by Kahlen Aymes
I rushed to the fence and climbed over despite the pain in my midsection. Already the horses were neighing and trotting toward the spray, rallying for their place under the water. Little Dark followed his mother and pranced around her. Clearly, they enjoyed the cool water splashing on their backs and bellies.
Standing beside Marin, I petted Gem as we watched the horses in the pasture. Some walked around trying to stay under the spray, and others happily chomped on the newly moist grass.
My free hand inched over, and my fingers reached for hers, clinging to them as hers answered. “I’m really sorry about before,” I said continuing to concentrate my gaze on Siri and Dark as they played in the water, glancing only briefly in Marin’s direction. I felt shy, which was strange to me. “I shouldn’t have left in a huff.”
Marin’s fingers squeezed mine in return. “I shouldn’t have been so pensive and scared.”
I glanced at her and threaded my fingers fully through hers wishing she was close enough so that I could pull her hand up to my mouth for a kiss.
“Carter hasn’t been dead two months, and already… I’m involved with you. What will people think?”
“If they know how Carter treated you, they’ll think you finally have someone who will protect and cherish you,” I stated simply.
Marin studied me for a few seconds, and I literally felt my face flush, realizing the gravity of my own admission.
“I mean,” I tried to dig myself out of the proverbial hole I’d just jumped in to, “you deserved more.”
A soft smile lifted the corner of her mouth. “The employees from the shop know how he was, but the rest of Jackson, doesn’t. While Uncle Leonard was alive Carter was a good actor. Even I didn’t know the real him. I’m afraid they’ll blame me for his death.”
I turned toward Marin, still holding Gem, and wanting to ease any lasting feeling of guilt she might have. I took her in my arms with the pup between us. It was hot, and I could feel a drop of sweat roll from my forehead down the side of my temple, but I didn’t care. I wanted to be closer to her. “Look, the commissioner’s report said it was an accident. Carter was a dumb ass for having a lantern in a sea of grease and oil. It was his fault.” I rubbed her back gently. “End of story. Let’s just move on from this.” I bent to place a brief kiss on her lips. “Okay?”
Marin nodded with an easy smile. “Okay.”
We turned and started to walk toward the house, our hands still entwined.
Marin stopped short and guiltily pulled her hand free as a juiced up old Oldsmobile pulled up the lane and came to a stop beside my truck.
“Do you recognize that car, Marin?” Her reaction, and the look of shock on her face certainly implied that she did.
“Yeah. It’s Apollo. He picked me up at the airport in that car.”
“That idiot from last night?” I asked, handing the Gemmy to Marin. She nodded, her expression turning to fear. “Take the dog in the house.”
“No. I have to tell him about the insurance. Maybe then he’ll leave me alone.”
“Trust me, he’ll leave you alone,” I growled, glaring in the direction of the car.
Apollo and two other men emerged from it. The three of them looked menacing and out of place in Wyoming. Apollo’s right hand was in a cast, but one of the other men used his fist to hit his palm, apparently trying to threaten us. I huffed in pissed off amusement.
“What do you want? Didn’t you get a bad enough beating last night?” I asked.
“This doesn’t involve you. It’s between me and the lady,” Apollo hissed.
“Well, I’m between you and her, so I’d say you have a major problem.” Adrenaline surged in my veins. “You’re trespassing,” I said firmly. “State your business and then get the hell out of here.”
“I want my money, that’s all, man. I saw that charred piece of shit shop up the road. Total loss, so there should be lots of cash coming,” Apollo said with a sneer. “And if this whore is already taking up with you, maybe the two of you murdered my little bro.”
His companions were laughing and egging him on.
“You have some imagination,” I chuckled offhandedly. “Your brother died because he was stupid. I guess it runs in the family.”
“I gave the insurance company your mother’s phone number, Apollo,” Marin said from behind me and a few feet back. Her voice was weak and shaking. She was clearly terrified. “The payout goes directly to her.”
