The force from the shot threw Owen back and he fell to the floor, dead.
Booker stretched his neck, searching for Ellie. She was slumped on the floor. Her arms were wrapped around her knees and she was rocking slightly.
Fuck. He never wanted her to see this side of him. His life hadn’t been all sunshine and roses. There were dark, ugly areas he had hoped to shield her from. He didn’t want her to be afraid of him, or afraid of what she’d seen.
He rolled to his knees and hobbled over to her. His strength was running out. He’d lost a lot of blood and the bullet in his shoulder would need to be removed ASAP. Might need a few stitches in his noggin, too.
“Ellie? Baby, are you okay?”
She jumped, as if his voice startled her. He reached for her, needed to hold her, to feel her warmth and the beat of her heart.
“Don’t,” she said, stopping him before he could touch her. “I can’t—”
Booker dropped his ass to the carpet. “I won’t…” he swallowed hard. “I won’t touch you, but I need to know if you’re hurt. Did he—”
“I’m fine. Bruised, but fine.”
He pursed his lips and nodded, reminding himself that the guy who had hurt her was already dead. “All right, then. That’s good.”
“We need to get you to the hospital,” she said softly. “You’re bleeding.”
He didn’t realize she’d noticed. “I’m okay. It’s better if we don’t leave just yet. Hank should be here any minute and then we’ll go.”
She nodded and turned to rest a cheek on her knee.
How was he supposed to fix this? He couldn’t change who he was. The things he’d done. “I’m sorry, Ellie. I wish you hadn’t witnessed what I just did. I never want you to be afraid of—”
She looked at him then. “I stabbed him with a screwdriver,” she blurted. Fresh tears sprang and ran down her cheeks.
Booker jerked back, surprised. For the first time, he noticed the blood on her fingers. “You did what?”
He glanced at Owen and saw the evidence for himself. A blue screwdriver handle dangling from Owen’s side.
“I didn’t have a choice,” she whispered on a sob.
Relief washed through him as she scrambled for his lap. She wasn’t afraid of him. She was afraid of herself.
Booker knew all too well what she was going through. Ellie hadn’t killed Owen, but the intent had been there. Coming face-to-face with the realization that she had the capacity to take a life would be a real mind fuck.
He gathered her against his good side and held her while she cried. He kissed the top of her head. “You did the right thing and I’m proud of you. He didn’t give you a choice. It was either him or you. And when those are the stakes, the answer is always you. Do you hear me? Always. You.”
#
Two months later
Austin, Texas
Booker leaned against the bumper of his truck, watching as Roman and Brandon loaded the last of the boxes into the moving van. His shoulder wound had healed, but he wasn’t back to functioning at full capacity, making him extra grateful his buddies had shown up to help.
A door opened and Ellie stepped out of the house and into the garage. Booker took a moment to enjoy the sight of his wife while she was unaware.
His wife. Officially. Again. They had done the informal courthouse nuptials thing the previous week, neither of them wanting anything more than to be wed. They planned it specifically to coincide with his family’s move to Montana. Two birds. One stone.
He was the luckiest man alive.
His family had welcomed Ellie back into the fold as though she’d never left. In a way, she hadn’t. She had always been the one who held his heart. She made him whole. She made him happy. And he’d move hell and earth to make sure she was happy, too.
Ellie caught him staring and sauntered over.
“Hey, you.” She walked into his waiting arms. “Noah rigged a laptop and has a ball game on. Ketcher said the steaks would be done in about ten minutes. Are you guys about done out here?”
He kissed her softly. “You’re perfect, you know that?”
She laughed. “Because I offered you a ballgame and a steak?”
“Don’t underestimate the power of good meat,” Roman joked as he and Brandon joined them.
“Here, here,” Brandon said.
Booker bent and put his mouth next to her ear. “No, querida,” he said for her alone. “Because you’re breathing.”
He was just about to nuzzle her neck when he was rudely interrupted.
“All right, you two. That’s enough,” Brandon said, wiping the sweat from his face with a towel. “I have something to tell you.”
Ellie stayed within the circle of his arms, but turned so she could face the other men. The position put her ass against his groin, so he wasn’t about to complain.
