On Sunday morning, Johanna groaned when her cell went off with a message from Izzy saying their parents called and would be home by noon. She cursed loudly and nudged Reider awake. She needed to scoop her things together and head back, but he rolled over and kissed her as his hand explored her warm lips, and a moment later, they breathed heavily against each other, desperately holding on as their weekend came to a close.

This lovemaking wasn’t for passion. She knew he felt the same as she did. If they loved each other fiercely enough, intensely enough, everything would turn out alright. Leaving Reider’s side was the last thing she wanted to do, but there was no other option. Reider groaned as she cried out, holding him as close to her body as she could.

As their breathing returned to normal, their bodies reeling from an orgasm even crazier than what she’d experienced all weekend, Reider smoothed her hair back from her face and kissed her. “We’ll figure this out,” he swore. “Remember that.”

“I know,” she said, holding her hands over his. “We’ll get through it together.”

The overwhelming love etched on his body filled Johanna’s heart, and though she had to leave him for the rest of the day, she knew that every hour, he would think of her, and every night, she would fill his dreams. This was no ordinary love between them; it was a raging inferno she knew there was no hope of trying to contain.

The whole way home, with his teak-wood scent clinging to her body, she thought of ways to escape her current life, how to tell her parents the truth so she and Reider could be happy. For years, she’d been stashing money away in her room on the off chance she ever got up the nerve to take off for a while and leave. But if she left, she would never come back. Not to a family more concerned with fueling a decades’ old fight instead of moving on and learning to tolerate each other.

Johanna parked her car in the driveway at 11:15, and after grabbing her things, hurried inside the house to shower. Izzy grinned from the living room but didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. Johanna was pretty sure it was all over her face that the weekend had been perfect.

The water was hot when she stepped under it, but Reider’s touch was hotter and stayed with her throughout as she washed herself and closed her eyes. She pictured his hands on her, gliding across her wet skin as they had the night before when they took a steamy shower together. The way he knew where to touch her to make her squirm, to make her cry out his name and melt into his arms. Her hand slipped between her legs as her other cupped her breast, remembering those moments.

“Jo? They’re pulling in the drive,” Izzy called after a loud bang on the bathroom door.

Johanna stumbled but managed to stay upright. “I’ll be out in a minute!”

Her hands ran through her wet hair, and she sucked in a few deep breaths to calm her thudding heart. Acting natural was going to be harder than she thought, but she didn’t have a choice. If her brothers suspected she was dating someone, they would grill her until they found out, or stalk her around town. She’d never be alone again.

Johanna dried and dressed quickly, towel-drying her hair before she stepped out of her room and heard Izzy greeting their parents and her brothers grumbling about the conference. From the sound of it, they weren’t able to score any hot women all weekend and were dying to go out on the town.

“Ah, there’s my girl,” Lucy said as Johanna reached the bottom step. “How was your weekend, dear? Get all your work caught up?”

“For the most part,” she said, hoping she sounded bored. “You know how it goes. Last year of college. So much to do.”

“Right, so much work,” Frank added, watching her closely. “What did you girls do all weekend?”

“Told you, I had homework, and Izzy had a movie marathon,” she said and turned pointedly to her little sister for help.

Izzy nodded eagerly. “Right, I nerded out. Watched all the Underworld movies and ate way too much junk food,” she added, and Lucy frowned.

“Really, Izzy, you won’t keep that shape forever, you know. Better to watch what you eat now than wait until you’re too fat to do anything about it,” Lucy muttered and picked up her small suitcase to take upstairs. Jo heard her dad in the lounge. It sounded like he was on the phone, and she breathed a sigh of relief. At least she only had to deal with one parent for a little while.

Izzy watched their mother walk up the main stairs. Her hands twisted together until Johanna walked over and held them. “Sorry.”

“No, don’t listen to her,” Johanna whispered. “You look perfect.”

“She needs to stay looking perfect,” Frank growled as he walked up behind them. “Brandon has a younger cousin who’s single and looking for a lovely woman to date. Isabel, I think you and he would get along.”

Izzy pulled away from her brother and glared. “No thanks, I’m good.”

“I wasn’t asking you. I was telling you,” Frank said sternly. “Dad thought it’d be a good idea and Mom was ecstatic that both of her daughters would be dating high-profile men in the near future.”

“You can’t make her date anyone,” Johanna argued and stood in front of her sister. “For God’s sake, Frank, she’s only nineteen. Give her some time to have a life first.”

“Like you apparently are?” he asked.

Johanna frowned and she crossed her arms. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re glowing,” he said with a darkening frown. “Why? What were you doing all weekend?”