“Well, I want some of the cash! This is a nice place. You’re obviously rolling in it, so you can give me some money, now!”
“I don’t have cash! I told you that already,” Marin protested.
The ranch was nice, but it had seen better days, so I wasn’t sure what the fuck he was talking about.
Apollo took a step in Marin’s direction and I stepped forward in his path. “Stop. Get the hell away from her. Marin, get in the house.” I nodded in its direction. Gem started barking wildly from Marin’s arms. “Go.” I turned my attention back to the three criminals as she took a few hesitant steps. I knew they were dangerous and probably guilty of all sorts of sordid crimes, but my back straightened, and my fists clenched at my side.
His friends moved closer. “You gonna beat up the three of us, tough guy?” Apollo goaded.
“Are you planning on punching me with your broken hand?” I asked sarcastically. “Ouch.”
“I wasn’t the one bleeding all over the fucking floor!” he seethed.
“Let’s just beat his punk ass, Apollo,” the bigger of his friends said, taking a step closer.
“Yeah, let’s waste ‘em!” the other said, his hand hovering behind his back, indicating he was armed. “Then we can take what we want. Ain’t nobody around here.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s genius,” I said, seething. “Do you think you can kill us and get away with it? Everyone knows us. The first place the cops will look is at Carter’s family, there is a paper trail of Marin’s trip to Minneapolis, and a police report of your little incident at the mall and last night at the bar, and now the insurance paper trail. Do you think you’ll get to spend the payout from behind bars? Your IQ must be about the size of your dick.”
“You’re hilarious,” Apollo shot back angrily. His eyes narrowed as he motioned to the other men to move in. I widened my stance and lifted my fists in preparation for whatever fight was coming.
Boom! A loud shot rang out behind me. Everyone was startled as we all looked behind me at the source of the noise.
Marin had emerged from the barn with her uncle’s old hunting rifle. She’d fired the first round into the air, but now the gun was trained on the men as she walked forward, pumping another shell into the chamber. I was surprised, but proud of her. I felt almost aroused by her display of bravado, but I knew these men were dangerous.
“I realize a shot gun would have been a little messier, but this will do the job, and I know how to use it, so get the hell off my property!” Marin shouted. “Just leave!”
My eyebrows rose as she came closer. I was worried because I knew they were armed, but there was nothing to be done but stand with her. She kept walking forward holding the gun at the ready. My first instinct was to take it from her, but it would give the others the time to pull their weapons.
“You heard the lady. Get the hell out of here!” I added my stern warning to hers. I knew there was no way in hell I was going to leave her out here alone after this, and I had second thoughts about my family coming for the visit the following week. “And get out of town!”
“You’ll get your money. I just want to be left alone,” Marin added.
Apollo’s eyes shifted from me then to Marin and back again. His two friends had their hands ready to pull out their weapons and I wanted to diffuse the situation.
“That money better get there in the next few days, or else.” Apollo pointed a finger from his unbroken hand at her then moved it in my direction. I didn’t know what the hell he was trying to prove.
“If we
see you around here again, we’ll shoot first and ask questions later. Now, be on your way.”
My muscles were coiled and remained so as the three got back into their car and started to back out. I stayed put until they’d cleared the long driveway, then turned toward Marin. She might have put on a brave front, but I could see from her tear-filled eyes that she was terrified and frozen in place, both hands still clutching the gun so hard that her knuckles turned white.
“Hey,” I murmured turning and walking toward her, my gaze never leaving her face. I reached out and wrapped a hand around the gun stock. “It’s over. Let go, honey.”
Marin’s eyes shot up to mine and she started shaking. I gently lifted the gun away and holding it with the barrel pointed at the sky, my arm slid around her waist and pulled her to my side.
“Let’s put this away,” I suggested and all she could do was nod. Two tears slid down her cheeks. “You are pretty badass,” I joked, using my arm to turn her around toward the barn. “Remind me never to get on your bad side. I’m proud of you,” I said softly, kissing her temple.
