by Police
“Thanks, Owens.”
“No problem. I’ve wanted to use it for a long time.” He turned to Navarro and asked, “Would you like to resist as well?”
“No, thanks. I like pleasure with my pain.”
“You traitor. You set me up, Navarro. You had them listen in. Where’s that bitch at?” Cummings continued to rock his body until he’d been served another dose. When he finally calmed his ass down, the cops picked him up off the ground and marched him to the squad car. He shot out threats to all those around, none more stupid than the one he leveled at Alfonzo Navarro.
“I’m going to get you, Navarro. You’re a dead man, and so is your son.”
With a chuckle, Navarro walked over to the police car, winked at Cummings, and then informed his men to contact his lawyer. A smart drug dealer knew when to keep his mouth shut, and when to act. Cummings had no idea what he had coming his way.
Chapter 15
“We got him. He’s now in custody. The prosecutors are hoping to keep him locked up without a chance to make bail.”
Gage released the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding in. The bastard would get to taste how confined a prison cell was, like his daughter had for all those years. Gage wanted nothing more than to see Baxter Cummings in a pine box, but he had no intentions of being the one to put him there. However, he finally found a setback from retiring. He’d miss the pleasure of sending the bastard to prison.
“Good. I’ll let Hope know. Thanks, Dax.” His voice lilted as he tried to contain his excitement. He rubbed his hands together with a giant smile on his face as he listened to his friend.
“Thank you. It’s luck that you found her and kept her safe. Everything worked out smoothly on our end. You know that’s not always the case and sure as fuck never this fast.”
“I’m so damn happy things worked in our favor. Instead of months, we had to wait a week. Now, how long until they can get him before a judge?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Okay.”
“What about Alfonzo Navarro?”
“His lawyer will get him out. I doubt he’ll be after her, but if he does, we’ll be on his ass faster than our State Bird.”
“Like the mosquito, I want his blood. There’s no way in hell I’ll feel like she’s safe with Navarro running loose.”
“She’s safer with him on the outside than on the inside. The difference between the two men is a lot of money and power. Cummings doesn’t have the funds to come after Hope, but Navarro can if he’s caged.”
“Fine, but I’m not letting this go.”
“I understand.”
“Okay. Let us know what happens. We need to get some rest. I still have a ranch to run and a woman to seduce. Have a good night.”
“Same to you.” Gage ended the call and placed his phone on the kitchen table. The agents recording the call between Hope and Cummings left the couple at home while they headed back to prepare the files.
“To seduce?” Hope walked up to Gage and handed him a fresh glass of tea. Her hand brushed against his arm. She’d listened to the entire conversation as she stirred their favorite drink. She hid her smile as she heard Gage promise of a fun night. He unleashed a part of her that she couldn’t tie back up and had no intention of holding back—pure, passionate desire.
He set the glass on the table and spun her around, pinning her to the wooden surface. “Yes, Hope. I have plans of tempting you to take off all your clothes and spreading your legs wide for me, so I can spend the night licking every inch of you and filling you with my cum.”
“Seduce away, Mr. Gibson.” She threw herself into his arms, kissing him until they were breathless. Panting while relentlessly kissing and touching, the couple made their way out of the kitchen and into the living room. Gage settled down on the sofa with Hope straddling him, grateful that she wore a dress.
Gage slid his hand between them, cupping her mound and feeling her sticky wetness. “Your pussy’s gushing through your panties.”
“Of course I am. You broke the dam.”
“I’ll fix it.” He slid her backward onto his thighs while he unbuttoned his pants and freed his thick rod. Dragging her soaking wet slit over his cock, he tugged her panties to the side and thrust up. “Your pink sweets swallowed up my dick.”
“I’m so full, Gage.”
“Ride me,” he grunted, grasping her hips and helping her bounce on his cock. She rode him wildly until they came, collapsing in his arms.
Gage refused to deny his feelings. When his mother called, he wondered what he would say, but the words came out effortlessly. “Mom, she’s wonderful, sweet, and way too young for me, but I can’t and won’t let her go.”
A long, drawn-out silence hung between them until his mother, Grace, finally asked, “Are you sure?”
Gage smiled over the line. “More positive than I’ve ever been about anything. I’d do anything for her.” His heart jumped in his chest from just thinking about her. Hope had stolen it with one look across the market.
“So when do I get to meet this beautiful woman who stole your heart?”
Shit. Gage knew that was coming. He’d prayed that he’d have more time to get things settled and further along with Hope before he introduced her to people who’d steal her away.
“Not anytime soon. I have some problems here that I don’t want you mixed up in. Plus, I want to make sure she’s ready to be my wife before I make that introduction. I don’t want to scare her away.”
