at the ranch.”

“Not the time or place, sweet thing,” Wyatt gritted icily.
 

Trent stood. He’d heard enough, and he wasn’t about to be used as a pawn by Cassie to make the other man jealous because it was obvious there was something between the two.
 

“You’re right, Stratford, I do have more important matters to deal with at county. Ms. Reed, Lucas.” He waved at Millie and walked out the door without a backward glance. He’d passed on the message from Grimes; his job was done.
 

*****

“Looks like you lost an admirer, sweet thing.”
 

“Stratford, shut the fuck up,” Lucas growled. Cassie was thankful her brother took the seat beside her because she couldn’t stand to be in close proximity with Wyatt right now. Even sitting across from him made her want to stand up and punch the smugness off his face. And to think she’d been in love with him for years.
 

“Thank you, Lucas,” Cassie said. “You know, Wyatt, I tell you Bowman’s men harassed me, and you didn’t even lift a finger—”

“I knew you could handle them and you did.”
 

“—but one look at Sheriff Stone and you were foaming at the mouth.”

“He had his hands all over you.”

“So? What about it? Is that supposed to mean something to you? Are you my keeper? My boyfriend?”

“Oh, but you want me to be, don’t you?”

“Your ego is as big as your ... your bald head.”

“Are you saying I have a big head?” Wyatt replied, unperturbed by her insult.

Lucas chuckled but stopped when Cassie glared at him.
 

“Children,” Millie said in a chiding tone, walking over to their booth and sitting beside Wyatt. “It’s not wise to be friendly with the sheriff, Cassie. Not when we’re not sure where his loyalties lie. And you, Wyatt, stop confusing Cassie. You were acting all territorial over her. You either want her or you don’t.”

“Damn straight,” Cassie muttered.

“Jesus, not this again,” Lucas groaned.

“I appreciate you looking out for me, Millie,” she continued, “but I’m not harboring any delusions about Mr. Hotshot Promoter here, because we all know that to him, I’m nothing more than dollar signs.” Cassie was pleased to see a marked wince twitch Wyatt’s otherwise stony facade.
 

“Cassie, you know you’re more than business to me. No matter what, I’m your friend first.”

She snorted. Their relationship confused the heck out of everyone. He’d behave like a jealous boyfriend whenever someone would show interest in her. And whenever Cassie would think he’d finally make his move, he’d flaunt one woman after another in her face. Her heart would die a little each time, for she believed she’d been in love with him. He had been her savior at her most vulnerable time, and she had clung to him like a lifeline. He’d protected her, but he’d needed something in return, and she had let him use her.
 

“Oh, really? So if I refuse to participate in this next ‘business deal,’ you’d still be my friend?” Cassie taunted.

This time it was Lucas who snorted. Millie and Wyatt glared at the twins.

“It’s already been set,” Wyatt growled. “You can’t back out or I lose two hundred and fifty grand in promoter’s fees alone.”

“Who am I fighting?” Cassie asked.
 

Wyatt pushed a thick binder toward her. “Someone whose been wiping out the competition in underground tournaments in Europe and Asia. It seems she fights better when she plays dirty, and in this case, believe me when I say you’re the underdog.”

Cassie raised her brows at this.

“We’re peanuts compared to the bigtime illegal fighting matches where bets run a minimum of a million dollars. We’re lucky we caught her manager’s interest. You have everything in those files, including a flash drive of some of her fights.”

“Three weeks is too soon to be ready.”

“You should have been training everyday whether or not you have a fight,” Wyatt snapped.

“In case it escaped you, I’m running the ranch at the moment while Lucas is taking care of Foster’s garage. I’m not comfortable heading into this without Colt and Matt in the know.”

“Not my problem. Besides, you’ve stopped asking Colt for permission a long time ago.”

“Still no contact from them?” Millie asked, concern in her tone.

“None,” Lucas replied. “They’ve been off the grid for a while.” Cassie nudged her twin under the table. They hung out with Wyatt so much that he knew much of their business, but he was not one of them and there were things he didn’t have to know. He already knew too much.
 

“You all have to remember whose lands are keeping outsiders from invading your little nest in Georgia,” Wyatt said scathingly, as though feeling the three of them closing ranks against him. “And you, Cassie, should be thankful that I provide this outlet for your aggression.”

Why that son of a bitch
. Her aggression had long ago been addressed, so it was unfair to bring back the situation that had landed her under his thumb. She sat there and bristled, refusing to defend herself because it would always end up with Wyatt pulling the “you owe me” card.

“Why don’t you speak louder so the entire diner can hear you,” Lucas told Wyatt, her normally easygoing brother showing signs of anger.

“I’m afraid I’ve lost my appetite,” Wyatt muttered, signaling Millie to scoot over so he could slip out of the booth. “Make sure these two get the food they need to train. No junk food, and especially no pie for now,” he told the other woman, smirking at Cassie before leaving the diner.

“Jerk,” Cassie mumbled under her breath.

“No question there,” Lucas said. “You shouldn’t let him push your buttons.”

“He’s an annoying asshat.”

“Again, no question there.”

