Maverick extended a handshake to the cowboy.
“You wouldn’t be related to—”
Maverick shook his head.
“Me neither!” The man had a magnificent handlebar moustache, a shaggy head of hair beneath his ten-gallon hat, and eyes that twinkled with moonbeams. “I hear you’ve got a horse needs sheltering for a couple weeks. That right, son?”
“I do.” Maverick nodded to the Percheron. “His name is Star. He’s more like a big kid. I need you to take especially good care of him.”
“He belong to that lady in there?” Ebenezer nodded toward the chopper.
“Yes, sir.” Maverick stroked Star’s very intelligent face. The horse nickered softly and nuzzled his hand. This was another hard goodbye.
“That’s Miss China Wolf.” The way Ebenezer said her name made Maverick take a second look. The old cowboy looked awestruck.
“Yes, sir. You’re right.”
“Why you betcha. I’ll take real good care of this horse, same as if he were mine. She don’t know me from Adam, but I know that lady’s world-famous Percherons like I know my own kids. You tell Alex there’s no charge for this one. It will be an honor to help this particular lady in distress.”
“Alex? How do you know my boss?” Maverick cocked his head at his new friend.
Ebenezer’s eyes sparkled with a tender light. “Only that he sure as shootin’ knows a thing or two about horses. Yessirree Bob.”
“Alex Stewart? Are you sure we’re talking about the same man?”
Ebenezer smiled like the cat that ate the canary. “Yer darn tootin’. Who do you think’s been buying all of Miss China’s horses?”
“But how?” Maverick shot a confused look to Gabe.
He shrugged. “You didn’t think the boss would just let you walk away in your greatest hour of need, did you? Shit, Maverick. This is Alex you’re talking about. He’s been waiting for you to call, you dumbass.”
Maverick swallowed hard. He couldn’t break down in front of these guys, so he stuffed his emotions away. It didn’t work so good.
Gabe pulled him into one of those guy hugs and slapped his back while he growled into his ear. “We’ve got your back, bro. Always have. Always will. You should damned well know that by now.”
Shit. What’s a guy supposed to say to that?
Maverick wiped his face, damned glad this elite company of snipers was still willing to claim him. There was nothing better than working with a company of men and women who truly fought the good fight and most times did it alone.
Nothing better in the world.
Maverick made it back to the ranch before sun-up. The rendezvous had taken all night, but he’d had plenty of zero-dark-thirty missions in the past. This was nothing new. He splashed cold water from the horse trough over his head and down his neck because he’d run all the way back to the ranch once Ebenezer took Star.
For the first time in days, he felt hopeful. China and Kyrie were in good hands. Maybe not his, but Taylor’s and Gabe’s hands would do until he got things finished at the Wild Wolf. And Alex had bought all the horses except the ones Josh Winters had? Sweet.
He waited out back of the bunkhouse at Puppy’s now completed and wonderfully pink doghouse. Somewhere along the line, he had decided it needed white trim around the windows. With all his worrying for Kyrie and China, the doghouse had transformed into a damned dollhouse. Kyrie would love it.
“Looks darned purdy if you ask me.” Zeke ran a hand lovingly over the edge of the rooftop. “I see ya found a good use for them old shingles. Where you gonna put it?”
“Wherever Kyrie wants it.”
That was all it took to get X going. “I hate Reardon. He’s a cat murderer, and he’s got no business being in Miss China’s house, neither.”
Z was just as quick on the uptake. “Jefferson Wolf’s gotta be turning over in his grave by now.”
“Heck, he’s probably rolled over a dozen times if he’s rolled over once.”
“Good thing he didn’t live to see this day. Reardon’s as dumb as a box of rocks and twice as ugly.”
“You got that right. And he’s a murderer. He… He drowned all my cats.” X swiped a hand over his face, his anguish still raw and Reardon unforgiven. “Miss Leezel shoulda stopped him.
“Hey, guys, now hold on.” Maverick thought he needed to offer at least one hopeful word into the playing field, even if it was just a smokescreen. At least until he heard back from Gabe and Taylor. Knowing that China had survived Reardon’s hell house would make all the difference. Might even buy Reardon a reprieve. Might not. “We’ve got to keep our chins up to show China and Kyrie we’re here for ’em. They’re the important ones, right?”
