His eyes took on a nasty sneer. “That you are, aren’t you?”
Years
ago, Clem learned the hard way that she carried a pistol in her boot. They were
teenagers at the time, she hiking along the south end of the property when Clem
snuck up behind her. “Surprised her accidentally” is what he claimed after the
fact, but either way it didn’t change the outcome. She was alone, and he jumped
out from a dense pack of trees. She pulled her gun and shot. The bullet grazed
his shoulder and he screamed like a baby. Called her all kind of sordid names,
all of which she ignored. Leveling her gun at him, she’d ordered him to get out
of her woods. He obliged, but only because he was bleeding and scared senseless
his scent would catch the attention of a nearby bear.
Fool . No bear would
have anything to do with a rank piece of meat like him. But he had been forewarned
from then on. Surprise Delaney Wilkins and you’d better be locked and loaded. She
held her leveled gaze. Shooting him now would be too easy and probably ensure
Felicity lost any chance to the property. If Uncle Ernie meant what he said
about giving the land to Clem, he’d do it just to spite her if she harmed the
grease ball. “What do you want, Clem?”
His
eyes darted to the area behind her. “Just wanted to come see what you were up
to, is all.”
She
stepped toward a nearby tree, glancing about for signs of the men’s earlier
presence. “And why do you care?”
His
gaze narrowed to a fine point. “Your uncle don’t trust you. He’s asked me to
watch out for you, keep you out of trouble.”
She
stopped suddenly. “Stay away from Ernie. If you think you’re going to con him
out of this property, you’ve got another thought coming. This land belongs to
Felicity, and I have lawyers to prove it.”
“Who
cares what lawyers say when it’s my name on the title.” He tipped his
hat back from his forehead and said, “Then it ain’t yours to say nothin’
about,” he jeered.
“It’ll
never happen.”
He
chortled, revealing his crooked yellow teeth. “Don’t be so sure. Your uncle and
I have grown mighty close over the years. I’m the only one he trusts, kinda like
father and son.”
Which
didn’t speak highly of Ernie’s judgment. Clem was on the outs with his own
father. But Delaney understood the connection. Ernie was raised by a hard man
to become a hard man. He had no respect for women or what they thought—except
in the case of Susannah and Felicity. Those two females alone were held free
from contempt. “It’s a misplaced trust that will reveal itself soon enough,”
she said. Normally, she’d let him simmer and boil in his stupidity, but this
time she couldn’t. There was more at stake than the old man’s feelings and
finances. Felicity’s future hung in the balance. “I’m putting you on notice,
Clem. Back off or I’ll make it my personal mission to reveal you for the con
artist you are.”
“There
you go again, callin’ names. Why can’t we just get along?” he whined.
“I
don’t want anything to do with you.”
A
knowing leer snaked through his gaze. “You should’ve picked me, Dell. I
would’ve treated you better.”
Reference
to her ex-husband made her skin crawl. “Go on, Clem. Leave me alone before I
start to get mad.”
He
chuckled and reached out for her. “What are you gonna do if I don’t?”
Delaney
stepped back and Clem lunged for her. “What the—?”
Clem
grabbed her arm and propelled his mouth toward hers.
“Delaney!”
A male voice powered through the trees.
Clem
froze, digging his fingers into her arm.
She
slung her free hand into a fist across the side of his head, connecting solidly
with his ear. Clem yelped.
Nick
Harris charged down through the brush. Branches cracked like twigs as he
drilled through them.
Clem
released her and immediately reached for the side of his head where she’d
slugged him.
Delaney’s
pulse still ricocheted through her veins, thundered in her chest.
Years
ago, Clem learned the hard way that she carried a pistol in her boot. They were
teenagers at the time, she hiking along the south end of the property when Clem
snuck up behind her. “Surprised her accidentally” is what he claimed after the
fact, but either way it didn’t change the outcome. She was alone, and he jumped
out from a dense pack of trees. She pulled her gun and shot. The bullet grazed
his shoulder and he screamed like a baby. Called her all kind of sordid names,
all of which she ignored. Leveling her gun at him, she’d ordered him to get out
of her woods. He obliged, but only because he was bleeding and scared senseless
his scent would catch the attention of a nearby bear.
Fool . No bear would
have anything to do with a rank piece of meat like him. But he had been forewarned
from then on. Surprise Delaney Wilkins and you’d better be locked and loaded. She
held her leveled gaze. Shooting him now would be too easy and probably ensure
Felicity lost any chance to the property. If Uncle Ernie meant what he said
about giving the land to Clem, he’d do it just to spite her if she harmed the
grease ball. “What do you want, Clem?”
His
eyes darted to the area behind her. “Just wanted to come see what you were up
to, is all.”
She
stepped toward a nearby tree, glancing about for signs of the men’s earlier
presence. “And why do you care?”
His
gaze narrowed to a fine point. “Your uncle don’t trust you. He’s asked me to
watch out for you, keep you out of trouble.”
She
stopped suddenly. “Stay away from Ernie. If you think you’re going to con him
out of this property, you’ve got another thought coming. This land belongs to
Felicity, and I have lawyers to prove it.”
“Who
cares what lawyers say when it’s my name on the title.” He tipped his
hat back from his forehead and said, “Then it ain’t yours to say nothin’
about,” he jeered.
“It’ll
never happen.”
He
chortled, revealing his crooked yellow teeth. “Don’t be so sure. Your uncle and
I have grown mighty close over the years. I’m the only one he trusts, kinda like
father and son.”
Which
didn’t speak highly of Ernie’s judgment. Clem was on the outs with his own
father. But Delaney understood the connection. Ernie was raised by a hard man
to become a hard man. He had no respect for women or what they thought—except
in the case of Susannah and Felicity. Those two females alone were held free
from contempt. “It’s a misplaced trust that will reveal itself soon enough,”
she said. Normally, she’d let him simmer and boil in his stupidity, but this
time she couldn’t. There was more at stake than the old man’s feelings and
finances. Felicity’s future hung in the balance. “I’m putting you on notice,
Clem. Back off or I’ll make it my personal mission to reveal you for the con
artist you are.”
“There
you go again, callin’ names. Why can’t we just get along?” he whined.
“I
don’t want anything to do with you.”
A
knowing leer snaked through his gaze. “You should’ve picked me, Dell. I
would’ve treated you better.”
Reference
to her ex-husband made her skin crawl. “Go on, Clem. Leave me alone before I
start to get mad.”
He
chuckled and reached out for her. “What are you gonna do if I don’t?”
Delaney
stepped back and Clem lunged for her. “What the—?”
Clem
grabbed her arm and propelled his mouth toward hers.
“Delaney!”
A male voice powered through the trees.
Clem
froze, digging his fingers into her arm.
She
slung her free hand into a fist across the side of his head, connecting solidly
with his ear. Clem yelped.
Nick
Harris charged down through the brush. Branches cracked like twigs as he
drilled through them.
Clem
released her and immediately reached for the side of his head where she’d
slugged him.
Delaney’s
pulse still ricocheted through her veins, thundered in her chest.
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