Runaround

by Jay Crownover

  “I like you, Webb. I think you’re a good guy with a lot to offer and a lot to learn. I like your tenacity and how much you care for your family. You remind me a lot of my middle brother.” His eyes narrowed, and his head cocked to the side a little. “I don’t like the way danger attaches itself to you like a hungry leech. I don’t enjoy the way the people close to you end up getting hurt. I’m here to tell you that while I appreciate this mess isn’t one you created, I’m not too happy it’s spreading to the people who matter the most to me. I don’t like Ten being in the middle of it one bit.”

  I bit back a sharp retort, knowing it wasn’t my place to tell him he hadn’t exactly treated Ten like she was one of the people who mattered most to him in the past. She could have that conversation with him on her own if she ever felt like they needed a clean slate between them.

  “I didn’t drag her kicking and screaming into this. She came willingly, walking right by my side. I let her know, more than once, where the door was. She opted not to use it.” She’d shown more loyalty, more devotion, than anyone else in my life ever had. “I’m not asking for her to clean things up for me, Cy. All I’ve asked her to do is patch up the wounds when the truth rips me to shreds. She sees things no one else sees. She keeps everything in perspective for me. If you think you can threaten me or scare me into walking away from her, you don’t know me as well as you think you do.” And it was insulting. Suddenly, I was the one contemplating throwing a punch.

  Cy let his hands fall to his sides, and a heavy sigh escaped from his chest. “I grew up with that woman. You think I don’t know there isn’t anything in the world that would pry her away from you right now? I’ve seen the way you two watch each other. I’ve watched her try and fight her natural instinct to push you away. You had her curious from the start. And while I initially thought you were nothing more than a welcome distraction for her, it didn’t take long for me to realize there was something more there. She’s careful with you in a way she’s never been before. It means she’s very aware of the fact she might break you, and she’s fighting for it not to end up that way. I still worry. About her, about you. When the things we’re trying to outrun catch up with us, it’s usually because we're exhausted from trying to keep all that distance between us for so long. I don’t want to see either one of you hurt. I don’t want to lose any more sleep wondering what kind of pain a member of my family is in.”

  “Ten’s tough. You don’t need to worry about her so much. That’s my job now.” I wanted him to understand that things were different now between me and Ten, that her safety—and her happiness—were now my number-one concern. It was a job I was bound and determined to do better than he ever had. Not simply because my masculine pride demanded it, but because Ten was amazing and deserved my very best. I crossed my arms over my chest defiantly and lifted my eyebrows in a silent challenge.

  I couldn’t stop a flinch when the big man suddenly moved and dropped a heavy hand on one of my shoulders. His grip was strong, unyielding, but there was no force or punishment behind it. “I wasn’t talking about Leo or about Ten . . . I was talking about you, Webb. You think I’d let you on my ranch, trust you with my clients, my entire family’s livelihood and future if I, if we, didn’t consider you part of the family?” His head shook, and I noticed there seemed to be even more of the silver strands mixed with the black. “Not a chance in hell.”

  There was a thickness in my throat I suddenly had to clear away before I could speak again. “I’m used to families trying to get rid of me, not taking me in.”

  The hand on my shoulder gave a reassuring squeeze, and then it fell away. “Their loss is our gain. We’re here if you need us. You’re one of our own. Doesn’t mean any of us like the fact we can feel trouble coming from a mile away.”

  “I don’t have any more moves to make, Cy. Gotta wait for the other me to show his hand. Chasing him was nothing but a waste of time, and if I hide, all he’s going to do is look for a way to draw me out. He’s playing with me, getting off on it, so the quicker he finds me, the quicker it all ends.” My shoulders slumped as I finally allowed defeat to pull at the careful act of indifference I’d put in place since this dog and pony show began.

  “It’s true then? You really have a twin who was out there robbing banks, trying to get you arrested?” He sounded as baffled by the truth as I felt.

