The Cowboy’s Targeted Bride

by Carla Cassidy

  She closed her eyes again and thought about Krista. She couldn’t believe what the woman had done to her. She’d never seen it coming. She’d believed Krista had killed her...stabbed her to death and she was going to bleed out and die in that shed.

  Who had found her? How had they found her? She had no memory of being rescued and brought here. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was somebody had found her and gotten her to the hospital.

  Emotion rose up in the back of her throat. She wanted to cry with residual fear and with intense relief. But she swallowed hard to keep control.

  Pain whispered through her. She opened her eyes once again and saw the stitches down one arm. She knew there were more. She probably now looked like a patchwork doll, held together with stitches and hope.

  Her hands went to her stomach. Had she lost the baby? Last week she had finally taken a pregnancy test that confirmed she was, indeed, pregnant. She’d been overjoyed but hadn’t shared the news with Jerod yet.

  If she was totally honest with herself, she would admit that she’d been reluctant to share the news with Jerod because she feared that once she fulfilled the “contract” terms of their marriage, then their growing relationship would change.

  She couldn’t think about all that now. She needed to know what Krista had done to her, what kind of wounds she was going to have to deal with. She pressed the button on her remote to summon a nurse.

  Within minutes Vanessa Duncan came into the room. She was a young, pretty woman with chestnut hair and blue eyes. She smiled brightly at Lily. “It’s so nice to see you awake,” she said. “How are you doing?”

  “I don’t know. Actually I hoped you would tell me how I’m doing,” Lily replied.

  “Dr. Rivers should be in to see you to explain everything to you. In the meantime, I’ll take your vitals.” She wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Lily’s arm. She got everything done and recorded the results and then looked at Lily sympathetically. “On a scale between one and ten, how would you rate your pain right now?”

  Lily frowned. “Maybe around a five.”

  “I’d say that’s pretty good considering what you’ve been through,” Vanessa replied. “Now, how about some breakfast?”

  Lily’s first response was no thanks, but as she thought about the baby she hopefully still carried, she told Vanessa that she might eat some breakfast.

  Vanessa left the room, and immediately Lily’s thoughts turned to Jerod and Caleb. She knew Caleb would be fine with Jerod. She also knew Jerod had soothed any fears Caleb might have concerning her well-being. She trusted Jerod with her son’s very life, and she knew without a doubt he would be a wonderful father to any other children she might have with him.

  Dr. Clayton Rivers arrived to her room before her breakfast tray did. He greeted her warmly. “Lily, how are you feeling this morning?” he asked.

  “I hurt in places I didn’t know I had, but other than that, I’m feeling okay. I don’t remember how I got here or much of anything else.”

  “You were very weak from blood loss and in shock. Jerod brought you in, and we immediately got to work on you. We had to stitch you up in a number of places, but thankfully none of the wounds hit any vital organs. You also needed a blood transfusion. You’re lucky to be alive, Lily.”

  Her hands moved to her stomach. “Am I...am I still pregnant?”

  Clayton smiled. “You are, and the baby is doing just fine.”

  The relief that rushed through her made tears leap into her eyes. “Thank goodness,” she said. The doctor then told her where she was stitched up—her arm, her thigh and across her back.

  “You’re going to be fine, Lily. If all goes well, I’ll probably be able to release you in the next day or two. But it’s going to take some time for you to heal. What you need right now is plenty of rest, and I’ll keep you comfortable with some pain meds that are safe for you and your baby.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Rivers,” she replied. At that moment Vanessa walked in carrying her breakfast tray.

  “I’ll just leave you to eat,” the doctor said, and then he and Vanessa left the room.

  Breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs, toast, a sausage patty and a cup of coffee. The eggs looked brown and overcooked, and the toast was burned around the edges.

  She’d just picked up her fork when Caleb came into the room carrying a huge vase of flowers. “Mom, Jerod and I got these for you,” he announced.

  The sight of her son was welcome, but it was the sight of her husband that suddenly snapped her control and she began to cry. She now remembered staring at his pictures on the shed walls and grieving that she would never see him again.

