Page 16 of Lone Star Country Protector
“What?” Bethany feigned being offended. “I already told you that I don’t snore.”
A cell buzzed. Dalton reached for his and fished it out of his jeans pocket. He studied the screen and frowned. “A distressed-looking man who looks to be in his early thirties is about to hit the doorbell.”
“Greg?” Bethany asked, but it was more statement than question.
Dalton crossed the room and held his screen toward them. “Is this him?”
Bethany pushed to standing as the doorbell rang. “He better not wake Chase.” She gave her sister a look that could freeze a wildfire before stomping into the living room.
“Think we should go with her?” he asked Blakely, who shook her head in response.
Heated arguments between couples were a landmine for any law enforcement officer to walk into. Dalton would keep an ear toward the front door since Bethany admitted to having an argument with her spouse last night.
“Come home with me,” the male identified as Greg said in a hushed but urgent tone.
“No,” Bethany stated with more than a hint of defiance in her voice. Whatever the two fought about would most likely be considered a major roadblock in their relationship based on the cold freeze in her tone. “Absolutely not, Greg.”
“Should we be listening?” Blakely asked in a hushed tone.
“It’s a habit from the job,” he admitted. “I need to know that your brother-in-law won’t do anything to hurt Bethany.”
“I highly doubt that G—”
Blakely held up a hand. She checked her phone, ignored a text from her former law professor.
“Actually, I can’t afford to take that tact,” she said. “I see it too many times in my courtroom as well as my colleagues’. You think you’re safe with someone and that you know them inside and out. But you can never truly know someone, can you?” Blakely caught herself before she gave up too much about her past.
“I said no,” Bethany said a little more sternly this time. “My sister’s awake in the kitchen, and a US marshal is standing with her. I’ll get them both if you don’t leave right now, Greg.”
“We need to talk,” he pleaded.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Dalton reach for his weapon.
“That shouldn’t be necessary,” Blakely said, pushing to standing. She held up a hand, indicating Dalton should wait in the kitchen. The look in his eyes said he was reluctant. His quick nod said he would listen to her.
Good. The last thing this situation needed was more heat. If Dalton came around the corner with his hand on his weapon, the situation could explode. Not that she’d ever seen Greg completely lose his temper, but he had beenburied under work and spending a lot of late nights at the office. He’d remarked that having his own company meant he worked all hours and that, at times, he missed his former corporate job that allowed him vacations and weekends off. The dark circles underneath his eyes were punctuation to that sentence. Her heart went out to him. The pregnancy had been unexpected and had blown apart their long-term plan. Bethany was supposed to finish her college degree and work for five to ten years before the two of them started a family. Chase was perfect and definitely worth a change in plans. But Bethany wanted to stay home with her baby, so Greg doubled up on work. Not only did he work a full-time corporate job, but he also started a side business that grew enough for him to quit his day job and focus on his business. The new plan was supposed to reduce his stress and give him more time to be with the family, but owning and running a business meant working more hours. Lesson learned.
Were they fighting about money?
Bethany had a spending habit, drove an expensive luxury sport utility like all the other soccer moms. She’d had her heart set on a big home in the best school district for Chase.
“Hi, Greg.” Blakely stepped into view, using a neutral voice.
“Blakely, please, let me come in and talk to my wife,” Greg said. He stood just shy of six feet tall with a runner’s build. He had sandy-blond hair and cobalt blue eyes. He wasn’t Blakely’s type, but most would consider him to be good-looking. But right now, his tie was loose around his neck, and he was wearing the same suit from last night.
“That’s not a good idea right now, Greg, but I promise Bethany will be ready to talk soon,” Blakely soothed. She quickly assessed that Greg was sober despite bloodshot eyes.They were red from distress and being rubbed, and most likely dry from staying up all night worrying.
Greg had never beenGQready, but he put himself together well under normal circumstances.
“Leave or I’ll tell my sister the real reason we’re fighting,” Bethany said as Blakely slipped her hand in her sister’s and squeezed for reassurance. She had no idea what the fight was about, figured it wasn’t her business. Her sister and brother-in-law deserved privacy. Plus, Bethany hadn’t let on that anything devastating was going on between her and Greg.
Greg looked devastated. “Fine.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “Promise you’ll hear me out once the initial shock wears off.”
Blakely had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. This scenario only proved that you never really knew the person you let in your heart. A piece of hers wanted to argue that Dalton would have been different.
Could she trust it?
The short answer…no. And she’d be a fool to let him in.
