by Andrew Grey
Henderson drew closer, and the dogs went nuts.
“What do you want, Josiah?” Ashton said, coming up behind him.
“I heard you were having a few issues over here and thought I’d be neighborly.” Josiah’s genial tone belied the snake Ben could see under the surface. “Is there anything I can do? If the ranch is too much for you, I’ll be more than happy to offer you a fair price for it. You know your father and I came to an arrangement, and I’m willing to work with you too.” God, the man gave Ben the creeps in much the same way Dallas did.
The dogs all stood nearby, growling. Ben had heard dogs were good judges of character, and he was seeing proof.
“I don’t think so.” Ashton stood straight, holding his cane in front of him as if ready defend himself. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but if I find out you or any of your people have been the source of any of my ‘issues,’ I’ll be the one buying you out at the sheriff’s sale once your ass is in jail. Understand?”
Henderson blinked, and Ben knew he was looking at a guilty man. But proving it was completely different from knowing it.
Henderson’s mask of civility slipped. “You know, this ranch is way more than you can handle in your condition. Just let it go to someone who can run it properly. I’ll more than make it worth your while.”
Ashton actually laughed. “You’re a sorry son of a bitch. Do you actually think I need the ranch to make a living? You have to be crazy. I live here because this is my home. Period.” His voice became hard as stone. “I have two things you don’t: a reliable water source, and enough money behind me that I can live for the rest of my life here.” He glared at Henderson, whose narrow eyes and pinched face had become more threatening by the second. His cheeks grew redder, making Ben wonder if it was possible for someone’s head to explode. “You will never get this land. Now leave.”
Henderson breathed deeply, anger welling behind his eyes, his breath filling the cold air with fog. For a second the man sounded like one of the horses blowing air out of their noses. “You…. Do you really think that anyone around here wants anything to do with your kind?”
Ben’s anger flared, and he wanted to smack Henderson into the middle of next week. Ashton, on the other hand, stayed calm, his arms by his sides, still holding his cane. “And what ‘kind’ is that? A person who pays all their bills on time? The ‘kind’ of person who spends their money locally and supports the businesses in town?” He flashed a smile. “I know, I’m the ‘kind’ of person who served their country. Is that the kind of person you think people around here don’t want anything to do with?” He leaned forward, and Ben was ready to catch him if Ashton’s leg gave out. But he seemed to be okay. Maybe the banked rage Ben could almost feel churning inside Ashton, ready to explode, was holding him up.
Damn, Ben had to admit that he wanted Ashton so badly at that moment. It wasn’t the anger that attracted him, but his control of it. Ashton clenched his cane in a stone-cold grip, but the rest of him seemed as relaxed as Ben had ever seen him. It was pretty amazing, given the fact that his own anger and resentment on Ashton’s behalf was nearly enough for him to punch the beady-eyed, middle-aged bastard into next week. The dogs were none too happy either, growling and ready to snap, tails still.
Ben tugged at his collar with his gloved hands, suddenly warm in his winter gear. Ashton was magnificent as he stared Henderson down. Finally the older man broke his gaze and turned away.
“Get out of here,” Ashton said in a barely controlled growl. “And if I find out that you shot at one of my hands, so help me, I’ll come for you and string you up by those elephant ears of yours.”
Henderson’s stride faltered and he turned back to Ashton, eyes wide. He opened his mouth, then closed it and turned away again.
“Maybe I’ll have the sheriff come pay you a visit,” Ashton called after him. “After all, you threatened us,” he added as they watched Henderson get into his truck, nearly falling on his ass in the snow in his hurry to get away.
Only when he turned off the property did Ben let out the breath he’d been holding. “I don’t think he shot anyone,” Ben said softly.
“I don’t know. He was surprised, but that could be faked. Either way, that doesn’t mean he isn’t behind other things, like cutting some of my fences a few weeks ago. Henderson is a coward. He talks a good game and makes a few threats, but basically he’s a stupid bullying piece of crap. A random shot could be just another one of his tactics. I know he hates me with a passion because I was the reason Dad canceled the sale.” Ashton finally moved toward the house. “Come on, pups. You all did good and you deserve a treat for protecting me and Ben like that.” He went toward the door with all of the dogs following, tails wagging like they understood every word.
