Claire swallowed her tears and fear, finding anger and resolve. She’d never had that kind of fairy tale life and she should’ve known better than to hope for a happily ever after. That just didn’t happen to girls like her.
She needed to leave Marietta. Now. But Katie was guarding her like a hen with her eggs.
“Wyatt’s on his way into town now,” Katie reasoned. “Let’s go down to Grey’s and get a drink and wait for him.”
Crap. No way. She wouldn’t be a sitting duck waiting in downtown Marietta at a bar. She’d be putting them all in danger.
“I’ve got to go. I’m sorry, Katie.” She climbed into her car and closed the door.
Katie climbed into the passenger seat.
A scream of frustration threatened and Claire shook her head, looking away. “What are you doing?”
“Going with you.”
“Please, get out of my car.”
“I can’t do that.”
She had no choice. Wyatt was on his way into town now. She had to get away. Disappear once again with only the purse she had on her. Abandon the small things she’d acquired over the last year, and everyone she’d begun to care about.
“If you don’t get out of the car, you’re coming with me.”
Katie buckled up. “All right. Wherever you want to go, I’m up for it.”
Seriously? “Jesus, you Marshalls are a tenacious bunch.”
Because she was losing time, and knowing there was no point in arguing with the other woman, Claire pulled away from the garage.
Every logical part of her said to get the hell out of Dodge—or Marietta, specifically. Even with Katie sitting right beside her and refusing to leave.
But there was a smaller side of her, with a voice that was growing louder by the minute.
She was so damn tired of running.
Just as quickly as the fear had spiked inside her, it faded. Was replaced with exhaustion.
Claire pulled the car over to the side of the road and sat quietly. Katie didn’t say a word, just waited.
It wasn’t just about her anymore. She could leave town, and who was to say Alfredo wouldn’t just show up at the ranch anyway? Maybe not tonight, but tomorrow. Next week.
She couldn’t do that to the Marshalls. They didn’t ask for any of this.
Claire glanced at her purse on the floor, thinking about her handgun inside. Instead of running from her fears, it was time to face them.
“I’m going back to the ranch.” She could barely believe the words came out so calm.
Katie sucked in a breath, and Claire saw her reach for her phone.
Claire covered her hand. “Please don’t. I don’t want Wyatt to know. He’s safer being in town right now.” She stared at Katie hard. “And so are you. Please, Katie, just get out of the car.”
There was no fear in the other woman’s eyes. “I’m not leaving you alone. If you’re going back to the ranch, I’m going with you.”
Damn it.
“Okay.” She nodded and then flipped a U-turn, and made her way back toward the ranch.
She took slow, deep breaths the entire drive back, mentally preparing. When she pulled onto the property and saw no other vehicles, she had a moment of uncertainty.
“I don’t think anyone’s here,” Katie said, voicing Claire’s thoughts aloud. “It’s possible we panicked for nothing.”
“Maybe.” Claire got out of the car and grabbed the gun out of her purse.
They looked around the property and saw nothing suspicious.
Claire glanced around. “Where are Tim and Lyle?”
“Likely on the far end of the ranch, moving the cattle. Wyatt sends them down there.” Katie headed for the main house. “I’ll check the upstairs.”
A small stab of panic hit Claire. She didn’t want Katie going upstairs alone. It sounded like something out of a bad thriller, but Katie had already moved quickly up the stairs and disappeared.
Claire took a deep breath and then started to search the downstairs, holding the gun the proper way Wyatt had showed her to.
There was nothing out of the ordinary. The smell of French toast still lingered in the air and the dishwasher swished softly breaking the quiet.
There was one place she hadn’t checked down here. Her gaze fell on the pantry closet, and she swallowed hard. Someone could easily be hiding in there.
With her heart pounding a mile a minute, she approached and grabbed the handle.
Open it, Claire. Don’t be a freaking pansy.
Drawing in a deep breath and holding the gun ready to shoot at anyone hiding, she jerked it open and her heart nearly stopped.
Nothing. Well nothing but the stuff you’d usually find in a pantry. The tension in her muscles eased, and she laughed softly at her own paranoia.
She closed the door again and turned, coming face to face with Alfredo.
Fear exploded inside her and she lifted the gun, but he’d had the element of surprise. He slammed her back against the closet, sending stars in her head, and forcing her hand with the gun to her side.
“Been looking all over for you, Sin.” He slid a scornful glance from her head to her toes. “What the hell happened to my sexy, heavy metal maven? Christ, you look like a damn hillbilly cheerleader now.”
“You made a mistake coming after me,” she ground out.
The rage inside her outweighed the fear. God, she really hoped Katie was safe upstairs and stayed.
“You made the mistake of thinking you could leave me. After everything I’d done for you. You left me for this? For him?” Alfredo gestured with his gun around the kitchen. “You’re not the farmer’s wife type, Sin.”
Her teeth clenched and she vowed to fight back. Verbally and physically as much as she could.
“I’m sure as hell not a wannabe mobster’s wife either, Alfredo.”
For a moment there was genuine rage in his eyes, before he laughed and grabbed her chin.
