It was a whole lot more than that, but Izzy wasn’t going to argue. Especially not with Rita, who obviously had no trouble getting along in the world. There was a lesson there, Izzy thought. One about courage and determination. One she apparently needed to learn.

TWO DAYS LATER Izzy stood in the shade, grooming Jackson. She and the horse had come to terms with each other. At least that’s what she told herself. One of these days she was going to get on him and ride, just like she used to. The fact that she couldn’t really see where she was going was an issue to be dealt with another time.

She heard footsteps, but didn’t bother turning around. Based on the speed and sound, she knew exactly who it was.

“Hi, Aaron.”

“You’re getting spooky. I won’t ask how you knew it was me. I have a surprise for you.”

She might not have been at Nick’s ranch all that long, but she knew enough to guess not every surprise was one she would enjoy. “A good surprise or a bad surprise?”

“A good one. At least I think so. Your sisters are here. Norma said they could stay to lunch and she won’t do that for just anyone. So she likes you.” He paused. “Should I pause for a dramatic reaction to the news?”

“That Norma likes me?”

“Oh, please. To your sisters being here.”

Izzy patted Jackson’s neck. She didn’t know what to think. When she’d first arrived, she’d been so angry at them for abandoning her. She’d seen their actions as a betrayal. Now…she wasn’t so sure. While she was starting to see their point, she wasn’t ready to completely forgive them. Although if they groveled enough, she was willing to be persuaded.

She unhooked Jackson and led him toward the stable. “Tell them I’ll be in shortly.”

“That’s it?”

“Disappointed?”

“Yes. I thought you might scream or something. I adore drama.”

She grinned. “Then stick around for the reunion. There might be a shriek or two.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” He followed her into the barn. “Your sisters are very beautiful, but they don’t look alike.”

“Different mothers,” she said. When Jackson was safely back in his stall, she turned back to the door. “Skye and I share a mother. Lexi’s mom was Jed’s first wife.”

“How very Dallas.” Aaron linked arms with her. “So who’s Dana? She’s here, too.”

“A mutual friend.”

“She so doesn’t do the girly thing. She could be pretty if she put a little effort into it. And what’s with the chip on her shoulder? I swear, she has to work out. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have the strength to walk straight. That chip would make her lean.”

She squeezed his arm. “You’re rapidly becoming one of my favorite people ever.”

“I know. Everyone adores me.”

Izzy laughed. “Dana’s a deputy.”

“I can totally see her in uniform and not in a happy way. She needs a man more than I do and that’s saying a lot.”

They reached the back of the house.

“I put them in the living room,” Aaron said, holding open the door. “Go say hi. I’ll bring in refreshments. That will give you time to do the family greeting thing before they get to know the new light of your life. That would be me, of course.”

“Of course,” she said, chuckling as she walked. It was only when she’d nearly reached the living room that her humor faded. She paused in the hallway. She could hear low murmurs of conversation. Skye sounded nervous, which made Izzy feel better. She stepped into the room.

“Hi,” she said.

There were a couple of gasps, then blurry shapes rushed toward her. Lexi got there first and hugged her.

“How are you? Are you okay? You look good.”

Skye pushed Lexi aside and wrapped her arms around Izzy. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I know it was the right thing to do, but I’m sorry.”

“You can’t have it both ways,” Izzy told her. “You can’t tell me it was right to have me kidnapped and apologize at the same time.”

“Of course I can,” Skye told her. “I’m a Titan.”

“She can be so annoying,” a third voice said.

Izzy turned as Dana hugged her, as well.

“You smell like horse,” her friend said. “And I had nothing to do with the kidnapping.”

Izzy laughed. “I know. You’re not the one who’s in trouble.”

“Am I in trouble?” Skye asked, sounding upset.

“Trouble?” Aaron walked into the room. “My favorite. Is someone going to be punished?”

Izzy introduced him to her sisters. He passed out drinks, then got everyone seated. Izzy noticed that Aaron stayed beside her and led her to the sofa, so she wouldn’t have to guess where everything was. Despite the time she’d spent memorizing the room, having four other people around made it impossible to remember what was where.

“So, you probably have a lot of questions for me,” Aaron said when they were seated. “I am the most important person in Izzy’s life. She depends on me for everything.”

