by C. M. Allen
Confused about what she's saying I ask "What do you mean?"
"When I raised a fuss at the airport, y...you said that I could draw attention, what if it was their attention I drew and now they're here to take me? What if_?"
Stopping her slowly building hysterics, I place my hand on her knee as I navigate down the less traveled dirt road. "Stop, just stop, we don't know anything for sure yet and getting upset isn't going to help. It's not your fault Presley, we don't even know if that reflection wasn't just someone out walking around on the property with something that the suns reflection just happen to catch, hell out here the belt buckles can blind you in the sun they’re so big."
Letting out a breath she seems to calm down "O...okay, so now what?"
"I'm going to drop you off at Porter’s house while I go up and investigate what it really is so we can either up the security here, or squash what is was it all together."
"But what if you get hurt Hudson?" She asks with a tremble to her voice.
"Like I said Darlin’, don't go planning my funeral before this is all over. But if something happens to me, Porter will know exactly what to do."
"How?"
Looking over I give her a big smile, "how do you think I know him Presley?"
Raising her hands in the air in surrender she says. "I don't know. He said he watches the house for you and your sister, so neighbor?"
"And the best sniper I've ever had the privilege to serve with. He was in the Army Rangers with me and the others at Black Spade. So trust me when I say, he knows exactly what to do."
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX PRESLEY
As we pull up to Porter’s ranch I'm surprised to see its just as nice as Hudson’s, leaving me to wonder what I really expected people to live like out here, trailer trash? Disrupting my thoughts, Hudson opens his door getting out before circling around letting me out. Grabbing my hand he leads me to the front door as his eyes constantly roam the area around us. Knocking on the door, it opens a few seconds later with a shirtless Porter on the other side, "holy mother of hot bodies!" I say to myself as I mentally fan myself in my head. A girl could really live very happily out here with Cowboys walking around that look like this. "Put a damn shirt on, will ya.” Hudson barks as we walk in.
"Hey, you knocked on my door man, I was just relaxing and having a beer."
Hudson glares at him before turning his eyes on me. Putting his hands up in front of himself, Porter says with a chuckle.
"Fine, fine, we wouldn't want the little lady seeing proof that I'm the better choice for her anyway."
"Just put the damn shirt on and save your flirting will ya asshole."
When Porter leaves the room, Hudson turns to me grabbing my shoulders. "Now when I leave I need you to stay here and do exactly what Porter tells you to do alright?"
"But how will I know you're okay?"
Thinking for a moment he says "I'll text Porter when I get there and then right as I'm about to leave the area."
Nodding my head, Porter returns to the room with a shirt on. Damn. Still afraid for Hudson, I sit and listen to him as he discusses with Porter what he saw, where he's going, and what to do if he doesn't return. "I've got her man don't you worry, you just get your ass back here safely, you hear me?" Porter tells him patting him on the back.
"Will do brother," walking closer to me and grabbing my shoulders he says. "Now try not to worry so much Darlin’, I'll be back in a little while." Kissing my forehead, he turns and walks out the door shutting it behind him as I close my eyes doing something I haven't done in years. Pray. Pray that this is all nothing and he comes back to me safely.
"He'll be just fine, don’t you worry about ole’ Hudson, it takes a lot worse than the Mexican Mafia to kill a Ranger. We survive when others don't. So why don't you come over here and sit down and try to relax a bit." Not sure if I can, I numbly walk over to the couch and sit with my feet tucked under me. Staring at me for a minute Porter finally says. "Oh hell, you've gone and fallen in love with the guy haven't you?" Snapping my head up I begin to shake it side to side to deny it. "Now don't go trying to fool me little lady, I can tell the air has shifted around you two. The tension has faded and been replaced with a lightness to you both."
Looking down at my hands. "It doesn't matter what I feel for him Porter, because there is no happy ending for us."
Frowning at me with a confused look he asks. "Now what the heck do you mean by that?"
