by Donna Grant
“Oh, Danny, you can’t honestly believe that,” she said with a laugh.
He frowned as he looked her way. “Why do you say that?”
“Because you have a way about you that makes people feel safe. You’re not only likable, but you also have a strong personality that works well for your job. The criminals know not to mess with you, and the victims know they can trust you.”
“Thank you,” he murmured, unsettled by her praise.
She tsked. “Always so humble. Is it any wonder you were voted the most likable in our class? Everyone wanted to be your friend, and every girl wanted to be your girlfriend.”
He didn’t believe that for a second, because if that were true, Skylar would’ve been his. Or maybe that was his fault since he hadn’t tried to win her.
Danny couldn’t believe how much he was enjoying being with Skylar, and when the East Ranch came into view, he actually considered driving past it just to be with her a little longer. It was a stupid thought, especially after everything she’d been through.
“Holy shit,” she said as they drove along the road and the miles of fence. “The East Ranch is still going strong, huh?”
He briefly cut his eyes to her as he slowed the truck and turned into the drive. “Yep.”
Her head snapped to him. “You’re taking me here?”
“Clayton and his wife are my closest friends. You can trust them.”
“Are you sure I won’t be putting them out?”
“I’ll give you thirty seconds with them for you to come to that conclusion on your own,” he said as he parked behind the other vehicles.
“There are a lot of trucks here.”
He turned off the ignition as he looked at her. “Do you remember Abby Harper?”
“I can’t place the face, but the name sounds familiar. Did she graduate with us?”
“She did. She raised her two younger brothers, Brice and Caleb. When she married Clayton, her brothers came to live here with them. They’ve since started a horse ranch of their own and found their partners. Brice is with a photographer named Naomi, and Caleb married an equine vet, Audrey. Jace and Cooper, two of Caleb and Brice’s friends, are also inside, so their trucks are here, as well.”
Skylar pressed her lips together as she looked toward the huge mansion. “I’ve always wanted to see the inside of this house.”
“They’re good people,” he assured her.
Her head swung back to him, and she smiled. “If you say they are, then I’ll trust that.”
“Good. You ready to meet them?”
She took a deep breath and released it. “Yes, but let’s leave my bag until we have time to tell them what’s going on. I don’t want to assume anything.”
Danny chuckled but relented. “You’ve been in the big city too long if you’ve forgotten the hospitality out here.”
“That’s for certain.”
“Where did you go, anyway?”
She lifted one shoulder. “Houston.”
“Is it all you hoped it would be?”
“That and more,” she replied with a wide grin.
Danny didn’t know why her words soured him. Skylar wasn’t meant for small towns. She was meant to shine brightly in the city where she obviously had created a good life.
He opened the door and walked around the truck to help her out. Together, they made their way up to the back of the house, but before he could get to the porch, the door opened and Brody, Clayton and Abby’s middle child, came running out. He launched himself at Danny.
He managed to catch the seven-year-old, and swung him up into his arms. “Oomph. I think you’re getting too big for this.”
Brody grinned at him. “Never, Uncle Danny. Momma said you’d come, even after Pop said you declined. Momma’s always right.”
“Be sure to go tell your father that,” Abby said from the doorway. She wore a bright smile, showering both him and Skylar with it.
Brody wiggled free and rushed into the house, telling everyone that Danny was there. Danny cleared his throat and put his hand on Skylar’s back. He didn’t get a chance to say anything.
Abby held out her hand to Skylar and said, “I’m Abby. Come on inside. Would you like something to eat or drink? I’ve got plenty.”
Abby turned and walked into the house, waving them inside. Danny looked at Skylar, who glanced his way and said, “I see what you mean.”
Chapter 4
To have gone from a nightmare to being surrounded by laughter, good food, and people Skylar would have no problem calling friends seemed too good to be true. But she knew she was in the right place.
Skylar wrapped her hands around the warm mug of chai and slid her eyes to Danny. On either side of him were two of Clayton and Abby’s children—Brody and Wynter. Hope, their youngest, was only three years old and already tucked into bed for the night.
Skylar liked how relaxed Danny was. He seemed at home with the Easts and Harpers, and the easy way they all talked with each other proved how close they were.
“You knew Momma when she was a little girl?” Wynter asked Skylar when there was a break in the conversation.
Skylar glanced at Abby before she smiled at the little girl, who had the blond hair of her father and eyes that often shifted from blue to green. “I remember your mother, yes.”
Abby took pity on Skylar and told Wynter, “You know how you have all the different groups in your school?”
Wynter nodded.
“Well, it was the same in ours. Skylar and I weren’t in the same group. I knew her, and she was always friendly.”
Skylar was relieved to hear that she hadn’t been rude to Abby. That would’ve been really awkward. She smiled at Abby, wishing that she had known her back in school. Abby seemed the type of person to always have her friends’ backs.
Loyalty wasn’t something Skylar had with those she called friends. Not since she’d left and moved to Houston, that is.
Brody leaned forward slightly and caught Danny’s attention. “Did you know Miss Skylar?”
