Ryder's Surrender (Hell Yeah!)

by Sable Hunter

  “Why don’t we have two ceremonies? One can be legal and public, the other can be private and personal.”

  Gideon smiled. “Perfect. We’ll just need to find someone to perform the second ceremony.”

  “You leave that to me,” Samson said. “I’ll find someone we can trust.”

  “How about Kali’s husband? He respects the old ways. We could fly them over with the folks.” Gideon’s voice was excited now. He had a plan.

  “Perfect. Just perfect,” Samson agreed, changing gears on the Lamborghini to make a sharp curve.

  “Great.” Gideon put the ring box back in his pocket, then patted it. “Everything’s settled. Nothing can go wrong now. We won’t allow it.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “Ellis was targeted to stop the mission. There’s no other explanation.”

  “Yes, for the same reason they blew up the rocket and the cargo capsule. They don’t know we have multiples. The plans we’ve put into place aren’t the norm for the industry. We’ve perfected a way to produce rockets cheaper, therefore our eggs aren’t all in one basket.” Samson shook a folder at Gideon. “That lack of insight is the only thing that keeps me from suspecting this is an inside job. How the hell are they getting inside our property to do so much damage?”

  Gideon stared at the wall of their office at Cape Canaveral. “I don’t think they are. Everything that’s happened – the fire, the explosion – all of this could’ve been handled remotely. Hell, they could’ve used a drone to do their dirty work.”

  Samson tugged on his hair in frustration. “You know what we should do? You know what would be the ultimate ‘fuck you’?”

  “What?” Gideon was intrigued.

  “We have all the components in place. This is an unmanned mission. The trajectory is mapped out. Losing Ellis was a blow, but his second-in-command is up to the job. All we need is for Heath to deliver the fuel. Let’s move up the launch. Crap is going to continue to happen until we’ve put the matter to rest. Let’s go to Mars now. No fanfare. No press. Let’s just do it. We won’t make an announcement until Ryder-V is in the sky.”

  Gideon smiled. “I agree. All systems are go.”

  ...Meanwhile on their way to Highlands, Ryder was receiving a lecture by the youngest member of Gabe’s team. His name was Laramie Goodnight and he looked less like a bodyguard than anyone she could imagine. He was dressed completely in cowboy gear and spoke with an East Texas drawl. “All I’m asking, ma’am, is that you let me check things out.”

  “This is my home, Goodnight. The only place I’m safer is when I’m lying between Samson and Gideon.”

  Honest to God, Laramie covered his eyes. “Oh, please don’t say things like that, ma’am. I blush easy. All I’m asking is that you let me do my job. I don’t want to let Mr. Gabe or the Dukes down.”

  “All right.” Ryder gave in with a sigh. “Do whatever you think is necessary. You can even join us for the meal if you’d like.” She looked up toward the driver. “Gervis, I’ll send you out a plate.”

  “Not necessary, ma’am. Thurgood made me a ham sandwich.” He lifted the plastic wrapped packet. “While you’re visiting, I’m going to park down by the lake, enjoy my meal, and wait for your call.”

  Since the trip was so short, there was no further time for conversation. “Whose limousine is that?” Laramie asked, automatically taking his phone in hand to check the plates.

  Ryder sighed in disappointment. “No need to look it up. I recognize the car. It belongs to one of Heath’s friends, Scott Eagleton.” How could he do this? “I’m going to strangle, Heath,” she muttered. “He hasn’t accepted anything, he’s still matchmaking!”

  “You’re right, Scott Eagleton, former Ambassador to Russia, business mogul. Single. Thirty-two. Weight, one-eighty.”

  Ryder leaned over. “What kind of database has all of that information?”

  Laramie pulled it to his chest. “Mr. Gabe has many resources.”

  She had to smile. “Well, I’m glad Mr. Gabe works for Samson and Gideon.”

  When they pulled up to the house, Gervis held the door. “Thank you.” She gave him a smile. “Come on, Laramie. Let’s get this show on the road.”

  The next few minutes were full of joy and frustration.