"Our lives are too different. It's something we've already discussed. He'll be God knows where for who knows how long and I'll be left trying to hold it together, praying he returns to me safety every time he leaves to go on a job. It would be torture not knowing if he's alive or if his next job is the one that gets him killed. Besides even if I was willing to live like that Hudson would never allow me to."
Letting out a deep breath Porter gets up and walks to the kitchen, "well damn, now you've gone and depressed the hell out of me too little lady." Hearing a glass being set on the counter top he returns with two glasses filled with an amber liquid handing me one, tapping the side of mine he raises his in the air. "Here's to finding a way through all that bullshit you just talked about and for you and my brother to find the happiness together that you both deserve." Watching him as he drinks it in one gulp I follow suit and then begin to choke and cough up a lung. Chuckling he asks. "Let me guess, not a fan of bourbon?"
Trying to get the breath back to my lungs that the drink stole from me, I answer in a strangled voice. "No. Never had it, before and never will again. How the hell do you drink that stuff without puking your guts up?"
Winking at me he answers "Easy little lady. Because I'm a man, and real men drink bourbon." Both of us break out laughing as he flexes his muscles mocking himself.
"Thanks, I needed a good laugh."
"Yeah well I know you've been to hell and back this week with everything that's gone on, so it's the least I could do for ya," looking down at the glass in my hands. The mention of bourbon; my father’s drink, brings a memory floating back in. It's my high school graduation and the first time he ever introduced me to Dominique. He was so proud of me that day and wanted my approval of her so badly, but all I could do was throw a fit about how dare he bring her to something that was only supposed to be about me, not thinking my dad needed something in his life to be just about him once again. A tear slides down my cheek as I brush it away wanting so desperately to see him again and tell him how sorry I was for that day and all the other days I chose to act like a selfish bitch, thinking everything he did was supposed to be about me and that he had to make up for the loss of my mother in the process. So selfish, and now I may never get the chance to tell him how much I love him
again, and how sorry I am that I never allowed him his own happiness without it making me happy as well. "You okay over there?" Porter asks with a look of curious concern.
Nodding my head I tell him. "Yeah, just thinking about everything I want to tell my father if I ever get the chance to see him again."
Sitting next to me on the couch, he wraps an arm around my shoulder hugging me to his side, "well if Hudson has any say in the matter, everything is going to be just fine. That man is like a dog with a bone when he sets his mind to something. It's never finished until he says it is." Sitting there for a moment Porter’s phone chimes with a text. Looking at it he says. "Well he's made it up there alright and says no one’s there now, so he's safe."
Letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding until I knew he was safe, I lean back on the couch feeling more relaxed from that shot of bourbon. "Thank God."
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN HUDSON
After I leave Presley with Porter and head up the mountain side to see what I can find, I begin to envy him. He had the chance to join us in our venture with Black Spade, but chose to live his life doing what he loved; taking care of his ranch. And right now I would trade places with him in a heartbeat because knowing if I did, I would be able to have her in my life and brand her as
mine more so than I already did earlier. I want so badly for her to only ever know my touch, my taste and the way my body feels against hers. Mine. Letting out a breath, the realization sets in that I'm never going to be able to just walk away from her after this is over and it leaves me to wonder if she feels the same. Nearing the top of the mountain, I mentally force the thoughts from my head and begin to survey the area around me. Not seeing anything I look over to where my ranch is visible and hope I'm in the right area. Searching for the tree I marked as the spot I saw the reflection coming from, I finally see it and stop the SUV. Securing my gun, I get out looking around. Taking my sunglasses off I begin to walk around the area staring at the ground for any foot prints they may have left behind. Remembering I promised her I would text when I got here I pull my phone out and shoot off a quick text to Porter letting them know I made it okay and no one’s around. Putting my phone away I go back to looking for foot prints. After looking around a few minutes I finally spot some. Lowering myself to the ground I can see that they look like a military boot print and not anything like a cowboy boot. Searching the area for anything they could have dropped giving me a clue as to who was here, I walk a large area before my eyes settle on probably my biggest fear. Spotting the piece of paper that's been folded up so tightly it's the size of a quarter I unfold it only to find a picture of Presley by her father’s side at some charity function. Fuck! Looking around for tire tracks I spot some.
