Warrior's Resolve (Iron Horse Legacy Book 5)

by Elle James

  She pinched the bridge of her nose to try to stem her headache. Whatever they’d given her had been strong enough to make her dizzy, disoriented and unable to defend herself. How would she have helped her father if they’d kept her drugged like that?

  Dressing in clean jeans and a long-sleeved flannel shirt, she brushed her wet hair back and plaited it into a French braid, securing it with an elastic band.

  She brushed her teeth and made a face at herself in the mirror.

  Parker was probably seeing another woman. Why would he look at someone like Molly McKinnon who didn’t wear makeup or comb her hair half the time?

  Not that she was one to fish for compliments or attention. She had always considered herself one of the ranch hands, one of the boys. Like her brothers. Only she’d opted not to join the military and leave Iron Horse Ranch.

  Since when did she care what she looked like?

  Never.

  Molly yanked open the door and charged across the hallway to her room, shoved her feet into her boots, walked out her door and hit a solid wall.

  “What the hell?” she exclaimed and stared up at what, at first, she thought was her brother Angus.

  When her gaze scraped across his face, her cheeks heated. “Oh. It’s you.”

  Parker Bailey’s mouth quirked up at one corner. “Don’t sound so excited. I might take it wrong.”

  Her brow dipped. “I didn’t expect you to be in this hallway.” Her frown deepened. “What are you doing up here?”

  “I’ve taken over your brother’s bedroom for the near future.”

  “What?” Her eyes rounded. “What do you mean you’ve taken over my brother’s room? Where’s Angus?”

  “He’ll be staying over at Bree Lansing’s ranch until we get your father back.”

  Molly crossed her arms over her chest. “That explains why Angus isn’t in his room, but it doesn’t explain why you’ve moved in.”

  Parker snorted. “I drew the short straw.”

  What the heck was he talking about? “The short straw for what?”

  “With the entire family now at risk, you and your mother especially, your brothers will be tied up keeping track of their women. Duncan will be hanging out here at the house with Fiona, Caity and your mother. Bastian will be escorting Jenna around the county as she does her real estate thing. Colin will be sticking close to Emily, and that leaves you.” Parker shrugged. “So, you see, I drew the short straw.” He gave her a tight smile. “I’m stuck with you.” He shrugged. “Or you could look at it as you’re stuck with me. I don’t care how you view this situation as long as you don’t give me a hard time. I have work to do on this ranch. I’d appreciate it if you’d cooperate and stay within ten feet of me at all times.”

  Molly gasped, choked on her own tongue and then squeaked, “Stay close to you?”

  Parker nodded. “I’ve been assigned as your babysitter. No wait, I wasn’t supposed to call it that. I’ve been assigned as your backup buddy. Like it or not, I’ll be with you every day from sunup to sundown, until your father comes home.”

  The shower that had calmed her and made her feel better and more in control of herself, wasn’t doing anything for her now.

  “You’re my babysitter?” Molly said, her voice rising. “I’m twenty-eight years old. I don’t need a babysitter. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

  “Like you did last night?” Parker challenged.

  “I was making my escape…” she sputtered.

  “Not until I shot one of them,” Parker said. “They drugged you. It was only a matter of seconds before they grabbed you and took you to who knows where to do who knows what.”

  With a hand to the back of her neck, Molly lifted her chin high as she stared at Parker. “I was about to make my move when you showed up. I could’ve gotten away.”

  “Drugged?” Parker shook his head. “I have no doubt you could’ve fought your way free—if you’d been in your right mind.” He snorted. “As it was, you could barely stand on your own feet.”

  He was right, and that fact made Molly even madder. She stopped short of stomping her foot. “I don’t need a babysitter.”

  “There’s no one else to back you up. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

  “I can hang out with Colin and Emily,” Molly said. “Or go help Jenna and Bastian with real estate. You have enough to do without following me around.”

  “Yeah, and as soon as I leave you for a moment, you’ll be out at the barn, feeding animals, or out on the ranch, fixing more fences.”