  I nodded. “It’s true. And unbelievably, Wyatt and I somehow ended up being the lucky ones, even though we were stuck with my joke of a mother. Don’t know what my other brother’s story is, but it has to be pretty fucking twisted if he’s putting himself at such risk just to ruin a life that was in no way exemplary to begin with.”

  Cy rubbed a hand over his salt and pepper beard and narrowed his eyes in concentration. “How is anyone supposed to tell the two of you apart? What if he shows up on the ranch pretending to be you? If he’s as dangerous as everyone is making him out to be . . .” He shook his head. “Not good.”

  I grunted in agreement. “I’m not coming to the ranch. I’m gonna do my damndest to stay away from anyone he could use to hurt me. Aside from Ten.” She knew the risks already and was willing to gamble on the two of us besting the unknown. “You need to tell Leo, Lane, and the others to stay away until this is all straightened out. If our paths cross, they need to act like they don’t know me because it might not be me they’re tangling with.”

  I could see he didn’t much care for the simple solution to keep everyone in this town who mattered to me safe, but eventually, he gave a small, grim nod and muttered, “I’ll pass the info along, but you know it isn’t going to make them happy.”

  No, I imagined not. Leo was a spitfire and had a true redhead’s temper. As soon as Cy told her to stay away, she was going to throw a fit even if she understood the distance really was for her own good. She had a soft spot for me a mile wide. I wasn't sure what I’d done to be taken into the Warner fold with so few questions asked, but I wasn’t about to put my good fortune at risk.

  Both of our heads jerked in the direction of the door as a loud knock interrupted us. The door was still open, but now a man in a tan sheriff’s uniform was filling the empty space. Rodie Collins was another big man who seemed to demand attention and respect as soon as he walked into a room. He was childhood friends with Cy and Ten, but his relationship with the Warners was beyond strained after he’d arrested the middle brother, Sutton, for the murder of his ex-wife. The former Marine was simply doing the job he’d been elected by the people of Sheridan to do, but the protective brothers hadn’t seen things so black and white. There was still obvious tension between my uninvited guests as Cy caught sight of the other man.

  The sheriff walked into the room, taking us both in with a quick look. He was the same age as Cyrus but looked younger since there was no silver or gray in his reddish-brown hair. He had green eyes, which were both hard and cold as jade. There was no mistaking the man had seen some shit. It was the same look I often saw in my brother’s gaze when he didn’t realize I was watching him. Once again, I wondered what it was about the sheriff that put my brother’s hackles up so quickly.

  While I was thinking of Wyatt, I asked, “Did my brother send you to check up on me?”

  Rodie shifted his gaze away from a glowering Cy and gave me a little nod. “He left a message with dispatch late last night. Tried to call him back this morning but didn’t get a response. Ten texted that you were in town and that she wanted to brief me, so I figured I’d stop by before I started my patrol shift.”

  “Wyatt was put on a new assignment today. He’s probably going to be out of pocket for a while.”

  The sheriff snorted and adopted Cy’s original pose with his arms crossed over his chest. While the hotel room was plenty spacious, it was starting to feel a little cramped with all three of us facing off and the two older men silently scowling at one another.

  “Your brother is bossy.” Rodie made the statement, leaving no room to argue. “Most feds are.”

  �
�He’s worried about his kid brother. Give the guy a break.” Cy’s tone bordered on rude, but the sheriff didn’t react with similar animosity.

  “Didn’t say it was a bad thing. Guy’s got one hell of a dangerous job, and his little brother is up to his neck in a shitstorm. All I’m saying is, I woulda stopped by with or without Bryant issuing demands from Washington.” He pulled his attention away from Cy and settled it all on me. “You got a plan if this guy comes at you hard in my town, kid?”

  I sighed and moved my hands so I could push them through my hair. “No. I have no clue what I’m doing. But I know I feel better doing it here on my home turf than somewhere out there.” I pointed out the open doorway indicating the rest of the world.

  He arched a mahogany brow in my direction. “Does Ten have a plan? She doesn’t usually jump into anything blind.”

