Jagged Hearts by Lacey Thorn Read Free Book Online Page A

matters.”
    It took everything she had not to shudder at the raw sex appeal and wanton desire reflected in his gaze. He wanted her and planned to have her. Soon, from the look he gave her. But this wasn’t the time or the place, not with her father and, essentially, the whole world watching. She almost cringed at the thought of what picture would be flashed everywhere in tomorrow’s headline.
    Then Bare took her hand, lacing their fingers and squeezing palm to palm.
    “Trust me,” he said again.
    She nodded. “I do,” she admitted.
    Standing as tall as her five-foot-two frame allowed, she walked beside Bare, following her dad and Tuck while the rest of their entourage closed ranks behind them. She’d gone from hiding within herself to feeling electrically recharged. It was a bit overwhelming. As high as she was now, she knew she’d fall again, old doubts and questions rising as she struggled between past and future. Still, she felt better prepared to handle it now.
    Bare squeezed her palm again as if he sensed the direction her thoughts were taking. He kept her tucked at his side as they hit the stairs. Five years. He’d been her friend for five years. He’d hidden no part of his nature from her, letting her see when he was angry or sad or happy. Little by little, he’d let her in, let her get to know him. Had he been interested in her the whole time? Romantically interested?
    “Have a seat.” Her dad’s voice brought her back to the present, and she sat beside Bare on the couch. “I’m glad you weren’t at the ranch today. Your mother gave a special press conference just a few hours ago while I was on a plane home. Not only did she tell the press exactly where you were, but she invited them to your house for a personal interview with the two of you to speak of how hard it is for you to move past what happened.”
    “Not sure the press is going to buy that,” Tuck said, one side of his mouth tilting up.
    Paisley felt her face flush red, part anger at her mother’s audacity and part embarrassment at her display with Bare.
    “She gave them the name of my ranch?” Paisley asked.
    Her dad nodded, and she noticed the anger riding high on his cheeks. “She did. I sent Marco and Rusty over there first, before Tuck told me you were out with Bare. They let me know the whole place was already crawling with reporters. Some even went so far as driving up to the house. They were informed they were breaking the law and were asked nicely to get off private property and wait at the gate with the rest of the vultures.”
    “What about Remy?” Paisley asked, grinning at the thought of Rusty’s shadow.
    “Remy might have had something to do with how quickly the reporters scrambled to follow orders,” Jamison admitted.
    Paisley grinned. The dog had been a bone of contention between Rusty and her dad since Rusty had found the abandoned pup and kept him. Rusty had named the dog Remington but it had been shortened to Remy within days. The Rottweiler was fully grown and huge now. Paisley adored him and often kept him when Rusty went on an assignment that kept him gone overnight. It didn’t look as if she’d be doing that anytime soon.
    “So, I probably won’t be able to go home,” Paisley guessed.
    “No,” her dad agreed. “Marco’s going to stay at the house. Your mom is expecting to stay there. I’ll leave that up to you.”
    “She goes nowhere near my house,” Paisley bit out.
    Her dad nodded.
    “We’ll make sure there’s a sheriff’s deputy there when she’s given the good news,” Tuck said. “She can find someplace local to stay.”
    “I want you to come stay with me for right now,” Jamison said. “Until all this dies down.”
    Paisley shook her head. “I’m not hiding out with you and Tuck.”
    “Bad idea anyway,” Bare said. “If they’ve already got this place staked out, your place is the next logical place.”
    “After that display downstairs, your place will be added to that