by Vanessa Vale
That was the ridiculous thought in my mind as we rode up to the stable. Cord dismounted first, led his animal over to mine as he grabbed my lead. “Ready to get down?”
“How?” I asked. For once, he was shorter and it was odd to see him tilting his head back to look up at me.
“Opposite of how you got up.”
I rolled my eyes, but I’d seen enough cowboy movies to have seen it done. In real life, it was a long way down. “She’s not going to run off, right?”
He slowly shook his head, and I was sure he was internally laughing at me. “I’ve got her lead. She’s not going anywhere.”
Taking my foot from the stirrup, I swung my leg over and dropped to the ground, but, of course, my pretty red cowboy boot was caught. It took a few extra seconds, but I finally got myself free. It hadn’t been graceful, but I’d done it on my own. To make it even more embarrassing, my legs practically buckled.
“Whoa,” Riley said, coming up and wrapping an arm about my waist. “Give your legs a minute to get used to walking again.”
“No kidding,” I replied, shaking them out. Muscles I didn’t even know I had were either numb or ached. And my butt….
Riley slid his finger down my nose. “Looks like we’ll need to get you a cowboy hat to go with those boots.”
I felt the heat on my nose and knew it was probably as red as Rudolph from the sun.
Cord led Sage and his horse into the stable.
“Think you can walk on your own?” Riley asked after a minute of just holding me. I didn’t mind at all. His clean scent was an instant, visceral reminder of what we’d done together and I wanted him. Cord, too. The tang of horse and leather prompted me to the fact we couldn’t do anything about it right now. Not here. Perhaps we could go up to the main house and—
No. God, I was turning into a mental slut.
I shook out my legs and turned to face him. “I’ll-I’ll give it a try.”
While he’d loosened his hold, he didn’t let me go entirely. “Maybe I should just keep my arm about you, just in case.” He grinned and I knew he was having similar thoughts as me. The heat, the need, almost crackled between us. After a moment, he started moving toward the stable, his arm hooked about my waist pulling me along. Slowly, so I could adjust to be being back on the ground.
Cord had the animals in the back area where they were brushed and groomed. With him was Jamison, Archer, Sutton. He introduced me to two other hands. Patrick and Shamus.
“Ma’am,” the blond one said.
Like everyone else, Patrick wore a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt, although he had on a college t-shirt.
They had to be nineteen or twenty and ma’am-ed me. God, I didn’t look that rough after my ride, did I? I swiped my hand over my hair in self-consciousness.
Jamison shared that they were working at the ranch for the summer and were undergrads at the state school studying animal science the rest of the year.
“Did you have a good time?” Sutton asked, eyeing me with concern. I hadn’t seen him since the other night when he’d shot the intruder, but it didn’t seem to have affected him. Although, it was hard to tell with him. He was always so serious. Like bad things had happened to him in the past. I was just glad he was a good shot.
I moved out of Riley’s hold and approached Sutton. “I wanted to thank you. What you did…for me. God, you’re going to have to live the rest of your life knowing you killed someone. And for me. I don’t know what to say because it’s too—”
Sutton held up a hand and I stopped talking. “You’re welcome. But it’s not necessary.”
“But you killed someone.”
He nodded curtly. “I did. I have. He wasn’t the first and knowing what his intentions most likely were...”
We glanced at Archer, who had a hand on the butt of his gun. It seemed it was habit for where he settled his hand, not that he was planning on shooting anyone.
“One less fucker on the planet,” Sutton said. “The trauma from what happened could kick in at any time. Let your men take care of you.”
My men. Riley came over to my side once again. “Nothing’s happening to her.”
The corner of Sutton’s mouth tipped up. That was the biggest smile I’d ever seen from him. “Damn straight. What did you think of the ride?” he asked, changing the topic. He didn’t seem to like being the center of attention, and I had to let the matter drop. It was what he wanted and I had to respect that.