“Oh, hush. Well, I’ve got to head out, but you better be making it happen soon before I pop over to the ranch and say hello.”
“Okay, okay. I love you. Talk to you later.”
“Love you too, son.”
He hung up the call and drove back onto the estate with the groceries for the week. The ranch would require a lot more of his attention in these coming weeks.
Chapter 16
“A month. I’ve been stuck in this house for a month.”
Hope slammed the dishwasher closed, then leaned her hands on the edge of the sink, wiping tears away from her eyes. Her mood only soured after learning Gage hadn’t told his mother about her. If he hadn’t bothered to mention her, then there would be no way he intended to get married to her. She felt as invisible as before. Gage did everything he could with her, but he worked out in the fields or in his office most of the time.
Gage stepped into the room just in time to hear Hope shout out her frustrations. “I’m sorry, baby.”
She gasped as she turned around, blushing and hiding her face before returning to the sink to hold onto the fight she had in her. Gage always stole her senses when he came around.
“It’s not like I’ve been off the ranch. I’ve sent the guys for us. With Navarro out, I can’t trust anyone.”
Shaking her head, she muttered, “I know. I know, Gage. I guess. I don’t know. Ugh. Who knows what I’m saying? I feel like a total mess today.”
The day had started out great for Gage even to the point that he believed today would be the day he’d take the step he’d been itching to take the first night. Gage stepped up behind his woman. The ring in his pocket had been burning a hole for a week already. “You’re feeling cooped up. I get it.”
She spun around in his arms, pressing her hands on his chest and refusing to meet his gaze. “Don’t get me wrong. I love being here and with you, but it feels like it did before. I’m trapped.”
Gage shoved the ring back down to the bottom of his pocket. He wrapped her up in his arms, holding her close to his chest as he thought about a way to reassure her that her past and future had nothing in common. “You’re right. I told you that I wouldn’t do that to you. I’m so sorry. How about we go out tomorrow?”
“Are you sure?” A mixture of anticipation and disbelief ran through Hope.
“Yes, I’ll take you out. I know it’s been rough, but with the ranch needing me a lot more and the threat still very much real, I’ve been crazy. Look, Hope. I love you. I
fucking love you so much that I’m at the point where I’d kill someone if they even thought about taking you from me.”
She stared at the man that stole her heart and saved her life, trusting him with her future. “I love you, too.”
“Good,” he growled, dragging his mouth across her lips until she parted them and let him in, swiping his tongue inside, seeking hers. Her hands glided up his muscular arms, rubbing the grey and blue plaid button-down. She loved the way he dressed. He had a sexy, sophisticated cowboy look about him.
A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. “Go away,” he grumbled against her cheek.
“You know that’s not nice.” Hope swatted his arm, barely giving him a sting.
He brushed it off, grabbed her hands, and trapped them in one of his. Gage lifted them over their heads and stared into Hope’s eyes. “No, it’s not, but I don’t care about anyone else but you.” He continued kissing her, eliciting a deep moan from her throat, her body melding into his strong, rough hold. Then they knocked again.
“Damn it.” Gage pressed his forehead to hers and sighed.
“I’ll be here when you get back.”
He smiled, feeling reassured, finally pulling away. He walked to the front door, adjusting his cock, which could hammer a nail at the moment. He opened it to find his frustrated foreman. “Boss, we need ya.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Someone let the bull out.”
Gage closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Okay. Where is he?” As shocking as it was, he could tell that they got the bull back or Bill wouldn’t be so calm.
“We got him back in, but when we checked the locks, it was busted. Someone intentionally did it.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s broken. The guys secured it long enough with a heavy chain and padlock, but you’ll need something else.”
“Okay. I’ll review the surveillance videos. They must have walked the distance and hopped the fences or something.”
“More than likely.”
“I’ll contact my security team.” Gage moved toward his office, but Bill didn’t come in. He turned back to him, wondering why he didn’t follow.
“Sorry, boss. I have to get back to wrangle up the rest of the cattle, but can you tell Mrs. Gibson her lunch was incredible?” Since the men lived on the ranch now, she decided that like many ranches, she’d feed the hands during the week.
“I will.” Gage had no intention of correcting anyone calling Hope Mrs. Gibson. He loved her with all he had and wanted forever with her. The fact that his crew understood her position in the house and to Gage made him giddy.
Although that mood shifted when he thought about someone getting on his property to cause trouble and steal from him. After Bill left, Gage stormed into his office to find out who crept on his property and vandalized it. For all he knew, it could be some country boys out to cause mischief, or it could be something serious like Navarro’s men.