“I still hate Reardon,” X muttered. “That uppity Miss Leezel, too. They’s both cat murderers. That’s all they is. Good for nuthin’ killers.”
“And the horses.” Maverick reminded them, attempting to stay on track. “We’ve got to think of what’s left of China’s horses. Someone’s got to care for them. Reardon and Leezel won’t.”
Z grunted. “Miss Leezel will sell ’em all, every last one of ’em, sure as I’m standing here and spitting chew. She ain’t never liked horses, least of all that white one of Miss China’s.”
Maverick played it cool. X and Z might be angry with him when all was said and done, but he needed their answers to be authentic when it came time to face Reardon and Leezel. Once they woke up from their drunken stupor and discovered China was missing, X and Z needed to act surprised and bewildered.
“Don’t worry, guys. Leezel and Reardon aren’t stupid.”
X rubbed his face. “Why you defending them all a sudden? You like Miss Leezel and her biker stooge, do you?”
“No. Hell no.” He shook his head to emphasize his words. “But we’ve got to hold this place together until Miss China recovers.”
But X’s choice of words created an odd sensation of cold fingers creeping up Maverick’s spine. Stooge. If Reardon was the puppet, that made Leezel the puppet master. She certainly had her hand stuck far enough up his ass to make his lips work. Had she sent him to trash China’s yard that first night, too? Had she been behind everything from the start?
X scratched his head. “Guess you might be right.”
“Ya think she will?” Z peered into Maverick’s face. “Recover I mean. You saw her in that wheelchair. Poor thing looked like death warmed over. Ya think she’ll ever be the pretty lady we used ta know?”
Maverick had to look away. Z might be an old guy, but he was plenty perceptive. “I think China is stronger than any of us realize.” He sent a silent prayer heavenward. Please, Lord. Help her be stronger than she realizes, too.
“Okay, then.” Z thumped the doghouse roof, as if that was good enough for him. “Guess I’ll hook up the cultivator since I can’t cut the hay.”
“Sure wish ya couldn’t cut the cheese neither,” X drawled.
Z’s left brow lifted at Maverick. “I have gotta teach that guy some manners.”
Only after Maverick made a call to Taylor and Gabe could he breathe easy. China’s condition was stabilized. She was now on her way to Virginia where Alex had a safe house prepared for her and Kyrie. The weight of the world lifted off Maverick’s shoulders. He would have that talk with China the first chance he got. He would stop being stupid. He would tell her he loved her, and she would marry him, damn it.
He should’ve never sat down, though, not as exhausted as he was. But X and Z were off to cut the grass hay in one of the many fields and wouldn’t be back until dinner. He stayed behind to keep an eye on Reardon or Leezel. Someone needed to.
He headed for the shade at the far side of the half-finished barn. China had dragged a few wooden lawn chairs there because she liked to watch her horses in the evening. He sat down and rested his boots on the bottom beam of the corral rail. He pulled the brim of his cap down low over his trusty Oakleys and let the cool breeze floating through the Cottonwoods do its thing.
Spring filled the air with the fresh scent of flowers mixed with the fragrance of moist damp earth, newly sawn lumber, and the new mown hay. He dozed off.
It didn’t take long before he dreamed that he was riding high with a lovely lady on the broad back of a flying horse named Star. He wrapped his arms around China’s slender waist to keep her from falling. He ducked his head into the crook of her neck and savored the smell of her hair in his face. The woman was downright edible, the scent of wild Russian olive blossoms on the wind.
The cool of the dream and the warm curve of her body against his drenched him in peace. Joy spread all the way to his groin, and in his dream, he smiled. Yes. He wanted this woman in every way possible. When the day came to possess her, she would never doubt whom she belonged with. He would claim every inch of her body, and he would take his time doing it. He would brand her with kisses and passion until they were joined as one in all the high heavens and mated for life. Maybe even eternity.