Marcel headed toward them, and Ashton stopped. “I got a report from one of the hands heading home yesterday that some of the west fence might be damaged. Ralph said he noticed it as he passed by. We should probably check it out.”
“Who’s available?” Ashton asked.
“We could do it,” Ben offered. “You have ATVs, right?” He wanted to be useful and do something to help Ashton.
“We could do that,” Ashton said. “I’m going to let Reg know.”
“I’ll get the ATV fueled and the box loaded with the supplies before I check on Lucy. The stubborn ass thinks he can do anything he wants,” Marcel said before he hurried away.
Ben grinned. Maybe getting away from the house would help clear his head a little. “What do you need me to do?” he asked Ashton.
“Make sure you’re bundled up well. There are heavy work gloves in the tack room in the barn. Grab a couple pairs and we’ll get ready to go.” Ashton actually smiled, so maybe getting out would be good for him too.
It didn’t take long for Marcel to bring the ATV around. He showed Ben how to operate it in case he needed to, and once they had checked their gear, Ashton climbed on and Ben slid onto the seat behind him, his arms around Ashton’s waist, hips pressed right up to him. Marcel waved as they started off, and then they were down the driveway and out on the edge of the road, speeding off toward the sun.
What a rush, Ben thought as the air whipped around them. He kept his face behind Ashton and out of the wind, even as he took in the scenery around them. “It’s beautiful out here.” At least it was now that he wasn’t afraid for his life.
Ashton nodded and after a while turned off the road, following an indentation that probably meant a path between the road and the fence line through the snow. Ben turned around, smiling at the cloud of light snow that whirled in the air behind them, then settled back against Ashton.
“Keep an eye out for anything that looks weak or unstable,” Ashton said.
“Okay,” Ben said, holding on tight. He wanted to close his eyes and just enjoy his time with Ashton, but they had a job to do. “There,” he said, and Ashton slowed.
“You’ve got good eyes,” Ashton said, turning to smile at him.
“Is anyone else out here, do you think?” Ben asked, even as he looked around. The only breaks in the otherwise white landscape were the fence, some cattle, and the mountains in the distance.
“I doubt it. They’d show up easily.” Ashton turned off the engine. “If anyone were out there, there would be tracks of some kind. The snow is pristine for a long way on both sides of the fence, and over there… there’s nothing at all except the road.” Even Ben could see for a long way as the roadway led toward the base of the mountains. He sighed, and finally some of the tension that had been with him since he’d escaped his gilded cage slipped away. Maybe he could let himself believe he’d actually gotten away. “Let’s get this done.”
Ben got off the ATV and unloaded the materials from the trunk. Then he carried them over to where Ashton stood, checking the wire. “What do we need to do?”
“The wire is good here. It’s just come loose,” Ashton said. Ben followed his instructions, tightening and refastening the wire. “Perfe
ct.” He gave him a smile.
Ben trudged through the snow, testing the fence on either side. “This seems solid.”
“Yup. Let’s put things away and go a bit farther. There’s probably more than one area that needs work.”
And there was. He and Ashton spent the next couple of hours making repairs down the entire fence line until they reached the end. Ben put away the equipment for the last time, and Ashton motioned to the ATV. “Want to do the driving?” he asked, and Ben’s mind instantly flashed to a thought of the two of them in bed. Hopefully his cheeks were red enough from the cold that Ashton didn’t notice his flush.
“Can I?” He climbed on, started the engine, and waited for Ashton to get on after him. “Hold on tight.” The last thing he wanted was to lose him.
Ashton tightened his hold around Ben’s waist, pressing his hips against him, and Ben leaned back just a little, enjoying the closeness before slowly turning onto the road. Then he sped up. Something about the speed and closeness got his heart racing. Ben loved this! He felt free for the first time in years, and it was all because of Ashton.
