Mustang: A Rough Romance (Montana Bad Boys Book 3)

by Piper Stone

  “I agree with you,” I said quietly.

  She huffed and glanced in my direction. “Just so you know, this isn’t an inexpensive recovery. He needs time and a lot of care.”

  “Money is no object, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  Danni shook her head as she glared at me. “Maybe you haven’t figured out that I would die for an animal. I don’t care about money, cowboy. I care about the welfare of the animals. Animals are pure and honest. They rely on humans to care for them. I’ve made it my life’s mission to ensure the safety and protection of all animals, large or small. That’s the kind of woman I am. You can like it or not. I honestly don’t give a damn.”

  While a part of me bristled, I could tell she was overwrought. “Well, I give a damn. That’s all you need to know. How else can I help you with him? What do I need to do?”

  “You’re going to help me get him into a secure cage. Then we wait and see about his condition in the morning.”

  “That sounds cruel. He needs constant attention, not steel bars around him.”

  Danni rubbed her eyes before addressing me. “No, he needs his rest. The best way to allow that to happen is if he can’t harm himself. He’s going to be connected to an IV for at least twenty-four hours. It’s obvious that you have zero clue about animals, which kinda shocks me given the fact you’re a rugged, arrogant prick of a cowboy.”

  “Lady, I don’t get what your beef is with me, but you’re right. The kind of animals I’ve been around are livestock, their care handled by a hell of a lot better people than myself. A pet was never in the cards. My parents’ main concern was praying somehow that I’d stay on the straight and narrow, you know, as in not running the streets causing trouble. When I enlisted in the military, there was no such thing as creature comforts, including the love of an animal. We were too busy fighting off the enemy, attempting to protect the free world. Working on this ranch has given me a reminder than people are not nearly as decent as animals. I suggest you give me some slack. I’m not your fuckin’ enemy.”

  After a few seconds of slanting her eyes in my direction, she finally nodded. “He’s going to be fine, Mustang. I promise you I’ll give him the best care I can, and I do know what I’m doing. Just help me get him into the cage. Nothing is going to happen to him over night. I plan on ensuring that is the case.” She kept her gaze hard, forcing me to reevaluate my anger.

  “Fine.”

  I did as she asked, gingerly placing the seventy-pound dog inside a massive cage, loathing the moment she latched the door after inserting the IV. I hunkered down, studying his matted coat. How could anyone treat an animal this way?

  “You’re going to be all right,” she whispered as she slipped her hand between the bars, stroking the dog’s paw.

  From where I remained, I could see the pup’s eyes opening for a few brief seconds and the single whimper that slipped from his muzzle riled me as much as before.

  When she sat on the floor, crossing her legs, Zorro immediately settled beside her, his tail thumping.

  I inched away, trying to curtail my anger. The poor injured dog reminded me of Apollo in far too many ways. The goddamn visions were coming far too frequently. I’d fought long and hard to push them out of my life. Damn it.

  “If anything happens to him, you’re the only one who can take care of him,” Snake said one day out of the blue as he watched Apollo devouring his bowl of food.

  “I’m not the best guy for the job,” I said, laughing softly.

  Snake slowly turned his head. “That’s where you’re wrong. Apollo was drawn to you the first day. Animals have a way of knowing good people and you’re one of those. Just promise me you’ll take care of him.”

  “Well, it doesn’t seem that I’ll have to,” I said, smiling.

  I would never forget Snake’s haunted face as he stroked Apollo’s back, as if he knew exactly what was going to happen barely three weeks later. I’d fucking failed my friend on two levels. Jesus. What kind of man had I become?

  Anger and sadness swept through me.

  I wasn’t entirely certain how much time had passed, but I was determined to wait it out, ensuring that the dog would be okay. I continued to have guilt from not even bothering to ask about Apollo before I left, forgetting about my pledge to my friend. Then again, maybe I was paying homage to Snake and his love of every form of life by taking care of the injured dog. Either way, every part of me ached. When Zorro made his way in my direction once again, Danni finally shifted her position, giving me a slight smile.