  Molly’s cheeks heated again. She’d already been thinking about the other hole in the fence she hadn’t gotten to yet. “I only have about an hour’s work left on another section of fence.”

  “Fine. I’ll help, and we can get it done even faster.”

  “I don’t need you glued to my side. I can do things on my own. I’ve been working this ranch since the day I could pull on my own boots. I know how to keep an eye out for danger. I don’t need help, and I certainly don’t need a babysitter. You can go do what you do, and I’ll do what I do. I don’t need—”

  Parker grabbed her arms and pressed his mouth to hers, effectively cutting off her argument.

  Shocked, Molly couldn’t move, couldn’t think past his lips locked with hers. Sweet Jesus, he tasted like mint toothpaste and smelled of an earthy aftershave.

  Her fingers curled into his shirt, and her body went limp against his.

  At first, his lips were hard against hers, and his fingers were tight on her arms. As the kiss progressed, his hand slid around the back of her neck, and his fingers wrapped around her braid. He tugged gently.

  Molly had never had a man tug on her hair like that. Not like a brother pulling her ponytail, but a lover, angling her head to…

  She gasped at the sensations he evoked by pulling her hair. As soon as her mouth opened, his tongue slipped past her teeth and caressed hers in a long, slow glide.

  Parker’s other hand slid around to her back and lower, pressing her firmly against him and the hard ridge beneath the fly of his jeans.

  Her breath caught and held. Her blood was like molten lava pushing through her veins…hot, burning and flowing south to her core.

  As quickly as he’d started the kiss, he ended it and stepped back, his arms falling to his sides.

  Molly blinked several times, a little dizzy again, this time having nothing to do with the drug shot into her veins and everything to do with the man who’d just kissed her senseless.

  She raised her fingers to her swollen lips. “Why…did you do that?”

  His lips twitched. “It was the only way I could get a word in edgewise.”

  Like a splash of cold water, full in the face, his words hit her. She raised her hand to slap his cheek.

  He caught her wrist in mid-swing. “I apologize if my method was crude, but it worked. Now, listen.”

  Molly sputtered and would have ripped him apart with words, if she could’ve gotten any to come out. Anger boiled in her veins. “How dare you,” she whispered. “You had no right to do that. If you’d wanted me to shut up, all you had to do was ask. I’m not a complete idiot. I—”

  He shook his head as if he were looking at a half-wit. Then he twisted the arm he’d kept from hitting him up behind her back and pulled her close. “I can do it again. And I will, until you’re quiet enough to listen.” His mouth hovered over hers. “What’s it to be?”

  For a moment, Molly considered telling him to go to hell. His reasoning was infuriating and chauvinistic. She had every right to speak. “You wouldn’t pull this on one of my brothers,” she whispered, both afraid he would kiss her again and equally afraid he wouldn’t.

  “You’re right. But then you aren’t your brothers.” His lips hovered over hers.

  Molly found herself leaning toward him, rising up just a little, willing his mouth to cover hers.

  “You’re not like your brothers because they will listen to reason. You won’t
.”

  That urge to kiss him again vanished, replaced by the desire to cut him off at the knees. “I listen. I just choose to ignore your claim of being my babysitter. I prefer to have one of my brothers as my backup.”

  Parker shook his head. “Not an option. It’s been discussed. I was assigned to you.”

  Her brow dipped low. “We’ll see about that. No one make decisions about me when I’m not present.”

  “You were unconscious after men drugged you and tried to abduct your ass.” Parker waved her toward the staircase. “But go ahead. Ask your brothers. It was their idea for me to follow you around and keep you out of trouble, not mine.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Molly said and led the way down the stairs. “Angus, Duncan, Colin, Bastian,” she called out.

  Duncan ducked his head out of the living room on the first floor. “Shhh. I just got Caity down for a nap. She didn’t sleep well last night, and neither did I or Fiona. Mom’s in the kitchen. You might find Colin and Emily there.”

  “Is my little Caity-bug feeling okay?” Molly asked, concerned for her niece. The child had her wrapped around her chubby little finger.