They drifted through galaxies filled with silvery moonlight where Gorgeous and China Love played once more. Damned if Darrell didn’t appear out of nowhere, his wife and baby boy in his arms. He waved and Maverick sent a proper USMC salute. All was right with the universe once more. A thousand winged foals raced alongside, and at their center flew a dark-haired woman with smiling blue eyes and flowing ribbons of black hair.
He reached for her.
She came to him and pressed herself into his body. Every inch of him responded to the warmed of her. He gathered her close, wanting nothing more than to kiss her sweet lips and to savor the taste of her—
Foul. Cigarette-flavored. Tongue.
Yuck!
He gagged and jolted out of the dream. Someone was in his arms all right. Someone with red hair. Her bony knees were wedged in tight between the armrest and his hips and her tongue was down his throat.
Leezel. Shit damn!
He choked enough to break her grip on his mouth, then leaned backward to escape her bony clutches. He pushed her shoulders away, but she straddled him, grinding herself into his lap and moaning. He dug his boot heels into the ground and sent the chair flying backward. They tumbled head over heels. If it were anyone else, she would’ve landed in his arms, but he rolled out from beneath her and shoved her off.
Shit damn and holy hell!
“What’s wrong with you?” With a one-handed pushup off the ground, he lifted to his feet and wiped the vile flavor of pure dementia off his lips.
She pushed to her hands and feet, a cat ready to spring into action. Her eyes glittered, and what the hell had she been smoking or sticking up her nose? “That was a lot a fun. Don’t ya think?”
Obviously, she hadn’t noticed the empty wheelchair or the fact that Kyrie hadn’t come down for breakfast, yet. Just as he suspected.
“You don’t fool me.” She swayed nervously back and forth as if she couldn’t hold still—that or she was half King Cobra and thought she could hypnotize him.
“God, woman. Are you crazy?” He spat again and wiped his mouth.
“Come on, cowboy. You know what they say. While the cat’s away...” She pulled her shirtsleeve down over her shoulder, her lip stuck out in a pout. “Oh, come on. You’ve wanted me since the first time you laid eyes on me. You know you did. Go on. Admit it.”
He jerked his head toward the ranch. “Get back to your boyfriend.”
“Who? Troy?” She wrinkled her nose. “He’s no fun anymore. Too bossy. ’Sides, he ain’t here.”
“Where is he?” Damn, she had a lot of nerve.
She shrugged. “Went to town I guess. Don’t really know. Don’t much care.”
“Sorry.” Maverick meant that on so many levels, but her words proved his suspicions. Reardon didn’t know that China and Kyrie were missing, either. “Go find your man.”
“I’m already with my man.” She wiggled her chest at him.
“No. You’re not.” He turned and spat one more time. “Take off.”
“What? Don’t you like me?” So that’s where Kyrie got that line.
He put both hands to his hips and glared at her. Damned if she didn’t wiggle from the top of her crazy redhead all the way down to her stupid red shoes. And everything in between.
Aw, shit. He should’ve known. She liked angry, mean men. She like abuse. Being slapped around, chased around, and maybe doing the slapping and chasing, too. She liked rough sex. That was what excited her, the whole power struggle thing. The Dom/Sub crap he never understood. Their little romp with the chair proved it. The rougher the better.
He calmed down. Getting fired up would only stroke her libido, the last thing he wanted to stroke. He turned and walked away.
She whined and followed. “Oh, come on, Mav. You can’t just go.”
He let his boots to the talking.
“Mav honey, come on.” She resorted to pleading. “Troy ain’t gonna be home for a couple hours, maybe longer. We got all kinds a time.”
He was nearly to the porch when he heard the threat.
“I’ll tell.”
He dropped his tired ass on the top step, pulled his ball cap over his eyes and crossed his arms on his knees. “Tell what?”
“That you kissed me.” She bee-lined to the steps and stood in front of him. “I’ll tell him you had your hands all over me, and you know what? He’ll believe every word I say.”
Sure he will. Reardon’s dumb like that.
Maverick focused on the ground at her feet and counted to ten. As Z might have said, this woman was nine kinds of persistent and ten kinds of disgusting.