  “Zorro likes you,” she said quietly. “He doesn’t like anyone, especially men. He’s very protective of me.”

  “I can tell he is. Maybe he accepts the fact I’m not a complete asshole.” I chuckled after saying the words, taking my time to rub Zorro behind the ears.

  She wrinkled her nose, a deep sigh slipping past her lips. “You’re not an asshole. Arrogant, yes, but it would seem you actually give a damn about something other than yourself.”

  I fought to keep from laughing at her comment. “The one thing the military teaches you is that you’re nothing but worm sweat. That was a tough lesson to learn, especially for a guy like me.” I expected another huffy remark, but she remained quiet for a few seconds. When she spoke, her tone was far softer than before.

  “Everyone has worth.”

  “Not according to the military, at least not until you are able to follow their rules.”

  Danni acted as if she wanted to say something, but when she clenched her jaw, my frustration level shot through the roof. For some dumbass reason, I thought I was breaking through the thick coat of armor she had encased around her. Guess I was wrong.

  “You know what? You need your space. I’ll be outside.” When she didn’t say anything, I stormed my way out of the clinic, not bothering with grabbing my coat. The last few days had been exhausting, my mind rattled from the constant nightmares. Now this. As I walked off the porch, I studied the moon that seemed to be hanging low in the sky. There was even a blue haze shadowing the eerie glow, the way a few clouds passed over giving the giant orb an ominous appearance.

  I couldn’t take my eyes off the sky for a few minutes, trying to process everything that had happened over the last couple of days. The odd nagging remained in my gut that for all Danni’s pontificating, there was a distinct reason for her concern.

  However, why the hell did she continue to have an attitude? I knew there was more to what limited information she’d allowed me to hear. She was far too intelligent and thoughtful to be so jaded, or so it seemed given her love of animals. Still, Danni and I were like oil and water. My rational brain told me nothing good would come of attempting to pursue what we’d shared before.

  Then why did I remain so freaking turned on?

  I thought about leaving but the truth was I cared about the welfare of the dog, maybe more than I should. With no identification, the only other option was taking him to the pound when he was fully recovered if an owner didn’t come forward. Nope. That wasn’t going to happen. I also wanted to break through Danni’s barriers, finding out what she remained so guarded about. While I’d questioned the foreman about her baseless accusations, Tanner didn’t seem to want to be forthcoming in his answers. Was there a presence in town who’d put the fear of God into the majority of the ranchers?

  After a solid fifteen minutes, I walked back inside, shaking my head at the sight of the way she was leaning against the dog’s cage. At least she seemed at peace and the dog was resting comfortably. “Danni, it’s late. Maybe I should go, but I want to know the dog’s condition. I’ll give you my phone number so you can call me if there are any changes.”

  When she didn’t answer, I couldn’t help but grin as I walked closer, leaning over. She’d fallen asleep. I pressed my finger against my lips when Zorro got to his feet. I studied her serene face and slightly open lips, the way her eyelids continued to shimmy, as if she hadn’t fallen into a deep sleep just yet and I suddenl
y felt as if I needed to protect her.

  “Jesus.” I glanced down at Zorro, lifting my eyebrows. “What should I do, buddy?”

  His single woof gave me a smile.

  “Yeah, you’re right.”

  The moment I gathered her into my arms, she moaned, nuzzling closer. Inhaling, the scent of her was all I needed to have another jolt of electricity searing every nerve ending. “Let’s get you out of here.” She felt perfect in my arms, as if she was always meant to be there. Hell, I could get used to her incredible intoxicating scent reverberating through every muscle and tendon.

  Seconds later, she slapped her hand against my chest, struggling to open her eyes. “What…”

  “Shush.”

  “No, I… I need to stay,” she muttered, still in the same defiant tone I was used to.

