by Unknown
“Let us through.”
“Sir, let us help her now. Sir, we’re here now. Let us do our job.”
He heard the EMT’s voice from afar. “She’s pregnant,” he said. “We’re having a baby.”
“You’re her husband, then?”
“Husband?” Travis released a soft breath. “Yes. I’m her husband. Don’t let anything happen to them, either of them.”
“We’ll do our best, sir.”
Chapter Thirty
The wolf changes his coat, but not his disposition.
~Proverbs
Montana Wilderness
February 24, Tuesday
8:00 a.m.
Jayla poured the last of the coffee from the pot and handed it to Wild. He looked so pale. She bit her lower lip, worried about him. He’d spent a miserable night. From the low moans, she’d heard, he’d been in a lot pain, but he hadn’t called for her.
He’d thought she was asleep, but she’d lain there beside him, unable to hold back the tears because he was in such misery.
“How do you feel this morning?” She smiled, hoping to encourage him not to give up.
Wild sipped from the cup before looking up at her. “About as miserable as you think I am if that expression on your face is anything to go by. Stop worrying so much, sweetheart, I’ve had worse.”
“Maybe you have, but not in the wilderness or freezing cold.”
“We’ll make it, Jayla.” Wild attempted to get up, but ended up sinking back down on the sleeping bag.
“Whoa. What are you doing?” Jayla exclaimed hurrying to his side.
“I was going to try to saddle Rosie so we can head out of here.”
“You aren’t up to wrestling with that heavy saddle. Just sit there and enjoy the last bit of coffee. I’ll pack up everything and get Rosie ready.”
Jayla headed toward the mare when an explosion of pain in her upper right leg knocked her to the snow covered ground. “Ahhhha!” Grabbing her leg near the wound, she lay there too numb to move while her blood seeped between her fingers and dripped on the ground.
“What the hell?” Wild shouted leaping to his feet. Tossing the metal cup aside, he rushed to her and knelt down beside her. He slid his hand up her leg, eyeing the bullet hole in her jeans and the dark liquid staining her jeans and soaking the ground. His face looked dark and grim. Sonofabitch! The fuckers shot you!”
“Looks like you aren’t going anywhere.”
Jayla gasped. She didn’t know the voice, but she certainly recognized the tone and the cold look in the man’s eyes.
Wild staggered to his feet and faced the intruder. “You bastard! She’s pregnant.”
“Stay right there, cowboy,” Zaden ordered, the rifle in his hands leveled on Wild. “The next bullet has your name on it.”
Jayla shivered as her blood soaked the pure white snow. God, he’d snuck right up on them. That, more than anything, revealed to her just how poor a shape Wild was truly in. If he’d felt better, been more alert, Kane and this stranger would never have gotten the upper hand.
“Kane,” she gasped.
He stopped a few feet away. “Jayla. Looks like there’s no elevator between us now.”
Her heart sank to her toes. From the twisted look on his face, she and Wild weren’t leaving here alive.
“Cheating bitch,” he said, his voice harsh and cold as the icy mountainside. “You fucked him. Didn’t you? You fucked this low-life convict.”
“Kane,” she crawled backward on her butt as far as she could, not nearly far enough away from him.
“I’m going to enjoy putting a bullet in your head,” he said.
She didn’t think she’d ever seen his eyes so cold and dead.
“Leave her alone,” Wild said, wrapping his uninjured arm around her shoulders protectively.
Kane pointed the Glock in his hand at Wild. “How was it? Did you enjoy screwing my wife?”
“Your…wife?” Wild cast a sharp glance at Jayla.
“I can explain,” she said in a breathless rush.
Wild shook his head. “No. You can’t. You won’t. You’ve had to explain too many things because of the way others used you in the past. It stops now.”
“She’s a hot little thing between the sheets. Isn’t she? The senator taught her well.”
Jayla cringed. “Stop it!”
Wild darted Kane a look. “I’d say between the two of you, you’ve managed to do a number on her.”
