Page 68 of Durango

He frowns. “Do your brothers live together?”

I shake my head. “Charles lives in some fancy beach house. Grant lives about twenty minutes away from him. My parents love their wives. They both have picture-perfect families.” I try not to sound bitter, but it still comes through.

“I’m sure they aren’t perfect,” he says.

“Well, they aren’t monsters like my ex,” I say.

“Hey, you guys talking about Tyler?” Samantha asks.

I jump in surprise.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sneak up on you,” she says.

“It’s fine. I’m just jumpy right now,” I say.

She sits in one of the kitchen chairs. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I don’t think going to the police is the way to go. His family will just buy him freedom.”

I sit across from her. “You have an idea?”

She nods. “I do, but let me chew on it a bit. I’m not sure if it’s a good one.”

Durango grabs his phone from his pocket, frowns, and types furiously. Finally, he groans. “I hate to say this, but I have to go to the office. Samantha, I don’t know what you are chewing on, but don’t do anything without talking to me first, got it?”

Samantha’s brow shoots up. “Who put you in charge?”

Durango crosses his arms. “I work security for a living. I’ve dealt with dangerous men for years. Can you say the same?”

Samantha stares at him but doesn’t respond. I can’t say I’ve seen her rendered speechless before.

Durango turns his attention back to his phone. “I’m going to see if Axel can come over and stay with you guys.”

“We don’t need?—”

“Who’s Axel?” Samantha cuts me off to ask. “Is he hot?”

Durango laughs. “He’s single, and now I’m definitely calling him.”

He steps out of the room, and Samantha moves next to me. “Seriously, is he hot?”

“You’ll like him, yes,” I say.

Thirty minutes later, Axel arrives, and Samantha is all smiles. Durango leaves with a promise to be as quick as he can.

I grab my laptop to check on work. My boss was great and approved my time off request for a few days, which allowed meto go with Samantha to Oregon. But now, with my life up in the air, it’s probably a good idea to catch up on anything I can while I have time on my hands.

Samantha and Axel are talking in the kitchen. I’m trying not to listen in, but it’s hard because they are only a few feet away.

“I need to check on something. I’ll be a few minutes,” Samantha says.

I don’t look up, but I hear footsteps approaching.

“Willow, I’m sorry you have a crappy ex,” Axel says as he walks into the living room.

“Yeah, me too. Thanks for coming by on short notice, but I don’t think it was necessary. There’s no way Tyler would ever find me here.”

Axel nods. “Well, I plan to stick around just in case. What’s the deal with your friend?” He nods toward the kitchen, where Samantha is talking on her phone.

“She’s a good friend who didn’t hesitate to help me when I asked. And she’s currently single.”

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