  “It’s all right. I don’t think you can do anything else for the baby. I’m going to take you back to your house.” The feel of her in my arms was exhilarating, creating a wave of desire that I found difficult to deny. Just the way my cock was pressed against my jeans was enough to help me realize this girl was trouble with a capital T.

  My words finally jolted her out of her sleep, her eyes opening wide. She wrapped her fingers around my shirt, her entire body tensing. “Let me down, cowboy. I’m fine.” Her lower lip quivered for a few seconds before she dragged her tongue across it, taking the time to knead my chest through the dense cloth.

  “You’re not staying here all night.”

  “No, I don’t have to. I have a monitor inside the house, but I need to make sure it’s on.” As she shifted her gaze from one arm to the other, she slammed her hand against my chest as if realizing who was holding her. “I said. Put. Me. Down.”

  “Why, yes, ma’am.” I dropped her onto her feet, the quick action with enough force she almost tumbled backwards. When I snapped my hand around her forearm to steady her, she jerked as if by instinct. “Whoa. I just didn’t want you to fall.”

  As she scuttled away from me, I heard various creative cuss words. “I can take care of myself, Mustang. I’m a big girl.”

  “A big girl with a nasty attitude.” The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them.

  Damn it. I felt like some bull in a freaking china shop, her reaction to my bullishness exactly what I would have expected.

  She charged closer, even daring to lift her arm as if prepared to smack me. I gave her one dominating look, although my expression had little effect. “You really can be a bastard. I’d actually enjoyed seeing how concerned you were about the dog. I thought maybe I’d been wrong about you.”

  “You know nothing about me except that someone told you I was dangerous. Me saying it is one thing. Someone else doing it pisses me off.” I glanced at her outstretched hand, shaking my head slowly. “I suggest you think again about what you’re prepared to do. I won’t hesitate to perform a repeat of yesterday.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.”

  I issued a husky growl in response.

  Exhaling, the sound strangled, she lowered her arm, her face pensive.

  Thank goodness she thought better of slapping me again because I would have dragged her over her desk and spanked the hell out of her beautiful bottom.

  I stood over her, on fire and in need. Damn it, the woman had some kind of magic, my inability to ignore my longing almost shameful. But as the heat developed into another wave of electric energy, I was unable to control myself. The second I cupped her face, digging my fingers into her lovely skin, she smacked the same hand against my chest. Lowering my head, I drank in her sweet essence. “You need to learn some manners.”

  “And I suppose you think you’re the man who’s going to teach them to me.”

  The challenge was one I couldn’t refuse. “You know what? I am exactly that man.” As I crushed my mouth over hers, she whimpered into the kiss, wiggling enough to push my desire into something else entirely.

  My needs were savage, the intensity of my longing just as explosive as before. I fisted her hair, jerking her even closer until she molded against my body. While she continued squirming, the incredible fragrance of her feminine wiles floated between us, wafting into my nostrils. I could easily get drunk off her scent.

  As the kiss continued, I thrust my tongue inside, allowing the passion to erupt between us. When she finally stopped fighting, she slid one arm around my neck, intertwining her fingers in my hair. I could hear Zorro’s tail thumping from behind her. At least he approved of our coupling. I knew as soon as I let her go that she would fight like a wildcat.

  The heat continued to build, my cock aching to the point stars were floating in front of my eyes. Every hard push of her hand only ignited another portion of my body, every muscle tense.

  Another moan escaped her mouth, creating an echo in my ears.

  Damn it. I wanted this girl.

  I pushed her away on purpose, tilting my head and allowing my gaze to fall to her tennis shoes. She studied my actions as she raked her arm across her mouth.

  “Was my kiss that distasteful?” I asked in a husky tone.

  “I… no, but you can’t… I mean…” A nervous laugh pushed up from her throat. When she backed away, she looked uncomfortable as hell, although her breathing remained ragged.

  “I think you owe me an apology,” I stated in a dominating tone.