“I sure did,” Danny said with a smile.
Wynter’s face furrowed in a frown. “But you knew Momma, too.”
“That’s because Danny was friends with everyone,” Skylar told the children. “He was part of all the groups.”
Brody nodded slowly and turned his head to his father. “That’s what you told us to do.”
“That’s right,” Clayton said as he and Abby shared a smile.
“Can we hear some stories about Uncle Danny?” Wynter asked Skylar.
Suddenly, Caleb and Brice got to their feet, each grabbing one of the kids and hauling them over their shoulders. The children squealed with laughter and held still as their parents kissed them goodnight.
Skylar was so intent on watching Abby’s brothers lovingly take the kids up the stairs to put them to bed that she didn’t realize Danny was in deep conversation with Jace and Cooper until she looked his way. The two men’s faces were set as they gave him a nod and rose to their feet.
Cooper was the first to shoot her a brief smile. “It was nice to meet you, ma’am. I’m sure we’ll talk again soon.”
“Ma’am,” Jace told her, touching the brim of his cowboy hat that he’d settled on top of his head.
Clayton pushed off the sofa. “I’ll walk you two out.”
Skylar caught Danny’s gaze. One side of his lips turned up in a grin that made her smile in response. “Everything all right?”
“It sure is.”
She couldn’t help but wonder if his conversation with Jace and Cooper had something to do with Matt. Neither of the men was a deputy, but they were close friends with Danny, so it stood to reason that they would be willing to help. Was Danny that worried?
Or was she that wound up after everything that she was reading too much into things? For all she knew, the three of them had been setting up a poker night.
“Get used to it.”
Skylar turned her head to look at Audrey. Th
e equine vet, with her golden brown skin and hair and eyes, was a beauty to be sure. “What do you mean?”
Naomi chuckled and tucked a strand of her wheat-colored hair behind her ear. “The men always band together when there’s an issue.”
None of this was said in a hushed tone, and with Danny the only male left in the room, Skylar looked to him. He shrugged but didn’t give her a reply.
It was Abby who said, “Danny has a lot of power as sheriff, but there are other things that those of us who don’t wear a badge can do.”
“I see.” Skylar swallowed and took a drink of the tea as she went suddenly cold from the inside out.
“No one can get to you here,” Abby continued. “With the security system Clayton set up, and our employees, you’re safe, Skylar. I promise.”
She slid her gaze to Abby. “And I’m eternally grateful to you and Clayton for that, but I can’t stay here forever.”
“Why not?” Abby asked with a smile. “Have you seen the size of this house? You could be on one end, and I’d never see you.”
Everyone laughed, but Skylar was already thinking about the future and what she was going to do.
“Why don’t Naomi and I go get your things in Houston?” Audrey offered.
Abby sat forward, her eyes wide as she said, “I’ll be going, as well.”
Danny blew out a breath. “All three of you are insane if you think your men will let you go without them.”
Abby quirked a brow as she shot Danny a quelling look. “I don’t need my husband’s permission to help a friend.”
“Depends on if your life will be put in danger,” Clayton said as he walked up and resumed his seat beside Abby.
“We offered to get Skylar’s things in Houston,” Audrey told Clayton.
He twisted his lips as he put his hand on Abby’s leg. “I think it’s a good idea, though I’d feel better if I, Brice, or Caleb went with you three.”
“I can’t ask any of y’all to do that,” Skylar said.
Naomi shot her a wide smile. “That’s the great thing about it. You didn’t ask. We offered.”
“Don’t worry, Skylar. We got you on this,” Audrey said.
Skylar wasn’t sure what to say. She hadn’t wanted to involve her parents in any of this, and she didn’t trust any of her friends in Houston to actually get her things from Matt. But those in the room with her now … she wholeheartedly believed they would come through for her.
“Thank you,” she said, her throat tightening with emotion.
She found her gaze snagged by Danny’s. The last thing she should do is latch on to him. He’d just been doing his job. Though she wasn’t sure any other person in his position would’ve taken her to their friends’ house to keep her safe.
And that’s why she knew she couldn’t allow herself to become attached to him. Now that she was safe—at least, relatively—Danny would go back to doing his job. She knew he’d check in on her, but that’s all she expected him to do. He was the sheriff, after all. He had other responsibilities.
She was just some old friend from high school that had gotten herself into trouble.
But Skylar knew that had Danny not been there at that rest stop, there was a good chance she wouldn’t be alive right now. She would’ve fought with everything she had to get to her gun, but it would’ve been a long shot.
Even if she had gotten hold of the weapon, she knew it would have sent Matt into a rage, and she would’ve had to fire it. She was an excellent shot, so she wasn’t worried about hitting her target. Because if she aimed her weapon at someone, then it was because she was protecting herself.
But then she would’ve had to deal with the consequences. Not just Matt’s death, but also the authorities and everything else. Given the fact that there was no paper trail of the many times Matt had beaten her, Skylar knew it would have taken a lot to prove that she’d only been protecting herself.