“It was great…until I dismounted.” I forced myself not to reach back and rub my sore bottom.
“It’ll get easier the more you ride. Sage will be here anytime you want. Just let one of us know and we’ll help you saddle her up. We’ll go with you, too, so you’re not alone.”
“Oh, um, that would be great. I was just thinking I need my own Boy Scout.”
“Sweetness,” Cord said, having me turn around. “I’m an Eagle Scout.”
“Of course you are,” I murmured, grinning. I could see him as a teenager out in the wilderness hunting elk with a homemade bow and arrow and cooking it over an open fire he had to start by rubbing two sticks together.
“Sorry to break up all the fun, but we’ve had a lead,” Archer told the group.
“Let’s take this outside,” Riley said, handing off his horse’s lead to Patrick and taking my hand. Shamus took control of Sage and Cord’s horse and we went back out into the fresh air.
We stood with Jamison, Sutton and Archer. Riley’s hand was about my waist—it was as if it were drawn there again and again by a magnet—with Cord at my side. Jamison leaned against the exterior of the stable.
“The New Jersey police sent Dwight Sampers’ records. It’s as long as fu—, sorry, Kady. It’s pretty darn long. Robbery, aggravated assault.” His lips formed into a thin line. “Rape.”
My heart skipped a beat. Rape. All the men’s muscles went taut, as if the word affected them as much as it had me.
I looked to Sutton. Saw he was practically vibrating with anger, and I went over to him, took his hand. It was big and warm, yet very rough with callouses. His gray eyes met mine. “I’m not sure if I should say this in front of Archer, but I’m glad you shot the guy.”
I heard Archer’s chuckle from behind me. “I’m glad he shot the guy, too. I’m even happier he’s dead. While it’s a lot of paperwork, it’s one less fucker…sorry, one less asshole—” Archer closed his eyes. Obviously, he couldn’t moderate his swearing.
“It’s okay. He was an asshole,” I clarified as I glanced at him over my shoulder.
“One less bad guy around,” Archer finished. “Sampers had a deposit in his bank account last week for just under ten thousand dollars.”
“The IRS isn’t notified if it’s under ten grand,” Jamison said and we all looked to him. He hadn’t moved from his spot against the wall.
“That’s right. It was a wire transfer,” Archer added. “We believe that was his payment to come after you. So it makes sense you’ve never heard of the guy since he was just the trigger man. As for Briggs, well, we’ll have to see how he’s connected.”
“Wait.” My brain stalled at the name. “Oh my god. Briggs?” I asked.
Archer perked up at my tone and even Jamison moved closer.
“You know him?” Archer asked.
“Isn’t that the guy—”
“I’ve heard that name—”
“My sister married David Briggs.”
Cord, Riley and I all spoke at once and Archer held up his hand. “Hang on. Your brother-in-law is David Briggs?”
“It appears so.” I shrugged. “My sister, Beth, called me this morning. Said she’d gotten married two days ago. Tossed out the guy’s name. How do you know him?”
“The bank account that wired the money to Sampers is in the name of David Briggs.” Archer remained still, eyeing me closely. “So you’ve never met him before?”
“No. As I said, I never heard the name until the call with Beth.”
“Lea
rn anything about him?”
“Nothing.”
“Where did they meet?” Archer put his hands on his hips.
“Rehab.”
I shared Beth’s quick history with drugs ending with her stay, then departure from New Beginnings.
“We heard part of the call,” Riley added. “The doctor couldn’t say anything about Briggs. Patient confidentiality. But she did tell us he checked himself out of the facility a day before Kady’s sister.” He paused for a moment and when he spoke again, his voice was different. Darker. “This was all planned.”
I whipped my head up. “What? What are you saying, that David Briggs paid someone to kill me? Why? God, is Beth in danger?” She was back on drugs and unbalanced and alone—and married—to someone who seemed to want me dead. Someone ruthless and cunning. Beth may have ventured into the darker parts of life by doing drugs, yet because of it was still really naïve in some ways. Gullible.
