Guarding Hope (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha)

by Steele, C. M.

  They arrived in the first town east of the gas station, looking out of place with their well-tailored suits and catching glances of the residents. Getting nowhere, they moved to the next town. For six hours, they roamed two towns, questioning every soul around. No one had seen her and were genuinely surprised. That’s when they ran into the town Sheriff, Ray McCain.

  “Can I help you, gentlemen?” he asked, sliding his hands along his gun belt.

  Sensing the sheriff’s distrust, Jimmy blurted out, “We’re looking for my friend’s daughter. She went missing this morning, and we’re worried.” They handed the picture to the sheriff.

  He took a thorough look at the photo and replied, “Sorry to hear that. She’s stunning, but I haven’t run into anyone I don’t know…well—except for you boys.”

  His head tilted and his brows scrunched together as he took another look at the young woman’s picture. “We can put up her photo in our post office if you’d like.”

  “No. If she’s not here, then she won’t be headed this way.”

  “Well, then, there’s only one ranch nearby, but the owner’s a grumpy bastard. You can ask him. Other than that, I’m afraid you’re wasting your time.” Ray knew something was off about the suits, and his cousin would be aware of who they were.

  “Thanks. We’ll make a stop over there.” They shook the sheriff’s hand, then jumped into their SUV and left. They passed a sign that read:

  Gibson Cattle Ranch—2 miles

  “I bet that’s the one he’s talking about.” They drove up to the ranch, ignoring the “No Trespassing” sign. Just as they stepped out of the SUV, the cowboy they ran into earlier walked out onto the porch.

  “I’m guessing you can’t read. It says no tres…wait…weren’t you the guys at the gas station?”

  “Yes, we were told to come here. Did she show up here?”

  “No. I haven’t seen the woman you’re looking for. It’s dark out, so she better be somewhere safe. If she’s out on my fields, she won’t last the night. Good luck, and get off my property. My new bull is a little restless if ya know what I mean, and he don’t take kindly to interruptions.” He winked at the two guys. His cousin had given him a call telling him that there were two guys looking for a missing woman.

  “Sorry about that.” Gage nodded and waited for them to get in their vehicle, but they first passed his SUV, looking into the back seat for her. Now I’m glad she grabbed her shit.

  “This has been a fucking waste of a day. Where did that bitch go?” Jimmy ranted before he entered the driver’s side, unaware that voices carried in that part of the front yard. Gage heard his words, and so did Hope, who hid behind the door, shaking.

  * * *

  Hope felt Gage's arms wrap around her as she shook. “I’m not going to let them get to you. Ever.”

  “You know that I can’t stay here.”

  “Yes, you can, and you will. They won’t be back, and tomorrow this place will be littered with men installing some high-tech gadgets. If I catch them on my property again, I can put a bullet in their heads. Come on. Let’s get you ready for bed.” Gage led her upstairs and to her room.

  When left alone, Hope sat on the bed and just lost herself in thought. She knew that her attraction to Gage was once in a lifetime, but was it fair to be here when danger crept right up on his doorstep?

  A loud sound of crashing pots and pans startled her out of it quickly. She jumped up and ran down the stairs to see what was wrong.

  “What happened?”

  “Baby, what are you doing down here?” He grabbed her around the waist and carried her over his shoulder back upstairs.

  “Put me down,” she shouted and pounded on his back.

  “Be quiet.” Gage marched her to her bedroom and closed the door with his foot. Then he unceremoniously dropped her onto the bed while standing over her with a scowl. “Don’t ever run to investigate a noise. I don’t give a fuck what it is. Until this shit passes, I’m not letting you risk getting caught.”

  “So what am I supposed to do? Be a prisoner here like I was with my father? Will I be stuck inside this room with no contact with anyone?” she challenged, puffing out her chest.

  “You want contact? I can give you contact.” He leaned forward and placed his hands on the bed beside her, trapping her in. The air between the two of them was charged with sexual tension as they stared into each other’s eyes. His body pressed her down into the mattress; their chests both heaved with hunger. Gage’s cock jutted into her stomach, grinding back and forth while his mouth ravaged hers in a deep kiss.