“Cassie, sweetheart, is there something going on between you and the sheriff?” Millie asked suddenly, her shrewd eyes boring into hers.

Cassie twisted her face in bafflement and lifted her shoulders in a helpless shrug. “No. You’re making too much of him holding my hands. I have no idea where that came from.”

“The sheriff is a very attractive man. I hear he’s set quite a few female—and male—hearts aflutter at county government.”

Now that Millie mentioned it, Cassie had noticed the sheriff’s crystal blue eyes and how clear they were against his tanned skin. Still. “Millie, I agree he’s unusually good looking, but you forget I’ve been around Colt and Matt who are also exceptionally beautiful men.”

“Hey, what am I? Chopped liver?” Lucas piped in.

Cassie laughed. Her twin was a rascal. His hair was more blond than hers, shaved at the sides, long at the center and gathered into a man bun. His beard made him look older, which was probably why he’d grown it. He looked like a gladiator or a mean Viking. Apparently women dug the look.
 

“Hey, you know you’re the best,” she told Lucas, and she meant it.
 

“Just pointing out that he could be a problem if you hooked up with him,” Millie continued. “He’s not one of our ‘visitors’ who stay for a week or two.”

Yes, Cassie had hooked up with some of the “visitors.” She was a woman with needs after all, although it had been over a year since she’d had sex. She just wasn’t a very emotional person when it came to relationships of the romantic nature, and it was always a problem when a guy wanted more. Wyatt was the only man she had harbored such notions about. It had fizzled into resentment until finally, last year, she realized she didn’t give a damn anymore. Obviously it wasn’t the lasting kind of love.

“You know me better than that, Millie. Besides, looks can only get you so far.” She’d met her fair share of attractive males with egos the size of Texas, men who thought they could get away with being assholes because of their looks. She had no patience for the type, especially when she had shining examples of big-hearted and selfless men with the likes of her brother and Colt Montgomery.

“Just a cautionary reminder. Remember what happened to the last one?”

Cassie groaned. “Yes. My legs have been closed for so long, I think I’ve re-grown my hymen.”

“Well, you have your vibrator,” Millie stated matter-of-factly.

“Jesus, I did not need to hear that.” Lucas muttered in annoyance.

Cassie suppressed a chuckle and settled for a smirk. Millie was sort of the matriarch of the bunch because Colt and Matt were not married. She had handed Cassie her first vibrator and had given her a quick sex education lesson. Given what Cassie had been through before she was twenty, what followed was a very sheltered life. Sheltered in that she hadn’t left Buckland County in twelve years. She’d been protected against the outside world, but sometimes she wondered if Colt was just trying to protect the outside world from them.
 

Plates of grilled chicken, brown rice, and steamed broccoli landed in front of her and Lucas.
 

“You said you have my favorite?” Her heart sank. She was so hungry.

“Sorry, that was just fluff talk. Your sheriff had me ruffled.” Millie smiled almost dreamily.

“Hmm ... maybe I do need to take a closer look at him.”

“Eat your food, missy,” Millie said with mock sharpness. “And if you come back after you and Lucas train at the gym, I’ll save a piece of pecan pie for you.”

“You do have my favorite.” Cassie beamed at the other woman.

“Just don’t tell Wyatt.”

*****

Trent spent the day on dispatch calls. He caught some teenagers vandalizing a new-age herbal tea shop, investigated an elderly lady’s complaint of mysterious noises from her basement thinking someone had broken in, and arrested a shoplifter. His least favorite call of the day was arresting a husband for domestic abuse. The man was dead drunk and high. A neighbor had called 911 after seeing him backhand his wife before dragging her into the house. Trent had heard the scream of help after he knocked on the door, so he and Brooks broke the door down and charged in. The wife was in bad shape, bloody, probably with a broken nose, and her right wrist listed awkwardly. It took all of Trent’s self-control not to beat the bastard up, and he knew it wouldn’t be satisfactory anyway since the husband could barely walk when he’d handcuffed him before hauling him into his cruiser.

Brooks followed the ambulance to the hospital, so he could get a statement from the wife, but Trent figured there wouldn’t be any charges filed. He’d heard murmurings from the neighbors that this wasn’t the first time this had happened.

He was right. Brooks returned after three hours to report that the wife refused to talk to him. Husband was gonna walk the next day. Dammit.

“Where were you this morning?” Brooks asked him after they’d finished filing their reports.

Here he was, trying not to think about a certain hazel-eyed woman, but his damned deputy had to stir up his day.

“I was in Misty Grove checking on Cassie Reed. I wanted to make it clear the next time Bowman’s thugs pay her a visit, she let us know.” His jaw clenched as he returned his attention to his laptop. “Anything else?” he asked sharply.

“Jeez, Sheriff, bite my head off, will you?”

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve been a ball of tension ever since this afternoon, even before our last call with that shithead husband. Just wondering.”

“Never had a bad day, Brooks?” At his deputy’s continued wary expression, Trent sighed, feeling guilty. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said, “How are relations between Wyatt Stratford and Colt Montgomery? And don’t give me the standard department spiel. I’ve read the briefs.”