“What’cha got?”
“The firm Ellie used to work for has hired Alec to do some forensic accounting of Owen’s clients,” Brandon said. “It appears Owen used some of the money that cycled through Dean Sanchez’s businesses to fund his own political campaign.”
Roman whistled. “Embezzling laundered money from a crime lord? That takes some balls.”
Ellie tensed. “Dean is still in jail, though, right?”
“The combined evidence of what Alec uncovered with what the feds already had compelled the judge to deny bail, so yes. He’s behind bars while he awaits trial, where odds are they will put him away for a long time.”
Booker felt Ellie’s muscles ease. Her chest deflated. “Then it was worth it.”
They all knew what it was.
The first month after the it, Ellie had struggled. She had nightmares and bouts of self-doubt. Things were a little better now, and they’d keep getting better because his wife was a fucking rock star who could handle anything.
He bent and placed a kiss on the side of her neck. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she whispered back.
“Or for fuck’s sake,” Roman complained. “You two are the mushiest people I know.”
Ellie escaped his arms and went to pat Roman on the cheek. “Your turn’s coming.”
“Forget it.”
She glanced around. “Where are Adam and Sully?”
“Beer run,” Booker told her. “They’ll be back any minute.”
“All right,” Ellie said, walking backward toward the garage door. “You guys get your butts in the house when they get back, or your food will get cold. And I made a tarta de queso for dessert. Abuelita’s recipe. You won’t want to miss it.”
“What kind of tart?” Roman asked.
Booker shoved Roman’s shoulder. “A Spanish cheesecake, dumbass.”
“Oh, God,” Brandon groaned. “My favorite. With all of you moving away, it’ll probably be the last time I’ll get to have some. Unless … are you sure I can’t convince you to stay in Texas, Ellie?”
Ellie snagged Booker’s gaze. She gave him a saucy wink.
“Sorry, Bran. Montana already made me an offer too tempting to refuse.”
Note From Parker
Thank you for reading Tempting Montana. I hope you enjoyed Booker and Ellie. If you could take a moment to leave a review, I’d be ever so grateful!
Do you like edge-of-your-seat-sexy romantic suspense, hot and steamy sports romance, and/or western romance? Be sure to check out my other books. There’s no … um … shortage of dirty talking alpha men or feisty women who bring them to their knees! For a full list, visit my website: www.parkerkincade.com/books
There is more to come from The Martin Family and The Deadly Seven. Stay tuned! Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for the latest news!
http://www.parkerkincade.com/Newsletter
Happy reading!
~Parker
About Parker Kincade
USA Today Bestselling Author, Parker Kincade, writes edge-of-your-seat-sexy romantic suspense, hot and steamy sports romance, and contemporary west
ern romance. Her first novel, One Night Stand, won the 2013 Reader’s Crown Award for Best First Book, the category of Best Erotic Romance in the Celtic Hearts Romance Writers Golden Claddagh contest, and was named finalist in the Romance Writers of America/Passionate Ink Stroke of Midnight contest.
Parker lives in the southern United States. She loves to read, play golf, spend time with her family and friends, snuggle with her beloved boxer, ice cream from the ice cream truck, and watching old musicals.
Links:
Website: www.parkerkincade.com
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Books by Parker Kincade
The Martin Family Series
One Night Stand
Shadow of Sin
No Control: An Omega Team Kindle World Novella
Tempting Montana: A Brotherhood Protectors Kindle World Novella
Ties That Burn (Coming 2017)
Game On Series
Spring Training
Southern Heat
Shadow Maverick Ranch Series
White Collar Cowboy
Borrowed Cowboy
Cowboy Redeemed
White Collar Wedding (short story)
Short Stories
Devlin
Two of Cups (Love in the Cards Anthology)
Standalone
Dare’s Wild (A Dare to Love Kindle Worlds Novella)
Subscribe to Parker’s newsletter for news about latest releases, giveaways, appearances, and more!
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Brotherhood Protectors: Tempting Montana (Kindle Worlds Novella) (The Martin Family Book 4) Page 10