by Barb Han
“He was surprisingly good with it. I did my best to let him down easy by telling him that Brax needed a place to stay tonight and there just wasn’t enough room for four people to be here and be comfortable. I told him that you felt bad about it, so you offered to cover his room for the night,” she said.
“Sounds like he took it better than I expected him to,” Corbin said. There was something in Jody’s eyes that Corbin didn’t trust. “I got a text from the sheriff. He’s keeping Uncle Keif overnight.”
“I think I know what you’re about to say and I agree one hundred percent. I doubt he wanted me to have to bring in the big guns on this one.” Her gaze bounced from Brax to Corbin and they both chuckled, breaking up some of the tension of the day.
“Speaking of good fortune, I can’t believe Mrs. McDermott brought over her snickerdoodles,” she said.
“The smells in this kitchen are amazing,” Brax stated. “Did I mention how well cookies go with a fresh cup of coffee?”
He made a show of topping off his mug.
“Make yourself at home,” Liv said, waving her arm around like they were in a showroom and she was unveiling a new car. She had every intention of having one of those cookies. She walked over to the tin and opened the container. She passed cookies around before tossing one in her own mouth, realizing this must be what heaven was like. She blinked up at Corbin, and thought, Correction, that’s what heaven feels like.
After they’d dipped into the treats, she realized it was getting pretty late. She’d bit back three yawns in the past five minutes and Corbin had called her on it. She was tired but it wasn’t the same as earlier when she’d gone to bed. It had been heavy and she’d been cloaked in sadness last time. Now, there was so much more lightness surrounding her and for the first time in a while a real sense of hope that she might have a decent future here. In fact, one of the first calls she planned to make with the new phone numbers she had was to Mrs. Paisley, to talk to her about the possibility of a job. Funds were getting low and she needed to get out of the mess of the divorce, sign the papers, and put that huge mistake behind her once and for all.
“You mentioned before needing a real lawyer, a good lawyer to look over your divorce papers,” Corbin began. She caught a look between him and Brax that she decided to ask him about later when the two of them were alone.
“As a matter of fact, I do,” she said. She motioned toward the stack of papers on the table.
“Do you happen to have a digital file?” Corbin asked. His phone was out, and he was shooting off a text to someone. Their family lawyer?
“Yes.” She grabbed her own phone, located the document, and then texted him the file. She’d printed out a copy because she was fundamentally better with paper than trying to read something so important on her phone.
Within ten minutes, she had one of the top lawyers in Texas working on her case, and Corbin had already sent the document. She couldn’t help but think it must be nice to have that kind of clout and stature, but she wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. She was just grateful that this whole nightmare could finally come to a close.
Before she’d finished her last cookie, the new lawyer had already reached out to her to say everything looked good, except for the section pertaining to the house. By the morning, she’d have paperwork that reflected the change. Paperwork, that she could, in good faith, sign, and he would make certain she could do it electronically so she could be done with this as quickly as possible.
“It looks like it’s going to be a done deal,” she said, still a little shocked at how fast Corbin could get something done. “He got them to strike the house and sign a new agreement.”
“At ten o’clock at night? Makes me wonder if Uncle Keif and maybe even Kellan were making a play for this place because they’re trying to buy up anything and everything they can for a bargaining chip.” Brax said after a thoughtful pause.
Corbin was already nodding before Brax finished his sentence. “I just had the same thought.”
Liv’s cell buzzed. She picked it up off the table and glanced at the screen. She didn’t bother to hide her shock. “Wow. It’s done. The paper is here for me to sign.”
“With Uncle Keif under investigation and spending tonight in jail, maybe they just want to be done with this whole episode and put it behind them too,” Brax said. He shot another look at his brother than Liv definitely was going to be asking his brother about later.
“Uncle Keif is in jail?” Corbin asked.
“You didn’t hear?” Brax asked.
Corbin shook his head. “I haven’t spoken to Lawler in a while. Guess I didn’t get the latest update.”
Liv stared at the screen. Excitement bubbled up as she pulled up the document, and then signed everywhere she needed to. Sending that e-mail made her fifty pounds lighter.
“I didn’t realize how much this had been weighing on me until now,” she said with a genuine smile and the very real feeling life might be turning in her favor.
Could she trust the feeling?
16
“Wake up, Liv. We have to go,” Corbin’s strong voice broke through the fog.
Liv coughed, chugging in smoke as she felt herself being shaken. She bolted upright as a wet hand towel was placed over her nose and mouth. She quickly assessed the situation and realized there was fire this time. There was smoke, heat and Corbin was coaxing her to get up and run.
He opened the second story window and shouted down to someone she believed was probably Brax. He grabbed the comforter and motioned for her to go to the window.
She climbed over as he threw the covers outside, holding tight to one end.
“Grab hold,” he instructed. “I won’t let you fall.”
She did and climbed out as far as she could to a waiting Brax.
“You can drop. I’ll catch you,” Brax said.