  “Hey, Lily, don’t cry,” Jerod said. He moved to the side of her hospital bed and pulled her hand into his.

  “Yeah, Mom, don’t cry. It makes me feel all sad inside,” Caleb said. “And I already feel sad inside because of what Krista did to you.”

  “Don’t feel sad,” she managed to choke out. “These are happy tears. I’m just so happy to see you both.”

  “And we’re both happy to see you,” Jerod replied. There was a tone in his voice, a light in his eyes that felt so much like love it brought tears to her eyes once again. Was she only imagining it because she wanted it so badly?

  He pulled a chair up next to her bed and urged her to eat. Caleb stood by her side and eyed her scrambled eggs. “Those look even grosser than Jerod’s egg mistakes,” he quipped.

  Lily’s tears turned into laughter. “Yes, but the difference is I’ll eat Jerod’s egg mistakes, but I don’t think I’m going to eat these,” she said.

  “Do you want me to get you something else?” Jerod asked hurriedly. “I could order something and have it delivered from the café.”

  “It’s okay. I’m really not very hungry right now.”

  “But you’re eating for...uh...to get better,” he replied, and his gaze slid away from hers.

  He knew.

  Dr. Rivers must have mentioned the pregnancy to him, and now it felt like a white elephant in the room. Thankfully Caleb was there to keep the conversation light even as she felt an awkwardness growing between her and Jerod.

  Vanessa came in to get her breakfast tray. “It looks like you didn’t touch anything,” she said.

  “Maybe I’ll be hungrier at lunchtime,” Lily replied. “Caleb, maybe Vanessa wouldn’t mind showing you the vending machine next to the gift shop in the waiting room. And maybe Jerod would give you a couple of dollars to get a little snack and a drink.”

  “I can do that,” Jerod said and got out his wallet.

  “And I’d be happy to take this handsome young man to the vending machine,” Vanessa replied, making Caleb duck his head and smile shyly at her. Jerod handed Caleb some money, and then he and Vanessa left the room.

  Lily gazed at the man she had wed in a marriage of convenience. He had saved her ranch, but more importantly, he was the man who had unexpectedly and completely stolen her heart away. “Dr. Rivers told you?”

  “He did. What I’m wondering is why you didn’t tell me?” There was no censure in his voice, only a soft question.

  She stared at him, and all the love she held for him in her heart rose to the surface. “I was going to tell you, but I was afraid that once I was pregnant you wouldn’t want me anymore.” Tears blurred her vision as she gazed at him. “I... I... This was supposed to be a marriage without love...but...but I’ve fallen in love with you, Jerod.” Her tears came faster. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have told you that. I shouldn’t burden you with my feelings.”

  “Lily.” He grabbed her hand once again and stood. His eyes were lit with a shine that half stole her breath away. “Lily, don’t apologize. I am so happy that you told me that you’ve fallen in love with me. I’ve been looking for the right time to tell you that I’ve fallen madly and passionately in love with you.”
<
br />   Lily’s heart expanded in her chest. She searched his features. “For real?”

  “For very real,” he replied. His face reflected a happiness she’d never seen before. “Lily, I wasn’t looking for it. I certainly wasn’t expecting it, but I love you with every fiber of my being. When I thought I’d lost you...” He choked up and tears misted his eyes. “I couldn’t imagine my life without you.”

  “But I’m here and I have no intentions of going anywhere,” she replied, her heart so full she could scarcely speak.

  “If I could I’d pull you up in my arms right now, but I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, with the threat of his tears gone and happiness once again shining from his eyes.

  “Jerod, we’re going to have a baby,” she said tremulously.

  “As important and as loved as that baby is, I need and want you in my life, Lily. You are a beautiful woman, Lily. You are my beautiful, caring, giving wife.”

  For so long her internal dialogue had told her she was plain and boring and not worthy of love. His words made not only her physical pain, but also the pain of her parents’ and Cody’s mental abuse disappear as she fell into the sweet softness of his gaze.

