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

by Piper Stone

  From what I could tell, it was apparent he was the leader of the motley group, standing a solid foot in front of the others. The tension was intense. One false move and Danni could be killed, although I doubted that’s what they had in mind. They simply wanted to reinforce their earlier warning. What the hell had she done this time to get them this riled?

  When one of them barked like a dog, Zorro lunged forward, toward the leader.

  “Zorro!” she screamed, unable to hold onto his collar. “No. No!”

  I rushed forward, trying to stop him from attacking when one of the assholes punched Zorro in the side of the head, a second following with a hard kick to his gut. As he yelped in pain, the pup’s body was pummeled back several feet.

  “That’s it!” I snapped. “Get out of here now.”

  “You motherfucker.” Raising her gun, she walked to the edge of the porch as the others began to laugh.

  Everything became a blur when one of them aimed a pistol at Zorro, I lost it, letting off an intense roar and racing forward.

  Then all hell seemed to break loose.

  An intense rumble could be heard from behind me, enough so the earth began to shake. I threw a punch, hitting the man square in the jaw, the force enough he dropped his weapon as he tumbled to the ground. Twisting in a full circle, I kicked out, catching the second off guard, my foot firmly planting in his gut. Then I went after the third just as headlights lit up the rear of the property. Doors were opened then slammed shut, several people approaching.

  When the leader wrapped his arm around Danni’s neck, jerking her off the porch and close to his body, the weapon flew out of her hand. Within a split second, Zorro lunged again, another one of the jerks kicking him a second time.

  “Zorro. Come!” I yelled, still storming forward. “If anyone of you touch that dog again, you are going to die.”

  “Leave him alone!” Danni bellowed, struggling to get out of the man’s hold. “You fucking asshole!”

  There was the sound of several doors being slammed, people racing toward us. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed at least two of the intruders had backed away, obviously unprepared for this level of retaliation.

  “What the hell do we have here?” Hawk bellowed. “Surround them, boys.”

  I’d never been happier to hear Hawk’s voice as he flanked my side, leering down at the asshole who was trying to scramble to his feet.

  “A few assholes who find this a good day to die,” I said as I crouched down, rubbing Zorro’s neck. The pup wasn’t moving, but he was breathing, studying me intently.

  “Zorro,” she wailed, the sound of her voice strangled.

  I shot her a look, trying to curtail my rage as the asshole holding her backed further into the shadows.

  “Nowhere for you to go, buddy,” Hawk called to the jerk.

  “My friend is right. You’re not getting off this property unless you back down right now,” I hissed as several of our ranch hands surrounded the group, every one of them armed. I didn’t have to ask, Tanner and another ranch hand racing to my side, prepared to protect the dog.

  “I got him,” Tanner stated. “Christ. It’s okay, boy.”

  The other five intruders backed away, two of them holding up their arms.

  “We didn’t want any trouble,” one of them managed.

  “Yeah, well, you found it, you fuck,” I snapped.

  “They were just leaving. Weren’t you, boys?” Hawk growled.

  “They damn well better,” Tanner added as he raised his rifle.

  The leader laughed from behind the mask, dragging Danni even further away from the group of vehicles, the falling snow impeding his progress.

  I took long strides toward the leader, daring any of the others to fuck with me. When I was only two feet away, I pointed my weapon directly between the asshole’s eyes.

  “Hell, maybe I was wrong about that. I think they’re looking for trouble. Well, it’s their lucky day,” Hawk continued.

  “You need to send your friends away, Mustang,” the leader snarled, yanking a weapon from his pocket. “I don’t think you want your pretty little girlfriend hurt.” He tightened his hold as he placed the barrel of the gun against her temple.

  Well, well, the jerkoff knew my name. That meant this was indeed personal.

  I cocked my head, giving him a wide smile. “I don’t think you want to do that, buddy. Let me tell you why. I was a sharpshooter for the Marines, my accuracy close to ninety-eight percent. I could shoot a piss cup off an insurgent’s head at a range of three hundred yards. Now, if you don’t think I can pull this trigger, hitting you smack between the eyes before you have the chance to cock your trigger, try me. You’re dead ass wrong.”