“I will break you, girl. Do you hear me? I made you. I own your pretty as—ooph!”
She drove her knee between his legs and he doubled over on a raspy cry. It was all the time she needed to get away from him.
Claire’s only focus was getting him out of the house and away from Katie. She ran down the stairs and toward the barn across the yard.
The thundering of footsteps and loud curses announced he was right behind her. She turned, firing three shots blindly and missed him by a mile.
If she could get behind the row of hay she could have a little bit of cover and could get off a couple of shots.
She dove behind the barrels, getting her gun into position again and trying to keep her hands from shaking.
Don’t hesitate, shoot.
Wyatt’s words from yesterday resounded in her head as she peeked up just enough to locate her alarmingly close target.
She pulled the trigger and he jerked backward, clutching his shoulder. A stain of red spread between his fingers.
She pulled the trigger again, but there was a click. Oh God, she hadn’t had a full chamber. Terror quickly became the dominant emotion.
Alfredo rounded the hay, jerking her to her feet by her shirt.
“First, I’m going to beat the crap out of you, bit—”
“The hell you will, Alfredo,” Wyatt’s voice rang out.
There was a series of clicks and Claire and Alfredo both swung their gazes back toward the house.
Like a Marietta vigilante, Wyatt, Cal, and Katie all stood several feet away, rifles cocked and ready.
“You see Claire’s still learning how to shoot.” Wyatt’s voice was unwaveringly, but there was a thread of barely leashed violence in it. “But I can guarantee you we Marshalls are much more experienced, and our guns are bigger.”
Still Alfredo hesitated.
“And another thing,” Wyatt added, his voice not quite steady with the restrained rage. “Claire’s got a responsibility to try my steak tonight, and not you, or anything else is going to come between t
hat happening.”
Steak? He was literally talking about his steak again? Her heart thundered in her chest and she silently begged Wyatt to back off.
With a curse, Alfredo dropped her and took off in the opposite direction. Cal jumped off the porch and gave chase.
“Claire.”
She lifted her gaze to Wyatt, saw him reach out a hand toward her.
“Come here, honey.”
She didn’t think, she just ran into his arms.
*
Wyatt held her against him, refusing to let go as she trembled and cried. He couldn’t let go. Damn, not after what had happened an hour ago.
He’d brought her to his room once the police had finished questioning her, and now they were curled up on his bed. Katie and Cal were downstairs still being questioned.
“It’s over, honey,” he murmured against her hair.
Only it wasn’t completely. Cal had returned shortly after giving chase, with the frustrating news that Alfredo had gotten away in car that had been waiting further up the road.
“I thought you were going into town,” Claire accused against his chest. “It’s why I came back here. I didn’t want you to get hurt. I wanted to face him alone.”
“Yeah, that was a crappy plan.” He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes. “I turned around halfway to town because I started thinking about how stubborn you were. I knew you’d come back here once you thought I was gone and safe.”
Because they were both only thinking about each other.
“Last night I figured out something.”
“What’s that?”
“That I’m in love with you,” he confessed raggedly. “And if he’d had the chance to hurt you…”
“He didn’t.” She sat up and her gaze searched his. Her eyes were bright and shiny with tears. “You really love me?”
“Yeah, Claire. I do.” He touched her cheek. “And I know it’s early, any maybe you don’t feel the same—”
“I do.” A tear slid down her cheek.
He brushed it aside, his chest swelled with relief and happiness, but there was still the small knot of fear in his gut.
“Good. I want you to stay, Claire. Not just for the week, but forever. The whole getting married and starting a family. I want that with you.” He sighed. “But it means putting down roots in Marietta.”
He saw the naked fear in her eyes. The panic.
“What if they don’t find him? He’s still out there, Wyatt.”
“He’d be a damn fool to come after you again. You’ve spent a lot of years running.” He brushed his thumb over her lips. “Running from your family. From Alfredo. But Marietta should be the end of that road. You belong here with me.”
Her lip trembled against his thumb. “You make it sound so easy.”
“It is that easy, honey,” he said gently. “Promise me you’ll stop running. Move to Marietta and let me love you. Protect you.”
She was quiet, seeming to not even breathe, before she gave a shuddering sigh. “I promise you I’ll stop running. I don’t want to anymore, Wyatt. I want to be with you, no matter what the risks are.”
He gathered her into his arms and kissed her, relief loosening the tension in every inch of his muscles. Only when she sighed and shifted on his lap, did he lift his head. His body was getting a bit worked up, and the urge to make love to her would have to wait, seeing as the police were still downstairs.
Another thought hit him, and he frowned. “What about Bourbon and Boots? You won’t have to give that up, will you?”
“I think I can still perform with the band.” She bit her lip. “We only rehearse once a week, and I can drive over to Bozeman for that. And then for the gigs, well, I can just meet them there.”
“I can drive you to those, no problem.”
“I’ll have to quit my job at the bakery.”
“Good, it was a crappy job anyway. You can be our dessert chef. The guests in the summer will really love it.”
