27. Kat

TWENTY-SEVEN

Kat

Since we were in town, I took the opportunity to run a couple errands. Together, Livy and I hit the grocery store, then the feed store. I kept trying to cheer her up, but the visit to the police station had rattled her.

We both wanted to know who had killed Ben.

Right now, that seemed more difficult than ever.

It was already snowing again by the time we got back to the house, though it wasn't anything serious—not yet, anyway. As soon as we turned into the driveway, I shot a quick text to Gabe.

Snow's on its way. Come home soon.

The car rattled as we made our way down the gravel road, leaving tire tracks in the snow. I looked ahead of me, frowning; there was another set of tire tracks, which meant someone was here. I wondered if it was Gabe…but they didn't match his truck.

I got my answer when we pulled up to the house, and I found Owen's truck parked outside. It was weird; he hadn't let me know he was coming, and he hadn't really been around much since we'd rebuilt the barn. I got the impression he didn't like Gabe…and our conversation last night had confirmed as much.

I didn't know why, but it set my skin crawling.

"Go see what Owen wants…and make sure Bandit hasn't gone after him," I said to Livy, my voice sounding more tense than I'd meant it to. She nodded, then she slid out of the truck and headed straight for the house, backpack over her shoulder.

My gut twisted. Something wasn't right.

But I shook it off, focusing on the task at hand. We needed to be prepared if the snow decided to stick around, so I opened the back of the truck and started grabbing feed bags.

As I hefted the heavy sacks toward the barn, footsteps crunching in the snow, Bandit's barking cut through the cold air. No…that was all wrong; I'd left him in the house, seen him on the cameras just a couple hours ago. But sure enough, the sound came from the barn, a steady, anxious rhythm.

Damn. He must have nosed his way in and couldn't get back out.

I put the bags down on the ground, dusting snow off my gloves, preparing to rescue him.

"Bandit!" I called out, hoping he'd quiet down. But the barking continued, insistent. I hesitated, torn between going into the house and checking on the dog.

That's when Livy screamed.

My head snapped toward the house, and I ran, heart pounding, snow flying beneath my boots. It felt like hours before I slammed the door open, the warmth inside clashing with the chill on my skin…

…and there he was.

Owen.

He was facing me, holding Livy just like those strangers had weeks ago…and he looked wrong . I'd seen that expression on his face a few times, but it had never seemed this cruel.

It was the look he'd given me when he'd tried convincing me to sell the ranch.

When Gabe had shown up.

He was angry .

"Kat." His voice was like ice. "Don't scream."

I froze, eyes darting to the glint of metal at his waist. A knife. My breath caught; my limbs turned to lead.

"Jesus, Owen, what are you?—"

"Quiet!" The word was sharp, cutting me off. "I won't hurt her. Not if you listen."

"Okay," I said, voice barely above a whisper, fear gripping me tight. "Okay, I'm listening."

"Good." He shifted Livy to one arm, and I tried not to look at the tears streaking her cheeks. I needed to get out of this before I got angry or panicked. "Just do as you're told."

"Tell me what you want, Owen," I said, keeping my voice measured. "What the hell are you doing?"

He frowned, the muscles in his jaw clenching as he spoke. "I tried to be nice about this, Kat. Tried to get you out of here without any mess. But you're stubborn. You just won't listen."

"Listen to what?" My voice was tight, eyes locked on Livy's small form in his arms. I needed to keep him talking to buy time.

"About the ranch." He shifted his weight, and Livy whimpered. "It should've been mine. Dad was the older brother. But no, Grandpa and Grandma left it to your dad. To you."

"Owen…"

"Shut up," he snapped. "No more talking. You had your chance. Now sign the papers."

"What papers?"

"The deed to the ranch," Owen snarled. "It was supposed to be mine, and now it will be. I'll sell it and do what you couldn't…then we can all go about our lives."

"Owen, you don't have to do this?—"

" Sign the papers ," Owen growled, nodding toward the table. Livy's eyes were wide, pleading. "Or I take her."

"Damn you, Owen." My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into palms. "Let her go."

