Page 53 of Dust and Desire
“Three years, give or take. I’ve been running from ranch to ranch, never staying anywhere longer than a year. I thought I’d finally lost him when I came here.” I laughed bitterly. “Should’ve known better.”
“And you’re certain it’s him?”
“The handwriting on the postcard, the dead bird... it’s his signature.He always signs his work.” I felt sick saying it out loud. “Sheriff, I can’t have him around Dustin. He’s dangerous when he doesn’t get what he wants. And he won’t want to share me. Not with anyone.”
Marcus set down his pen, studying me carefully. “Alex, I need you to be completely honest with me. Has this Keith ever physically hurt you or anyone else?”
My throat tightened. “Not directly. But he’s... intense. Possessive. And he comes from old money, the kind of family that’s used to getting what they want. He’s charming when he needs to be, but underneath...” I shook my head. “There’s something broken in him.”
“Have you ever filed a restraining order?”
“Hard to do when he’s never technically threatened me directly. And he’s smart, covers his tracks. Plus, I’ve been moving around so much, it seemed easier to just run.” I looked down at my hands. “But I can’t run anymore. Not when I’ve found a reason to stay…”
Marcus nodded slowly. “I’m going to need you to write down everything you can remember about Keith. Full name, physical description, last known address, anything that might help us track him down. And I want you to document every incident you can recall.”
“You think you can stop him?”
“I think we’re going to try our damndest.” Marcus’s voice was firm. “In the meantime, I want you to be extra careful. Don’t go anywhere alone if you can help it. And Alex?” He leaned forward, his expression serious. “You need to tell Dustin. He deserves to know what he might be walking into.”
My stomach dropped. “I can’t. Not yet. We just... we just told each other we love each other last night. I can’t dump this on him now.”
“Alex.” Marcus’s voice was gentle but firm. “I understand you want to protect him, but keeping him in the dark puts him in more danger, not less. If Keith is escalating, Dustin needs to know what signs to look for.”
I stared at the floor, my hands clenched in mylap. Everything Marcus was saying made sense, but the thought of seeing fear replace the trust in Dustin’s eyes made my chest ache.
“What if he runs?” I asked quietly. “What if he decides I’m not worth the trouble?”
“Then he’s not the man you think he is.” Marcus stood, moving around the desk to lean against the front of it. “But from what I’ve seen, Dustin Corvus isn’t the running type. He came here looking for a fresh start too, didn’t he? He knows something about facing down your past.”
I nodded reluctantly. Marcus was right, but that didn’t make it easier.
“I’ll increase patrols around the ranch,” Marcus continued. “And I want you to call me immediately if you see anything suspicious. A red truck, unfamiliar faces, anything that feels off.”
“Okay.” I stood, feeling suddenly exhausted despite the early hour. “I should get to work before Logan wonders where I am.”
“Alex.” Marcus’s hand landed on my shoulder. “You’re not alone in this. Whatever happens, you’ve got people here who care about you. Don’t forget that.”
The kindness in his voice nearly undid me. I’d spent so long running, so used to handling everything by myself, that I’d forgotten what it felt like to have someone in my corner.
“Thanks, Sheriff. Really.”
“It’s Marcus. And you’re welcome.” He squeezed my shoulder once before letting go. “Now get out of here before people start talking about why you’re visiting the sheriff’s office so early.”
I managed a weak smile. “Can’t have that. My reputation as a mysterious drifter would be ruined.”
“Something tells me your mysterious drifter days are numbered anyway,” Marcus said, his eyes twinkling. “Fallin’ in love has that effect on people. And Sagebrush… well, she likes to keep men like you and me around.”
My eyes widened for a moment with realization before I smiled. “Good to know I’ve got a friend like you in town.”
“Always,” he nodded. “Drop off your statement when you can. I’ll get the boys to keep an eye out.”
Another nod and I was gone, heaviness settling into my chest. I was going to have to tell Dustin after all. And despite Marcus’s kind words, I wasn’t entirely convinced he was going to forgive me.
Chapter 20
Dustin
Iawoke to the feeling of sweat running down my back. With a grumble, I rolled over in bed, realizing the shades were wide open and the sun was beating down on my sheets. I must’ve forgotten to close them the night before.