“Dessert chef?” She gave a loud laugh, looking almost giddy now as she covered her mouth to quiet herself. “Oh, Wyatt, I’m still learning. Sure some stuff comes out okay, but I’m not good enough to qualify as a dessert chef.”
“Your cookies were amazing. And so was that whiskey cake.” He cradled her face in his hands. “But it wouldn’t matter an inch if your baking skills were terrible. I’d still hire you and eat crappy baked goods.”
Her laugh was soft and her eyes filled with affection. “That may be the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
God, he really hoped she wasn’t serious.
“And I can do more than bake. I can help on the ranch. Muck stalls, or whatever it is that you guys do. I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty.”
“I’ll hold you to that. Except when I’ve got you barefoot and pregnant.”
She laughed again. “I’m not really old fashioned, but it seems like maybe we should be married before you try and knock me up.”
“I’ll get to that,” he teased. “Let me get creative with the proposal, honey.”
There was a sharp knock on the bedroom door. “It’s Cal.”
“Come on in,” Wyatt called out.
“How are you two holding up?” Cal asked, coming in and shutting the door.
Wyatt couldn’t help but grin. “I’d say we’re doing all right.”
Cal’s gaze slid between the two of them. “Yeah? So you already heard the news?”
“What news?” Claire climbed off the bed.
“Oh. I guess not.” Cal nodded. “Seems that old boss of yours didn’t make it too far as he was leaving town. He was going pretty fast when he hit a cow who’d escaped from the pasture.”
Wyatt frowned. “Not one of my cows?”
“No, different ranch.”
“Did the cow survive?” Claire asked.
Wyatt and Cal both shot her quizzical look.
“No,” Cal answered quietly.
She nodded. “And Alfredo?”
“He did, but he’s not in good shape. The Sheriff and paramedics are both down there with him. Word is there’s a good chance he’s paralyzed from the neck down.”
Claire made a soft gasp, pressing her fingers to her mouth. The relief in the room was so thick it was almost tangible.
“It’s over,” Cal said gently, voicing the words they were all thinking. He squeezed her shoulder. “You don’t have to be afraid anymore.”
“Thank you.” She nodded, tears leaking down her cheeks. “Just give me a second.”
They watched as she disappeared into the bathroom and closed the door.
“Best news I’ve heard in a long time,” Wyatt admitted. “I hate to wish harm on anyone, but karma got his ass and big time.”
Cal arched a brow. “Think the cow was named Karma?”
“If not, it should’ve been. God rest its soul.”
His brother smirked and shook his head. “The deputies are gone; one of them gave Katie a ride back into town to pick up her car.”
“That was nice of him.”
Cal scowled. “I don’t like the way he looked at Katie.”
“Who?” Claire asked softly.
“The younger deputy.”
“Katie’s a grown woman,” Wyatt reminded his younger brother. “She’s been getting flirted with more and more lately. You should see it around here in the summer when we start renting out the cabins.”
“Maybe it happens, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Cal grunted and headed toward the back door. “I’m going to go fire up that grill. Getting late and I’m damn hungry for those steaks, Wyatt.”
“We’ll be out there in a few.”
Claire emerged from the bathroom a moment later. Her eyes were slightly puffy and he knew she’d had a good cry.
“Does it make me a bad person that I’m relieved knowing he’s not going to be able to come after me anymore?” she asked unsteadily.
He pulled her into his arms. “No. He was the bad perso
n. He got what he deserved.” Wyatt stroked his hand down her back. “You faced him head on tonight, honey, and even if the idea scares the tar out of me, I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, I’m still a lousy shot with the gun.”
“You were under extreme duress and had very little experience. The fact that you hit him at all is amazing.”
“He was pretty close.” She grimaced. After a moment’s hesitation, she asked, “Wyatt, what if I’m not a good at being a rancher’s wife?”
“I can see Luanne got into your head. You’re going to be an amazing wife, Claire. And an amazing mother someday. Plus, you can ride a horse, so we’re off to a good start.”
“Wait, was that like a girlfriend test or something?” she teased, glancing up at him.
“No. Well, maybe a little bit.” He gave a sheepish grin, before lowering his head and kissing her. Softly. Tenderly. “But it wouldn’t have mattered, because I love you, Sinclair. More than anything. You know that, right?”
Her laughter was almost giddy. “Well you called me by my full name, so you must be serious.” She lifted her head and kissed him again. “I love you too, cowboy.”
He claimed her mouth again before she finished the declaration. When they parted again, she gave a husky sigh.
“I’m not sure what I’m looking forward to more. The steak you keep talking up, or the alone time we’ll have together later tonight.”
“The steak, and the time alone together will be worth the wait. I promise.”
*
Later that night, they lay in bed recovering from a robust dinner and the slow lovemaking after.
“If I told you the steak was better than the sex, would you be disappointed?” she teased. “Because I think it may have been.
He burst out laughing and rolled her beneath him. “Nah. Wouldn’t be disappointed at all. I’d just look at it as a challenge to try again and prove you wrong.”
“Good, that’s what I was hoping for.”
She gave a soft squeal of laughter, which quickly turned into sighs of pleasure as he set out to prove her wrong.
The End
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