Izzy laughed. “You are the air that I breathe.”

Aaron sighed heavily. “It’s a massive responsibility. Oh. Norma’s waving frantically from the kitchen. I think she wants me to leave you girls alone. Normally I would ignore her but she makes these amazing biscuits and I am a slave to my senses. Ladies, it’s been lovely. I’ll see you at lunch.”

Izzy felt him get up and heard him walk out of the room.

“Who’s that?” Dana asked. “He doesn’t seem your type.”

“He’s Nick’s assistant. He pretty much manages everything.”

“You seem to be doing well,” Skye said. “This was a hard decision for us, Izzy. You weren’t leaving your room, let alone the house.”

“I know.”

“Even if you decide not to have the surgery, which we still don’t understand, you have to do something with your life.”

“I know.”

“Losing part of your sight isn’t the worst…What?”

“I said I know. I might not agree with what you did, but I understand why you thought it was important. I don’t mind being here. Which is not the same as forgiving you. Just so we’re clear.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Lexi asked, sounding more relieved and happy than frustrated.

“You shouldn’t be. Okay, enough about me,” Izzy said. “What’s been going on with you two? What have I missed? Erin’s getting ready to start school soon, isn’t she? Third grade. I can’t believe how fast she’s growing up.”

She’d been there when Skye’s daughter had been born. While birth was a lot more messy than she’d expected, it had still been something amazing. Erin was…

She realized that no one was talking.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing.” Skye sounded shocked. “It’s just you said ‘enough about me.’ I’ve never heard you say that before.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Just that you’re usually…You enjoy…”

“Stop trying to be so damned delicate,” Dana grumbled. “She’s trying not to say you usually like it when we talk about you.”

Izzy frowned. “That’s not true. I joke about it, but I’m not totally self-centered.”

There was more silence, and this time it was less comfortable.

“I’m not,” she insisted.

“Of course not,” Skye murmured soothingly.

Izzy had a feeling they were all exchanging looks she couldn’t see. Ones that said they shouldn’t upset her.

Did her sisters really think she was selfish? That she didn’t care about them? Or anyone? Hadn’t she been the one to try to protect Skye from lying, slimy T.J. Boone earlier that summer? Not that Skye had appreciated her effort.

She shifted on the sofa and did her best to keep her confusion from showing on her face.

“How are things going with Garth?” she asked, to change the subject.

“He’s been quiet,” Lexi said. “Which makes me nervous. Jed is still being investigated for the arms shipment. So far he hasn’t been officially charged with treason, although the threats are there. Garth hasn’t attacked my business lately.”

“Mine, either,” Skye said. “I suppose we should be grateful, but not having him do anything is nearly as stressful as having him coming at me. I keep waiting for the next shoe to drop. It’s impossible to relax.”

“Maybe that’s part of his plan,” Dana told her. “I swear to you, I’m going to get him. I’m talking to a couple of guys at the Dallas PD, and they’ve hooked me up with a Texas Ranger. These are guys who know how to investigate. We’re doing our best to build a case. Garth Duncan isn’t going to get away with any of this.”

She sounded fierce, which made sense, given their history with Garth.

A couple of years ago Lexi’s banker had offered her a loan to expand her day spa. The terms were good enough to be seriously tempting and the investor didn’t even want a piece of the action. Just principal and interest. The only catch had been that the note was callable without warning. The past spring, the note had been called and Lexi had scrambled to find a way to repay the mystery lender in less than a month. She’d nearly lost everything.

Then she’d been sued by a former client, several of their father’s race horses had tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and someone had leaked damning but false information to the district attorney about Skye’s not-for-profit foundation. Only Izzy had been spared, probably because she didn’t have anything worth taking.

The sisters had struggled to figure out what was going on. Their investigation had led them to an impossible truth-their businesses were being targeted by a half brother they didn’t know about. Garth Duncan was Jed’s oldest child-one he’d never acknowledged. For reasons they didn’t understand, Garth was after them, with a vengeance.

Dana, a Titanville deputy, was doing all she could to protect her friends.

“Garth has always come at you in ways you didn’t expect,” she said now. “From our perspective, his attacks seem random, but I don’t think they are. I think he has a master plan. I just want to throw his ass in jail. Very little else would make me happy. We need to-”