Dakota Sunrise

by Leah Brooke

Although grateful to her uncle, she felt the edges of panic closing in at the thought of being so dependent again.

  Sam rose and approached her, lifting her chin to look into her eyes. “What’s the problem? What’s bothering you?”

  “I hate the thought of coming to you for every dime.” Running a hand through her hair. “It’s better than I thought, at least. I was wondering where I could get a job around here and who would watch Casey. I hate to leave her with a stranger.”

  Carson shot to his feet. “You won’t need to. You stay with her. You’ve got plenty of money to buy whatever the two of you need.”

  “Or go wherever we want to go.” Deanna thought about how wonderful it would be to put even more distance between her and Jimmy.

  “Excuse me?” Although Carson kept his tone low in deference to Casey’s presence, the anger in it came through loud and clear.

  Deanna eyed Casey. “With that kind of money, Casey and I can go wherever we want. We can get as far away from—as far away as we can.”

  Shaking his head, Carson placed his hands on his hips, his eyes narrowed. “Not a chance, baby. You only get access to that money if you’re living here.”

  Spinning again to face Len, Deanna winced at the pain in her side. “Is that true?”

  Getting to his feet, Len inclined his head. “I’m afraid so. Your uncle wanted you here so you can be protected, but it’s really up to Sam and Carson.” He gestured toward Casey. “Your uncle trusted them with your safety, and we put safeguards in place to make sure you go along with your uncle’s wishes.”

  Deanna lifted her chin, ignoring Sam’s and Carson’s searching looks. “When will it be in my name?”

  Sam stiffened. “When Jimmy’s no longer a threat and you get settled. We’ll let you know.”

  Taking a card from a holder on his desk, Len handed it to her. “Take some time to think about it and come up with questions. We can meet again—next time alone.”

  Sam made a sound in his throat. “Careful.”

  Shaking her head, Deanna dropped the card into her purse. “If my uncle’s house is yours now, I want to find another place to live.”

  Carson smiled. “You can live where you are, or you can live in the main house. We prefer the latter, but those are your only options.”

  Chapter Eight

  Sam kept a sharp eye on Deanna as they ate their lunch at the diner, unnerved by her silence.

  She seemed lost in her own thoughts, alternately looking relieved and then trapped.

  Casey’s presence kept him from asking the questions that would give him a clue to her thoughts, which meant that it would have to wait until later.

  She picked at her food, stirring the soup more than eating it and nibbling on the saltine crackers that had come with it.

  Carson shared a look with Sam before reaching out to touch Deanna’s arm. “Would you rather have something else?”

  She jolted at his touch in a way that reminded him of a trapped animal. “No. The soup’s fine. Thank you.”

  Sam scowled. “This is the best way we could all come up with to protect you. You’ll have whatever you need and stay safe. If you’re mad about it, too bad. It’s a lot better than what it was.”

  Deanna paled. “You’re right.”

  Afterward, they went to a mall about an hour out of town, where he hoped Deanna could find warm clothes for both her and Casey.

  Casey stayed close to Deanna, making it impossible to get the answers he wanted, but Deanna’s continued silence had begun to unnerve him.

  Keeping his charges in his line of vision, he picked out several sweaters for her, and not until he handed them off to one of the saleswomen did it occur to him that he’d picked out various shades of blue.

  The lighter shade reminded him of the color of her eyes when they sparkled with amusement at something Casey said or did.

  A slightly darker shade almost exactly matched the color of her eyes normally but lacked the depth and brilliance.

  He’d found the deeper shade irresistible.

  Her eyes had darkened to almost the same color when he’d kissed her.

  Although he’d only had a brief glimpse, he couldn’t forget it and promised himself that he would see it again.

  Often.

  After picking out some warm clothing for both of them, they made their way to a bookstore where they bought several coloring books for Casey, some new crayons, and several books to read to Casey at bedtime.

  Deanna gave Sam a forced smile as Casey added another book to her pile. “She looks forward to hearing a story at night, but I didn’t have room in the bag for the ones she has at home.”

  Sam nodded, fighting to hide his anger when she referred to Mississippi as her home. “That’s not your home any longer. Your home is on the ranch.”

  Deanna paled. “I’m not sure about that yet.”

  “I am.” Sam found he had to take several steadying breaths in order to tamp down his temper at the thought of her trying to leave and be on her own, knowing that if he showed even a fraction of the rage inside him, it would scare her to death. “Grab whatever books she wants. Once we get rid of some of your uncle’s old books and magazines, they’ll be plenty of room for her to store her storybooks.”

  He glanced at Carson to see that his friend also watched Deanna closely, his frustration at not being able to read her clear in his grim expression.

  As they made their way toward the mall exit, Deanna paused in front of a sporting goods store before hurriedly going inside.

  Holding on to Casey’s hand, Deanna made her way up and down the aisles, stopping abruptly when she found an assortment of baseball bats.

  Leaning close to speak softly against her ear, Sam picked out a sturdy bat, knowing that she wanted it for self-defense. “You can try to ignore me all you want, but I sure as hell won’t make it easy for you.”