  Needing air, Gage pulled back and stood up.

  “So is that how you’re going to keep me under lock and key?”

  “I’m not going to keep you trapped forever.”

  “You don’t know how long it’s going to take.”

  “Well, no, but soon, I’ll take the main reason for the sale off the table.” His intent was read loud and clear. He planned to take the two-million-dollar price tag for his own. The vision of that popped in both their heads and they equally groaned and adjusted their heated bodies to the image they created.

  “And I’m supposed to trust you?”

  “Who the fuck else you got to trust?” She raised her brows at him, waiting for more. “Besides, I’m not just going to leave you in here. I want you ready to protect yourself, should I be out on the pastures.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m going to teach you some self-defense.”

  “Really? Like, you’re not bullshitting me, are you?”

  “I’m for real, and if you’re a good girl, I’ll show you how to shoot. Have you ever fired a gun before?”

  “No.” Hope closed her eyes, remember the incident with the online self-defense.

  “Well, there’s no time to waste, then. First thing in the morning, you and I are going to ride out to a secluded spot on the property and I’m going to teach you to shoot. Now, do me a favor and get some sleep.”

  “Um. I kind of have a problem. I don’t have any other clothes. I ditched my old ones, thinking I’d be buying a couple of outfits at the nearest Walmart.”

  “Got that. I’ll have clothes delivered by tomorrow night. For tonight, let me get you something to wear.” Gage ran to his bedroom and pulled out his old high school T-shirt and a pair of boxers. He’d grown out of them during his college days, but his mom had packed up a lot of his old things, and he’d had them ready to be sent to Goodwill.

  He dropped off the clothes and went to his bathroom to take an icy shower before he lost control.

  Chapter 9

  The night had been a long one. Gage fought himself all night. The urge to check up on her every five minutes grew until he caved and stole a peek at three in the morning. She was sound asleep, curled into a ball on the bed. The covers had fallen half off the bed, leaving her legs bared for Gage’s eyes. His shirt had ridden up her body, revealing a pair of white panties and the slight dip of her waist. He itched to slide into bed and encircle his arm around her. He knew they’d fit perfectly together.

  “Damn, I’m going to hell,” he groaned, grabbing his cock through his boxers and stroking it to ease the painful ache. Unable to control himself, he crept away from the room and back into his, finally taking himself in his hand until he came with her name on his lips. Moments after coming, he managed to fall asleep.

  It was well after seven in the morning when they both started moving around. She waited for him to be the first to leave the room, unsure how she could face him after sneaking into his bedroom at five to stare at all his sexy glory. The man had been asleep, naked, with his cock, thick and hard, pointing up his abs. Hope didn’t know how to pleasure herself, but if she did, she knew she’d come in a heartbeat if he touched her.

  “Did you sleep okay?” Gage asked as he made coffee for them. The sound of an approaching vehicle halted their conversation, and Hope stayed in the kitchen to wait out whoever was coming.

  According t
o a text Bill sent Gage, the men were already starting in the far end of the pasture, so they had no reason to come to the house so soon. Gage went to the porch to see it was Dax pulling up. “Hey, what’s up?”

  Dax shook his head as he climbed the wide stairs. “Nothing. Came to see what’s going on.”

  “Come on in. I have a little secret,” he whispered to his friend.

  Dax strolled into the kitchen with Gage leading the way. “Whoa. Are you Ms. Cummings?” He knew the answer, but the words came out of his mouth faster than his brain could process it.

  “Hope. It’s okay. This is Daxton Chambers. He’s the one I told you about.”

  “She’s the girl from yesterday?” Dax interrupted.

  “Yes. We happened upon each other. They were onto her until she snuck into my backseat. They showed up here last night looking as well.”

  “Yeah, I heard from Sheriff McCain. They asked around the entire town. That’s why I came here to see if you’d learned anything.”

