Page 120 of Indulge
I turn to her. “Sterling Ranch. Hunter’s holding the guy we need to torture somewhere on his land until we arrive. Declan wants us to keep it clean, no mistakes. Then, we act on any information we might get.”
Reggie finally looks over. “Hunter Sterling doesn’t do clean.I’ve checked his records.”
He’s not wrong. Hunter’s name still carries the kind of weight that makes grown men double-check their exits. Half-mafia, half-mercenary, full cowboy charm, and a reputation for making problems disappear, sometimes along with the people who caused them.
The plane dips, and Bella grips the armrest between us. I almost reach out before I catch myself. She squeezes my hand but doesn’t make eye contact.
I don’t let go, because I can’t.
When the wheels hit tarmac, no one breathes until we stop.
The heat slaps us the second we step outside the Range Rover, and a black truck idles by the fence.
I’m just happy to be out of that damn car. Driving when my mind was going a thousand miles an hour wasn’t easy. Let alone in Arizona traffic. I don’t know how I didn’t get us all killed.
Hunter Sterling leans against the truck, hat tipped low, sleeves rolled to his elbows. His tattoos crawl up sun-browned skin, muscles cut like he was built from desert stone.
He grins when he spots us. “Murphy twins and Bella King. I thought Declan was screwing with me when he said identical twins.”
Reggie answers first. “He usually is.”
Hunter laughs. “Good to know I’m not the only one.” He pushes off the truck and clasps Reggie’s hand, then mine. When he turns to Bella, his grin softens. “Ma’am.”
She gives a polite smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
“House is ready,” he says, nodding toward a small ranch home tucked behind the main stables. The kind of place that looks innocent until you notice the cameras on the fence posts and the guard dog pacing the porch.
“One bedroom,” he adds casually. “Figured you’d want to stay close.”
Bella blinks. “One?”
Hunter shrugs. “Closest I’ve got right now, I’ve got guests in my place, figured you guys didn’t come here to party. Unless one of you plans to bunk with the horses.”
Reggie lets out a humorless chuckle. “We’ve survived worse.”
I glance toward the paddock. Horses graze lazily under the sun, tails swishing, oblivious to the tension crackling between us.
Hunter walks ahead, boots crunching gravel. “You’ll have privacy. The Crow’s locked up in the west barn. When you’re ready, we’ll talk about strategy.”
He glances at Bella then at me. “Will you need security for Bella while you’re with The Crow?”
Bella puts a hand on her hip, and her eyes form slits. A grin twitches at my lips. Fuck, I love it when she gets like this.
“I’m here with them. Not being babysat. I’m a King, I can handle it.”
Hunter’s eyebrows raise; he’s impressed and probably a little thrown back. Yep. My girl talks back.
I chuckle to ease the tension, wrapping my arm around her waist.
“She’s good, Hunter. We’ve got her.”
Reggie looks away, that murderous glint in his eye giving him away.
Hunter tips his hat at Bella again before heading toward the stable, leaving the three of us staring at the little house like it’s the start of another war.
Bella exhales slowly. “One bedroom. On a whole ass ranch? What the hell.”
Reggie shoves his hands into his pockets. “Guess we’ll have to be very civil.”
