Out of the Storm (Buckhorn, Montana #1) - B.J. Daniels Page 0,55

border. Something illegal. Look at the extremes he’d gone to, determined to force her to go with him.

“Let’s not argue about this,” he said. “It’s decided.”

What had she gotten herself involved in? And now she’d involved her daughter. Not to mention Jon. Worse, until recently she’d been engaged to the devil. Remembering the ring, she reached into her pocket, took out the diamond engagement ring and threw it at him.

Collin ducked, the ring pinging off the wall behind him. “What the hell? Do you have any idea how much that ring set me back?” He turned his back on her to get down on the floor to look for it.

Kate fought the urge to attack him while he was down. But common sense won out. She merely glared at him as he got to his feet, dusting off the ring and then pocketing it.

When he spoke, his voice was rough with emotion. “I don’t care what you believe as long as you know that the threats...aren’t idle. I didn’t want to do it this way, but you’ve given me no choice.”

She was seething but knew she had to keep her head. Now that she knew what Collin was capable of, she had to know just how dangerous he was. “And after I go with you, then what happens?”

“Then I tell my friend to leave your daughter’s apartment.”

“What about me?” she asked, so furious and scared that her words came out clipped. The fear had her heart thundering in her chest. And yet, she felt strong, she felt in control, even though she knew she was far from it. As long as she could protect her daughter and keep Collin from making that call on Jon, she would do what she had to do. Until she knew they were both safe. Then all bets were off.

But she had to keep her head. She knew she couldn’t trust Collin to keep his word. She had to be strong and smart. She told herself she’d been through worse when Danny had left them. She would get through this, too. She would take care of her girls—just as she had always done.

“What happens with you?” Collin said. “I’ll drop you off in the first real city in Montana we come to, and you can rent a car and go wherever it is you need to go. As long as you never tell anyone about any of this, you and your daughters will be just fine. So will your...carpenter. How’s that?”

She nodded, her gaze still holding his. She didn’t believe a word of it.

“Great,” he said. “Let’s get out of here. Oh, and if you try to pull something stupid—”

“I’m not stupid. I understand. We go to the border. You do your business. We cross again. Together. And then we’re done.”

“Suits me,” he said and picked up their luggage. “After you.” He motioned toward the door.

She opened it and walked out. She could hear him behind her as she stepped to the car, the engine still running. She didn’t look down the highway toward Jon’s workshop. Looking straight ahead, she opened her car door and froze at the sound of Jon’s voice.

“Kate.”

She turned to see him limping toward her through the snow. His breath came out in white puffs as he approached the SUV. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Collin tense, then start toward the man.

Jon held up his hand like a traffic cop. “I just want a word with her,” he said and turned to Kate. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, his voice a hoarse whisper.

She met his eyes. Danny’s eyes. This man might be someone named Justin Brown, but her breaking heart knew him, loved him. She couldn’t bear the thought that she would never see him again. To find him and then lose him... “I have to go. Collin and I are meeting some of his associates who’ve been skiing north of here in Canada.”

“Kate—”

“I’m sorry if I...upset you by coming into your life the way I did. Of course you can’t be my husband, Danny. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Jon held her gaze for a long moment.

“You heard her, carpenter,” Collin said loudly. “We’re leaving and not coming back. That’s what you said you wanted, right?”

Something changed in Jon’s gaze. Just a flicker of anger followed by what might be regret. “Have a safe trip,” he said to her. His gaze shifted to Collin. She could see by the way he stood that