Inside, I was shaking, too. Would Apollo and his goons be back? I couldn’t take that chance.
“I didn’t know what else to do,” she said shakily. “I just asked myself what Uncle Leonard would do?”
“Well, it was damn awesome.”
Inside the barn, I released her and put the gun back on the wall on the two hooks that had been used to hang it. Gem barked from one of the empty stalls. Apparently, Marin had put her in there to keep her out of the way and I was thankful she was still too small to get up and over the first rung of the gate.
Marin’s hands covered her face, and I could visibly see her body inhale a deep breath. I went to her and wrapped both of my arms around her, pulling her close and sliding one hand up her back between her shoulder blades.
“Listen, I think I’m gonna need some protection from those assholes. They might come after me at my place. Think I can sleep here for a few nights?” I asked, turning my face into her hair and inhaling. I didn’t care about the heat, I just needed to be close, and I hoped joking around would help ease her anxiety. And mine.
Marin’s arms slid around me, and her hands curled into the wet material of my T-shirt. She nodded with a small laugh. “Yes,” she said her voice muffled as her face buried into my chest. “Yes,” she said again.
“Do I have to sleep in the barn with the horses?” I grinned down into her face as she finally looked up at me. All I wanted to do was protect her. My thumb traced the line of her jaw. “Because I think I’m allergic to hay.”
“It didn’t seem to bother you this morning,” she said, with a grin.
“Well, that’s because I was preoccupied,” I kidded. I bent to kiss her gently on the mouth, then moved to the corner of her lips and up to her cheekbone.
“Uh huh,” she sighed into me as my mouth took hers again as I gently cradled her head.
“Bat! Bat!” Gem barked loudly, reminding us she was still locked inside the empty stall.
Reluctantly, I pulled my lips from hers, softly caressing her cheek with the back of my knuckles after I released her from my embrace. “Get your baby, and let’s go inside the house. I don’t trust that they won’t be back,” I said, more seriously.
Marin nodded and opened the gate to the stall. “I’m glad you were here,” Marin said softly as we started to walk out of the barn. I slid my arm back around her waist.
“Me, too,” I agreed. “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. At least until that check clears.” I resolved to call the police and give them a description of Apollo’s car and what had just happened. Maybe a friendly police reminder to leave town was in order.
A feeling of pure love settled over me when Marin’s arm tightened around my waist, and her head came to rest on my shoulder. “At least,” she returned with a smile.
I inhaled a deep, satisfying breath.
MARIN
My chest seized in panic then I sat straight up in bed, disoriented.
I was sweating. My breathing was shallow, my heart pounding hard, and the wetness of tears dampened my cheeks. I pulled my knees up to my chest, resting my elbows on them as I struggled to catch my breath. I glanced at Ben, peacefully sleeping on the right side of my bed, and then at clock on the nightstand. It was 2 AM.
My face crumpled as the content of the dream came back to me in living color. It was so vivid, so real… so heartbreaking. A sob broke from my throat and I quickly covered my face with my hands trying to silence the pain, but my brow creased as the torrent of tears overwhelmed me. I prayed I wouldn’t wake Ben, but I couldn’t stop the pain from overwhelming me.
This was the second time in a week I’d had this nightmare. I was reliving the fire, except this time I was running through the flames trying to save the victim, my skin melting away in a scream of pain that didn’t stop my progress to the man on fire. His face imprinted on my brain; his face morphing from Carter’s into Ben’s… his screams forever scared on my soul as Carter’s voice turned into Ben’s. My worst fears were coming to life in my sleep. It didn’t matter that I was also dying in the fire… Ben. He was all that mattered. I gasped in another deep breath.
Oh, God, my mind railed as I cried, harder now. My head dropped and hung between my arms and bent knees, my body shaking with the effort of my sobs and keeping them from erupting so he wouldn’t hear, but this time it was to no avail.