"Sign," he repeated, chin jutting out. Livy let out a choked sob, his grip on her arm tightening. He was hurting her.

"Fine," I spat. "I'll sign your damn papers."

"Good choice." His grin was manic, wrong, jarring. I wondered if he was drunk.

"Let Livy go first."

"No chance," Owen said. "You need to fucking sign, or I kill her…just like I killed her dad."

The air whooshed out of the room. My heart stopped…then hammered.

I didn't know why he told me—maybe to drive home the point. He wanted me to know what he was willing to do for this, how far he was willing to go.

"Ben?" My voice broke on my brother's name. "Why?"

"Because he wouldn't sell," Owen said. His was tone casual—like he was discussing the weather, not murder. "Do you know how much Everett Jones was willing to pay? When me and Nia got our cut, we would have been able to get out of this shithole town…but Ben was stubborn. I did what I had to do."

It explained everything; I felt blind for not seeing it before. Tears threatened, but I blinked them back.

"So this was all you?" I asked quietly. "The guys who attacked us…the barn fire? It was you? "

All he did was sneer as he nodded at the papers again. "Sign, Kat. Then we can put this all behind us."

Shaking, I scrawled my name across the line, each letter an act of betrayal to Ben, to Livy. "There," I said, shoving the documents toward him. "Take them and get out of here."

Owen just stood there, looking down at the signed papers, a slow, cold smile spreading across his face. He didn't move, and that's when fear really took hold.

I'd signed away everything, and yet, we weren't free.

"Go on, Owen," I snapped, forcing steel into my voice. "You've got what you came for."

"Almost," he murmured. He moved toward the table, picked up the papers—but he didn't let Livy go.

"Let her go, Owen. It's over," I said.

"Can't do that, Kat." Owen's eyes were cold as ice. "You'd run straight to Callahan."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Livy chose that moment to make her move. She squirmed, a small burst of rebellion, and she almost got free—but Owen's reaction was swift and brutal. His hand clamped down on her shoulder, pulling her back, the blade of his knife flashing too close to her neck. He'd dropped the deed. I was starting to wonder if that even mattered to him anymore.

"Stop!" My heart slammed against my ribs. "Please, don't!"

"Then cooperate."

"Okay, okay," I said quickly, my mind racing for a way out. "Just…just put the knife away."

"Come to the car with me," he ordered. "And no funny business, or she dies."

"Fine." Each word tasted like ash. "I'll do whatever you say. Just don't hurt her."

"Smart choice." Owen's grip on Livy eased ever so slightly as he backed toward the door. "Grab the deed, and don't try anything. Just need you to be somewhere far away from town while I make my exit."

As we walked out into the biting cold, snowflakes kissed my skin, contrasting the heat of my terror. I followed him, each step heavy with dread, but inside, a fire kindled. A promise that this wasn't the end. Somehow, I'd find a way to save us both.

The snow crunched beneath my boots, a steady rhythm against the chaos in my head. Owen's car loomed ahead, a dark shape against the glittering white snow. I glanced at Livy, her face pale.

As soon as Livy was safe, I was going to kill him.

I swore to myself that I would.

"Get in," Owen barked, shoving me toward the driver side. His fingers never left Livy, holding her like a shield between us.

"Okay, okay," I muttered, moving as he commanded. The door handle was ice cold, biting into my palm. It felt like I was climbing into my own coffin…but no, I couldn't let that get to me.

Not now.

Owen got into the back, the knife never leaving Livy's throat.

"Drive," he said once we were all inside. "And remember, I'm watching."

I took the wheel, the engine coming to life with a roar as fury built within me. I flicked a glance in the rearview mirror, where Livy met my eyes, a silent vow passing between us.

We weren't going down without a fight.

"Where to?" I asked, my hands tight on the steering wheel.

"North, toward Bearclaw Mountain," he snapped. "And don't try anything. I mean it, Kat."

"Got it," I replied, every muscle coiled, ready.

As I drove, the snow fell harder, a whiteout that blurred the lines of the road but sharpened the ones we'd have to cross to survive.

I had to believe I could get us out of this.

Otherwise…I knew Owen would kill us both.