  Deanna took the bat he held out to her, hefting it with her left hand as if testing its weight. “I’m not ignoring you. I’m thinking. It’s a lot to take in.”

  Carson had a whispered conversation with Casey before picking her up. “We’ll be right back.”

  Sam nodded, taking the bat before she could hurt herself. “I would think you’d be happy. You’ve got enough money to buy anything you and Casey might need.”

  Staying close, he kept his voice low while Carson left with Casey. “You also have a safe place to live and the protection you need.”

  “A prison.”

  “Damn it, Deanna! We’re only trying to protect you. This way, Jimmy can’t take it from you. You and Casey are safe. I would think that would be a hell of a relief to you.”

  Deanna nodded, giving him another one of the forced smiles she’d been doling out all day like candy—a smile that had really begun to piss him off. “I know, and I’m grateful.”

  When she would have turned away, he slid a hand into her short, silky hair and slid his thumb beneath her chin, lifting her face to his.

  Holding her gaze, he lowered his voice even more. “You’re safe at the ranch. You’re safe with Carson and me. You believe that, don’t you?”

  With a shrug, she gave him another forced smile. “Of course, but it means that I’m stuck again just like the way I was with Jimmy. We’d better go. It’s getting late, and I need to get back to the house to fix dinner.”

  “With one hand?”

  She gave him another distant smile. “I’ve done it before, Sam. Many times.”

  The thought of how many times she’d been beaten refueled his temper. “There’s no reason to do it now.”

  Their conversation was interrupted when they went to the check-out, and Sam didn’t bother to hide a smile when Carson and Casey rejoined them.

  Obviously delighted with the doll they’d chosen, Casey held it tightly in one arm while gripping her stuffed bear with the other.

  Deanna stiffened when Sam pulled out his wallet. “Casey, I don’t think—”

  Sam shook his head. “It’s
a gift. You could both use a bit of spoiling.”

  Deanna nodded, her eyes shimmering with tears. “Thank you. There hasn’t been a lot of money for extras, but I can’t let her get used to it. We might have to move on.”

  Sam paid for their purchases and accepted the bag. “Not happening, baby.” He led her outside and across the parking lot with Carson on her other side, holding Casey. “Let’s get something to eat.”

  Deanna stopped abruptly, frowning as Carson continued toward the truck with Casey, the two having what appeared to be a serious conversation. “Look, Casey’s had a long day, and she missed her nap. By the time we get home, she’s going to be overtired and unruly. It’s been a long day, and I know I still have to deal with a cranky four-year-old when we get home. I’m tired, sore, and I have a lot to think about. I’d just like to get her to bed and have a quiet night to come to terms with everything that’s happened today.”

  “I’ll stay with you.”

  “No. I’d really like to be alone.”

  Instinct told him to give her the space she needed, but fearing she’d decide to run away, he vowed to stay close. Forcing a smile, he inclined his head. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Deciding that there must be something wrong with her to find that every time he called her ma’am she got a rush of warmth—the combination of respect, affection, and amusement in his voice turning her inside out—she turned to stare out the window again, her thoughts drifting.

  She looked over to see Casey busy with the new doll Carson had bought her. “Carson, thank you for the doll.”

  Carson shrugged, turning in his seat to smile at Casey. “Casey already thanked me.”

  “I’ve never seen a doll like that before. It’s adorable.”

  Every piece of the stuffed doll’s clothing had some kind of fastening attached.

  One of the shoes could be laced up while the other had a buckle. The dress had a button in the front and a zipper over the pocket on her dress.

  Each fastening appeared to work, even the clip in the doll’s hair.

  Watching her daughter worked at the buckle, she smiled at Carson. “It’s nice that the clothes are attached so that when she undoes something, it won’t get lost.”

  “No. It won’t. Everything on it is secure.”

  Sam met her gaze in the rearview mirror. “Speaking of security, we have a credit card for you. You can use it to buy the things you want, and the bill will come to the ranch.”

  When Carson handed her the credit card, she barely glanced at it before nodding and tucking it into her purse.

  “Thank you. It’ll be nice to be able to go to the grocery store without bothering you.”

  Sam’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not a bother, Deanna. We’re both here for you.”

  “I need some independence.”

  Sam inclined his head, staring straight ahead. “That’s what the card’s for.”

  * * * *

  The next few hours proved nerve-wracking for Deanna as she thought about her and Casey’s future.

  Preoccupied while giving Casey her bath and fixing a light dinner, Deanna worked on plans for several different scenarios and was relieved when her daughter finally fell asleep in the middle of the story Deanna read to her.

  She couldn’t help but be relieved that her uncle had already sold the ranch, releasing her from the responsibility of running it, while at the same time protecting the money from its sale so that Jimmy couldn’t touch it.

  She also had a place to live but understood that the house she lived in didn’t belong to her.

  As part of the ranch property, the house she lived in now belonged to Sam and Carson, which should have added to her relief.

  Life, though, had made her too cautious and suspicious to feel any relief at living on their property.

  She had Casey’s safety to think about as well as her own, and she couldn’t afford to find herself trapped again.

