She quickly made the rounds, checking each door and window. She did it too often, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. Andy had become somewhat of a celebrity while in jail. Women from all over sent him mail and marriage proposals. Shuddering, she shook her head. What was wrong with people? She grabbed her cell phone out of her pocket and debated who to call. Sheriff Woods hadn’t impressed her at all. She quickly dialed Maverick’s number before she chickened out.
“Yep?”
“I hate to bother you—” Damn, she shouldn’t have called.
“Is everything okay?” The concern in his voice melted her reserve.
“Someone threw a brick at the house and it has Die Bitch written on it. I was going to call the sheriff but—”
“Keep the doors locked I’ll be right there.” He hung up.
God, life was hard when you doubted every decision. Why couldn’t she just be normal? She paced back and forth staring at the brick. There was nothing normal about getting a brick thrown at your house. Perhaps she should have called the sheriff. It wasn’t Maverick’s job to take care of her problems. Everyone had told her to buck up, Andy was in jail and she was safe. She’d been right, not to believe them.
She continued to pace, check the time and look out the peephole over and over until Maverick finally arrived. She threw open the locks and flung herself into his brawny arms, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Thank you for coming.”
He held her for a bit, then ushered her inside and closed the door.
“Lock the door!”
He turned and stared at the locks. “Four deadbolts?” He locked them and turned, his brow furrowed as he gazed at her.
“I feel better with more locks.” She handed him the brick. “Here. What do you think?” She bit her bottom lip.
“Pack a bag. You’re coming home with me. Let’s get you settled at my place and then I’ll call Sheriff Woods.”
Anora nodded. “Will you come with me to the bedroom so I can pack? I’m just so jittery right now.”
“Lead the way.” He followed her and she saw him frown when he saw the windows. “Did you nail these shut?”
“No,” she whispered. “Andy did.” She couldn’t look at him after that. Quickly she packed some clothes and grabbed her toiletries. “Did I thank you for coming? I can’t remember if I thanked you.” A tear trailed down her face. Grabbing a tissue she wiped it away and handed one bag to Maverick. “Let’s go.”
Once they were on their way, she swallowed hard to keep from crying. She’d been dry-eyed far too long. She sat with the brick clutched in her hands until he reached over and took one of her hands in his and gave it a squeeze. Surprisingly he held it the whole way out to his ranch.
Chapter Five
Maverick stood, leaning against the front of his desk trying not to glare at the sheriff. He didn’t understand the problem. He didn’t think it was a threat. Rather it was a prank and it should be ignored. Anora’s body tensed harder by the minute, and Maverick could tell she was biting her tongue.
“Well, Sheriff, thanks for coming out. Mrs. Garrity looks done in, and I’d like to see if she can get some rest.” He stood and walked to his office door, expecting the sheriff to follow, which he did. “Take care now.” He led him to the front door, opened it and slammed it as soon as the sheriff left. “Damn good for nothing, ass,” he growled.
He walked back into his office and his heart tightened. Anora looked white as white could be. Her legs were crossed, her arms were crossed in front of her chest and her jaw looked to be clenched. Damn. Leaning down he lifted her up into his arms and marched to her bedroom. Gently he laid her on the bed and as he started to pull away, she clutched his arm.
“Please don’t leave me alone.” Her big blue eyes were so expressive, he was a goner.
“Sure, I’ll sit with you for a bit.”
“Do you think maybe you could hold me? Just for a little while? The only time I feel safe is when I’m with you.”
Nodding he lie next to her, wrapping his arms around her. Neither said a word and he could swear he heard his heart pounding through his chest. While it was nice to be needed, could he take on the responsibility of Anora? Did he even want to? Her breathing deepened and he slowly slipped off the bed. The dark circles under her eyes convinced him to try. She deserved a break and it might be hell on his body, wanting her so much, but she would find security and friendship here on his ranch.
He shook his head as he walked down the stairs. Who was he kidding? The ranch was already safe. It was him she needed to be kept safe from. She didn’t have to know. He’d keep a distance between them. He always had the ability to act indifferent if he needed to. Damn, he’d need to. Everything would be fine as soon as Belle arrived. He could hand Anora over to her and they could be best friends.
Damn her husband to hell and back. He made coffee and watched as the heavenly smelling liquid filled the pot. He poured himself a cup and went to the front door. He opened it and nodded to Cooper, his foreman.
“I can’t get used to you being able to see me coming to the door on your security system. It gives a man the creeps,” Cooper said as he shook his head. He was a tall man, powerfully built with dark red hair and blue eyes.
Maverick smiled at his longtime friend. “You have to keep up with the times. We haven’t lost a horse since I put it in.”
“You never lost one in the first place. It was that scum, Garrity who tried to rob you. I hear he’s in prison for a very long time.”
“Shh.”
Cooper cocked his brow. “What’s going on?”
Maverick nodded at him to come in and closed the door. “Anora is asleep upstairs.”
Cooper’s brow furrowed as he frowned. “What the heck?”
“She moved back to town and someone threw a brick at her house. It had the words Die Bitch, written on it. I brought her here.”
