“Are you okay?” He jumped from the worn seat and was at her side in a flash. His hands wrapped around her arms. Always trying to steady her.
Madi nodded.
“I—I’m just glad you’re okay. I was worried.”
Julian’s expression softened. But only for a moment. Madi realized then that there were two bandages over his knife wounds, both taped to his bare skin. He also had on work boots.
He caught her eye.
“I would have been here a lot sooner but... Well, let’s just say you’re not going to believe what happened. I barely do.”
* * *
THE HOSPITAL’S FLUORESCENTS weren’t helping his mood. Nor was the angry man in front of him. Julian rubbed at his temples. A tension headache was on the long list of things currently plaguing him. The top of that list was red faced and tapping his badge.
“I’ve been doing this job a long time,” Detective Miller said. “A long time. Do you know how many ridiculous excuses and stories I’ve heard through the years?”
“I’m sure plenty,” Julian answered, knowing it had been rhetorical. His patience with the lawman was thinning. “But that doesn’t mean a thing when it comes to what happened last night. What’s been happening the last two days. Someone tried to frame Madi. They tried to hurt her. And, for whatever reason, that extended to Detective Holloway.”
Miller’s lips thinned. The crease in his forehead deepened as he became even more unhappy, if such a thing were possible.
“The man you just happened to find,” Miller stated. Again.
Julian took a deep breath. He reminded himself that picking up the smaller man and throwing him across the room would do nothing to help his case. It certainly wouldn’t help Madi. She’d already been through enough without adding fuel to Miller’s fire.
“Listen, I know you have issues with Madi and the rest of her family.” Julian readjusted his tone. He wanted to get out of the lobby’s corner where they’d been talking since the detective had arrived. Pushing the man’s buttons by adopting an even angrier attitude, no matter how badly he wanted to, would only delay him reuniting with Madi. Not to mention giving an even bigger lead to her attackers. “If it was anyone else, you’d already be out there looking for the couple who shot your colleague in the hand and the men who had no problem trying to torture and kill a pregnant woman.” The detective’s jaw visibly hardened but he let Julian continue. “You were with us when the coroner’s van was attacked. You saw the damage at the inn. Holloway told you himself that he’d never seen Madi or me before. Just because this isn’t all adding up doesn’t mean Madi is to blame. And you know it. So, please, let me take her to the ranch so she can get some rest. She and the baby need it.”
Miller’s stare was unwavering. To Julian’s surprise, he didn’t spout any hotheaded rebuttal. Instead he sucked on his teeth, then came to a decision. Julian just hoped it was the right one.
“You’re tying your ship to hers. If she goes down, you will, too. I hope you realize that.”
Julian nodded. Miller looked over as Detective Devereux walked in from the hallway. Desmond was at his side.
“Don’t leave town,” he said, giving his badge one more tap. “And, Mr. Mercer, just because Madeline isn’t behind everything that’s happening doesn’t mean she isn’t in the center of it. If I were you, I’d watch out.”
Julian didn’t respond. Not that Miller expected it. He gave Desmond no more than a stiff nod of acknowledgment before leaving the hospital with his colleague. Julian met the Nash triplet with a less-than-enthused nod himself.
“I still think it’s a huge conflict of interest having Miller run this case,” he greeted. “He clearly is partial as hell when it comes to the lot of you.”
“As much as I’d agree with you in any other instance, I will say that for once, Detective Miller’s anger issues might work in our favor.” Julian raised his eyebrow at that. Desmond explained, “He’ll try his hardest to find a way to pin this on us. Now that this case has picked up attention and involved another officer, Miller will need hard evidence to make that happen.”
“And since Madi isn’t some deranged puppet master behind all this pulling the strings—”
“He’ll find the real puppet masters,” Desmond finished.
Julian saw the logic there, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. He squared his shoulders. The need to protect Madi was ringing through him once again.
“Not unless I find them first.”
* * *
IT HAD BEEN a long while since Madi had been in bed with Julian and yet, hours after she had thought about their first time, there they were...in bed together again.
This time there was a lot more between them. Not just physically. Lying on her side, facing him, Madi ran a hand over her stomach beneath the covers and met his eyes with a sigh.
“I’m fine,” she reiterated. “We’re both fine. The doctor checked us out. All he said was to get some rest and drink some water. And definitely don’t go climbing over the roof again.”
Madi gave a wry smile. He returned it, though there was still undeniable concern in his stare.
“When we get to more solid ground on this whole thing, I’d like to know more.” His smile turned sweet, quiet but heartfelt. “About the pregnancy, about the baby. I have to admit, I don’t know much about either in general.”
Madi’s heart squeezed. In a perfect world he would have gone along with her every step of the way after finding out they were pregnant. But she’d messed up that perfect world when she’d turned him away. Talking with him about the child they’d made was a painful reminder about what she’d rejected.
“I’d be happy to,” she said honestly.
He nodded, his head against the pillow.
They were back at Des’s house in Madi’s old room. This time there was no wondering where Julian was or would be. After they’d eaten, Madi had made it clear she didn’t want to be alone for the sleep they both needed to get. Julian had made it clear he was on the same page. He wasn’t leaving Madi’s side anytime soon.