  “I conceived this baby with love, Jerod. Not because of a contract that we made with each other. I want this baby and I want you, because I love you madly and passionately,” she replied.

  “I will love you until the day I die and beyond, Lily Steen.” He bent down and kissed her. It was a sweet, tender kiss that tasted of his love and his promise of the future of forever love.

  Epilogue

  Jerod and Lily sat side by side on the porch swing and watched as Caleb rode his horse in the corral. Jerod pulled Lily closer to his side and kissed her forehead and she snuggled closer to his side.

  Although the March air was a bit nippy, the sun was bright overhead. Lily was clad in a pale blue sweater that stretched taut around her growing pregnant belly.

  It had been almost six months since he’d pulled her out of that shed and they had proclaimed their love for each other. It had been the very best six months of Jerod’s life.

  When he’d run away from his mother on that night so long ago, he’d never dreamed he’d find a love like he had with Lily. He awoke each morning anticipating spending the day with her and went to sleep at night with her in his arms.

  She was still teaching, but the plan was for her to stop after she had the baby. The ranch had turned a financial corner, and she wasn’t going to need to teach anymore. She wanted to be a full-time mother and rancher, and he was happy to be able to give her that dream.

  In the past few months, they had done a lot of talking about the negative internal dialogues they had each suffered due to their pasts, and they worked every day to change the voices in their heads that told them they weren’t worthy of love or happiness.

  He now reached over and rubbed her tummy. “How’s my little one doing?”

  “She’s doing just fine, but I think she wants some ice cream,” Lily replied.

  “Oh, she does, does she? And it wouldn’t have anything to do with you wanting ice cream?” He looked at her teasingly.

  “Of course not, I just want to keep baby girl happy,” she replied, her eyes sparkling.

  “Hey, Caleb,” Jerod yelled. “It’s time to get the horse put away. Your baby sister wants ice cream.”

  “Okay, Dad,” Caleb yelled back.

  Shortly after Lily had come home from the hospital, Caleb had asked if he could call Jerod Dad. It had been one of the most emotional moments of Jerod’s life, knowing that Caleb wanted to honor him in this way.

  Caleb had been thrilled to find out he was going to have a baby sister, and he vowed to be the best big brother in the entire world. He was the one who had said that a little sister would be nice and then maybe they could give him a baby brother. Jerod and Lily had agreed with that plan.

  As Caleb walked his horse into the barn, Lily turned to Jerod. “Happy?”

  “Oh, Lily, how could I not be? I’ve got my woman, I’ve got my son and soon we’ll have our daughter. We have our ranch and a wonderful future in front of us.”

  “I never dreamed I could be as happy as I am,” she said and then smiled. “A handsome cowboy showed up on my doorstep one night with a crazy idea for a marriage. The best thing I ever did was agree to that crazy scheme.”

  He returned her smile. “And they lived happily ever after,” he whispered. He took her mouth with his, and as always her kiss thrilled him and filled him with a happiness, a contentment and a love that he knew would last a lifetime.

  * * *

  Don’t forget previous titles in the

  Cowboys of Holiday Ranch series:

  Cowboy’s Vow to Protect

  Cowboy Defender

  Guardian Cowboy

  Sheltered by the Cowboy

  Killer Cowboy

  Operation Cowboy Daddy

  Cowboy at Arms

  Available now from

  Harlequin Romantic Suspense!

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Agent’s Mountain Rescue by Jennifer D. Bokal.

  WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS BOOK FROM

  Danger. Passion. Drama.

  These heart-racing page-turners will keep you guessing to the very end. Experience the thrill of unexpected plot twists and irresistible chemistry.

  4 NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE EVERY MONTH!

  Agent’s Mountain Rescue

  by Jennifer D. Bokal

  Prologue

  April 2

  11:20 p.m.

  Pleasant Pines, Wyoming

  The dark space was silent. Darcy Owens sat on the floor of the bunker, her back pressed to the earthen wall. Despite a fire smoldering in the Franklin stove, the room was damp, and gooseflesh covered her arms. Using the toe of her shoe, she pulled the heavy cast-iron door open. A wave of heat washed over her and she began to sweat.