The many scenarios played out in her head, and none of them ended well for her. Sure, Matt would have been out of her life, but the repercussions would have rippled throughout her life.
At least now, she had a chance. Danny had given her that.
His brows briefly snapped together as he gave her a questioning look. She shook her head and tried to smile, but her lips wouldn’t obey her.
The next thing she knew, the others rose and left the room. She watched them go before looking at Danny. “Did I say something?”
“They’re giving you a few minutes. They realize you’ve had a trying night. There were a lot of people here, and everyone made sure to keep the conversation going.”
For her, she realized. None of those people knew her. Sure, Danny and Abby might remember her from school, but none of them really knew her—or she, them. Yet they had gone out of their way to comfort her.
Emotions swarmed her again, and to her embarrassment, her eyes filled with tears. She hastily blinked them away and looked anywhere but at Danny.
“It’s going to be okay now,” he told her.
She nodded, but the more she fought the tears, the more they grew. One fell down her cheek. She hastily wiped it away, but another followed, and then another.
The mug of tea was taken from her, which allowed her to bury her face in her hands. She was so focused on trying to get herself under control that she didn’t realize that Danny had moved to sit next to her until his arms came around her.
She immediately turned to him and wrapped her arms around him. He said nothing, merely held her. And that’s all she needed.
Thankfully, the tears dried quickly. Yet she remained in his arms for a heartbeat or two longer, simply because it felt so good. Reluctantly, she drew back. His hands stayed on her, slowly moving down her arms until he stopped when their fingers touched.
“How long do I have until Matt is released?” she asked.
“He’s already called an attorney, but I’m sure he’ll be sitting in the jail, waiting to talk to the judge.”
“You’re sure he’ll be in jail?” she asked.
Danny drew in a deep breath. “It depends on his lawyer. I’ve seen great lawyers get people off felonies, and I’ve seen bad lawyers get their clients the maximum sentence.”
Skylar squeezed his hand. “I see. The time will allow Abby, Naomi, and Audrey to get to Houston and get my things. Most everything I have is in storage. Matt didn’t like any of my furniture or pictures, so it’s only clothes and such at his place. And, frankly, I couldn’t care less about any of that.”
“It’s yours,” Danny said. “The items should be returned. Will you go back to Houston?”
She’d been thinking about that since Matt had been arrested, but she didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know. My life is there. I’ve got a good job, but it isn’t like I couldn’t find another one. I need to find a new place to live anyway.”
“You should get a protective order.”
“I do want one, even though I know it’s not much help if he shows up.”
Worry filled Danny’s hazel eyes. “I know men like Matt. He won’t let you go easily. Especially now that he’s been arrested.”
“No, he won’t.” That fear is what kept her gut knotted so fiercely. “It doesn’t seem fair that I should have to uproot my life because he won’t let me go.”
“There are few things in life that are fair, but I’d rather see you uprooted and alive than the alternative,” Danny told her.
Skylar saw the gold flecks in his hazel eyes and discovered that she didn’t want to look away. “I know how differently tonight could’ve turned out had you not been at that rest stop.”
“Don’t think about that. You’re free of him. Think on that.”
“Am I really free?” She shook her head. “We both know I’ve got a long road ahead of me. I’ve watched movies, Danny. I know the extent that some women have gone to with identity changes and moving across the country to escape their abusive partners. If the man really wants to find her, he always does.”
Danny let out a long sigh. “I wish I could tell you that you’re wrong.”
“I don’t want to be one of those women always looking over my shoulder, fearful that Matt will be there waiting to hurt me. I did this to myself, though. I should’ve reported him the first time he did it. If only I had gone to the police.”
“You should’ve taken pictures.”
Skylar couldn’t believe she’d forgotten. She rose and looked through her purse. When she returned, she handed her cell phone to Danny with a file of various pictures and dates of when he’d hurt her.
Danny looked through them, then slowly raised his gaze to her. “This will definitely help your case.”
Chapter 5
December 3rd
Sleep was always a testy mistress, but last night, the bitch had been nowhere to be seen. Not that Danny expected anything different after arresting Matt and discovering that it was Skylar he’d helped.
Danny strode into the police station, his nerves rubbed raw. Hearing Skylar’s story was one thing. Seeing the photos was another animal altogether. After all the things he’d seen in his career, it shouldn’t have bothered him so much.
But it did.
It was the only thing he saw each time he closed his eyes. Skylar’s bruised ribs, arms, legs, and hips, and other injuries that didn’t show. He had to give it to Matt for not hitting her where others could see.
Danny had encountered more domestic violence than he cared to admit. From shouting matches to those trying to kill each other and everything in between. In fact, domestic situations were some of the toughest cases a cop handled. There were always two sides—and sometimes, more—to every story, and it was the law’s job to listen to everyone involved and piece together the truth.
Danny might be the county sheriff, but the small communities that made up the county, where everyone knew everyone, made it so not knowing someone involved with a call was a rarity.
“Sheriff.”
He stopped when Deputy Glen Wilson halted in the middle of the hallway. “Morning, Wilson. What do you need?”