  “You need to listen to the man,” Hawk said in a calm voice. “He was the best shooter in our entire division. He never missed. Funny though, my favorite thing in the world was to hit them in the kneecaps. A lot of pain in that kind of shot.” He pushed his way closer, pointing his gun at the leader’s knees.

  “Let her go, man. This isn’t why we came here,” another asshole said, his bravado all but gone.

  “Shut the fuck up. You don’t call the shots,” the leader hissed.

  Danni dug her fingers into his arms, and I could tell she was prepared to try to get away any way she could, her breathing ragged.

  I held my stance, never blinking as the snow continued to fall. Suddenly, there was no sound. Nothing but the quiet of the night. And a part of me wanted to pull the trigger.

  Tick. Tock.

  Huffing, the asshole let her go, pushing her in my direction. His action allowed the others to move, scampering toward their trucks.

  I caught her, dragging her further away. “You okay?”

  “I think so, but I need to see Zorro.” She took several gasping breaths before pulling out of my arms.

  While I let her go, I made certain I blocked her from any one of the jerks.

  “What do you want to do?” Hawk asked.

  I glanced up at the sky before moving toward the group of men, yanking at their masks. “You fucked with the wrong people. I don’t give a shit who you are, I’m going to make certain you never do this kind of shit again. Do you hear me?”

  The second I ripped his mask off, the man issued a huge grin. “You’re the one who fucked with the wrong people.”

  While I didn’t recognize any of them, I knew whatever choice I made would likely bring this ruse to a head. “Who are you working for?”

  He laughed. “Someone who is going to bring down your ranch.”

  I pushed the barrel of my gun under his chin. “Well, you tell your boss that if he has a beef, he’s going to come through me. You got it? Now, get the fuck out of here before I change my mind.”

  The asshole seemed surprised I was letting them go, his smile diminishing. He backed away, motioning for the others.

  Hawk crowded closer. “You sure you want to do this?”

  “We need to know who’s behind this.”

  “I know, but we should have them arrested.”

  “Yeah, we could, but I think this is a more direct route to finding out some of the answers.” I turned my head, watching as Danni helped Zorro to his feet, the dog limping slightly as she encouraged him to move onto the porch. “Besides, I want a chance to find out what Danni knows. This thing could be bigger than we realize.”

  Sighing, Hawk motioned for Tanner. “Let the assholes get by.”

  Tanner shifted his gaze to the other men who remained unmasked. “I don’t recognize any of them and I know the majority of workers at the closest ranches.”

  “Well, maybe they’re new to our beautiful city,” I said half under my breath. When Tanner walked away, I shifted my attention back to Hawk. “This is getting out of hand, but my belief is that it’s personal.”

  “Yeah, I think you’re right. I know Drake did everything he could to push the ranch into a profitable mode, especially at the beginning. I’m going to get to the bottom of w
hatever the hell is going on.”

  “This kind of shit can’t happen again.”

  Hawk shifted his gaze as the men from the ranch retreated to their trucks, pulling them out of the way. “Don’t worry. It won’t. I’ll see what I can find after I have a conversation with Tanner. There are a couple boxes of the business transactions I haven’t gone through yet. Maybe the contents will provide some answers.”

  I sighed as I continued to hear the rumble of the unwelcome visitors’ trucks mixing with the howl of the wind.

  “You gonna be all right?” he asked quietly.

  “They won’t try anything again tonight. Not after this and the snow.”

  Nodding, Hawk started to walk away. “Just be careful, buddy. Whoever is behind this means business.”

  “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

  Like hell I did.

  Whatever happened, the girl was going to talk.

  She was also going to get a piece of my mind as well as a hefty round of discipline.

  After I made certain she hadn’t been hurt.