Cooper followed him into the kitchen, and grabbed a cup and filled it with coffee. “Well, I’ll be. Will her presence make you smile once in a while?”
“No, but Belle will be here tomorrow. That’s reason for both of us to smile.” He chuckled as Cooper’s face grew red. “Going to pop the question this Christmas?”
“Heck no, she’d throw the ring back at me. We’re not there in our relationship yet. Besides I thought we pledged to be bachelors for life.”
Maverick raised his mug in agreement. “To bachelors and may no woman worm her way into our cold, hard hearts.”
Cooper laughed. “I need to go, the farrier is here and it will take the rest of the day to get the horses hooves trimmed. I’ll be around. I want to meet Anora.”
She walked into the kitchen and gave Cooper a slight nod. “You can meet me now.” She gave him a smile.
Damn! How much had she heard? “Anora, this is Cooper, Cooper, this is Anora. Cooper is my foreman. He actually does most of the work around here.”
Cooper winked at her. “Nice to meet you. Don’t let him fool you. He works harder than anyone I’ve ever known.”
“It’s nice to meet you too.” She walked to the big bay window. “It’s beautiful.”
“Yes, it is. I like to sit here and watch the sun rise.”
“Well, it was nice to meet you, Anora. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
“You too,” she replied, not turning around.
The silence after Cooper left grew long and he wondered again how much of the conversation she’d heard. “Cooper is sweet on Belle.”
“So I heard. I didn’t mean to listen in on your conversation. I just happened to hear you as I came down the stairs. Don’t worry, I’m not looking to worm my way into your heart.”
“I think the words were; cold, hard heart.”
She turned and nodded. “Those were the words.” She smiled at him and for a moment he thought she would laugh, but her smiled faded.
“I thought you were sleeping.”
“I only cat nap. I have dreams and they wake me up. Some nights I
dread going to bed. But I’m fine. I don’t want you to worry about me. I need to figure out a solution to my problem.”
“Sleeping pills?”
She strolled to the counter and poured some coffee into a mug. “No. I meant a solution to the problem at my house. She glanced at the security monitor on the counter. I need more security. If I had cameras, I doubt anyone would bother me.”
“Come sit.” He waited for her to take a seat at the table. “I don’t think that’s the answer. If the threat is real and not a prank, you could be in real danger. I don’t want to alarm you, but I think we should get a hold of the prosecutor on your case and see what he suggests. He might be able to give us a better idea of how far Andy’s reach is. He could be in solitary for all we know. I want you to stay until we find out the facts and can make an informed decision.”
She laid her hands on the table, clasping and unclasping them. “I know you’re trying to help and I appreciate it, but we will not be making decisions. I like your idea, and I will call the prosecutor’s office in the morning. In the end, this is my life, and I can’t give control of my life to anyone ever again. I’m not sure I’m explaining this right, and I don’t want to offend you…” Her gaze met his and seemed to plead understanding.
He put his hand over hers. “It’s all good. I do understand. I just want you to promise to not leave until we do have the facts. Can you do that?”
“Yes.” She stood. “I’m going to borrow one of the millions of books you have.”
“As long as it’s only one.”
Her smile kept his heart warm long after she left.
Later in the evening, he sat at his desk and watched the monitors. He had monitors throughout the house and at the barn. Cooper also had a set up in his house. The living accommodations he offered gave him the edge he needed to get the best wranglers in the business. Cooper had his own house, the cowboys each had what equated to a big hotel room. There was also a bunk house, which served as a place they hung out and cooked. He also had people who lived in the area work for him. He understood the need to have a place of their own.
Now he was paying overtime to a few of his workers to watch the monitors in the barn around the clock. It had taken good old fashioned hard work to get his ranch to this point. Too many of the newcomers expected to make it rich right off. They often asked him what his secret was. They also wanted answers to all their problems. He had to learn by trial and error. He’d spent hours with vets and breeders learning and working, not just picking their brains. He helped out when he could, but he’d be damned if he’d do their work for them.
People called him hard at times. Didn’t bother him one bit. He learned long ago if you wanted something you had to work for it. It hadn’t always been easy either with practically raising Belle and building up the ranch, but he had a lot to be grateful for. He put his feet up on his desk and stretched his arms over his head. Watching the surveillance was boring.
Screams from upstairs had him out of his chair like a shot, and he raced to Anora’s room with his heart beating painfully against his chest. He opened her bedroom door and pushed on inside, ready to pounce on an intruder. He looked in each corner of the room frantic to find someone. Finally, he gazed at her. Tears ran down her face and her hair stood on end in various places.
“I had a nightmare. I’m sorry.” The grief and anguish on her face hurt him deep inside.
He instantly approached the bed, sat down and took her into his arms, rubbing his hands up and down her back, trying to soothe her. He’d held Belle in such a way when she’d been younger. The lavender smell of her hair reminded him he held a desirable woman not a little girl.
“Was it bad?” he asked as he pulled away.
“Yes, it was,” she replied, her voice quavering. “But it’s nothing new.”
“You’re safe here.” He gazed into her eyes. It was impossible to ignore her fear.
“Did I wake you?”
