Page 117 of Rescued Heart

Until a bullet whizzed by her head and struck the last tree in front of her.

TWENTY-SIX

Eddie paced in front of Macon’s desk as Carter, of all people, sat in his chief’s chair.

Officer Olivia Tazwell stared down at Carter, who’d arrived at the firehouse before Eddie after Bianca hadn’t shown up to their dinner with Leo.

Carter pressed his head back against Macon’s chair. “Leo said that Grace needed to schedule a meeting between him and the new producer. I set things up with Nathan.”

Eddie pivoted. “You’re telling me Bianca’s with her ex—the one who might have had someone attack you?”

Macon had filled in Eddie’s spot on the crew’s recent callout, but maybe that hadn’t been a good idea. Because right now, all Eddie wanted to do was find Bianca and punch Carter out of Macon’s chair.

Olivia gave Eddie a raised brow, as if she knew his thoughts. “What else can you tell us?”

Carter hung his head. “That Nathan’s a better actor than me.” He met Eddie’s eyes. “Except with him, there’s no camera. There’s only his poker face.”

Olivia crossed her arms. “I think you’d better unpack that metaphor.”

“He pretends to be your friend.” Carter plunged his fingers through his usually sculpted hair. “Gets you into the top clubs. He even got me my first headliner contract. Except then youowehim. But really, you owe the Duke.”

Olivia leaned forward. “Nathan Kensington is the Duke?”

Carter looked away. “No, he works for him. Sort of. By the time I realized that, I was in too deep. Owed too much. That’s when he brought me into the gambling ring. At first, I was only there to help catch the bigger money. But then…the game got to me. To Nathan’s credit, he did warn me not to start playing him.”

Eddie stood and gripped Carter’s shirt. “Nathan took Bianca becauseyouowe money?”

Carter shook his head. “Bianca has nothing to do with that. We were all supposed to meet and talk over our movie contract. Nathan always has a plan. But he won’t hurt her. Not if he needs her for something else…”

Olivia put her hand on Eddie, and Eddie released Carter. “What did Nathan need from Bianca?”

Carter’s gaze darted around the room. “She’s stubborn. She’ll probably say no again.”

Eddie grunted.

Stubborn. Beautiful. Kind.

And he’d let her go.

Carter rubbed his hands. “Not sure what Nathan will do if she refuses his plans.”

Olivia tilted her head at the yellowing bruise on Carter’s face. “Is that who hurt you?”

Eddie jumped to his feet. No way would he allow Bianca to get hurt.

He turned for the door.

Olivia held her palm out to Eddie and then asked Carter, “What plan would she refuse?”

Eddie crossed his arms. Too much talking. Not enough finding the woman he never should’ve pushed away.

Carter swirled the chair he didn’t belong in to the side. “He needs her alibi. Nathan can’t get caught with his hands dirty again. The first time cost him too much to get out of. Pretty sure that’s why he owes the Duke.”

Olivia’s eyes wrinkled around their edges. “But he’s already been tried.”

“It’s for another supposed crime. However the DA still needs more proof, which it looks like they’re about to find.”

“Just like you have no proof that Nathan took Bianca.”

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