She held up a hand. “I can’t do this right now.”

“I don’t want to fight with you anymore. That’s what I’m trying to say. The past is gone. I’m sorry for what I did, what I said. I was mad as hell. Seeing you again pushed all my buttons. I’m done trying to punish you.”

Did he think that made it okay? “Who gives you the right to say it’s over or not? Who gives you the right to punish me? Why do you decide?”

He walked to the bottom of the stairs and offered the rifle. “Want to shoot me?”

“This isn’t funny. I can’t do this anymore, Mitch. I’m exhausted and confused and close to my breaking point. You have to pick. Either be a bastard or be a nice guy. Just decide and then stick with it.”

“I’m not going to be a bastard. I swear.”

“Why should I believe you?”

She turned and walked into the house.

Izzy stood at the foot of the stairs. “Erin fell back asleep.”

“Good,” Skye murmured, wishing she had that ability. It would be nice to sleep until this was over.

“I heard a little of what Mitch said.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You should give him a chance.”

Skye put her hands on her hips. “Who says I haven’t? Who says he hasn’t been a complete bully since he got home? You don’t know what he’s said to me. You do know that he was working for Garth. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”

“Did he pass on anything to Garth? He was pissed, Skye. He reacted. Not everyone gets to think things through. He’s having a tough time now. You should give him a break.”

“If you’re so interested in Mitch, why don’t you go after him. Oh, wait. Maybe you have already. You know, for my own good.”

Izzy stared at her for a long time. “I’m leaving for the rig in about an hour. I’ll be gone two months.”

“Good.”

MITCH LOOKED up from his computer and saw Erin standing in his office. He hadn’t heard her come in and he didn’t know how long she’d been there.

He turned in his chair and looked at her. “Did you want to talk to me?”

Her eyes were big and sad. Her mouth pulled down.

“They took my grandpa away.”

“I know, but he’ll be back.”

“Izzy’s gone, too. To the rig. She and Mommy are fighting and maybe they don’t love each other anymore.”

“They’re sisters. Sisters fight. But they love each other. I promise.” As he said the words, he wondered if his promises meant anything to her. Or had she still not forgiven him for making her mother cry.

He wanted to plead his case, to convince her, but that wasn’t his call.

She sniffed, then launched herself at him. He caught her and pulled her close. She hugged him as if she would never let go.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m sorry I let you down and I’m sorry I made your mom cry. I won’t make excuses. Just know that I won’t do it again.”

“Okay,” she whispered, her voice muffled against his shoulder. “My tummy hurts and I want it to be better.”

“I know.” He rubbed her back, then smoothed her hair. “How can I help?”

“Will you go riding with me?”

“Sure.” He would have walked on water for her, if she’d asked.

“Can we go fast?”

“As fast as you want.”

What he didn’t tell her was that no matter how fast or far they went, they couldn’t make it better. Not by running away. He’d learned that lesson the hard way.

IT TOOK JED a little longer than he’d planned to get out of jail, but by three that afternoon, he’d had a hearing and been released. The bail had been set at fifty million dollars and he’d had to surrender his passport, but he was a free man. At least until the trial.

Skye waited with Lexi while Jed was processed for release. Once again the press gathered. She did her best to ignore them.

“This is a total nightmare,” Lexi murmured, staying close. “How did we end up in this mess?”

“One guess,” Skye muttered.

“Right. I swear, we’re going to get him.”

Skye wanted to agree, but so far they didn’t even know what “get him” meant. Get him back? Get him to stop? How could they stop Garth when they weren’t sure of his goal. Annihilation of the Titan family was fairly general.

“Izzy’s missing all the fun,” Lexi said.

“She’s heading back to the rig.”

“At least she’ll be safe from Garth.”

Skye nodded. She wanted to be safe, too. She wanted all this to stop.

Jed appeared, flanked by two attorneys. Several reporters gathered around him.

“What happened, Mr. Titan? Were you charged?”

He held up his hands and smiled for the cameras. Despite what he’d been through, he looked good. Well dressed, at ease, confident.

“I know these charges are serious and I respect our judicial system. Because of it, I’ll get the chance to clear my name. Because this is Texas, where a man’s name and his word mean something, I give you my word that I’ll be cleared of these charges. There are those who want to tear down what I’ve built.” He looked directly into a television camera. “That isn’t going to happen.”