Taking my phone out, I take a picture and send it to Kelan to see if he can identify what type of vehicle I'm possibly looking for. Heading back to my SUV I scan the area one more time to see if I can spot anything else that's out of place or hear anything. Pausing at my car door I take in one final look, but see nothing, they've obviously already left the area before I could get up here to confront whoever it was. Getting in and shutting the car door after me I shoot off a text to Porter that I'm on my way back down and what I found, but tell him not to say anything to Presley, because I want to be the one to break it to her, and he sends one back saying two simple words, "got it." As I near his house I keep an eye out for anything suspicious knowing we've somehow been found. Parking by the front door Presley comes running out with Porter trailing behind her trying to call her back. Knowing she's exposing herself I bark. "Get back in the fucking house right now Presley!" As I exit my vehicle.
Stopping dead in her tracks she stares at me with hurt reflecting on her face before I see that mask of indifference that she used to wear with me fall back into place. "You are such an asshole Hudson! Here I was worried about you, and now you come back here treating me like shit? You know what? Fuck you!" She says holding up her middle finger, flipping me off and then turning to go back into the house, passing Porter without a word and slamming the door.
"Did you really need to yell at her like that man?"
"She's in danger! I yell at him with a lowered voice so she doesn't hear. "I found a fucking picture of her. They know she's here. And if she thinks she can just run out of the house like that and not possibly get shot, I need to put the fear of God in her so she doesn't. So if that means I've got to piss her off to do it, so be it!" Pulling his hat off and hitting it against his leg before putting it back on, Porter stays silent as he looks down. "What is it man? Cause you're never this quiet. Did something happen between you two while I was gone? Is that why you're all over my ass about the way I'm treating her?"
Snapping his head up he answers pointing at me "Whoa, now you may think you can be an asshole to her, but don't you fucking dare come into my house and disrespect me like that brother, I'll take your head off right where you stand if you keep that shit up, you hear me?"
Knowing he's right I put my hands up in surrender then
run them over my face and try to calm myself, "you're right. I'm sorry. It's just_."
"I know you love her."
Staring at him for a moment I know that there's no sense in denying it, but I try to anyway. "I don't know what it is I feel for her exactly, but what I do know is; I will do whatever it takes to keep her alive so I can figure that out when this is all over."
Putting a hand on my shoulder he says. "Why don't you go in there and apologize to that poor woman. She's in love with you, you know."
Stunned by what he's telling me I ask. "What?"
"She all but confessed to it while you were gone, but she
doesn't see it being able to go anywhere because of what you do for a living."
"She's right, it can't. I'm not going to put her through waiting to see if I come back alive every time I go off on a job that has no firm end date, and leave her behind worried. It's no way for her to live and I won't put her through something like that."
Chuckling he slaps my shoulder "You two kids sure are depressing the hell out of me with all this Romeo and Juliet bullshit ya'll keep talking about. Why don't you both just stop worrying so damn much about what happens next and let the chips fall where they may. If you are meant to be together, shit will just work itself out. If not, just try not to let her take so much of your heart that there's nothing left to share with someone else."
Looking up at him I tell him. "I think you've been living out here on this prairie of yours a little too long brother, because this is not the hard ass Jensen I used to know. When did you get so intuitive, as Presley describes it?"
"After you've seen your sister get her heart beat up and shattered to pieces, it has a tendency to make you take a look at yourself and how you love someone. Love them selflessly, not selfishly." Looking at his watch he jokes. "Well our time is up Mr. Drake, same time next week?"
