Except…maybe this isn’t Monroe at all. Nothing’s been the same since coming back to Sabine Valley. Monroe might drive me up the wall, but I’ve been on edge since we put this plan into motion. She’s just savvy enough to identify my fault lines and drive a semi-truck right through it.

None of that means I’m going to let her run roughshod over one of the people I care about most in this world. “Stay away from her.”

“Mmm.” She trails a single finger down the center of my chest. “Even if I were inclined to do that—and I’m not—who’s going to tell Shiloh to stay away from me?” She hooks that wandering finger in the band of my pants and tugs. The tiniest of sensations, but I’m instantly hard as a rock. “Want to go a round, Broderick Paine? Your girl is sexy as hell when she comes, but she’s a selfish little thing.”

The fondness in her voice makes my blood pressure rise. It’s an act. It has to be. She’s just doing this to punish me. She’s willing to hurt Shiloh to fuck with me. “I’ll get her taken off your guard duty.”

Monroe smiles, slow and sure. “Might want to ask her what she thinks before you charge in all high-handed to save her.”

“I’m not going to let you fuck around with Shiloh in some misguided attempt to hurt me.” Shiloh’s only in Sabine Valley—in danger—because of her association with me and my family. It’s all too easy to draw the parallels between Shiloh and the people who died the night we were exiled. Just like that, the scent of smoke scorches my nose. So many fucking people died and their only crime was being associated with the Paine family.

Just like Shiloh is.

“I will not let you hurt her,” I repeat.

“Hurt her?” She raises her brows. “Silly man. Who said this had anything to do with you? I’m a woman with needs, and right now those needs include getting Shiloh naked and coming on my tongue. You don’t enter into the equation. Neither does hurting her—unless she’s into that sort of thing.”

“Liar.”

“You think so little of her that you really believe she’s not attractive enough to pull me? I can’t decide if that’s a compliment or an insult.” She tilts her head to the side. “I think it’s both—to both of us.”