“Is there anything I need to know now? Anything I should, uh, look out for?” Madi chuckled. It rubbed off on him. “What can I say? I’m so out of my element that I don’t even know what to ask about specifically. Dilation? Sonogram? Applying for preschool early? Am I somewhere in the ballpark?”
Madi was beside herself with laughter.
“You’re at least in the parking lot,” she said when she could manage.
Julian grinned.
“Good.”
“But all you need to know right now? Honestly, I’m about to pass out. I’m so tired. I mean, I’m always tired lately, but if I fall asleep in the middle of us talking, I’m sorry...and then when—not if—I wake up to pee for the billionth time, I apologize again.” She reached out for his hand but hesitated. “She usually starts moving around when I first lie down. Want to see if you can feel her?”
Julian’s entire demeanor changed. Madi worried she’d crossed some kind of line. But then, slowly, he reached out and met her hand in the middle. Madi shifted the blanket and guided him to her stomach. She lifted her shirt so he had the best chance of catching the little gymnast. His skin was, as always, so wonderfully warm.
It was comforting. So much so that she yawned.
“Don’t worry if you can’t feel her,” she said, stifling a second one. “So far I’m the only one to catch her in the act.”
Julian nodded stiffly. He was concentrating. It would have melted a part of Madi’s heart had her eyelids not gotten so heavy.
He was just so warm.
Chapter Fourteen
Two days passed before Madi felt much more like herself. Not only had she slept through both nights, she’d taken several daytime naps. A feat that was harder than normal considering Julian hadn’t left her side. Sure, he gave her space w
hen they were in the house when she wanted it, but if she needed him he was there with seconds to spare.
His brow would pull in, he’d look at her stomach, and then he’d look into her eyes and she knew in her bones he was prepared for anything. Their close call at the inn had changed something between them. It was one thing to lie for her; it was another to see her and their child in danger.
Madi knew this because seeing him get stabbed, twice, had been so close to soul crushing that, even safe on the ranch, she worried about him, too. Especially since no one knew anything about those men, the couple who had taken Detective Holloway or who had killed Loraine.
The mysteries were slowly driving the Nash family crazy, Madi included. Now that she was back to normal she didn’t like the idea of sitting on her hands any longer. A point she brought up at breakfast. Moments before it was shot down hard by Caleb and Des.
“This is the safest place you can be right now,” Des said, frowning and shaking his head. “We can control what goes on here. Once you leave through the front gate it gets harder.”
Caleb agreed, his cowboy hat bouncing as he nodded with enthusiasm.
“The department and Kilwin PD are more invested than ever in catching these people,” he added. “They’re following several leads. It’s just taking some time. Don’t make it more complicated for them by making yourself accidental bait.”
Madi couldn’t help it. She went for a section of her hair, ready to start an angry braid, but Julian caught her hand before she could clear the table. Neither Nash brother saw the action. Caleb and Des had never been the overbearing and aggressive type of brothers who hovered around the men she dated, but she had been surprised that neither had questioned Julian yet. Everyone was now on the same page about him being the father. She had expected the news to carry consequences for the burly man holding her hand against his thigh, trying to calm her down. Yet as far as she knew, none of the Nash brothers had flexed their sibling muscles at him.
Madi assumed their focus was elsewhere, and maybe at some point they’d start questioning his absence. Then again, she hadn’t missed the embraces they’d each given Julian in the hospital after Madi and the baby had been cleared. They respected him.
“How about instead of town you can show me around the ranch?” he offered, speaking to her but addressing the table as a whole. “I’ve still only been here and the main house. I’d love to see the rest.”
Des and Caleb shared a look. They didn’t flat out say no but Madi recognized their “how do we say no without seeming like jerks” expressions. She’d been on the receiving end of them a few times during their angsty teenage years.
“May I point out that there’s a patrol car at the gate, Deputy Hudson keeps driving through every few hours, all of the staff is on the lookout and my escort is an ex-marine who is built like a sexy, jacked-up house?” She held up her hand to keep them quiet so she could finish. “The same sexy, jacked-up house who went head-to-head with two armed men with nothing more than a cell phone and his fists. And, by the way, managed to get a big ole pregnant woman across a roof, down to the ground and to safety without a scratch. All while he was hurt.”
Madi gave her brothers a pointed stare, nearly begging them to fight her. They shared another look. Julian squeezed her hand twice. She glanced over. His expression was blank. Or almost blank. Madi could have sworn there was a smile trying its darnedest to pull up those delicious lips.
Des was the first to concede. Caleb sighed for effect.
“Just don’t do any of the trails,” Des said. His face softened. “Please. You know how easy it is to be caught by surprise on one.”
Madi’s momentary frustration at her brothers disappeared. She looked between them and, as it happened sometimes, she saw the eight-year-old boys she’d sneaked off into the woods with for an innocent game of hide-and-seek. Another unspoken conversation occurred among the three of them. Madi couldn’t explain it any more than she could ignore it.