  “I’ve learned a lot. Cummings’s supposed to sell her to Alfonzo Navarro.”

  “Are you serious? We can’t let that happen.”

  “It won’t happen,” Gage snarled.

  Dax furrowed his brows, mentally assessing Gage’s words. He smiled and muttered, “Another one bites the dust.”

  “Gladly. Now. I’ve already made some calls to get my land secured. The old fences don’t have any locks and shit. I don’t want those fuckers on my property again.”

  “Yes, that’s good and all, but you can’t keep Ms. Cummings trapped here forever. Someone is bound to notice, especially once your staff finds out she’s here.”

  “Please call me Hope,” she asked the Ranger. “I want to erase all things related to him.”

  Gage watched, grinding his teeth as she stared at Dax with pleading eyes. He craved her attention and wanted her needs to be met only by him.

  “Hope, please call me Dax. I’m going to do everything I can to help keep you safe. As much as I’d like you to testify against your father, we need proof of the exchange. Human trafficking is a serious crime.”

  “Well, would you like a cup of coffee?” Hope offers, waving an empty mug at him.

  “Sure. Thanks.” Dax turned to Gage and asked, “What’s the plan for security?”

  “As for the security systems, I have a company coming in a few hours to set up cameras on the perimeter of the ranch. I need new fencing around the main house, which I have coming next week.”

  “Good. I’ll keep an eye on Cummings and Navarro. Unfortunately, I don’t know who Navarro might have in his pocket, so, for now, it’s only us on this. Of course, I can bring TJ into this.”

  “We shouldn’t be bringing all these people in. This is my problem,” Hope said, placing the coffee in front of Dax.

  “Hope. This is what TJ and I do for a living. We’re there to protect the innocent and bust the bad guys. This fuck used to prosecute them, but he’s gone soft.”

  “I hate this, but I think my father killed my mother.”

  “What?”

  “That’s good. If that’s what you feel, maybe we can trace something back to him. Until then, maybe you need to take a vacation.”

  “I could go for that.”

  “But don’t you have a ranch to be handling and all that stuff.”

  “Well, I have people working this week, but perhaps in a couple of weeks, they’ll be able to work without me. Hopefully, Navarro will have lost interest.”

  Chapter 10

  Gage hopped in the cab of his pickup truck, looking at the window upstairs. An unsettling feeling crept into his gut. Leaving Hope in the house alone wouldn’t be the smartest, but he had to continue running his ranch as best as he could.

  Three hours later, he raced back to the property to check on Hope. She didn’t have a cell phone, and she knew not to answer the house phone, so he couldn’t contact her.

  He made a note to get her a cell phone along with new clothes today when they went out shopping. He’d planned to take her for a new wardrobe. She deserved to be in the best and most comfortable clothes. The drive would take them out to Austin where she’d less likely be recognized. Since he’d worked there for a decade, he knew where to go for everything.

  Rushing into the house, he called out her name. No sounds could be heard. Fuck. He dashed through each room until he reached his bedroom door. A low noise from his television gave him some comfort. He slowly twisted the knob, hoping that he wouldn’t frighten her. Sprawled out on his bed, Hope slept with her head toward the foot of the bed.

  “Baby. You scared me,” Gage whispered before bending down and kissing her temple. As he pulled back, her eyes fluttered and her puffy lips parted.

  “Gage,” she moaned.

  “I’ve finished up my end today. Bill has everything under control. I’m ready to take you to Austin.”

  “Oh. Is that a good idea?”

  “As much as I like seeing you in my clothes, I don’t think it’s a good idea for everyone else to see you in them. I might have to commit murder.”

  “Silly. I’ll get dressed.” She scurried off the bed, looking around the room with a curious brow before her eyes widened. “Oh my. I totally forgot that I snuck into your room.”

  “You’re welcome in here.” Gage choked on the words because he envisioned seeing her on the bed all the time with no clothes while he stalked toward her, equally naked.

  She smiled up at him, making his heart race with her natural beauty. “Thank you. I haven’t watched television in years, and I didn’t want to put the television on downstairs in case someone came to the door.” His good humor disappeared as the extent of the neglect showed.