  On a cluttered shelf, a mahogany clock ticked off the seconds. The scrollwork of the timepiece’s enamel-and-brass faceplate was at odds with the bleak surroundings. A narrow bed. A rickety table. Mismatched plates and a single pot on the stove for cooking. A barrel of rainwater for cleaning and drinking. An ax, the blade dulled from use, leaned against the corner.

  Embers glowed white-hot and Darcy shifted to ease her discomfort. Her shoulder ached, a reminder that she’d been shot escaping custody. Time didn’t seem real underground. It was always damp and cold; as if she’d been trapped in the darkest night of winter. How long had she been here? Less than a month, if she had to guess. Because of Rocky Mountain Justice, Darcy’s identity had been discovered. Now, the entire world knew who she was. What she was.

  With a smile, she wondered what was being said about her in the media. No doubt, they were amazed that she—a lone woman—had wreaked so much havoc.

  Unless they all assumed that she was dead. That meant the search had ended. A tremor ran up her spine and she shivered.

  “You awake?” a gruff voice asked from the darkness.

  Darcy turned her gaze to the single bed and the hulking form lying upon the mattress. It was Billy...but then again, who else would it be? She said nothing, just stared into the gloom.

  The day of her escape, Billy had found Darcy in the middle of the woods. She was near death from the gunshot wound and had been running for her life. In that moment, he had saved her. More than that, he’d kept her whereabouts a secret from the police. He said he didn’t take to government involvement in the lives of free men. Moreover, he’d been living off the grid for years and had no intention of helping the authorities. At the time, Darcy viewed him as a blessing. Now, she knew that being found by Billy was a punishment for all her sins.

  Wasn’t that what she had been taught? That eventually everyone had to make amends for their mistakes? But Darcy never imagined that living underground with a dan
gerous brute would be her price.

  He hadn’t touched her, not yet at least. But she’d noticed the side-eyed glances. When he looked at her, Darcy’s skin crawled.

  “Get me some water,” Billy said. His large frame filled the entire bed.

  She ignored the order, turning her eyes back to the fire.

  “I told you to get me some water,” he said, his tone threatening.

  She slowly stood. Her vision dimmed. Dipping a cup into the barrel of rainwater, Darcy filled it to the rim.

  She walked over to the bed. “Here,” she said, handing the cup to Billy.

  He swallowed down the water in one gulp, his eyes never leaving hers. “You better listen to me when I tell you to do something,” he said, before wiping a threadbare sleeve across his mouth. “You’ve got nowhere to go and nobody to help you—’cept me, that is.”

  He slipped a hand up her thigh and bile rose in the back of Darcy’s throat. Billy continued, “And since I’ve been so nice to help you, I reckon you can help me with something now, too.”

  “Do it.” The words were just a whisper, so quiet that Darcy wasn’t even sure what she had heard.

  “Do what?” she asked. Her voice broke, sounding like the creaky hinge of an unused door.

  “You’re feeling better, ain’t you? I’m the one who saved you, Darcy. Without me, you’d be dead,” Billy said.

  “Do it,” the voice said again. Then it came to her. The Darkness had returned. She went cold and took a step back. Billy reached for her arm and pulled her to him. Pitching forward, Darcy landed on his large chest.

  Her heart raced as the stench of his fetid breath filled her nostrils. Darcy became smaller and smaller, hiding in the corner of her mind. The Darkness urged her to move hard, move fast. Somehow, she obeyed.

  There was a length of rope hanging over the headboard of the bed. Wrapping the ends of the rope in her fists, Darcy looped the rope around Billy’s throat and pulled tight. His eyes went wide. He thrashed, rising to his feet. He pulled Darcy with him as he rose. Bracing her feet on the floor, she pulled the rope taut. Swinging his arms out wildly, Billy’s fist caught Darcy in the temple. She stumbled back.