But then a low, rough voice full of promise sounded right by her ear. "Don''t move."


    It was Hull.


    His warm breath brushed against her neck, sending a shiver down her spine that was half nerves, half...something else.


    "Raise it up a little," he murmured.


    "Like this?" Susanna asked, her voice shaky.


    "Yeah. Now, pull the trigger."


    She did as he said. This time, the bullet hit dead center.


    Before Hull showed up, she''d been practicing at the shooting range with Barnaby for an hour already. At first, she could barely bring herself to even fire the gun. Then, her arms started aching from the recoil.


    Funny thing was, Susanna had been more emotional than evertely, especially whenever Hull was around. But today, she stuck with it. Even though her hands were numb and her arms ached, she didn''t quit.


    So much had hit her, all at once-from finding out the truth about her own life, to nearly getting kidnapped the night before. Every step hade out of nowhere, and she knew time wasn''t on her side.


    Hull''s hand tightened reassuringly on her waist as he nced at the fresh hole in the center of the target. His eyes looked darker than ever. "What''s got you out here practicing today? Last night?"


    She nodded. "And...my mom. What happened to her, it''s just the beginning."


    Yeah, striking out on her own was just the start.


    What had happened all those years ago wasn''t over. Not even close. Susanna knew things were only going to get rougher from here on out.


    But she''d never been one to wallow. She adapted fast. This change her learning


    to stand up for herself-wasn''t really that sudden after all.


    Hull said softly, "You don''t have to do all this, you know."


    He meant, of course, that as his woman, she''d be protected.


    "Oh? Because you''ll protect me?" she shot back, arching a brow.


    He grinned. "You don''t want that?"


    "It''s not that," she admitted.


    Honestly, who wouldn''t want the kind of peace Star had, even in the middle of chaos? Protected, cared for, as if nothing bad could ever touch her. But even Star, despite all that, had ended up having to teave Oakridge three years ago.


    And as Star told her, if she hadn''t learned how to defend herself, she wouldn''t


    have survived half of what she''d faced out there.


    "Being protected and fitting in-they''re kind of the same thing," Susanna said, taking a deep breath.


    She knew her future wasn''t going to be all sunshine and apple pie. She''d have to walk a razor''s edge, and there was no changing that.


    So, she''d just have to be someone who could handle it.


    Hull grinned, brushing his hand across her forehead. "Not bad. You''re tougher than you look."


    He remembered how much she''d cried before-God, that had been exhausting. He''d half-wondered if


    Sver stop. But here she was,


    already changing.


    Not that crying was wrong, he admitted to himself. It just...felt different now.


    If she wanted to learn how to fight, he''d teach her. At least then, if something went wrong, she wouldn''t be helpless.


    "Things at ck Gate are a mess right now," he warned. "Helping your mom won''t be easy."


    ?


    "How messed up are we talking?" Susanna''s heart pounded. The word plicated" always sent her nerves over the edge. She tried not to imagine what her mother was caught up in.


    Hull lowered his voice. "It''s not just your mom fighting with the current boss. There''s more going on."


    Susanna''s eyes widened. "What do you mean?"


    Hull squeezed her waist gently. "Your dad, Derek, and his new wife... Well, turns out Derek''s got more than one son."


    Susanna blinked. "Wait, what?"


    More than one son? Just how many kids did that woman have? Twins? Or...two sons from different times?


    Hull shrugged. "Seems there''s another son in the picture. And he''s in the running for control, too."


    Susanna could only stare. "How many sons can there be?!"