“I won’t take any unnecessary chances,” she finally promised. “But I can’t stay locked up in here forever, either.”
“Okay,” they said together.
“Make sure your phones are charged,” Des added, standing with his empty plate. He scooped up Julian’s and Madi’s before shoulder checking Caleb. He rolled his eyes and started collecting their empty cups and mugs.
Madi felt a twinge of excitement. She hadn’t lied when she said Hidden Hills felt like home, but she couldn’t deny she now felt ready to see how Julian liked the place where she’d grown up.
“I have to pee again but then I’ll be ready to go,” she said to him.
It earned a laugh. She beat him to the reason behind it. “And yes, I did have to go before I sat down for breakfast. Like I said, this girl loves Riverdancing on my bladder.”
Julian gave her a little push up and then she was off. When she finished in the bathroom she pulled her phone off the charger with more pep in her step than she’d had in a while. Her phone had finally been returned the day before by Detective Devereux. They hadn’t seen Miller since the hospital, which was A-OK with Madi.
The temperature outside wasn’t too hot or too humid. Still, as soon as they got into his SUV Madi flipped on the AC.
“I thought we could park at the stables and walk around from there. I can show you the retreat, too. It’s a quick walk from there.”
Julian adjusted his shirt over the back of something in the waist of his jeans. He caught Madi’s quizzical stare.
“Your brothers gave me a gun.”
“They what?”
Julian shrugged.
“Honestly, I was expecting a stern talking-to so I’m okay with the gun.” He smirked. “Still, it wasn’t the weirdest thing that happened today.”
Madi felt her eyebrow rise.
“What’s weirder than my brothers slipping you a gun in the kitchen?”
He put the vehicle in Reverse and then pulled out onto the main road that ran through the ranch.
“I’d have to say it was being described as a, and I quote, ‘sexy, jacked-up house.’” Madi’s cheeks flamed to life. Julian laughed. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, this sexy house is flattered. It just was a first for me.”
Madi groaned.
“It’s these darn hormones,” she defended. “They killed the filter that usually keeps these things in my head!”
“But you still think I’m sexy, right?”
Julian actually winked.
It did a number on those same hormones that had already bypassed her personal filter. Heat of a different nature started to spread through her. When she answered, her voice had dipped lower. She motioned to her stomach.
“Clearly.”
Julian didn’t respond beyond the grin he was already wearing but when they parked outside the stables, the air around them had changed. Madi didn’t know how to deal with it. She’d gone from offhandedly calling him sexy to wanting to take him to the back seat and show him just how bendy she still could be.
Hormones. It’s the pregnancy hormones, she thought. You also thought a bag of Cheetos was the best thing in the world last night.
Yet Madi knew her lame excuse wasn’t the entire truth.
She didn’t think she had ever stopped wanting Julian.
He cut the engine, got out and walked around to her door. When he opened it, Madi felt like she was on fire. She bit her lip to stop herself from blurting something more dangerous than a weird compliment.
Julian reached out. She assumed it would be for her hand; instead, his knuckles brushed across her cheek.
“You are the sexiest of us all, Madi Nash.”
His thumb hooked beneath the line of her jaw, sliding along it until he had her chin in his hand. She let him tilt her head up. He bent over to complete the advance.
Like she had done to him in the woods, Jul
ian gave her a kiss that was soft and brief. Unlike their time in the woods, they weren’t in immediate danger. They could do more if they wanted.
Did she—
Yes. Before she could even finish the thought she knew, without a doubt, she wanted to be taken by Julian. Again and again.
The real question was, did he want her? After all of this time? After everything that had already happened?
Someone cleared their throat. Julian was in front of her in a flash, eyes darting to the culprit.
“Ray!”
Ray Cutler gave an awkward little wave and smiled.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.” He pointed back to the stables behind him. The main doors were open, letting the breeze carry in front of the stalls. “I just got back from a ride with Clive.”
Madi stumbled out of her seat and hoped her cheeks weren’t as red as she assumed they were.
“That’s awesome! I didn’t know you knew how to ride.”
Ray ran a hand through his hair and gave a hearty laugh.
“I’m not a pro or anything but I can get from point A to B without falling. Half the time at least.” He walked over and outstretched his hand. Madi noted that along with a cowboy hat, he was wearing riding gloves and boots. It made him look at home. Madi was glad for it.
After the two mystery men had shown up at the inn, they’d asked Ray to stay at the Wild Iris Retreat instead of returning to Hidden Hills. It looked like he was enjoying the ranch. It eased a little of the guilt that had been weighing on her since Loraine’s body had been found.
Hidden Hills offered relaxation and beauty. Instead, both had been violently destroyed.
“I’m Ray,” he introduced. Julian returned the shake.
“Julian.”
“So I’ve heard.” Ray stepped back and gave a sheepish look. “I may not be from around here but word travels fast. Your heroics this week have been sweeping through town. Here, too.” He thumbed back to the barn, most likely referring to Clive, a family friend as well as the stable master. Also a lousy gossip if he was in a good mood.
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