  “Smart. Come on, Hope. Let’s get you some clothes,” Gage muttered through gritted teeth. Cummings deserved a bullet in his head.

  She readied herself in ten minutes. Once in the SUV, she felt a little nervous. “Should I hide in the back or something?”

  “No. Put on my hat, sit back, and relax.” He took off his hat, leaving his hair a mess, but Hope only focused on how handsome Gage looked. His large hand cupped the cowboy hat and then plopped it onto her tiny head. While she blushed and giggled at the way it slid down her face, he had a completely different reaction.

  He gripped the steering wheel hard as she fixed the hat, making his cock throb against his zipper. Her hair framed her face, and the hat only added to her femininity, catching Gage’s attention. Growling, he muttered, “Damn, you are so cute. That hat fits you perfectly.”

  “It floats on me.” She giggled, pushing the brim back up after it slid down her face for the third time.

  “Hold on.” Gage jumped out of the truck and ran back into the house, snatching one of his Rangers baseball caps off the hat rack. He tugged on the door handle on the passenger side and smiled at Hope. “This should be much better.” He adjusted the baseball cap and then handed it to her. “Now, sit back and chill. It’s only forty minutes from here.”

  He closed the door before he gave in to the urge and kissed Hope until they came up for air. They didn’t have time to waste. The drive would be a long one, and he wanted as much time as possible for her to get what she needed. He pulled out onto the drive and down toward the main road, receiving a ping on his phone alerting him to the fact that his security cameras and sensors did their job and picked up on his vehicle passing his ranch.

  He released a sigh of relief, knowing they couldn’t get onto the ranch without him being aware. Halfway through the drive, Gage’s cell rang. “What’s up, Dax?”

  “He’s no closer to finding her. They’re looking closer at the neighboring towns. Watch out. They know she had to get help from someone.”

  “My friend Sean already installed the cameras and additional sensors for vehicles crossing the field. It works. We’re going shopping for some clothes. Something has to be done with Cummings. I know Navarro will drop off when better opportunities hit his plate, but it’s Cummings that will be the o
ne looking hardest for her.”

  “That’s right. We’ve got some petty charges on him, but if we could get more on him, we can have him arrested.”

  “We’ll have it figured out. Lay low until then. I’ve hired my friends to look into Cummings and Navarro, searching for a crime.”

  “What if I just call my father and get him to talk? I’m sure he’ll be pissed enough to snap and say something he shouldn’t,” Hope said.

  “That’s a great idea, but we’d have to be ready to route the call and get Navarro at the same time. It’s a two-headed snake we’re dealing with here.”

  “Do you think there’s a way to bug their house or something?”

  “They’re too smart for that. If we found one of his associates willing to turn on him, then we can get what we need, but they’re too afraid. Rumor has it your father has let the cocaine rot his brain. He’s prone to violent tendencies.”

  “I don’t doubt it. He’s known to have had them before.”

  “He’s hit you before?” Gage asked, disgust etched in his words. His knuckles whitened as he drove on with a scowl.

  “Yes. He beat me when he found out I looked up Martial Arts videos on YouTube.”

  “Dax, I’m doing my best to stay on the right side of the law, but he’s pushing me. Snapping his fat neck has crossed my mind several times.”

  “Remember, you put too many people there to end up cellmates.”

  “That’s not the only thing holding me back.”

  “You’re not your dad,” Dax tossed out.

  “I mean that if I went to prison, I’d never get to be with Hope.”

  “Oh shit. Well, I’ll talk to you both later.” He abruptly ended the call.

  “What was that about? Your dad?”

  “Um…”

  “You know what? Never mind. I shouldn’t press. I’ve caused you enough problems without bringing up a sore subject.”

  “It’s a painfully sore subject, but I don’t want to hold anything back from you. The short of the story is: my father had an affair, and he killed his mistress when he found out she was cheating, then drove drunk and crashed into a tree.”