  “I think she can sense the tension in the air. We were all worried about you.” Duncan glanced back into the living room at the portable playpen they kept there. “I think she knew and was restless all night.”

  Guilt knotted in Molly’s gut. “I’m sorry. I hope she sleeps well, and you and Fiona get some rest.”

  “Fiona’s sleeping in, but I need to be down here with Mom. Colin and Emily are heading to town soon for supplies. Bastian and Jenna left thirty minutes ago to prepare for a house showing Jenna has scheduled.”

  “Angus?” Molly asked.

  “Is at Bree’s ranch. He’s afraid whoever came after you might come after any one of the members of our family or our significant others. Even Caity could be targeted. It’s got us all on edge.”

  That knot in her belly grew tighter. “I’d hate for anything to happen to Caity, Mom or any one of you,” Molly said.

  “Same here,” Duncan said. “Last night was a real eye-opener and a reminder. We didn’t think anything could be as bad as losing Dad to whoever kidnapped him, but the thought of losing any more of our family is unacceptable.”

  Caity fussed in the living room.

  Duncan turned toward her, his brow wrinkling.

  “Go, check on her,” Molly said. “I’m headed for the kitchen.”

  “Mom’s pretty worn out,” Duncan warned her. “It’s been a lot for her to process. She was beside herself when they brought you in last night.”

  Tears welled in her eyes. “Mom doesn’t need anything else to go wrong. She’s had enough.”

  Duncan nodded. “Agreed.” Caity cried out. “That’s my cue.” He hurried into the living room to rescue his baby girl from the playpen.

  Molly moved toward the kitchen, Parker at her heels. “You don’t have to say it,” she spoke softly.

  “Say what?” Parker responded.

  “I told you so,” Molly said. “I get it. Everyone is worried, and what happened yesterday didn’t help.”

  Parker didn’t respond.

  “I shouldn’t have gone out on my own. I just didn’t think anything could happen to me. Hell, I had a rifle.”

  “That came back to the barn with your horse and not you,” Parker reminded her.

  Molly sighed. “Rusty spooked.”

  “That’s why it’s good to have someone with you at all times as backup. If I’d been there, they would never have gotten close enough to drug you with a dart.”

  Molly stopped in the hallway and faced Parker. “God, I hate it when you’re right.” Her eyes narrowed. “Fine. I’ll let you follow me around and be my backup, but I don’t have to like it.”

  “No, you don’t. And you don’t have to make it difficult. The first time you try to give me the slip, I swear, I’ll handcuff you to me and throw away the key. I work for the Iron Horse Ranch. I take my responsibilities seriously. Apparently, you’re now one of my responsibilities.”

  “Fine. I promise not to ditch you.” She snorted. “I find it quite ironic that you’re the one who always managed to ditch me in the past.”

  “That was then,” he said. “The circumstances have changed.”

  Her brows rose. “So, you admit it? You did ditch me all those times?”

  His smile both irritated her and made her heartbeat flutter uncontrollably.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said and pushed the door open to the kitchen. “Good morning, Mrs. McKinnon,” he said, indicating the end to his and Molly’s conversation.

  Well, hell, she was now stuck with Parker Bailey as her bodyguard and resident shadow. Touching a hand to her still tingling lips, she wondered how working so close to him was going to change their relationship. Already, he’d said more than two words to her, which was more than he’d said every day for the past five years. And he’d kissed her. Not once, but twice! Her breath caught in her lungs. Why did the man have such an effect on her?

  Who knew? Maybe something good could come of being drugged and almost kidnapped.

  Chapter 3

  Parker could have kicked himself from here to tomorrow. What had come over him to break all his self-imposed rules and kiss the boss’s daughter?

  All the years he’d kept his distance, avoiding her whenever possible and remaining strictly hands off, had flown out the window with that first kiss.

  And then to have kissed her a second time? His heart beat faster every time he thought about it. Which was every other minute.

  Mrs. McKinnon was saying something to him, and he hadn’t heard a word, his thoughts were so loud concerning her daughter.