“Darlin’, I still have my boots on. I was just catching up on a few things in my office. Do you want me to stay with you until you go back to sleep?”
She touched his arm and shook her head. “I’m fine. Thanks for checking on me, though.”
“Goodnight then.” He patted her hand before he stood. Even with red-rimmed eyes he found her too damn attractive. He gave her a quick nod as he closed the door behind him. If she were going to keep having nightmares, he’d have to start wearing pajamas to bed again. Boxers wouldn’t hide his reaction to her at all.
Tears flowed freely down her face as she watched the door close. The compassion on his face had been her undoing, and she put her hands over her mouth to cover the sounds of her sobs. Her parents had found her nightmares too exhausting for them. It wasn’t their fault. It was exhausting, but the looks they gave her hurt her heart. No matter how patient they were their facial expressions couldn’t hide the annoyance they felt that she wasn’t the same little girl she’d been before she’d been kidnapped. That girl had been innocent of the cruelties of life, the horrific cruelties one person could bestow on another. This wasn’t the type of thing you could just kiss and make better.
She leaned back in the plush bed and took a deep breath. She had no idea why but she felt calmer at the ranch. Maybe it was due to the security, but she had a feeling it had to do with Maverick. She often thought of that day when he made Andy scurry away. There were many times she thought she’d made him out to be something he wasn’t. She thought she must be exaggerating his qualities, but she hadn’t. He was big, strong, handsome and he made her feel safe.
He also didn’t want any woman worming her way into his life. Did Joleen still come around? She hadn’t thought to search the refrigerator for casserole dishes. Belle would be there soon, and she couldn’t wait to see her again. Little by little she calmed but she didn’t dare close her eyes again. One nightmare was enough. Maverick might think he wanted her to stay but after a couple nights of her screaming, he’d change his mind.
Her mind raced with thoughts of her abduction all through the remainder of the night and into the light of day. Finally she slipped out of bed, showered, got dressed and went downstairs. It was so quiet, almost too quiet. She looked through the cupboards and found the coffee. She got it ready and opened the refrigerator. She smiled. Not one casserole dish took up room. Perhaps Joleen found herself another man. Grabbing bacon and eggs, she whipped up breakfast.
“Something smells good. Good morning.” His hair was still wet from his shower and his blue shirt wasn’t buttoned up all the way, allowing her to see his muscled chest. Her stomach felt as though it was flipping over as she stared.
“Everything looks good. Shall we eat?” She startled at his amused gaze.
“Yes, sit. I was up early.” Anora quickly put all the food on the table and poured him some coffee. She sat across from him trying to peer at everything but him. It wasn’t easy.
“You’re a fine cook.”
“Thanks. It was either learn or be hit.” Her eyes widened as she covered her mouth with her napkin. “I’m sorry. You don’t want to hear about it. Sometimes things just pop out. Maybe because I’ve had to watch every word I said for so long, things just come out of my mouth. I’m sorry.”
He set his fork down and gave her a sympathetic nod. “No need to watch what you say here. I like a person who speaks their mind – except when it’s downright disrespectful. In other words say whatever you like, I don’t mind listening. Just don’t call me an ass.”
Her laughter started out so wispy and it lilted into a hearty laugh. Suddenly she stopped and her eyes grew wide. “I haven’t laughed, I mean really laughed in so long. I feel this strange sense of wonder.”
“You do have a nice laugh. You should do it more often.” His smile grew deep, showing his dimples. Did he even know how handsome he looked?
“Where’s Joleen been?”
His brow furrowed. “What do you mean by been?”
“I didn’t see any casserole dishes
in the fridge.”
“Can you keep a secret?”
She nodded.
“I had one of my men return the dishes and unplug her oven.”
“You’re awful! It’s going to cost her money to try to fix it.”
He laughed. “I already thought of that. I’ve paid three guys already to tell her they don’t know what is wrong. The fourth goes today and he’ll plug it in. I know it was underhanded, but I needed a break. She decided I needed to eat healthy and started putting broccoli and spinach in everything.”
“I take it you don’t like either?”
“I hate them. I guess I could have told her, but it would have been a long drawn out conversation and dang it all, I’ve tried to tell her over and over there isn’t a future for us. She won’t listen.”
Anora stood and started clearing the table. “Did you tell her your heart is cold and hard?”
“I think she already knows. It’s not something I can help. It’s just the way I am.”
Part of her ached and part of her felt proud he confided in her. There was no future to be found here, but she didn’t really want one.
“I have a few meetings in town, and then I have to check on the herd. There are a few recovering from injuries, and the vet will be out this afternoon. You’ll be fine by yourself?”
“I should be. Can I go out to the barn and see the horses?”
“Sure. A young man named Wes will be out there most of the day. He’ll show you around.” He hesitated as though he had more to say, but he didn’t. He gave her a curt nod and left the kitchen.
As soon as the door closed she hurried to the bay window and watched him stroll to the barn. He looked so good in his jeans. Raising her hands to her burning cheeks, she shook her head. That was the last time she’d ogle him, she promised herself. No sense going down a road of hurt.
Champagne and Cowboys Page 45