“Just take it easy,” Ashton cautioned, and Ben slowed down. Ashton was right—they didn’t have to hurry now.
The sun was getting low in the sky, the snow shifting from pure white to touches of pink and yellow as the late-day rays bounced off the landscape. Ben pulled to a stop and turned off the engine.
“What is it?” Ashton asked.
Ben smiled. “Nothing. I just wanted to remember this.” He could get used to being outdoors like this. It fed some part of his spirit he hadn’t realized had been dying. He leaned back, and Ashton held him a little tighter. He closed his eyes for a minute so he could catalog how he felt and make sure that this moment stayed with him—the cold, the hint of Ashton’s scent in the still air, the sound of his breathing in the otherwise quiet environment, Ashton’s heat against his back. Then he slid his eyes open, viewing the serene landscape of snow with dots of cattle slowly moving in the distance. After a few minutes of silence and companionship, he started the engine once more and drove back to the ranch.
He pulled in as one of the security guys descended a ladder alongside the barn. Ben came to a stop, and Ashton got off. Then he continued on to the shed where Marcel had gotten the ATV, parked it, and turned off the engine. He wasn’t sure what to do with the supplies, so he left them. On the way to the house, he ran into Ashton.
“Is everything going okay?” Ben asked as he followed Ashton inside. He wasn’t sure what he should be doing now.
“The guys are making good progress. Soon there will be enough cameras and sensors on the property for us to know if a gnat tries to get in. All of the animal areas will be covered, as well as the house and a fairly wide perimeter. If anyone tries to approach, we’ll have warning systems and people to react.” Ashton took off his gear, and Ben hung it up in the mud room, along with his own. Then he joined Ashton in the living room, where he was sitting in his chair. Ashton was shaking, and Ben wasn’t sure if it was from cold or anger, but he got him a blanket anyway, just in case. “After coming here, I never thought I was going to need all the trappings of a Hollywood star in order to keep myself and my people safe.” He lifted his gaze to Ben’s. “Don’t think this is because of you. I should have done this weeks ago when this petty shit started happening. If I’d gotten to the bottom of it then, the person behind the shit going on now would be easier to root out.”
“But I brought part of this mess to your doorstep,” Ben said.
“And I took you in. I know the dangers; I’ve dealt with them before. But I won’t be intimidated by some twenty-dollar hood who thinks he can push me around.”
“Is that why you’re doing this? Dallas tweaked your ego and you don’t want to back down?” Ben asked. Ashton crooked his finger. Ben came over to where he sat. Ashton gripped the front of Ben’s shirt and tugged him down.
“Everyone deserves to have a place where they can feel safe and figure out who they are and what they really want. I had that here. I didn’t know it at the time, but I do now.” He drew Ben closer, kissing him gently at first, but within seconds, the attraction overcame all of Ben’s reservations.
It would be so easy to accept what Ashton was offering. It almost seemed too good to be true. Ashton’s intense kisses definitely fell into that category. Ben leaned closer, pressing Ashton back into the chair, feasting on his lips. Ashton was earthy and rich, like the land he tended. And so hot. Ben was never going to forget how Ashton had stared that Henderson guy down and sent him packing.
Ben needed to face it: Ashton’s strength was his most attractive quality. Oh, his intense eyes and full lips were hot as fuck, but they paled in comparison to the qualities of the man himself.
A hearty knock on the door had Ben pulling back. “You know, I’d say that every single person on this fucking ranch went to cockblocking school,” he growled low in his throat. “Whenever I get close to you, someone interrupts.”
“I know what you mean,” Ashton whispered.
Ben stood, and Ashton got up to open the door.
“Hey, Reg,” Ashton said as the man, who resembled the abominable snowman, stepped inside.
Ben stifled a chuckle. Reg was covered in snow from head to toe. “One of the guys loosened the snow on the barn roof, and it came down on top of me. The bastards.”
“That’s the problem with metal roofs. Go on into the kitchen so you don’t drip on everything,” Ashton instructed, and Reg went through the house, pulling off his gear.
