Page 12 of Winning His Wager

“Lucky you,” Fletcher said, eyeing Talley like the asshole the older man was. Dylan’s words were still playing in his head. He’d admit it—he wanted to swing. Right at the man’s nose. “We lost power from about eight until three this morning. She’s still sleeping, Talley. Don’t wake her, or I will kick your ass. I’ll really enjoy it too.”

More today than he even would have yesterday. No denying that.

Someone had to say it, and since Ben was going to be the guy’s son-in-law, Ben probably couldn’t do it. But Fletcher could. He wished the guy wasn’t twice his age. Fletcher really wished it right now.

“What have you done with my daughter, Tyler? Where is she?” He pushed his way in. Fletcher shared a look with Ben and then let him. Better for Dylan to get this over with rather than dragging it out. And with both Fletcher and Ben there, Talley wouldn’t be able to be too big of an asshole with his daughter.

Fletcher could run him off for her just fine. He didn’t really want the man’s daughter there, but hell, if he had to—he’d keep her right where she was for as long as she wanted to be there. Just to get her away from this asshole.

He was starting to understand why she had jumped on this bet thing. She’d been running away—probably from the man in front of himandthe damned inn. Where she felt shedidn’t belong like the rest of them. He could only imagine how much that had hurt.

“Fed her to the cows out back. Wasn’t that hard to do, considering how small she was,” Fletcher said. Hell, he just couldn’t help himself. Talley wasn’t going to bully him like he was apparently so adept at doing to his daughter. “She’s still sleeping, what do you think? Didn’t I just say that?”

Ben smirked. His brother was pissed about something. Fletcher could put two and two together. “Told you my brother wouldn’t do anything to her. Well, nothing Dylan doesn’t want him to do, anyway.”

“No good Tylers,” Talley said. “Destiny Marie might not see through your ilk, but I do.”

“Dustylikes my ilk, Daddy Dearest. I was trying to show her my ilk when you interrupted. Didn’t I already tell you that this morning? Don’t youwantgrand-Tylers soon? You are not getting any younger, Artie. You are just not. I have to getbusy!”

“Damn it, Tyler! You aren’t married to my daughter yet! Dylan Geraldine!”

Fletcher put his hand on the slightly taller man’s chest. Stopping him right where he was. “This ismyhouse. You will follow my rules here, or I will throw your ass out in the snow and leave you there. There’s ahighwayright there you can follow back to where you belong.”

No one missed his reference to what Talley had done to Dusty. He’d held his daughter against her will, drugged her, and then she’d escaped in the early morning hours—in the damned snow. Fletcher and his brothers had been searching all night—they’d found Dusty walking along the highway. Drugged and staggering and inches away from falling into that highway. Fletcher would never forget, nor would he forgive this man for that. Not for a moment.

“I want my daughter and her things, now. She isn’t staying here with you another minute, Tyler.”

“That’smychoice, not yours,” a feminine voice said behind Fletcher. A small hand touched his back, scorching him. Fletcher wanted to stay right where he was—between her and this asshole. As long as he had to. “Took you longer than I thought it would to find me. Tracking devices not working?”

“Your mother had a bad night. No thanks to you,” Talley said. He glared down at her. “You’ve caused nothing but trouble lately, and we all know it. It needs to stop, young lady.”

Dylan had turned away—but not before Fletcher saw the pain in her eyes. Pain that seriously just pissed Fletcher off. Dylan had been throughhelllately. Everyone could see that. And it hadn’t been ofhermaking.

He immediately stepped in front of her. Pain in the ass though she might be, Talley didn’t have the right to hurt her that way. “Back off, man. Now.”

“I’m sure Mom will be just fine. Aunt Rhea is right across the yard, right next door to you. And isn’t the supersexy sexy Dr. Lowell right there too? If Dixie isn’t available, to be at Mom’s beck and call and everything. Though I really think Dixie is being far nicer to you two than she should. Considering that whole left on the doorstep thing.” Dylan crossed her arms over her chest. Her hair was sticking up in every direction. There was a crease from the pillow on her pale cheek. She had really silky, soft-looking skin. “Now, why did you show up at myjobtoday?”

“You are not staying with this man alone. Your mother about had a panic attack when she heard. And she had to hear it from Dixie an hour ago when she came by with your mother’s prescription, not you.”

“I am twenty-three, Daddy-kins. I do not need your permission to take a job. Nor to live with a man, either, for that matter. I am free to do what I want, remember? We have had this discussion before. If someone has a marker, I can write notes on your hand so you won’t forget.”

“Do not talk to me like that, young lady. Get your things.” He reached for her, wrapped his hand around her shoulder, like he was going to physically force her out of Fletcher’s house. “I am taking you home to the inn right now. And you are staying there.”

Hell, no. Fletcher was there fast. He grabbed the man’s wrist and squeezed. “Out. Now. She stays.”

He bit back fury, seeing that asshole’s hand on her narrow shoulder like that. Like Talley was ready to just yank her up.

How many times had the guy put his hands on her like that? Talley was bigger than Fletcher was—Fletcher wasn’t a small man by any means, either. And Dylan was most definitelynotbig at all.“You won’t put your hands on her.Ever.”

“Hell, I’m not going to hurt my daughter. I have never even spanked the little brat. Something I am starting to regret. Maybe she would have learned better. What do you think people will say about you shacking up with a damned Tyler? Did you think about that?”

“Lucky girl?” Dylan said, her characteristic sarcasm hard to miss. “Well, those that don’t know him, anyway. Or me, for that matter. He doesn’t even think I am a real woman, remember? Relax, Dad, my taste doesn’t run to redheaded rancher boys now, anyway. I prefer hot, sexy actors voted number four sexiest man in Hollywood just last year.”

“What?”

“Didn’t you hear from your little spies?Ido not have athinggoing with Fletcher Tyler. He is my boss, Dad. My boss. That’s work life. As for love life, I have a date with Quade Davis, theactorwho plays Wonkus McBubbles. Tonight, actually. Around seven. He’s taking me somewhere. I didn’t ask details. I was too busy drooling.”

“What the hell is a Wonkus McBubbles?” her father asked.