“What do ya say, huh? Just one teensy roll in the hay for old time’s sake? Troy’ll never know. I won’t tell him.” She placed one high heel-clad foot on the lowest step, her long tanned leg exposed up to her butt.
“I’ll do you one better.” Maverick edged his cell phone out of his jeans pocket. “How about instead, we show your boyfriend some pictures I found on the web for old time’s sake?”
He didn’t have a single shot of her, but apparently there were some floating around. She backed off quick as lightning, pulled that brazen leg back alongside the other where it belonged.
“How could you...? Where did you...?” She stared him down as if she couldn’t decide if he was telling the truth or not.
He tapped the camera app on his phone. “Wanna see?”
“I hate you, Maverick Carson. Y. G. M. M. W. I. G.” With a self-righteous huff, she stalked up the stairs beside him.
Whatever the hell that means.
Her heels clicked across the porch. The screen door hissed quietly shut, but the heavy wooden door slammed. Music to his ears. Maverick pushed off the steps and walked away.
Feeling’s mutual, lady.
“Where the crap is she then?” Reardon bellowed. He had only been back from town five minutes when the shit hit the fan.
About damned time.
Zeke and Xavier’s heads jerked to the porch when Leezel burst out the front door and marched down the steps, her eyes raking the yard from left to right as if she had lost something.
Or someone.
Maverick tucked his brim down good and tight. Showtime.
“Hey, you guys!” Leezel ran toward them, but she seemed a might unsteady in her fancy shoes. She wobbled and leaned a little too far to the left to walk straight.
Yep. That’s what putting on a good drunk will do for a gal.
“Have you guys seen my little girl?” She asked more politely as she peered toward the corral, her brows lifted.
“No, ma’am. We ain’t.” Z answered for all of them. “We jes’ come in from the field for a rest. Been cutting the south forty. We was wondering where Miss Kyrie wanted her doghouse.”
“She doesn’t have a dog,” Leezel snapped, but the moment she did, she bit her lip and softened her words. “I mean, why, that’s very nice, Z, but the last thing my little girl needs is a doghouse. She don’t’ have a dog. I couldn’t possibly let her keep that mangy stray that’s
been hanging around, and besides, I ain’t seen it lately, have you?”
Z shook his head. “Now that ya mention it, I ain’t seen it since yer boyfriend got rid a them cats. Have you, X?”
“I ain’t neither,” X drawled thoughtfully. “I could look around fer it if ya—”
“No! Just stop it already! I’m asking about my little girl, not that mangy mutt. Have ya seen her or not?”
X and Z shut their mouths and shook their heads.
Maverick lifted his head. “I see your old man made it home.”
Leezel blinked as if she had just noticed him. She never missed a beat, not like she could have seen his eyes. “Listen. You guys go look for her, and I’ll check through the house one more time, and then I’ll—”
“I ain’t found ’em.” Reardon’s bellow from inside the house interrupted Leezel’s charade. “You found ’em yet?”
“No!” she shrieked back at him. “Keep looking.”
“Them?” Z asked, his brows furrowed.
“Oh, you guys know how Troy is. He really means her. Have I found her? He didn’t mean to say them. Just Kyrie. I’m only looking for Kyrie. Shit. Who else would I be looking for?” She chuckled nervously, her eyes back at the empty corral again.
Maverick suppressed a smile. Miss Leezel seemed to be having a difficult time playing the doting girlfriend to her very dominant boyfriend with a big mouth. Their house of cards leaned as much as she did. Maverick wanted to be there when it bit the dust, red heels and all.
“Git your fat ass in here then,” Reardon hollered again. “Help me look.”
“I’m coming!” she screamed, but then she turned very politely to her hired hands, fisted her hands together and smiled as sweetly as iced tea on a hot afternoon. “Would you please excuse me? I need to have a couple words with my, umm, boyfriend.”
She performed a semi-decent pivot on the ball of her right foot and marched back into the house. Somehow she’d regained the knack of walking in heels, although she sure looked as if she intended to knock someone’s head off if he didn’t stop screaming and making her look stupider than she already did.
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