  Ryder’s reunion with her family was a happy one – for the most part. She kissed the babies, she hugged the girls – she tried to have a meaningful moment with Jaxson and Ten – with little success. Philip, as always, tried to be the peacemaker, escorting her from one member of the family to the next, as if she might’ve forgotten their names.

  But when it came to Heath – she stood before him like a petty thief in front of a magistrate. But why? She had no reason to feel guilty. “Heath.”

  “Ryder. Glad you could make it.”

  “Thanks for inviting me.”

  Catching a glimpse of Scott standing a few feet behind Heath, she narrowed her eyes and whispered, “I thought you invited me here because you finally accepted my decision, not a final attempt to talk me out of it.”

  “Oh, this isn’t my final attempt,” Heath murmured with equal intensity. “I’ll never accept you being Daisy Duke to the Hazzard brothers.”

  “I think you’ve mixed up your metaphors.” She jerked her head toward Eagleton. “And you’re matchmaking, again? Have you lost your mind?”

  “I’m fundraising, for your information. The fact that Scott still has a crush on you is a bonus.” He looked over his shoulder at Laramie Goodnight. “Who’s the kid? Don’t tell me you’ve brought a fourth into your dirty little triangle.”

  Ryder had to clench her fists to keep from punching her brother. “That’s my bodyguard.”

  Heath’s eyebrows raised to the roof. “They think you need a bodyguard in your own home? With us?”

  “If I remember correctly, you made me so miserable I had to leave my own home.”

  “That was your decision, missy.”

  “Hey, guys, settle down.” Cato tugged Heath’s sleeve. “We have company, you know.”

  After that, the family gathered around the big dining table. Ryder found herself sitting between Heath and Scott Eagleton. She sent Pepper a look that pleaded for rescue.

  “We’ll escape soon,” Pepper mouthed to her.

  Cato, who was sitting across from Ryder kicked her under the table. “I’m sorry about this. He does love you, give him a chance to come around.” Her sister-in-law didn’t say the words out loud, she signed them.

  Ryder signed back. “I love him, too. Beyond that, I don’t know how this will end.”

  “The food is delicious, Pepper.” Ryder complimented the meal. “You made chicken and dumplings, one of my favorites.” There was also a huge beef roast and all the trimmings – mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, a multitude of salads, fresh rolls, and a coconut cake for dessert.

  “Molly and Cato helped. Ella and Ava even got in on the act. They sat in their carriers and laughed at the mess we made.”

  Pepper’s recounting made Ryder a little homesick. “Sounds fun.” As she looked down the long table, she noticed Laramie appeared to be enjoying his food. “Who’s the man sitting by Laramie?” she asked her brother.

  “That’s Scott’s assistant. I’m not sure what his name is, I don’t think he said.”

  Heath’s response didn’t satisfy her. She stared at the man who met her eye and gave her a smile. “He looks familiar. I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”

  “Why don’t you ask Scott?” Heath muttered out of the corner of his mouth.

  “I don’t want to talk to Scott,” she whispered back.

  “This food is excellent,” Heath said between bites. “Maybe he was with Scott at the cook-off, you might have seen him there.”

  “Maybe. Now, while I’ve got your attention. What’s it going to take for you to accept the presence of Samson and Gideon in my life?”

  “Pass the salt, Ryder.” Scott touched her arm and Ryder jumped.

&nbs
p; “Sure.” She gave it to him, inching further over in her seat toward her brother.

  “I don’t know what it will take – a miracle maybe,” Heath grumbled to her left.

  To her right, Scott tried to strike up a conversation. “So, I hear you’re dating Samson Duke?”

  His question stunned Ryder. “Yes, I am,” she answered slowly, half expecting Scott to join Heath in his attempt to dissuade her. “I love them…him very much.” Shocked at her own misstep, Ryder cut her eyes up to see if Scott had caught her slip of the tongue.

  He had. An odd smile came over his face. “I see. Will your men be joining us this evening, perhaps a little later for drinks? I know they are usually inseparable.” Eagleton gave her a pointed stare, letting her know he knew more than he was saying.

  “Yes, that’s a good idea, Ryder,” Heath interjected. “I think it’s time we all had a nice sit-down. Why don’t you call and invite them over for dessert?”