  I fisted my hand, glaring after the intruders’ trucks as they left, praying to God I’d made the right decision in letting them go.

  If not and they attempted this shit again, they would face my brand of justice.

  Chapter 11

  Danni

  Rage.

  I’d seen the kind of rage in Mustang’s eyes that should have surprised me, but it didn’t. He was a complicated man, his steel-plated armor refusing to crack. Although I knew he would have pulled the trigger without hesitation.

  I cradled Zorro against my chest, hopeful he didn’t have any broken ribs. Alert, he continued to growl, and I knew he would still go after the intruders if necessary. When the other trucks finally left, I let out a strangled whimper. I closed my eyes as I held him, no longer cognizant of the freezing temperatures.

  The quiet was welcoming, although the ragged beating of my heart echoed in my ears. When I finally lifted my head, searching for Mustang, he stood off in the distance, his gaze locked on the Charger. I hadn’t bothered to put it into the garage, merely longing to lock myself inside the house. He cocked his head before glancing at me then taking long strides, reaching down and retrieving my weapon, pocketing it into his jacket.

  I hadn’t been certain what had terrified me more. Almost driving off the road or the fact I’d been followed again.

  Very slowly he walked in my direction, staring down at me, not saying a single word.

  “Go on, chastise me. I know I deserve it for disobeying you,” I said after a full minute. As he tipped his head toward the sky, allowing the snow and ice to pelt against his face, I shuddered. Damn, he was furious with me. Hell, I couldn’t blame him.

  “What good is that going to do?” he asked ever so quietly, absolutely no inflection in his tone. Another five seconds passed. Ten. “How badly injured is Zorro?”

  “I don’t know. I need to take a couple x-rays.”

  He nodded and leaned over, gently taking Zorro from my arms and heading toward the clinic.

  I studied his stoic form for a few seconds before managing to climb to my feet. Every part of me ached from fear and tension, my hands almost completely numb. I grabbed the keys, continuing to shake as I moved toward the door and unlocked it. When I flipped on the light, I winced from the harshness of the overhead fluorescent. My head ached, my mind reeling at what could have happened. “Um, the x-ray equipment is in the room over there. Just lay him on the table.”

  The way he cradled Zorro was so sweet and caring, even though his eyes held such coldness. I hated the tension between us. I loathed that I hadn’t trusted him enough to talk to him. Then he’d come to my rescue, putting his own life on the line in order to protect me.

  I was the biggest fool on the planet.

  As I walked into the room, the way he was rubbing Zorro’s head brought a slight smile to my face. “You’re going to need to wait out there. This will only take a few minutes.”

  He lifted his head, studying my eyes for what seemed like a lifetime. I could swear he was searching my soul, attempting to figure out if he could ever trust me again. When he walked out of the room without saying anything, closing the door behind him, I sagged against the table, rubbing my eyes until Zorro thumped his tail against the table.

  “At least your tail isn’t broken, baby. This isn’t going to hurt.” I examined him gently, finding no outward signs of injury. While the kicks were hard, the damage was minimal. When I took the last of the x-rays, I was surprised when he jumped off the table by himself without whining. He nuzzled against my leg then walked toward the door, as if wanting to see Mustang.

  I couldn’t help but laugh as I allowed him out.

  Within a few minutes, I was clearly able to see there were no fractures. I made a promise that I’d never put my baby in that position again. Ever. Or anyone else for that matter.

  I shut down the machine and made certain everything in the room was in order.

  In other words, I was stalling.

  Finally finding the courage, I moved into the main room, knowing exactly where I’d find both Mustang as well as my dog. I leaned against the doorway, folding my arms. Mustang had opened the cage and Rattler was happily enjoying some loving strokes while Zorro rested his head on Mustang’s knee.

  “No IV,” he said with no inflection.

  “I removed it earlier because Rattler is doing so well. Seems like one perfect family.” As soon as I said the words, I bit back a moan. They hadn’t come out as I’d intended.

  He didn’t bother looking me in the eyes, his gaze firmly locked on the two dogs. “Is it safe to take Rattler to the house?”