  I felt the hair on my arms lift up and my spine straightened involuntarily. I didn’t like it when either of them talked about Ten like they knew her better than I did. Sure, they had history with her, but neither of them understood the woman she’d become after handing her heart over to reckless lovers and unworthy suitors.

  “She’s mostly along for the ride right now. Her main concern has been keeping my ass out of jail up to this point. If she’s figured out a way to pin my twin down, she hasn’t mentioned it.” But she had brought up the fact the FBI should be doing more to find the man responsible for the robberies. She sounded pissed her ex wasn’t doing his job to her exacting standards yet again.

  The sheriff tilted his head to the side a tiny bit and did the same thing Cy did: took in Ten’s things scattered around with mine, then frowned at me. “She likes you. Don’t fuck up.”

  I barked out a laugh. “Do you guys have any idea how pissed she’d be if she knew you were both here checking up on me and my intentions on her behalf? She’d kick both your asses and then she’d kick mine for saying anything about our personal lives to you.”

  Rodie shrugged with zero shame. “She’s special. She’s worth protecting.”

  I rolled my eyes and then my shoulders. “Is every guy in this town halfway in love with her?”

  Cy snorted and Rodie returned my eye roll. “She’s one of my best friends. We’ve been through a lot together, but she is not my type, so relax, kid.”

  I scoffed. “She’s everyone’s type.” Who could resist those long-ass legs, all that white-blonde hair, and those emerald eyes? Not to mention her quick mind, unwavering inner strength, and sassy mouth. Then there was her huge heart. So big and soft, all I wanted to do was protect it forever. I had to start counting backward from a hundred to keep myself from getting hard thinking about all the things Tennyson McKenna did that made her so special.

  “What about your brother? Is Ten his type?” Rodie’s rumbled question stiffened my shoulders and had me narrowing my eyes. Wyatt wasn’t secretive about his sexuality, but he didn’t wave a rainbow flag around behind him everywhere he went either. Considering his animosity toward the sheriff, I highly doubted he’d spilled his orientation during one of their few, stilted conversations.

  “No. Ten is definitely not Wyatt’s type.” I couldn’t hide the automatic defense of my brother, which found its way into my tone.

  Rodie gave me a hard look, then lifted his chin in a sharp jerk. “Exactly. Ten is wonderful, beautiful, and a force to be reckoned with, but she isn’t everyone’s idea of the perfect partner. Have her give me a call when she gets back into town. Tell your brother I did as he requested, so he doesn’t keep annoying my staff. If you get into trouble, you know where to find me.” He turned before I could ask questions or put together what he was saying between the lines of his actual words. He paused on his way out the door and looked at Cyrus over his shoulder. “We have a better chance of keeping the kid safe if you realize I’m not, and never was, the enemy, Cy.”

  Once Cyrus and I were alone again in the room, I threw my hands up in the air and let myself flop down on the side of the bed. “What was that?”

  Cy sighed, something he was very good at, and told me he was heading back to the ranch. He also left with the warning, “Rodie’s a good cop. He really is. But he can be blinded by duty. Don’t trust him to put your safety before his job. Remember, if you need anything, let us know.”

  Once I was alone in the quiet room, I tried to grasp all the things changing around me.

  Somehow, I’d ended up with a woman willing to stand by my side no matter what. An adoptive family who not only wanted to take care of me for once, but also worried about me. Ties to my old family I never realized were there. And my older brother was finally trusting me not to screw things up when left to my own devices.

  Without realizing it, my old friend trouble suddenly had a lot of competition for my time and attention. Falling into the comfort of the disorder and dysfunction I’d always embraced no longer seemed like the best idea. I finally had people who wanted to keep me around, and letting trouble come between me and their acceptance wasn’t an option.

  It looked like I was going to have to call it quits, finally break up with the familiar bad following me around once and for all.