  Ryder looked between them, trying to ascertain if they’d both lost their minds. “How gracious of you.” She recognized the sarcasm in her brother’s voice, even if Scott didn’t. What was he up to? “Unfortunately, that will be impossible. They’re out of town on business.”

  Scott frowned. “What a shame.”

  For a few minutes after that exchange, things leveled out. Ryder tried to participate in the general family conversation going on around the table.

  “Ava and Ella are finally sleeping through the night,” Ten announced proudly.

  “That’s great!” Ryder celebrated with the proud papa.

  “Mostly thanks to the new nanny we’ve found,” Molly added. “Maxine is a dream.”

  “I’m so happy for the both of you. What other good news do we have? Jaxson?” She looked at her ‘favorite’ brother expectantly.

  He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it, shrugging. When he finally spoke, he wouldn’t look at Ryder, he gave the answer to her question to the rest at the table. “The only thing worth mentioning in my life is the new bull we bought last week. He’s going to make some fine calves.”

  Jaxson’s actions broke Ryder’s heart. She tried to talk to him anyway, needing to connect. “I’d love to see your new bull before I go, Jaxson. If you’d let me.”

  When he didn’t answer Ryder or even look at her, she lowered her head. Disappointed, she took another couple of bites before turning her attention to something else – anything else. She glanced at Laramie who was speaking to the stranger across from him, the one whose familiarity plagued her memory. Who was he? Why couldn’t she remember?

  Letting out a frustrated breath, Ryder tried her luck with another brother. “How about you, Philip? Are you still seeing the mysterious Shell?”

  Philip laid his fork down and clasped his hands together, his gaze moving from one family member to the other. “No, I’m not seeing Shell. I invited Racy Monahan out to dinner. Our first date is tomorrow night.”

  Pepper dropped her fork, which clanked against the plate. “Racy!”

  “Racy!” Ryder echoed her sister’s surprise. “That’s wonderful!”

  A plethora of outbursts and questions were thrown at Philip. Heath, on the other hand, seemed determined to talk business with Scott Eagleton. Ryder had to lean back to give them room to converse.

  “Scott, I wanted to tell you about my work with methane.”

  Ryder closed her eyes. “Do you want to trade seats with me?” she asked her brother.

  “No.” Scott clasped her arm. “You stay right where you are.”

  This didn’t deter Heath. “Natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel we have. As you know, its main ingredient is methane. There’s a great environmental benefit to using methane, by mass it produces more heat and light energy than other fossil fuels, including coal. It also produces less carbon dioxide and other pollutants. This means the more natural gas we use, the less greenhouse gas emissions and smog related pollutants we produce. I think we can develop a process to capture some naturally produced methane to use as a fuel. For example, methane from waste water treatment plants or dairies could be collected and used. We’d be able to reduce the amount of methane in the atmosphere as well as reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.”

  Ryder’s eyes were crossed and she was amused to see Scott’s were as well.

  When Heath’s cell phone rang, despite their differences, she and Scott shared a sly look of relief.

  “Yea?” Heath pinned Ryder with a stare. “Samson. What can I do for you?”

  Samson was calling Heath? Ryder was surprised.

  Heath listened for a moment as Ryder and Scott leaned closer, both trying to hear what was being said.

  “Hell, yes, we can be ready. If you want to move up the Mars launch, I’m gung-ho to help you.” Heath paused, frowning. “Yes, she’s right here. Safe and sound.” A grimace crossed his face. “Would you and Gideon have time to stop by?”

  Ryder narrowed her gaze at her brother. Hadn’t he believed her when she told him the Dukes were out of town?

  Next to Ryder, Scott tensed.

  “I understand,” Heath concluded with a grin. “No problem. My brothers and I will get the ball rolling. We’ll have that fuel delivered to you in no time.” He handed the phone to Ryder, his smile disappearing abruptly from his face. “Samson wants to talk to you.”

  Ryder took the phone, glaring at Heath. “Hey, baby. What’s up?”