“She’s my wife! What happened between her and me is none of your fucking business.”
“What are you going to do, overdose her on heroine like the last one? Do the decent thing for once and let her go. She doesn’t love you. You killed any feelings she ever felt for you.”
Tears stung Jayla’s eyes. She’d thought Wild wouldn’t love her anymore or stand by her if he knew she’d married Kane, but here he was defending her. He believed in her, loved her. She bit her lower lip before finally lifting her head. “Kane and I haven’t had a marriage since he murdered our daughter,” she said directly to Wild. “We’ve been separated for over a year. I filed for divorce two months ago. He broke into my home and—”
Wild held up a hand. “I know what he did, honey.”
“It’s none of your business, cowboy,” Kane snapped. “The important thing is that Jayla’s my wife and she’s expecting our child. Get over here by me.” He pointed the gun at Jayla. “Can’t you see this cowboy is just using you? You’re coming home with me.”
“What the hell is this?” Zaden asked, stepping closer. “I thought you gave her to me?”
Jayla gripped Wild’s hand. “I’m not going anywhere with you. If you wanna kill me, then do it now. I’d rather die beside Wild than ever be with you again.”
Kane’s lips curled back in a snarl. “I’m not going to kill you, darling. You have my baby in you. I’m going to forgive you for murdering our daughter and we’ll start again.”
“I didn’t murder our daughter. I swear I locked those patio doors.”
Kane frowned at her. “What are you talking about? I locked the doors before I left to get your prescription filled.”
“No.” Jayla shook her head. “Before I fell asleep, I checked the lock. I don’t know how Emily managed to unlock it, but she did.”
Kane shook his head. “Listen to you. There’s no way our little girl unlocked those doors.”
“She fell in the pool, Kane. I heard Emily crying my name but I couldn’t get my eyes open. I woke up to utter silence. I was too groggy to function. More than I should have been. Did you give me something?”
“No, but the senator brought you a glass of water as I was leaving. Maybe he put something in it.”
Jayla shuddered. “Then he must have unlocked the doors and let Emily…oh, God. He murdered my baby.”
“Yes,” Kane replied quietly. “He must have.” He motioned at Wild. “Move over there, by the horse. I don’t want you anywhere near my wife.”
Wild stepped back, closer to the mare. “You can’t take her with you.”
“I can. I will.”
“No,” Zaden yelled. “You won’t!” He fired the gun in his hand. “Lying bastard.”
Kane collapsed like a bag of cement onto the ground, a round hole between his eyes.
“Ahhhhha,” Jayla screamed. Tears tracked down her face. If this man would kill Kane, his partner, then he’d certainly not hesitate to kill her or Wild.
Wild must have figured out the same thing, because he lunged toward her, shielding her with his body. “Don’t move,” he whispered in her ear. “The wolves…”
“Oh.” She’d been wrong.
Zaden’s surprised grunt when the alpha male took him down was followed by his horrified screams. The snarling and snapping of sharp teeth and then bone cracking seemed to go on forever among his cries of pain as the lead wolf went for the man’s throat. A strangled gasp, then gurgling was the last sound Jayla heard from Zaden. “Oh, God.”
They�
�d be next. As soon as the pack finished off Zaden’s body, they’d attack again. The shape both she and Wild were in there was no way they could fight the wolves off.
“Easy,” Wild said. “Don’t move. I’m going for the rifle.” He stepped back, hurriedly snatched the rifle from where it was propped against the saddle and tried to level it at the alpha wolf.
“You can’t fire that thing one-handed.” Jayla grabbed the weapon and eyed it with distaste. One thing stuck out in her mind. “There aren’t enough bullets…are there?” She stated the obvious knowing full well he already knew they were in trouble.
“No, sweetheart, there isn’t. So take out the leader if you can, maybe we’ll have a miracle and the rest scatter.”
Jayla hesitated. The wolves would be drawn to the fresh blood soaking her jeans. She had little hope they’d scatter even if the alpha fell. Some were already circling and sniffing Kane’s body. She turned her head away unable to watch the gory scenes taking place.