“Told you, working on schoolwork,” she snapped. “Stop questioning me. My answer isn’t going to change.”

“You weren’t studying. You were with a guy, weren’t you?”

“A guy? Who was with a guy?” Fredrick asked as he returned to the room. “Johanna?”

She shook her head so her curls went crazy and stormed towards the stairs. “You two are unbelievable. Stay the hell out of my life.”

“Not if you’re seeing someone behind the family’s back,” Frank accused. “Who is it?”

“No one! There is no guy, so leave me the hell alone. Maybe you should ask your twin what he’s been hiding lately,” she muttered quietly and glanced at Fredrick, whose face paled and feet shifted. “You think I’m the only one who might be harboring secrets under this roof?”

Johanna watched Fredrick take a step away from Frank as his brother eyed him darkly before he whipped his gaze back to hers. “So you admit you’re hiding something. If you’re with a guy, we’ll find out, and when we do—”

“You’ll what? Beat the crap out of him because he’s not Brandon?” She sucked in a deep breath, ready to hurl curses at him, but she had to be careful. One slip, one blow-up, and she might let the whole truth come out before Reider and she were ready to announce it. “There’s no one, so back off and leave Izzy alone.”

Frank held up his hands, but the glint in his eyes said it wasn’t over. He nudged his twin, and Fredrick mumbled something under his breath before rushing for the front door and slamming it behind him. Johanna’s brow furrowed, wondering what he hid from the family, but if she didn’t want him in her business, she was sure as hell not going to pry into his life. The fight wasn’t worth it.

Johanna turned on her heel and said she would be down for dinner. She had more reports to type up. That part, at least, was true. All weekend, she’d spent her time in Reider’s arms and not even bothered to mess with their assignments, which were due tomorrow.

The rest of the afternoon, she worked on her laptop, her thoughts drifting to Reider. Her cell went off towards evening, showing her a message from him saying how much he enjoyed their time together. She texted him back saying she couldn’t wait to see him tomorrow and then deleted the messages, locked her cell in her desk, and went downstairs for dinner early to avoid any unsolicited visits from her family members.

* * *

Reider smirked as he slid his hand casually from his leg to Johanna’s thigh beneath the cover of their desktops during Ashford’s lecture on Monday. As his hand massaged her leg, she covered his hand with hers, pressing it harder against her body. He bit his cheek to stop from grunting with desire and focused his gaze on the white board.

The lecture went on far too long, and Reider thought of nothing except a chance to hold Johanna in his arms again, tear her clothes from her body, and make love to her for hours on end until they were both too spent to move. His hand moved slowly inwards, seeking the warmth waiting for his touch. Briefly, he wondered how wet she would be by the end of this class when Ashford rapped the board with his knuckles and announced class was over.

“Don’t forget to turn in your reports,” he announced.

A few groans echoed through the class, but Reider pulled his out and Johanna reached for hers in her tote. “What are you doing tonight?” he whispered, wanting to lean over and kiss her neck.

“Family meeting,” she muttered darkly. “Don’t ask.”

“You can vent to me later tonight then,” he promised and gave her leg one final squeeze before he pulled away. She leaned her shoulder into his and sighed before she stood up and slung her tote over her shoulder. “Jo?”

She turned, and though she didn’t smile for sake of the people around them, her eyes glimmered with the grin she wanted to share with him. “What?” she asked roughly.

He picked up the pen off her desk—the one with the perfect cap, never touched by an anxious set of teeth—and held it up to her. “Your pen. You want it or not?” He winked as he said it and loved how her body gave a little shiver before she snatched it.

“Guess I should be grateful. Thanks,” she muttered and turned to meet her friend coming from the other side of the room.

They walked out together, and Reider leaned back in his seat, enjoying the view of her ass in the skintight jeans she wore. Tommy called out to him, and Reider said he’d be right there as he picked up his leather bag and dropped it over his shoulder. He took his report to the desk and was about to drop it and leave when Ashford stopped him.

“Reider, mind if we share a word?” he asked, the light glinting off his bald head.

“Something wrong?” he asked, worried he’d screwed up one of the assignments—or worse, his parents were asking questions about the class and who was in it.

“No, not at all. I have something to discuss with you,” he said and stacked the reports together. He tucked them under his arm and picked up his bag. “Walk with me to my office? Unless you have somewhere else you need to be.”

Reider waved Tommy off and turned back to Ashford. “No, I’m good to talk for a few minutes.”

He followed Ashford to his office down the corridor and sat down in front of the desk as his professor closed the door behind them. “So, I wanted to check in and see how you and Johanna were getting along. Everything seems to be in order so far,” he said as he sat down.

“Yeah, we’re managing alright,” he said in a neutral voice. “We both need the class, so no reason making it difficult on each other.”