Punching him in the shoulder I tell him "Sure thing Doc, what do I owe ya?"
"Just get in there and put a smile back on that woman's face while I go check on the cattle, that will be payment enough, but stay off my bed!" He yells walking away.
Chuckling I wave him off, "yeah? Damn, that's exactly what I was planning." Flipping me off, he heads out to the barn. Looking back at the door, I do what it is I always seem to do before I have to walk in the house and talk to her. Take a deep breath and pray to God that I come back out with my balls still attached.
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT PRESLEY
After Hudson yells at me for running outside to greet him because I was so happy he was back unhurt, I stomp back inside the house and slam the door. How could he be so mean after what we shared together today? Why yell at me like I'm just a stupid child that doesn't know any better? Sitting there, I can hear him and Porter talking. Wanting to know what it's about, I walk closer to the door putting my ear on it just in time to here Hudson say, "I found a fucking picture of her. They know she's here." Dread begins to slither its way through my body freezing my blood dead in its tracks as it goes, and now it all makes sense; Hudson was yelling at me out of fear, not anger.
Hearing Porter’s words in my head about looking at what's really going on and not what I make up in my head slams into me with a forceful punch making me want to kick my own ass for assuming something without proof yet again. "What the hell is wrong with me?" I say in anger to myself as I walk over to the kitchen counter slamming my fists down on it so hard it feels like I just broke them both. "Ow!" I yell just as Hudson walks in the door and races over to me.
Grabbing me by the shoulders he turns me towards him as he gets within inches of my face. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Shaking my hands out, he grabs them gently kissing the palms of both of them before saying. "I hope you weren't in here punching things because I was such an asshole out there to you just now?"
Pulling my hands from him I turn my back and walk over to look out the back window just in time to see Porter walking into the barn. "No. I hit the counter top because I was angry with myself." I tell him in a low voice.
Wrapping his arms around my waist he pulls my back closer to his chest and props his chin on my head. "Now what did you go and do to yourself to piss yourself off?" He asks with a chuckle.
Breaking out of his hold I turn around
to face him. "I heard you tell Porter about the picture Hudson. I know they’re here and know where I am."
Letting out a breath, the smile falls from his face as he raises one of his hands to the back of his neck seeming to be overcome by a fearful stress. Letting it fall to his side he reaches out to pull me in for a hug. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you Presley, you're safe with me.” He says pushing me away to look into my eyes just before his eyes grow wide and he yells. "Get down!" Shoving me to the floor as shots ring out shattering the window I was just standing in front of. Trying to lift myself up I realize I'm covered with Hudson’s body, "Hudson? Are you okay?" Lifting his head up he moves off of me as he quickly pulls me up and takes me to an area of the house with no windows while he pulls the gun from his ankle. "I’m fine, are you okay? Are you hit anywhere?" He asks searching my body.
Shaking my head I tell him. "N..no I'm...I'm fine. What are we going to do?" I ask just as the front door bursts open slamming into the wall.
Hudson raises his gun ready to shoot whoever it is only to see its Porter racing in with his hands held in the air. "Hey, it's just me man! What the fuck just happened?"
"I'd say whoever was on that mountain top is back, and we need to get the hell out of here!"
Running into his bedroom Porter comes back out with a large Army type looking backpack. "You two stay here. When I pull up front, you make a run for the truck and get your asses in quick. Got it?"
Nodding once Hudson answers. "Got it, now don't get shot out there saving our asses, you hear me?"
Heading out the door he yells back. "It's the only way I would want to go brother! Now get ready, I'll be right back!"
Worried that Porter’s going to get himself killed out there with those people gunning for us I ask. "Do you think he's going to be okay?"
Pulling me towards the door to get ready to run he answers, "he has to be. He would never die if it meant leaving anyone behind. Even if he was shot and dying he would still figure out a way to save us both before he did. It's who we are and the oath we took all those years ago, to never leave anyone behind."