Skye listened to him talk and wondered how many favors he’d had to call in to be released.

She and Lexi waited until Jed was done to follow him to the waiting limo. They had to squeeze through the press to get into the car.

Jed had already poured himself a drink. “Vultures,” he said between gulps. “Damn vultures. I’ll show them.”

Lexi fastened her seat belt. “Dad, we need to talk about this. Garth is coming at us from every side. We need a plan to stop him.”

“I have a plan.”

Skye and her sister looked at each other.

“Care to share it?” Lexi asked.

“No. Stop worrying. This doesn’t concern you. I’m handling Garth.”

Not very well, Skye thought, confused by her father’s unwillingness to work with them. Did he honestly think they were incompetent or was it something more? Something he didn’t want them to know?

MITCH WENT to see Garth that afternoon. He was tired of sitting on the sidelines and watching crap happen to Skye and her family. He was going to have it out with Garth. Besides, Jed’s son had it coming. He’d played them all and that had to stop.

He found Garth’s office easily. He’d timed his visit for lunch when most of the staff was gone and managed to slip onto the executive floor unnoticed. As he walked down the hall, he grabbed a file from a cubical desk and pretended to read the contents when he passed a couple of guys. They nodded at him and kept on walking.

The desk in front of Garth’s office was empty and the door was partially open. He could hear bits of conversation.

Everything about his upbringing knew that it was wrong to listen in. Everything from his SEAL training pointed out that learning about the enemy was the first step in a victory. He saw another, less ornate door next to Garth’s. He opened it and stepped into an adjoining conference room. There was a door that attached to Garth’s office. Mitch cracked it a couple of inches and prepared to learn what he could.

“This sucks,” some guy was saying.

“Sounds like it.” Garth’s voice was more amused than sympathetic.

“Oh, sure. Easy for you to say. You’re not the one everyone is talking about. The rumors are everywhere. I’m either impotent, broke or I have a rash. According to word on the street I’m also gay, I beat my last girlfriend or I stole her dog. They’re killing me.”

“You have to admire their inventiveness.”

“No, I don’t,” the other man complained. “They’ve ruined me.”

“You pitted one sister against the other,” Garth said. “You couldn’t expect them to be happy about it.”

“You told me to make trouble. I was following orders.”

“You got caught. That’s not my problem.”

“You’re a real bastard,” the other man said.

“I know, but that’s also not the point. You’ve been paid, and paid well. You came up with a plan, which I appreciate, but it backfired and that’s not my responsibility.”

“What? You’re dismissing me?”

Mitch eased open the door a little more so he could see into Garth’s office. The space was large, with an impressive view. Garth was visible, but not the other man. Mitch was determined to figure out who he was. The voice was familiar but he couldn’t place it.

“You’re done with me then?” the man asked. “Just like that?”

“You’ve finished the job. What else is there?”

“My reputation.”

“I’m sure everyone will forget. Rumors come and go.”

“Like hell. I want this fixed.”

“I didn’t break anything.”

“But I can’t live like this. Women are laughing at me everywhere I go.”

The man speaking moved into view. Mitch stared into the familiar face of T. J. Boone. He didn’t know if he should laugh or go punch the guy. Then he realized what T.J.’s presence in Garth’s office meant and the humor faded.

His confrontation with Garth could wait. He had other business to take care of first.

He drove to Skye’s foundation and parked. This time he didn’t sneak. Instead he announced himself, hoping she would see him. He was shown right into her office.

Sunlight filtered in behind her, putting her in shadow. She was tall and curvy and beautiful. The blouse was buttoned up to her neck, which made him want to unfasten it, then pull it off and…

Not why he was here, he reminded himself.

“Mitch. What’s going on?”

“I have to tell you something.”

She grabbed the edge of her desk. “It’s not Erin, is it.”

He moved to her side. “No. She’s fine. This is something else.” She needed to know and she wouldn’t be happy. How likely was she to shoot the messenger? In her mind, he probably deserved it. Worse, would she be hurt? He knew Jed wanted Skye to marry T.J. Where did she stand on the subject? He would much rather she was pissed at him than upset she’d lost a boyfriend.

“I went to see Garth,” he told her. “I wanted to…do something.”