  Ten

  When we got back to Wyoming, I thought the unknown between Webb and me would lead to tension and unease. But rather than getting a moment to acclimate to my new normal, which prominently featured the handsome blond drifter, I was immediately thrust back into my old normal when I checked in with work. A family vacationing from Florida lost track of their five-year-old where they were camping, and it was an all-hands-on-deck kind of situation because they’d waited for over twelve hours to report the child missing. They thought they could find him themselves, not considering the sheer vastness of the wilderness, the way it all blended together, and the dangers involved. It was still warm enough during the day, but the temperatures dropped quickly when the sun went down, which was hard on adults but would be nearly impossible for a child to survive without the proper gear. The parents were a mess, and there was really no way I could say no when my boss asked me to join the search. I was still queasy from the flight home, and on edge about Webb’s precarious situation, but I jumped into the search-and-rescue mission without a second thought.

  When I called Webb to hastily fill him in on the situation, he promised to keep himself under lock and key so I wouldn’t have to worry about him on top of the stress of trying to find the little boy before something with sharper teeth and claws did. I appreciated his instant understanding more than I could say. And when he told me not to come back until I had found the little boy, it took everything inside of me not to blurt out how much he meant to me.

  Webb didn’t tell me to be careful or make me promise to be safe. He trusted me to get out there, face the hostile terrain and unknown predators, and do my damn job. The fact he didn’t coddle me or try and save me from what I was meant to be doing did more to pull me closer to openly admitting how I felt about him than almost anything else could have. Webb’s belief that I was capable of taking care of myself, as well as him, was something special, something I’d never experienced before. I was glad I had several long, quiet hours in the woods to wrap my head and heart around the tectonic shift in my emotions that was taking place.

  I thought I knew what love felt like.

  It was tumultuous. It was treacherous. It left me in shreds and feeling empty inside like I’d given too much of myself away. Love put holes through my soul and dragged my heart over the coals. It was never something I believed to be effortless.

  But then Webb came along and with a single crooked smile changed all of that.

  I had worked so much harder convincing myself he wasn’t right for me. I put so much effort into convincing myself he was nothing but trouble, I almost missed how painless caring about him was. There was no sting. There was no scalding burn as love torched my insides and left my emotions in ash. If it didn’t hurt, how could it be something as powerful as love?

  I got it now. When I finally got it right, lo
ve felt like a warm blanket wrapped around all the places inside of me others had left cold and barren. When I let myself love the right person, it didn’t hurt at all, and that was the feeling I was missing. I’d gotten so used to the ache deep in my chest, I’d completely forgotten what it was like to wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night without it pushing down on me. I felt lighter than I had in years, and that was saying a lot with a missing child I was focused on finding and the man I was starting to realize I could love wholeheartedly caught in the crosshairs of a very dangerous man.

  When I got to the campsite, Rodie already had several of his guys speaking to the other campers, and one of the deputies quietly mentioned there was an entire water rescue team scouting the river. It wouldn’t be the first time they had to pull a body out of the fast-moving water, but my heart broke at the thought of it being one so young with his entire life ahead of him. The rest of the guys from the Ranger’s office had already taken off in a bunch of different directions, checking out the usual places scared and disoriented hikers ended up when they got lost in this area. So far everyone had radioed in with bad news. There was no sign of the child anywhere, and none of the other campers had seen him. When I asked if I could talk to the family, the deputy in charge of the scene shook his head at me and pointed farther away to where a distraught woman was wailing uncontrollably as a man held her in his arms.

  “The paramedics gave her a sedative a few minutes ago. She’s probably going to be an incoherent mess. Blaming herself. The guy’s her boyfriend. Doesn’t seem all that interested in the fact the kid is missing. He actually talked her into waiting to contact search and rescue.” The cop’s eyebrows winged up. “Rodie’s coming up to have a chat with him.”

  I nodded. If I were involved in the investigation beyond finding the boy, I’d want to have a talk with the guy, as well. I let my gaze drift away from the couple and noticed a little girl standing off to the side looking a little bit lost and afraid. I cocked my head as she watched the crying woman slowly start to quiet, the wails turning to whimpers.