Wild crowded in beside her. “Take aim, sweetheart while they’re occupied.”
Jayla nodded and squeezed the trigger. And missed.
The wolves were such an excited state they barely noticed the blast of the shot.
“I missed,” she cried. “Oh, God, Wild, I missed.”
Wild cupped his injured arm, his dark face etched with pain. “It’s okay, darlin’, take your time and try again. You can do it. I know you can.”
She couldn’t. She didn’t think she could. Two shots left. Two chances to get it right or get it wrong. Jayla aimed the rifle a second time, narrowed her eyes and squeezed the trigger. And missed. “Damn it,” she exclaimed. “I can’t hit him. He’s in constant motion.”
“Try again.”
“It’s the last shell.”
“I know. I know. Shoot him. Take him down. Now.” His urgency told her they were running out of time.
She nodded, sucked in a sharp breath and held it. Biting her lower lip, she squeezed the trigger for what she knew would be the last time.
Crack!
The shot filled the air. A sharp yelp and the alpha dropped in its tracks. Some of the pack looked confused, whining and licking the dead leader, but one ignored him and raced toward Wild. The huge animal took him down in a single leap, snarling and ripping out pieces of Wild’s duster.
“Get away from him, you bitch,” Jayla screamed and swung the end of the rifle. She hit the wolf across the head. Yelping, the female raced back to the snarling pack. Jayla helped Wild to his feet. This was it then, no more time. “I love you,” she said, “with all my heart.”
He nodded, breathless. “Love you, too. Get behind me, baby.”
“No. We’ll go down together, side by side.”
The sudden roar of a helicopter took her breath away. It hovered above them while someone inside fired off rounds at the wolf pack. In seconds, the threat vanished, the animals racing for the woods below them.
“It’s Danger,” Wild said. “Never thought I’d ever live long enough to see that man come to my defense.”
“He knows you’re innocent. I talked to him over the phone a long time ago and told him what happened.”
“Huh. He never let on. He’s lowering a bucket.”
“You go first,” she said.
“The hell I will. You have a baby to consider. Let me help you aboard and I’ll fasten you in.”
“But—”
“I’ll be right behind you. I swear.”
She glanced quickly around. No wolves. But she wouldn’t feel safe or feel Wild was safe until he was inside the chopper with her. “What about the horses?”
“They’ll go back to the cabin. I’ll send someone to look after them until we’re able to return.”
“We’re returning?” Jayla grinned.
“Absolutely. I think we might build a ranch there and I have an idea for a dude ranch I think you’ll love.”
* * * *
Washington, D.C.
February 25, Thursday
2:00 p.m.
Flayme thumbed through a magazine while she impatiently waited in the waiting room for the x-ray tech to finish shooting pictures of Duel’s spine. Looking up when she heard a slight shuffling sound, she was surprised to see Travis standing at the coffee machine.
“Travis, how’s Sam?”
He looked around, saw her and grinned. “She’s feeling better since they gave her something for pain. Duel?”
“They got all the shell fragments. It’s just a matter of healing now and getting his walking legs back under him.”
Travis nodded. “I heard Jayla and Wild married this morning.”
“Mmm, yes. I can’t wait to tell Duel. He’s worried about his brother for a long time. So when are you and Sam—”
“As soon as possible. She wants to wait until after she’s out of the hospital. She thinks there’s been enough weddings take place in them.”
Flayme laughed. “For sure.” She quickly frowned. “Do you have any idea what will happen to the senator?”
“No, but I promise you, he won’t get by with all the wrongs he’s done. He helped set up the first lady’s assassination, but the proof’s in Spain. Still, crimes have a way of catching up. Take it easy, and give Duel my best.”
* * * *
Three months later, Flayme folded the morning newspaper and handed it to her husband who sat across from her at the breakfast table. “They got him,” she said bluntly.
