Defending from Danger by Jodie Bailey

Author:Jodie Bailey
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-05-05T22:24:37+00:00

* * *

Pulling open the front door of Reece’s SUV with enough force to rock him in his seat, Paige climbed into the vehicle and almost slammed the door shut again before she remembered Maverick. With a deep breath and a whole lot of restraint from somewhere higher than herself, she shut the door gently and stared out the windshield at downtown Crystal Ridge.

Tears threatened to explode from her throbbing throat. Her shoulder stung and her head throbbed, adding insult to those physical injuries and to the emotional pain she now endured.

The bank had refused to give her a loan without stable income, so she’d done the only thing she could do and dived into her options with Noah’s secret property.

A quick visit to the county clerk’s office had shredded the last of her hope. Within weeks, the refuge would shut down. She needed to start calling other rescues, trying to find homes for her animals. There was a hybrid sanctuary outside Denver that she’d worked closely with. They’d likely help.

Maybe she could call Austin Wyatt, offer him a chunk of the property adjoining his. She could keep a small parcel with the house and—

“Paige?” Reece interrupted her frantic planning. He hadn’t started the truck. Instead, he simply watched her. “I take it things didn’t go well?”

She’d been so busy trying to build her future that she hadn’t even reported her findings to Reece. Sighing, she threaded the seat belt through her fingers, then let it snap into place, barely registering the sting. “Things went the opposite of well.” The words were tight, forcing their way past tears she didn’t want to shed. It felt as though all she’d done was cry in front of Reece.

“Want to talk about it?”

“Not really.” Even as the words came out, she knew she needed to unburden herself. Reece was trustworthy and smart. He might be able to come up with something to keep the sanctuary afloat. Please, Lord.

She’d been praying for hours. So far, no answer had fallen from the sky. Not that she’d expected one, but it sure would have been nice.

She pivoted in the seat so she faced Reece. “Noah truly did own the land on the far side of the ridge. It’s mine to sell.

“But he owes back taxes on the property. It’s more money than I can dig up between the couch cushions. The land’s only a couple of months away from being seized and going up for auction. Brody ought to be happy.”

“Wait.” Reece waved his hand between them as though he was trying to clear something rotten from the air. “How did you not know? You run Howling Moon. You see the mail. Something should have come since he died.”

He’d hit upon the thing that cut the most. Leaning forward, Paige fished a folded paper from her hip pocket and passed it to Reece. Touching it made her feel somehow less than. “That’s his cousin’s address in Texas. Felicity is his only living relative. Although the property is Noah’s and Noah’s been the one paying the bill, the correspondence went to that address.

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