Ashford’s lips twitched in a smile that said he knew too much. “I see. Is that why you two are so… close now during my class?”

Reider tensed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You know, Reider, I study people for a living. It's part of my job. I pick up on the slightest changes in the actions of people, and those minor actions say many things,” he said and leaned back in his chair. “I think you and Johanna have found something by working together.”

“Right, like how annoying she is?” he snapped and hoped Ashford would back off.

The man barked a laugh. “You can quit the act. No one is here but us, and I’m not going to tattle to your parents—or hers.”

Reider stared at him long and hard before he sagged in the chair and hung his head. “Is it that obvious?” he asked finally, and Ashford laughed lightly. “Damn, we can’t let anyone know. And I mean anyone, or it’ll ruin us both.”

Ashford leaned forward and nodded. “You won’t hear anything from me. I sensed you needed someone to talk to about it, though. You two look like you’re ready to bust, and the fake fighting with each other before and after class… No one else might be able to see through it, but be careful. If you go overboard, your friends will pick up on it.”

Reider nodded and blew out a breath. “I'm not going to lie, it’s a relief for someone else to know.”

“I can imagine,” he agreed. “I must admit, when I partnered you together, I simply hoped you two would find a way to become friends, but this is certainly better.”

“I knew it,” Reider announced as he smacked his hand on the chair arm. “I knew you did this on purpose.”

“Your families have feuded too damn long, and everyone in the town knows it,” Ashford said with a shrug. “I figured I would try my hand at ending some part of it.”

Reider grinned with him until he realized that though his professor was alright with his relationship with Johanna, it meant nothing when it came to what his parents would do when they found out. “Might be a great thing, but I’m not sure how long it’ll last. We’re treading on thin ice, trying to be together, and you know as well as I do what will happen if we’re found out.”

“I do, but for the time being, know you have at least one ally you can talk to. If either side starts growing suspicious, I’ll throw them off the trail the best I can,” he promised.

“Why would you help us?” he asked. “Our families donate a chunk to the college. You could lose your job if you’re not careful.”

“Eh, I’ve had offers from other colleges. I’ll survive,” he scoffed. “But you and Johanna, you two can do something great if your families stay out of the way. You could end the feud or, if nothing else, escape for good.” He shuffled some papers on his desk and glanced at his watch. “Well, I have another class in ten minutes, but you are more than welcome to stop by any time to talk to me. Really.”

He held out his hand. and Reider shook it, some of the anxiety weighing him down falling off his shoulders. “Thanks, Professor.”

As he left Ashford’s office, his cell dinged. He stepped to the side when he saw Johanna’s number and read the message, asking him if everything was alright. She had seen him go into the office with Ashford before she left the building. He wasn’t sure how she would react to their professor knowing about their relationship, so he told her the professor had a question about his report from the week before, nothing to worry about. He didn’t want to lie to her, but they were on dangerous ground and any added worry could cause a slip.

“There you are,” Micah said loudly, and Reider groaned inwardly as his cousin hurried his way. “I’ve been waiting to leave. Let’s go home.”

“You know, you do have a car,” Reider reminded him as they walked. He wanted to catch another glimpse of Johanna. “You could drive yourself to and from campus so you’re not always waiting on me.”

“I’m not ready for that yet,” he said with a shrug. “Besides, it needs to be fixed up.”

“So? You’re one of the wealthiest people in the state. Take it to a shop and get it looked at.”

“Can’t. My money’s tied up, remember?”

Reider slowed and turned to drag Micah out of the way of other people walking. “Yeah, about that, Micah—I really think you need to talk to someone about this paranoia. Your parents had an accident, and you need to accept that.”

Micah’s whole body tensed, and he sneered at Reider. “You really think that, even after I told you I had proof?”

“What proof? It was a drunk driver who hit you, and one having nothing to do with the Chadwicks.”

“Right, so if that’s the case, why was that particular drunk on that two-lane road at the right moment? That guy doesn’t even live around that area, had no reason to be out there!”

“Keep your voice down,” Reider whispered as several people stopped to stare at the two cousins. “We can talk about this at home.”

“No, I’m done talking to you about it. Why don’t you think it’s them? You like their family all of a sudden?” he snapped, stepping closer until he was right in Reider’s face. He glared at him intently, his swamp green eyes looking sickly with his delusions of murder and conspiracy.

Reider gripped his shoulders hard and gave him a little shake. “No. You know I never would, but accidents happen. You can’t blame someone else because you can’t get over the loss.”

“Right,” Micah said quietly and crossed his arms over his chest. “Where were you all weekend?”