Liv let go of the blanket and within seconds found herself landing on Brax, who shielded her from the ground. A few seconds later, Corbin joined them.
“The hoses.” She jumped to her feet and then tore off around the side of the building. Corbin took the opposite side and Brax stayed back.
As she rounded the corner, she slammed into a literal wall. Before she could scream for help, another rag was being forced over her nose and mouth.
Liv blinked her eyes open as she was being dragged toward the woods. She could not afford to lose consciousness. Her eyes had not adjusted to the light. Her nose and throat still burned from the smoke.
There was something familiar about the male figure literally dragging her toward the trees. She struggled to stay conscious and managed to get out an ear-splitting scream for help.
The man turned around. His full force of attention on her. She had no idea if Corbin or Brax could hear her over the sounds of the water hose or the fire, so she couldn’t count on them coming to her rescue.
While being dragged, she dug her fingernails into the man’s wrists. He grunted and muttered a curse.
“Uncle Jody.” She would recognize his voice anywhere.
He practically growled at her. “It’ll all be over soon enough now and if I’m lucky no one will find the body.”
She struggled against his grip that was like a vise.
“You’re in the way. You need to go,” he said. The sound of his voice was so evil and absent. Absent of any emotion. Absent of any humanity. And absent of any redeeming quality. He seemed determined to take her out and she quickly realized he was the only family she had left. With her out of the picture, the house and land would revert to him. He would inherit everything, including her small bank account. “Keif promised me he could get rid of you and I could have the house if I ‘helped’ you decide to go and never look back. It wasn’t supposed to come to this, stupid child. Look what you’re making me do.”
The fact that the place had been set on fire would cast suspicion away from him. Why would he destroy something that he wanted so badly? The place itself was worth a fair
amount of money but the sentimental value far outweighed any monetary value for the property that had been in her family for generations.
The timing of her divorce, and the play Corbin’s uncle had made for the property, would make them seem guilty. Keifer Firebrand seemed to want rid of her. It was awful someone hated her so badly, but he wasn’t a criminal and never would have sanctioned this. Now, she suspected Jody had gotten ahold of Kellan’s phone to send those threatening texts.
So, she had one choice because she knew if this man got her into those woods, she was not coming out alive.
Again, she screamed a blood-curdling scream. Uncle Jody spun around and took a swipe at her. The move caused him to release one of her arms, which was a turn of fate. It was her dominant side. She planted it on the ground and bucked as he bent toward her. She kicked her feet up and was able to connect with his chin. His head snapped back and she heard a crack, which meant she’d done some damage. Good.
She managed another yelp, but heard the thunder of footsteps coming their way before she had a chance to unleash. Uncle Jody must have heard it too because he bit out a string of expletives and dropped her.
He took off running toward the woods, disappearing into the tree line.
“Stay with her,” Corbin’s voice cut through the darkness.
The next thing she knew, Brax was kneeling by her side.
“Where are you hurt?” he asked, helping her sit up.
She assessed the damage and decided, for better or worse, it was just a couple of scrapes and bruises.
“I’m okay. What about Corbin?” she asked. Her eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness and she saw Brax lean back to sit on his heels. He had his hands on either side of the hips and his gaze directly focused on the tree line.
“He knows what he’s doing,” was all Brax said. The fact he spoke with authority had her convinced he was trying to persuade himself staying back as requested had been the best move.
Corbin could see the object of his anger less than ten feet in front of him. The man was large and Corbin immediately knew who it was…Jody. No cane this time. And the man could run. He was bolting through the trees, zigzagging, trying to put distance between them.
All Corbin had to do was turn up the gas and he would catch the man. So, that was exactly what he did.
When Corbin was within arm’s reach of Jody, he launched himself at the back of the man’s knees. Jody dead-legged, his knees jutted forward as his torso flew backwards. He landed on top of Corbin’s back, knocking the wind out of him as the pair hit the ground. Jody’s sheer size had Corbin pinned to the ground for a few seconds as he caught his breath.
Corbin rolled and scrambled up onto all fours in time to take the heel of Jody’s boot in the shoulder. The kick was fired from a bad angle and came up short, so left minimal damage. Corbin hopped to his feet. Sticks and rocks jabbed into him as he pushed through the pain so he could deliver a blow that connected with Jody’s nose.
Corbin withdrew his hand and tried to shake off the pain shooting through his hand from his knuckles.
Jody went on a rampage, kicking, punching, and grabbing at Corbin. The moves were desperate, but a few connected, causing more pain to shoot through Corbin in more places than he wanted to count. He threw a punch, connecting his fist with the man’s jaw. He heard bone crunching. At least, that was the sound. Jody was built solid and the man could take a beating. Jody had obviously been in his fair share of fights.
By the time footsteps came, Corbin had Jody face down with his hands jerked up behind his back. Corbin’s foot was jammed on the center of the guy’s back. This probably wasn’t the time to think about the fact Corbin was barefoot and bleeding from the bottom of both feet. All he cared about right now was whether or not Liv was okay.