  “Pardon me?” he said.

  Hannah McKinnon smiled. “What would you like for breakfast?”

  “I can get my own. You don’t have to wait on me,” he said

  “Don’t be silly. Staying busy helps keep my mind off other things.” Her smile faded, and she turned to the refrigerator. “I have bacon cooked. It will only take me a few minutes to fry or scramble eggs.”

  “What is your daughter having?” he asked.

  Molly shot a frown in his direction. “Coffee and toast,” she answered. “What’s it to you?”

  He nodded. “I’ll have the same.”

  “Are you sure?” Molly’s mother asked. “I really don’t mind.”

  “Thank you, but no. I don’t want to take the time,” Parker said. “I’m sure we have a lot to do out at the barn.”

  “Don’t base your breakfast on Molly’s bad habits,” Mrs. McKinnon said. “I’d make breakfast for her, too, if she’d let me.” The older woman sighed and popped bread into the toaster. “The coffee is ready, if you’d like to help yourself. Molly can show you where the cups are. We’re glad to have you in the house. I know I’ll feel a lot better with you looking after our Molly.”

  Molly blew a sharp stream of air through her nose.

  Parker chuckled. “You’re the only one who’ll feel better. You daughter doesn’t like the idea.”

  Her mother spun to face Molly. “Really? I would think after yesterday’s attack, you’d want someone to have your back.”

  Molly shot a glare at Parker. “I do. I’m just not used to it. I’ve operated independently on this ranch since I can remember. It’ll take some adjustment.”

  “Oh, sweetheart,” her mother’s brow wrinkled, “Parker is the nicest man. You’ll have no trouble adjusting.”

  Parker almost laughed at the consternation written all over Molly’s face. “You heard your mother. I’m the nicest man.” His lips twitched, and he couldn’t hold back the grin.

  Molly snorted and started to say something. When her gaze rested on her mother, she must have thought better of it. “You’re right, Mom. It’ll be good to have someone to watch my back. And that goes for you, too. You can’t even step outside this house without one of us.”

  “I know. I�
�ll do my best to remain inside.” She glanced out the window. “Even though it’s such a beautiful day... Your father loves days like today.” Her eyes grew glassy.

  Parker’s heart clenched. The woman had more or less lost her husband. At the very least, he was missing, and they knew he’d been tortured. If keeping busy was what helped her get through the trauma, he could help with that.

  “Mrs. McKinnon, I’ve changed my mind. I’d love some scrambled eggs. And since Molly can’t go anywhere until I’m ready, she can have some, too.”

  Molly stopped pouring coffee into her mug long enough to frown at Parker. “I want to get back to that fence that needs mending.”

  “And we will,” Parker said. “After a hearty breakfast.”

  “I don’t—” Molly started.

  As if she hadn’t heard Molly, Mrs. McKinnon swiped at her eyes. “Oh, good. I’ll get right on those eggs. I’m so glad you decided to eat something decent. You’re getting too thin, dear.”

  Molly clamped her mouth shut and forced a smile. “I’m not too thin, Mom. You have to stop worrying about me.”

  Her mother shook her head. “I’ll never stop worrying about my children. Not until I’m dead and in my grave. Even then, I hope I can keep an eye on you, if I make it to Heaven.”

  “You’ll make it there, Mom,” Molly slipped an arm around her shoulder. “You’re the kindest person I know.”

  Molly might be irritating to Parker, but she loved her family fiercely. And her mother was right. Since her father’s disappearance, Molly had lost weight. She worked hard, probably for the same reason her mother did. Staying busy kept her mind off what her father was going through.

  Parker admired the McKinnons of Iron Horse. When shit happened, they came together as a unit and fought back. That was one of the reasons he liked working for James McKinnon.

  They were a family, something Parker hadn’t known growing up. He’d been raised by his mother, after his father deserted them. Working on a ranch had been his way of helping her with the finances. He’d sent her money when he was on active duty until the day she died of a severe case of pneumonia. She’d loved him as fiercely as Mrs. McKinnon loved her children. He missed her.