Duel lifted a brow. “The senator?”
“Yes. His body was discovered early this morning in his home, dead from an apparent heart attack.”
“Couldn’t have happened to a sweeter man.”
Flayme silently agreed. “Who do you think…?”
“Don’t ask,” Duel replied. “I don’t wanna know which agent took him out of the equation. I faxed Sam my resignation yesterday. From now on, the only thing I’ll be doing is ranching and making babies with a certain beautiful redhead.”
Flayme laughed. “I suppose we can discuss this?”
“Discuss hell! Get over here, woman. I’m starving for your kisses.”
Epilogue One
(Danger and Lacey)
Hearts are not had as a gift, But hearts are earned...
~William Butler Yeats
Havre, Montana
Regional Health Care Center
Danger Blackstone walked down the long corridor of the labor and delivery section of the hospital. Carrying his three year old adopted son, Rafe Weston Blackstone, in one arm, seven year old Gidget clung to the fingers of his free hand. A silly grin split his lips. He had to be the happiest man in Montana, well except maybe for the Remingtons. Lately they’d been giving him plenty of competition in the happiest department.
Still, only last night, his wife had given birth to their son.
“Is Mama okay,” Gidget asked, her face solemn, her tone much too serious.
“Mama ‘kay?” Wes repeated.
Lately he’d been repeating everything they all said. Danger patted his son’s back and took a moment to squat to Gidget’s level. Meeting her somber little gaze, a bittersweet pain stabbed his heart. God, she looked so much like Anna Leigh it broke his heart, but her personality was her dad’s, always serious.
For a second, tears misted his eyes before he managed to shake off the hurtful memories. No matter what, life went on. Things hadn’t all been smooth sailing for him and Lacey, but nothing worth having ever came easy. They’d worked hard to rebuild and keep their marriage strong. They’d passed the hurdles and were in the long stretch home. They were stronger now and they’d make it.
Danger smiled at Gidget. “Mama’s just fine, baby.” He squeezed her hand. It had been Gidget’s idea to call Lacey mama. The little girl had very few memories of her parents. Even though they spoke often of Anna Leigh and Blake to help keep her memories alive, he and Lacey were her parents now, and that was all the child understood.
“Let’s go see your mother, shall we?”
Gidget nodded. “Then the baby.”
“If we’re lucky, your new brother will be in the room with your mama.”
Her dark eyes lit and Danger knew she’d be a little mama, spouting orders at all of them. He paused, knocked, and pushed open the door to Lacey’s room.
“Hey,” Lacey grinned. “I wondered when you all were going to get here.” She held their new son in her arms, nursing him.
Danger knew he was grinning like an idiot. He didn’t care. He leaned over his wife and kissed her mouth. Eyeing his son suckling like an eager puppy, he whispered, “I’m jealous. He’s latched onto exactly what I’d love to be nibbling on.”
Lacey laughed. “You’re nibbling them is why I’m now lying here in this bed with a new baby in my arms.”
He lifted a brow. “Those ladies are not what I was nibbling on when you conceived. Is he about finished? I want to hold him.”
Lacey freed her breast from the infant and handed him to Danger. The kids crowded round as he settled in a chair by the bed.
“Isn’t he beautiful?” Lacey said softly.
“Beautiful,” Danger agreed. “Meet your new brother, kids.”
They hovered round him. Gidget stroked the baby’s tiny fingers. “He’s beautiful, Mama. He looks like Daddy. When can we get a baby sister?”
Lacey looked startled and settled her gaze on Danger.
Danger grinned. “Yeah, Mama, when can we get a sister?”
“When do you want to get her?”
Eyeing his son for a moment, he glanced back up at his wife. “We can negotiate a deal later.” Danger watched his small family, listened to the kid’s sweet giggles. This was real. Real life. Real love. Real problems that sometimes had to be worked out, but in the end worth it. “Did you name him yet?”
She nodded. “I did. His name is Slade Montana Blackstone.”
“Slade? I like it.”