“Do you have a will, Kady?” Jamison asked.
I blinked. “Yes, of course.”
“Oh shit,” Cord whispered.
I looked between all of them. “I’m missing something. What aren’t you telling me?”
“Who’s your beneficiary, if something happens to you?” Riley asked.
“Beth. When my parents died, they had a little life insurance and the house went to me. While Beth was eighteen at the time, they hadn’t updated their will and it all went to me.”
“You were to be her guardian until she came of age,” Riley said.
“That’s right. They wanted to make sure we stayed together. But since she was eighteen, none of that mattered. Except she had nothing. Paranoid because of what happened, I had a will drawn up that ensured the house and everything else went to Beth.”
“Do you have any cousins? Aunts? Extended family of any kind?” Riley asked.
I shook my head. “My parents were only children and my grandparents died when I was little. Only Beth.”
“Because Beth is your sole living relation, she would automatically become the beneficiary of your estate if anything happened to you, will or not. But when she married…”
Riley didn’t finish.
I took a step back, then another. Oh, god. “Just say it.” My lips were numb; my mind was numb. What had Beth done?
“David Briggs heard of your Steele Ranch inheritance from your sister and wants to cash in.”
12
CORD
“Do you think Beth is in on it?” Kady asked.
I was settled one of the couches in the main house great room, Kady tucked onto my lap. She’d freaked out about her sister, about David Briggs. She didn’t cry, didn’t shout, just…went inward, and that had scared the shit out of me.
While seeing her cry would have been devastating, at least she’d be bleeding out some of her emotions. But she’d shut down and that was not fucking happening. Grabbing her hand, I all but dragged her up to the house. Not that she’d be any less upset inside the house where someone had broken in and tried to kill her. Perhaps hired by a man in cahoots with her fucking sister.
But I wanted to hold her and I wasn’t doing it in the stables.
I sat quietly, not doing anything except keeping her from getting up as the others came in. She was exactly where I wanted her. Safe. Secure and damn well knew I would protect her from everything. No one was getting to her. Ever.
And the other guys? They could figure this shit out while I held her and if they had a problem with that, if they didn’t like seeing me take care of my woman, then fuck them. The guys came in and Riley took in Kady, gave me a slight nod, then followed Jamison, Archer and Sutton into the kitchen. I heard them dig around in the drawers, the fridge. Archer was on the phone. I only caught a few words, but I knew he was updating someone surrounding the latest about Beth and David Briggs.
“In on it? You know your sister. What do you think?” I asked her. I knew nothing about Beth, nothing beyond what she’d shared. But I knew others who were hooked on drugs, knew the toll it took on them, on their families. Knew how desperate they could become. Drugs cost money, and I had no doubt Beth had probably already burned through whatever life insurance she was given when her parents died. Kady’s portion of Steele’s money could keep her in drugs for the rest of her life.
Or Briggs in whatever lifestyle he wanted.
“My first reaction is to say of course not,” she replied after a bit, taking her time to think it through.
I had no intention of rushing her. I wanted her feelings out. Aloud. Shared, so I could take the burden away. I was big enough to handle it all.
“I’m her sister and she’d never do anything like this. But she’s been so mad at me for so long. That everything bad had happened to her, not me. She doesn’t seem to understand I lost my parents, too. But when I heard about Aiden Steele and the inheritance, she was really upset. It was cruel proof of what she’d been saying all along. I’d had an extra father. Like I was so lucky because of that.”
She sighed, gripped her fingers around my forearm. Her hand was so small in comparison. Yet, she was strong. So fucking strong. She didn’t deserve this shit. She could handle it. She had been on her own for years, and I felt like shit thinking of her, younger and dealing with Beth, with her grief. I could have been there for her, but wasn’t. It was stupid; I hadn’t even known she existed. But she wasn’t alone anymore. No longer.