  As Ryder listened to Samson’s excited voice, Heath stood and addressed his brothers. “Philip, Jaxson, Tennessee – we need to have a quick meeting out in the ranch office building. All of my specs are out there.” To everyone else, he gave an apologetic look. “If you’ll excuse us, we have some business to attend to.” To Cato, he gave a genuine smile. “I’ll be back soon, darlin’.”

  The brothers rose and threw down their napkins, ready to help their sibling.

  “Scott, I hope we can do business.” Before leaving the table, Heath shook hands with the former ambassador. “I think this launch is going to prove the value of our work and my plan.”

  As Ryder tried to concentrate on Samson’s voice, relaying what sounded like good news, her brothers filed out of the room. “We’re moving up the launch, Ryder, that should quell the trouble once and for all. When the rocket is on its way to Mars, the wind should effectively be taken out of our enemies’ sails.”

  “That sounds wonderful. I’m so happy for you. When will you be home?” She wanted them to accomplish their goals, she just needed to be with them while they did it.

  “I’m not sure, sweetheart. This is going to take several days. How are you? How are things with your family?”

  “I’m fine, just lonely. As for as the rest – I’m not sure. I suppose things will work themselves out eventually. How about if Laramie brought me to you?”

  “That sounds like a plan. Let me talk to Gideon and we’ll call you back with arrangements.”

  “Okay, thank you. I love you and tell Gideon that I love him too.”

  Samson returned her sentiment, promising to get back to her within the hour. Ryder hung up, a bit distracted by everything going on at the table…

  Scott was on his phone, whispering. Across the table, Cato was observing him closely, her eyes wide with what looked like alarm. Ryder was about to sign her and ask her what was wrong when the stranger at the end of the table stood up and began shouting something to Laramie. Scott hung up his phone, then he stood also - speaking to his assistant in a language Ryder didn’t understand.

  After that – things were a blur.

  Scott and his associate both pulled a gun.

  “What? Scott? What’s going on?” She tried to grab Scott’s hand but he pushed her away. To Ryder’s horror, the associate pointed his gun at Laramie and just pulled the trigger.

  Jumping to her feet, Ryder tried to speak – but her voice was gone, stolen by abject horror. In slow motion, she watched Laramie grasp his chest, a look of disbelief on his face.

  W
hy hadn’t she heard a blast? For a moment, Ryder didn’t comprehend there was a silencer on the gun. Only the red blooming on Laramie’s white shirt convinced her the man had actually fired the weapon.

  All the women screamed as Laramie fell to the floor. Desperately, Ryder tried to punch Samson’s number on Heath’s phone, but Scott snatched it from her hand. “Sorry to do this, sweetheart, but you’re coming with me. We have some long-standing business to attend to.”

  “Never! I’m not going anywhere with you, Scott. Are you crazy?”

  He didn’t answer, his hand just clamped down on her arm and he held her in a painful grip.

  “No!” Cato screamed, standing, her eye on the door.

  “No one move, or I’ll kill her now.” He aimed the gun at Ryder’s head.

  “Help!” Pepper screamed as hard as she could – but there was no one to hear her.

  “Shut up!” Scott bellowed. Seeing Ryder had her purse clutched in her hand, he tore it away. “No, no purse! You won’t need it or your phone. You’re not getting away from me and you aren’t calling for help!”

  Molly looked horrified, glancing toward the stairs, seeming to gauge if she could make it to her babies. Ryder knew she was praying that Maxine couldn’t hear the outbursts and didn’t come to investigate. Ryder felt like she was living in a nightmare. She hoped to hell Scott hadn’t heard them talking about the babies and the nanny. Attempting to distract him, she began to speak. “What’s this about, Scott? Why are you doing this? We need to call an ambulance for Laramie!”

  Scott had no answer for her, he was still speaking to his assistant in some foreign garble. As Ryder panicked, still struggling to get away, her gaze lingered on the man who’d shot poor Laramie. Then – the truth hit her like a bomb blast – he was the same man who’d put the explosive device beneath Samson and Gideon’s car!

  “You!” she screamed at Scott. “It’s been you all the time! You’re the one who’s been trying to stop the Mars launch! Why?” In horror, Ryder looked toward the door. Why didn’t Heath and the others come back? Hadn’t they heard the commotion?