Stepping back, surprised by the abrupt topic change, Reider cleared his throat and glared. “I was at the station out on the ranch.”

“Are you sure that’s where you were?”

“I’m pretty sure I know where I spent my weekend. Are you sure you didn’t spend the whole time wrapped in your delusions of killers and drinking yourself into oblivion again? Who dragged your sorry ass home this time? I’m sure my parents would love to know you’re out binging every night and that’s why you’ve been missing half your morning classes.”

“You’re the one who takes me every morning,” he argued.

“Yes, and you’re the one who goes to the library to sleep in one of the study nooks. I’ve seen you there enough times.” Reider hung his head when Micah’s face contorted with rage. “Listen, stay out of my business, and I’ll stay out of yours, deal?” He held out his hand, waiting for Micah to shake, but his cousin shook his head once and stormed off, yelling at people to move out of his way.

Reider leaned back against the wall and ignored everyone’s stares as they passed. He’d hoped Micah would’ve gotten over his parents’ death by now or at least dropped the idea that they were murdered. He wondered if the PI was even legit or if he was simply feeding a rich, distraught son what he wanted to hear for the paychecks. Reider needed the name of the guy so he could track him down and force him to stop before Micah did some real damage to himself or someone else. Telling his parents would be the easiest course of action, but did Micah really know Benny was the one at the station over the weekend and not Reider?

The idea of his cousin finding out about him and Johanna made Reider’s gut twist, and his hands curled in rage. That bastard would ruin everything if he found out the truth, but there was no way he could know. Reider was careful—extremely careful—to make sure Micah didn’t follow him or have any idea about the barn.

They were safe. Reider had to keep believing they were safe. If Micah knew, with his sudden urge for vengeance against the Chadwicks, Reider doubted he would remain silent. He gripped the strap of his bag and exited the building, stalking towards his Wrangler and taking one last long look across the parking lot. By chance, he caught sight of Johanna’s Coupe as it made a turn down his row. Her window was down, and as she passed, she winked at him before hitting the accelerator and speeding off. Reider smirked and fished his keys out from his pocket. He circled around a truck parked by his Wrangler and flinched when he saw Micah waiting at the passenger side door, his face drawn in suspicion.

“You sure you want to ride home with me?” Reider snapped, wondering what Micah saw.

“I’m not walking, and I don’t have money for a cab.”

“You would if you’d stop feeding it to the con-man you’re having investigate a car accident,” he argued and climbed in. He slammed the door shut—a door he had not wanted to put back on—but after a heated argument with him and his dad about taking care of his fragile cousin, Reider had no say in the matter. “You getting in or not?”

Micah grumbled under his breath but pulled himself up and in. Reider started the engine and peeled out of the parking lot, purposely speeding and whipping around turns until Micah yelled at him to stop as his white-knuckled hands pressed against the dashboard. Reider smirked and took a right turn quickly enough to squeal the tires.

“Slow down, you bastard,” Micah snarled.

“Why? I thought you liked my driving,” Reider replied and pressed the pedal to the floor to make it through a yellow light. “What’s wrong? Maybe you should drive yourself from now on.”

They reached home in record time, and Micah’s hands shook as he undid his seatbelt and pointed an accusing finger at Reider. “Don’t think you’re going to scare me off. I know what you’re up to.”

“And what would that be?” Reider turned off the Wrangler and pulled the keys out, but Micah’s hand closed around his tightly. “Let go,” he warned, pulling at his hand, but Micah’s face darkened menacingly as he leaned in close.

“I know you’re hiding something and it has to do with the Chadwicks. I’ll find out, and you’ll be ruined like I was,” he promised and let go, hightailing it out of the Wrangler before Reider could think of anything to say in return.

His cousin disappeared inside, but Reider couldn’t move his body from the vehicle. He sat in his seat as the realization hit him that he’d underestimated his cousin and the craziness, rather than grief, filling him. Micah was growing dangerous, and if he did find out—if he followed Reider around—he would figure out that he and Johanna were together. He would have to tell her the next time he saw her and figure out a way around his cousin’s sudden interest in his life. For tonight, he wouldn’t worry about it and considered telling his parents about the PI, but revealing that much had him on edge.

All Micah had to do to set Reider’s parents off was drop hints that their son was somehow involved with a Chadwick. His dad would lose it, and any hope Reider had of swaying his parents’ minds to let him handle the cattle side of the business would disappear in a shot. He loved his family, was loyal to their business and the name, but at the same time, he was tired of the constant competition between the two families.

Professor Ashford was right. The fight had gone on long enough, and Reider was not going to be a part of it. On Wednesday, he’d talk to Johanna and a plan that would take them both out of the city and far from the reach of their families.