  “I think so. As long as they both remain calm, a warm fire will do them some good. Zorro is fine, no broken bones. He’ll be sore for a couple days.”

  He helped Rattler stand, moving out of the room, both dogs following him, stopping short of the entrance. “I assume the front door is unlocked to your house. I am staying the night whether or not you like it.” When he peered over his shoulder, he lifted a single eyebrow as if daring me to challenge him.

  “I’m coming right behind you. Yes, the door is unlocked.”

  Mustang took a deep whiff, his gaze slowly drifting to my feet then back to my eyes.

  God, the man was formidable. They way he’d taken on the assholes was astounding, maybe even reckless, but he’d become my hero.

  By the time I walked in, the two dogs had settled on the couch in front of the fire, although there were barely little more than embers at this point. He grabbed several logs from the hearth, stoking the fire.

  Brooding.

  Dominating.

  Sexy.

  When he walked away, I was floored, words stuck in my throat. Then I realized what he was doing, checking every lock on the windows and doors. I stood where I was, feeling smaller than I ever had in my life. Just hearing his heavy boots as he stormed through the house was enough of a reminder that I’d almost gotten myself killed.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked as soon as he walked back into the room.

  “No. Thank you for coming to my rescue.” Were my words even audible? The thanks sounded so damn weak. I finally realized he was staring at me and the second I dared to look into his eyes, I was thrown once again.

  I’d had men look at me in hunger a few times in my life. I’d certainly had my share of assholes glaring at me out of rage given my assertive personality. But when he lifted his head, the look he gave me was indescribable. Yet I could feel the vibes he emitted, the rawness of his emotions as the electricity surged through both of us once again, searing every nerve ending.

  Frustration.

  Unbridled desire.

  Utter domination.

  He wasn’t just undressing me with his eyes. He was peeling away every layer of my life, all the concerns and fears, joys and sorrows. They were suddenly unraveling, fading away into my past.

  As Mustang moved to
a standing position, taking careful steps in my direction, I held my breath. I’d never felt so intensely alive, every emotion over-sensitized. He was so damn powerful, every action he took careful and measured. I was floored that my mouth was suddenly dry, my heart skipping several beats. There wasn’t a part of me that wasn’t on fire, my nipples aching as they scraped against my sweater. And there was no doubt wetness pooled between my legs. I was lost to the man, my own hunger off the rails.

  The second he closed the distance until we were only inches apart, my entire body began to quiver. He lowered his head, allowing his hot breath to cascade over my face and neck. Goosebumps popped all over my arms, the chill I’d felt earlier completely eradicated. Lifting my hand, I placed my fingers on his chest, almost gasping for air in order to fill my lungs.

  He inhaled, holding his breath as he very delicately traced his index finger across my forehead then down the bridge of my nose. “You scared me.”

  “I’m sorry. They just appeared out of nowhere.”

  “And you shouldn’t have confronted them. They were dangerous men on a mission. Why didn’t you call the sheriff?”

  “At first, it was a single knock on the door and I answered, thinking it was you. By that point, it was too late.”

  Every word he said settled into the back of my mind. I’d never felt like such a ridiculous woman, the bad decisions almost costing me everything that was precious to me. Including him. How could I feel so strongly about a man I didn’t know?

  But I did.

  How could I want him so desperately that he filled so much of my waking thoughts?

  But I did.

  “I know,” I managed, as I caressed his chest, rubbing up and down.

  He cupped my chin, the grip firm, tilting my head. “You’re never going to do that again.”

  “No.”

  A growl slipped past his lips before he crushed his mouth over mine and slid his arms around me. There was nothing like the feeling of being in his arms, the warmth and strength creating another wave of shivers. I melted against him, tingling all over as he pressed his throbbing cock against my tummy. I was even lightheaded as he thrust his tongue into my mouth, immediately dominating mine. The taste of him was sweet and tangy, the force he used sucking my breath away.