  Her eyes flared once again, especially when I slid my hand to my belt buckle, sliding a finger back and forth across the brass.

  “Hell, no. I don’t owe you anything,” she insisted.

  “Oh, really?” I inched closer, keeping my eyes locked on hers. “Your choice. We know how that works out. If you don’t want to give me the respect of an apology, then I’ll handle this with additional corporal punishment.”

  A line was drawn in the sand.

  She shook her head, huffing under her breath before spitting out several words. “This is crazy. I am sorry, Mustang, for upsetting your sensitive nature. However, it’s been a long few weeks. Okay? Are you happy now? I’ve been working sixteen-hour days since I arrived a month ago in an attempt to find new clients, which isn’t working very well I might add. I sold pretty much everything I owned in order to be able to afford this place. While I’m grateful the previous owner was kind enough to leave me some of his equipment and the majority of the furnishings in this house, I don’t feel like it’s my place. And I have no idea why I’m telling you all this.” Her laugh was nervous.

  I glanced around the small clinic, the building seeing some age. While I wasn’t good at making small talk, I knew that’s what she needed. “You can do a lot with both the clinic and the house.”

  “Yeah? Do you know any good carpenters?”

  “Maybe.” I couldn’t help but grin.

  An awkward silence settled between us.

  “We need to talk, Danni.”

  She seemed even more uncomfortable than before. “What do you want to know?”

  “What I want to know is why in the hell were you doing attacking the ranchers the other day? If you’re attempting to gain new clients, that ain’t the way to do it. People around here have long memories. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  “I wouldn’t have gotten involved if I hadn’t received a damn phone call in the freaking middle of the night much like yours. Only the request was about an injured cow. Steer. Whatever.”

  “Are you certified as a large breed veterinarian?”

  Nodding, she stole a glance at the sleeping dog. “I am, but very few people know that or in truth, that I even exist at this point, which is one reason the call shocked the hell out of me. I don’t know. Maybe the caller was looking for Doctor Forester. He didn’t say.”

  “Okay. I don’t get it.”

  She issued a growl of her own. “No, you don’t and it’s a long story.”

  “Well, I got the time.”

  “And I don’t trust you, Mustang. How could I? I don’t know you.”

  “Funny how your body betrays y
ou, enjoying what we’ve shared,” I snarked, regretting it the instant that I did. “Fuck.”

  Danni sucked in her breath, fire in her eyes.

  Tick. Tock.

  “Okay,” she said quietly, a slight gleam in her eyes. “You don’t deserve the brunt of my anger, even if you can be a prick.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, you’re right about that. Understood.”

  While the tension remained between us, there was a difference from before. Maybe the sassy girl was going to actually stop accusing me of atrocious crimes.

  “No, you shouldn’t have to try and understand. It just doesn’t make any sense why someone would track me down out of the blue. I’ve only done a limited amount of advertising, mostly because I can’t afford it.”

  “Was the previous vet was also certified to work on large animals?”

  Danni thought about my question. “I think so.”

  “That might be your answer.”

  “No. I’m positive that’s not it.”

  What the hell was the girl hiding?

  “So, are you ready to tell me what’s really going on?”

  She emitted a deep sigh and walked back toward the cage, hesitating before answering. “All I know is that there have been reports of a group of individuals who are attempting to defraud dozens of ranchers, including those who’ve fallen on hard times. From what I’d heard and read, this has been going on for some time.”

  “Who told you that load of crap?”

  “A friend of mine and is it really crap? She’s lived here her entire life. She has a pulse when it comes to Missoula, her entire family living here going back generations.”

  “Uh-huh. Go on.” My tone was demanding, but I already had a bad feeling about what she was about to tell me. The last thing she needed to do was continue spouting off her accusations. Missoula was a big little town. And there were some very bad people living in the outlying counties, men who had no appreciation of smaller ranches attempting to make a dent in their profits.