“I can take over for you,” Brax said. “Lawler is on the way.”
“And Liv?” Corbin risked a glance back as Brax took over.
“I’m here.” Those two words spoken by Liv were the sweetest sound Corbin had ever heard. It was all he could do not to drop down on one knee and ask her to marry him right then. Because he realized his life was empty without her. But she’d asked him a question and he’d never answered it. She deserved to hear it from him.
He made a beeline toward her, ignoring the pain as sticks and rocks jabbed his feet. He brought her into his arms where she fit perfectly.
“You asked me a question a while back that I never gave you an answer to,” he said.
“And what was that, Corbin?” she asked, leaning into him. Her body flush with his.
“You asked me why I never married Dani.” He took in a slow breath, readying himself for what would come. Rejection? Was this too soon for her to even think about giving a relationship a chance?
“And why was that?” she asked.
“She wasn’t you.” Corbin held his breath for a few seconds. “I think I’ve been in love with you my entire life. And I know the timing now is terrible. You just put a mistake behind you and you probably need time and I want you to know that you can have it. I’ll give you anything you want. I’m yours. And there’s no time limit on the offer. Tell me to go away and I’ll respect your decision.” His eyes were adjusting to the darkness and he could see those dark roast eyes of her clearly. He brought his hand up to her chin to lift her face toward his, thinking about how desperately he wanted to claim her mouth. “I’m hopelessly in love with you, Liv. I always have been and I suspect I always will be. I love you. I want to be together and it doesn’t matter how or when. We can move on your terms. I’m not particular. I just need you in my life.”
She studied him intensely and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what she was thinking. His chest squeezed at the thought she didn’t feel the same way and he readied himself for the crushing blow that might come.
“I love you, Corbin,” she said and he finally exhaled the breath he’d been holding. “I have been in love with you for as long as I can remember. And you’ve been my best friend for as long as I can remember. And I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else. It’s you. It’s always been you.”
Corbin did what he’d been needing to do for too long…claimed those gorgeous cherry lips of hers. Her mouth moved against his and he could’ve sworn he heard a choir singing in the background. When she parted her lips to tease his tongue inside her mouth, his chest detonated. Liv was the only person who had the power to destroy him in the best possible way.
When he finally pulled back, her expression intensified and her eyes shot a warning.
“You know this new development is likely to end our friendship,” she said, her face breaking into a smile.
“I sure hope so,” he said. He smiled at his future, at his life, at the woman he couldn’t wait to spend forever with. He had one thought…home. He was finally home where he belonged.
17
Epilogue
Dane Firebrand stood inside the barn where he’d spent a good chunk of his childhood. The few fond memories he had of growing up on his grandfather’s ranch were either in here or out on the land. News that his grandfather had passed away had come while Dane was in deep, on a mission. He’d spent the past few weeks cooling off in Virginia before finally getting the green light to go home. He came to pay his respects out of family obligation. After he ticked that box, he planned on buying a cabin on a little piece of land in Colorado, finding a horse, and staying as far away from people as he could.
A burning sensation worked through his right hand, the aftershocks of getting too close to an IED while trying to confirm it. Frustration seethed at the mistake that left him with permanent nerve damage and a military career in the rearview.
Dane issued a sharp sigh, trying to rein in his irritation. The last thing he needed was to come home to a bickering family while he was figuring out his next move. All he really wanted to do was say goodbye to the man who’d been the reason Dane had joined the military after high school in the first place. Gettin
g away from Marshall Firebrand’s manipulations and Lone Star Pass, Texas, was probably the smartest move Dane had ever made.
He looked around, thinking the only thing he’d missed was his mother, brothers, and this barn. Don’t get him wrong, Texas was in his blood and he loved the land more than life itself. Being here reminded him too much of the constant feuding between his father and uncle, and the memory of an event he couldn’t bring himself to dredge up. The past was the past. And that was exactly where it needed to stay as far as he was concerned.
Confronting the Marshall about his sick need to play his sons against each other hadn’t gone well. Their last conversation had only driven a bigger wedge between Dane and his grandfather, last words that could never be taken back now.
Regrets were something Dane was getting a little too used to living with. There was something about bullets flying next to his head that gave him the ability to shut out the world.
How was he supposed to do that now?
* * *
To continue reading Dane’s story, click here.
Also by Barb Han
Texas Firebrand
Rancher to the Rescue
Disarming the Rancher
Rancher under Fire
Rancher on the Line
Undercover with the Rancher
Rancher in Danger
* * *
Don’t Mess With Texas Cowboys
Texas Cowboy’s Protection
Texas Cowboy Justice
Texas Cowboy’s Honor
Texas Cowboy Daddy
Texas Cowboy’s Baby
Texas Cowboy’s Bride
Texas Cowboy’s Family
* * *
Cowboys of Cattle Cove
Cowboy Reckoning
Cowboy Cover-up