Ben had stayed at the ranch after Apollo’s visit, and I was glad to have him with me. He made me feel safe, except Apollo and his goons weren’t what scared me. Losing Ben was my worst horror. In such a short time he’d become so important to me. As the nightmare had materialized, he was more important than my own life. I’d let him convince me that I wasn’t cursed, that nothing would happen, but now…
“Hey,” Ben’s voice called softly in the darkness which was only broken by the blue light of the digital numbers indicating the earliness of the hour. “What’s wrong?”
His strong hand reached out and slid down my back over the T-shirt I was wearing as a nightgown. His touch was so comforting. I would have turned and melted into him if it wasn’t for the awful dream and direction of my thoughts.
I sniffed, wiped my nose on the back of my hand then used both hands to wipe the tears away. Unable to resist the pull between us, I laid back on the pillows then turned toward Ben. His face was visible only in light blue and black shadows. I sniffed again as his arm slipped easily around my shoulders to pull me closer, still.
We were nose to nose, and I couldn’t help reaching out and pushing the hair that had fallen forward on his forehead away. His hand came up to cover mine as it slid down his cheek, now bristled with almost a day’s worth of beard growth. I liked the way it prickled my fingers; I liked the way it made him look so masculine and tough. Ben kissed the inside of my palm.
“I like your scruff,” I said softly, hoping I could revert the conversation away from the nightmare. I didn’t want to lie to Ben, and I didn’t know if I’d be able to even if I tried. “It makes you look hot.” I smiled gently.
Ben huffed out a short laugh. “Thanks, I think.”
We lay in silence for a few seconds, both of us gently touching the other. The back of his fingers brushed up and down my arm beneath the covers.
“Why were you crying? Don’t worry about Apollo. I won’t let him hurt you.”
I inhaled a shaky breath and nodded. “I know.” I wanted to tell him about the dream, but I struggled with what to do about it. I wanted him in my life, but what if staying with me would mean something bad would happen to him?
“Okay, so don’t sweat him,” he brushed off casually. “We can follow-up with insurance on Monday, then when the old lady signs the release to get the check, you’re free of him. If he comes back around, I’ll take care of it. I think we should file a complaint with the sheriff so there is something on file. We’ll do that on Monday. Just don’t worry, babe. I’ll take care of you.”
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Babe. My heart leapt and an aching lump formed in my throat.
It was the first time he’d called me that and it made my heartbeat faster and heat flush beneath my skin. He was staying with me, and we’d made-out every night, but we hadn’t made love since the day in the barn. It was a sort of sensual torture that I couldn’t get enough of.
“If I’m your ‘babe’ why haven’t you made love to me again?”
Ben sighed heavily in the darkness, his warm breath washing over my face; his hand came up to cup my cheek. “I was wondering if you’d get around to that.”
“Is that bad?”
It was dark in the room, but I was close, and my eyes had adjusted enough to see the corner of his mouth lift in a half smile. “No, I just don’t want to rush you. I don’t want you to think I just want sex with you, plus you’re worried about what everyone will think.”
I offered a half nod as my heart skipped a beat. “Having you stay here overnight is enough to get tongues wagging, so that part is moot.”
He shook his head. “No, it isn’t. We just tell them I’m here as protection. Personally, I don’t give a rat’s ass what anyone thinks, but I don’t want you to stress about it. I want to take things one day at a time and to have fun this next week. You’re going to love the little munchkins.” His white teeth flashed in the darkness. “They’ll get your mind off all of this. They’re a trip.”
I was all set to begin my new job the following Monday, but today was the day Ben’s sister was arriving with her kids. I was excited for the weekend and it would be a good distraction from the awful dreams.
Ben had planned a couple of one day excursions into Yellowstone, but other than that we were just going to pitch some tents on the property, go horseback riding, and cook on an open campfire.
Ben’s side was healing nicely, but still not fully. I had thoroughly enjoyed the last lazy week at home just taking care of each other. He was so perfect that, at times, I forgot to worry and tried to enjoy my time with him. Nothing ever felt so right as it did with Ben.