  She had no illusions about her own desirability and couldn’t help but be suspicious of Sam and Carson.

  She didn’t understand their motives, which could be a dangerous thing.

  Were they good men and felt obligated to protect both her and Casey because of their friendship with her uncle?

  Or had they taken advantage of a sick uncle’s suspicions and helped him arrange a way to have access to her inheritance, thereby having both the ranch and the money they paid?

  Had she jumped from the frying pan into the fire?

  Both Sam and Carson were strong men, and their obvious standing in the town meant that people would believe them.

  Either one of them could turn on her at any time.

  Either one of them could get angry if she made trouble or if they suspected she planned to run.

  Once she laid out her plans, she’d have to keep them to herself.

  She plugged in the night-light she’d bought for Casey and pulled the door almost closed before making her way quietly down the hall toward the kitchen.

  Pausing in the doorway, she looked at the kitchen cabinet, shaking with nerves.

  She didn’t know just how close her uncle had been to Sam and Carson.

  She didn’t know if he’d changed in the last several years.

  She knew only one way to find out.

  Moving to stand in front of the kitchen cabinet, she paused and took a deep breath before opening it.

  Using her good hand, she pushed aside the cans of soup she’d bought until she reached one of her uncle’s.

  Wrapping her hand around one of the cans, she slowly pulled it out of the cabinet, the weight of it far different from the cans in the front.

  A sob escaped out of nowhere at the possibility.

  Holding her breath, she held the can against her body with her cast and used her fingertips to pry at the edge of the metal lid.

  When it came open, she sucked in another breath and removed the lid.

  Staring into the can, she sobbed again, sinking to the floor as the sobs overtook her.

  It was filled with money.

  Chapter Nine

  With a curse, Carson threw off the covers and got dressed, the niggling feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach making sleep impossible.

  He’d dozed the night before on Don’s sofa, getting up when Sam had come in a little after four in the morning.

  He’d only taken enough time to down a cup of coffee and get a report from Sam before heading out, leaving Sam to resume their vigil.

  After having only a few hours sleep, they’d spent the day with Deanna and Casey, dropping them off just before dark to head out again.

  Over two feet of snow now covered the ground, making a lot of work for all of them, but even after a day out on the ranch, Carson had dropped into bed exhausted, but thoughts of Deanna leaving kept him awake.

  After slipping on his jeans and socks, he made his way down the hall to the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the refrigerator and opening the screw top. He tossed the top into the garbage can and took a healthy sip from the bottle before setting it aside to pull on his boots and coat, grabbing it again on his way out the back door.

  The snow still fell but not as hard as it had been falling earlier. The wind had died down, leaving a silence over the ranch, broken only by the occasional whinny of horses.

  It was a night that made him ache to have a woman to warm his bed, but even as he mentally went through the list of possible candidates, he knew that he couldn’t imagine anyone except Deanna there.

  He walked to the edge of the patio, leaning a shoulder against the side of the stone house as he sipped his beer and stared across the distance to what used to be Don’s house.

  The idea of Deanna and Casey sleeping peacefully—safely—on their ranch filled him with a satisfaction that swelled his chest while somehow making him aware of an emptiness inside him he hadn’t even known was there.

  Staring at the kitchen window, he could see that she’d left the light on over the stove so that if she got up in the middle
of the night, she would be able to see her way to the kitchen.

  Through the small part on the bedroom curtains, he could also see a strip of light, thanks to the night-light she’d bought in the mall.

  He imagined Casey holding on to the doll he’d bought her with the whistle that he’d made her tuck into the pocket of the doll’s dress.

  He hoped it gave her a sense of security to know that she could blow that whistle and help would come running.

  He and Sam had already started spreading the word about the whistle, and he felt a great sense of relief to know that any ranch hands who heard the whistle would answer the alarm.

  He felt more than heard Sam come up behind him and, turning slightly, took another sip of his beer. “Can’t sleep?”

  Sam sighed and turned one of the chairs at the table to face the house where Deanna slept. “Looks like neither one of us can. Wonder how many false alarms we’re gonna get with that whistle.”

  “I was just wondering the same thing.” Carson took another sip of his beer. “If she starts blowing it all the time, Deanna will take it away.”

  “Probably.”

  After several minutes of silence, Carson heard the sound of the four-wheel drive that one of their men drove around the ranch to watch the property at night. “I feel better knowing she’s safe and here where we can watch her.”

  Sam sighed again and sat back, propping his feet on the railing. “So do I. Just wish I knew what the hell she was planning.”

  “Yeah.” Carson set his beer on the rail, staring at the house. “She got really quiet and looked a little trapped.” Turning, he met Sam’s gaze. “Why the hell would she looked trapped? She’s away from that asshole, and if Len was right, she should have custody of Casey and be free of him soon.”

  “I sure the hell hope so. Len’s on it.” After a short pause in which both men stared at the house, Sam sighed. “Something’s bothering her.”

  Carson reached for his beer again. “She sure as hell didn’t seem as happy as I thought she’d be at learning that she had enough money to buy what she and Casey need and didn’t have to worry about the responsibility of the ranch.”