“It’s not like I knew Aiden Steele, had him secretly hidden from her. He’s just a name on a piece of paper to me.”
“Then she went into rehab,” I added.
“Yes. And when I was able to visit, or when she’d call me, it never went well. Just like the call at the restaurant the other night. Anger. Hatred, even. But she’d been so happy this time when she told me she’d gotten married. You heard her earlier. She hasn’t been that excited in…forever.”
“It’s possible she has no idea. If this guy, Briggs, is a sociopath, he may be feeding on your sister’s weaknesses,” I suggested. “A need for love, attention.”
“Her need for drugs,” she added.
I kissed the top her head, felt her silky hair against my lips. “It’s an easy way to keep someone under control.”
The scent of Italian cuisine came from the kitchen. Garlic and tomato sauce. They must have stuck one of Mrs. Potts’ casseroles in the oven. Lasagna, I hoped.
Archer came in, leaned his hip against one of the overstuffed chairs. The rest of the guys followed him in, settled around the seating area, but Riley sat next to us on the couch, took hold of Kady’s feet and lifted them onto his lap.
“David and Bethany Briggs were on a flight to Billings yesterday.”
I felt Kady stiffen at Archer’s words. Her sister was here but hadn’t come to her. Billings was several hours away, but it didn’t take a day to drive. If she wanted to see Kady, she’d have come. It only made me think the worst.
“She called you from Montana,” Riley said. His sharp eyes were on Kady. I could see the anger, the frustration there and in every tense line of his body.
“Why didn’t she say she was in the area?” Kady asked, but she was smart enough to know the reason.
I was liking Beth less and less by the second.
“They’re coming here. To you. This is the perfect place to catch them,” Archer said.
There was no real way to ease the pain of this for her. Archer might like Kady, but he was the sheriff and he had an attempted murder to investigate. With the trail leading right to her sister, it was impossible to soften the blow that Beth might just be going to jail.
And so I just did what I could, stroking my fingers up and down her arm, letting her know she wasn’t alone, that no matter what happened with her sister, Riley and I were there for her. The others, too.
“Agreed,” Jamison added. While the ranch wasn’t his, he was protective of it, of those on it. “The ranch is a good place to be. There’s only one road in and out. If they come by foot, which I doubt, they’
d be seen coming across the fields.”
They continued to talk, to plot and strategize.
“It makes sense that they’d come to see me. To do whatever Briggs has planned next. But tonight?” she asked.
“We don’t know,” Archer said. “But they didn’t come to Montana for their honeymoon. Based on what they’ve done so far, they’re impatient. I’m guessing they won’t wait. If they do, then we’ll be watching tomorrow, too.”
Kady sat up and I loosened my hold. “You’re going to ambush them?”
Everyone looked to Kady. “Sweetness, that fucker the other night, he ambushed you.”
“The difference is, we’re only going to arrest them, not kill them,” Archer confirmed, eyeing Kady levelly.
“Speak for yourself,” I muttered.
“You can’t kill Beth!” she cried, turning enough so she could look up at me.
“Not Beth, sweetness,” I told her, my voice light considering what I wanted to do to the Briggs asshole. “I would never hurt a woman, even for a reason like this. No, if she’s involved in what happened the other night, she’ll go to jail.”
“Kady, honey,” Archer said as he moved to sit on the coffee table. She turned to look at him. “Unless your sister is being held at gunpoint—and it doesn’t sound like she is based on what you told me about the phone call earlier—then she’ll probably be arrested at least for accessory.”
She gave a nod. “I know. She needs to be accountable for her actions. She needs to learn consequences, not to be rescued. And to her, it seems, rehab is just a rescue. Attention.”
Riley patted her leg. “You’re okay with that?”
“Okay?” She shifted on my lap, shrugged. “Not really, but I’ve enabled her enough. Like you said, she’s an adult and I have to let her go. Or at least live her life. The life she made for herself.”
Satisfied, Archer stood. “Good, then Kady will stay here at the house and—”