“I just need to get warm for a while. I can take the cold, but wet and cold is too much. Why in the hell couldn’t your family have started a ranch in, say… Florida?” Reg coughed, and Ben poured a mug of coffee and handed it to him. “I heard you had some excitement.”
“Yeah. Henderson was blustering.” Ashton and Ben joined Reg at the table. “I accused him of taking the shot at Lucy, and he seemed genuinely shocked. I don’t think it was him.”
“Maybe not. It could have been one of Dallas’s men, but that doesn’t seem to fit either.” Reg sipped the coffee and sighed. “Guys like Dallas play for keeps. If it had been one of his goons, Lucy would be dead.” Reg turned to Ben. “Not that I don’t agree with you about how Dallas thinks. You know him better than I do. But if he wanted to play, he’d be picking us off one at a time.” He drank some more coffee and the color returned to his cheeks. “There’s another possibility. What if one of your neighbor’s men took it upon himself to try to scare the hell out of you? Make himself look good to the boss. He may not have even meant to actually hit Lucy, just scare all of us. It’s just a thought.”
“It’s a good one. But until we catch one of these guys, we aren’t going to know.”
“And if we do get ahold of one of Dallas’s men and he talks, he’ll be dead,” Ben explained. It was that simple. As long as the guy didn’t talk, he’d be protected and Dallas would do what he could to help him. If the guy broke down, he’d end up dead… fast.
“So we’re back to square one, except we have a shit-ton of stuff going on and we’re no closer to knowing who is behind it.” Ashton’s anxiety rolled off him. Not that Ben blamed him in the least. His teeth were on edge wondering what was going to happen next.
“Maybe, maybe not,” Reg said and reached behind him to a notepad on the counter. “Look, we know that Dallas Remington is after Ben here. But so far he hasn’t made a move, right?” He wrote Dallas’s name on top and added a question mark underneath it. “We also think that your neighbor has been harassing you to get the ranch.”
“Yeah. We can probably add letting the horses loose in that column. It’s petty stuff and right up his alley. Henderson is a coward. He hides behind shit like that. I even think he was probably causing problems for my dad. Dad mentioned that some odd things had happened, but he thought he was becoming forgetful. But I’m willing to bet Henderson was behind it the whole time.” The fiery hatred in Ashton’s eyes was intense.
/> “Okay. But then there’s the shot at Lucy. We have no idea who is behind that, because it doesn’t fit either one’s MO. Henderson could be escalating, or it could be one of Dallas’s men. But my gut is telling me Dallas isn’t involved.” Reg turned to Ben, and Ben nodded. The more he thought about it, the more he expected Dallas to show up with a professional. Part of him wanted to be able to lay all of this at Dallas’s doorstep just because it made it easier to hate him.
“So who’s the real enemy?” Ashton asked.
“Dallas Remington is not someone to be underestimated. Henderson is small-time. He wants the ranch, but there’s only so far he’s going to be willing to go.” Reg shook his head. “I wish I could tell you, Ashton.”
“Henderson isn’t going to run me off. He knows that now and he knows he’s being watched. Henderson will lie low, I’m willing to bet.”
Reg nodded. “So what’s our next move?” He set down the pen.
“We finish installing the security system. The guys are working on that now. Then we take stock of our assets and what we have to defend ourselves. The sheriff knows what’s going on, but he can’t do much until something actually happens.”
Reg finished his coffee. “Now that I’m warm, I’m going to supervise the rest of the installation. Then I’ll come in and show both of you how to work the system.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Make schedules for the security details. We’re going to need people to be alert 24/7 for a while. I have Lisa Wells coming in from LA tomorrow to help. She just finished up an assignment, so we can add her to the schedule then.”
“You got it.” Ashton left the table and headed to the first bedroom down the hall where he had his office.
Ben took care of the dishes, then put on his winter gear and followed Reg outside. “Where are you going?” Reg asked.
“To feed and water the horses. I need to do something other than sit around here acting like a fucking scared rabbit all the damned time.” He felt like a target, and he hated it. Reg nodded and stayed with him until Ben reached the barn.