He sat down in front of the computer screens, pulling up the bull’s pen. An hour later, he narrowed the footage down to between one and three am.
A knock at the door startled Gage, and he leaned back in his seat. “Come in.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I wondered if everything’s okay?” Hope gave him a crooked smile.
“Come and sit with me.” She walked over to his side, and he pulled her down onto his lap.
“Ooh.” She rocked her ass over his bulge. “So what are you looking at?”
“Someone broke the lock on the pen, and I’m trying to find out who.”
“Ooh look right there.” He froze the video while she pointed to a set of headlights in the distance. They watched in slow motion as the vehicle moved closer before someone jumped out with a sledgehammer. Zooming in on the video, he recognized the guy.
“Fucking bullshit.” He banged his hand on the desk.
“Who is that?” She’d never met the guy, but Gage definitely remembered him.
Gage didn’t answer; instead, he picked up his office phone and called Sheriff McCain. “Hey, Ray. I need you to do me a favor. I have someone trying to steal my bull.”
“Who?” Ray asked.
“The guys who sold him to me in the first place.”
“Ah, shit. You’re the second rancher who’s had issues from that auction. Old Man Benson said the same thing, but we thought he was looking for another lawsuit.”
“I’ve got video proof.”
“Great. Get me a copy and meet me at the station to file an official report and get those sons of bitches.”
The guys said their goodbyes while Gage stuffed a flash drive into his computer, copying and downloading the section around the incident. Once it was done, he tipped Hope’s chin, turning her head to look at him.
“Baby, you said you wanted to get out. How about a trip to town?”
“Yay!” She bounced in his lap, turning his anger around and into something much more fun.
With a growl, he whispered, “But first, I want to show you what sitting on my lap does to me.”
It took them another half hour to leave the house, but from the smiles on their faces, they didn’t care.
The drive into town unnerved Hope. She’d spent weeks thinking about getting out in the world, and now that she’d gotten the opportunity, she shook with fear.
“What’s wrong?” Gage pulled over to the side of the road outside of town.
“It’s nothing. You didn’t need to pull over. I’m just a little bit anxious. What if someone’s out there looking for me?” After confessing her fears, she felt a tinge of foolishness about it.
He leaned over and brushed a stray hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. His eyes softened as he stared into her eyes, running his hand along her jaw. “They’d have to go through me first.”
She cupped his hand with both of hers, holding it tightly. “That’s what I’m afraid of. I can’t lose you.”
He pressed his forehead to hers for just a moment before pulling back. “You won’t. Trust me. Your father doesn’t have the pull. I’m going to have some words with Navarro tomorrow if that makes you feel better.”
“Um, no!” She clung to Gage with her heart racing and tears falling down her face. She didn’t know where all that came from, but she didn’t try to stop it. Her heart experienced genuine fear.
Gage kissed her hard, leaving her breathless. “Understand this. I’m not going alone, there’s no way in hell I’d let him think he owns you, and I’m sure the fuck not letting him get near you.”
She wiped away the last tear, straightened herself up, and steeled her emotions. “What…never mind. Just don’t get your ass hurt.”
“I won’t. He has too much on the line to get into shit for it. Mistresses are a dime a dozen. I’m astonished he planned to pay your father that much.”
“Thanks for the praise.” She rolled her eyes and huffed, staring out of the window at the open fields next to the road.
“That’s not what I mean. A lot of women would have sold him their virginity for half that.”
“I know. That’s what worries me. What if he’s one of those crazies who still wants me out of anger?”
Hope’s fear was legitimate, but Gage didn’t need her worked up, especially if he’d counted correctly. She’d been with him for a total of five weeks, and he’d made love to her every single night after that first week. Not once did she have her period. Getting Navarro out of the way became all the more imperative. “Just let me handle it. He knows you’re with me now, so I’m going to let him know what it is.”
“Okay.”
He whipped his head toward her, his face twisting with suspicion. “Okay? You’re not going to get on me again?” He expected her to rake him across the coals before finally throwing in the towel.
“Nope. What for? It’s a moot point, isn’t it?”
“It is. This is for the best.” He brought her hand to his lips, kissing it th
en intertwining their fingers together and resting them on the center console.
He shifted the gear back into drive and continued on to town. The rest of their ride remained silent until they pulled up to the sheriff’s office. “Wait, and I’ll help you out.”
Hope rolled her eyes, but she kept her butt planted in the seat until Gage came around and opened the door. “Thank you, baby.”
He leaned in and stole a kiss, robbing Hope of her ire. It didn’t take much to make her melt for him. The way he called her baby and touched her sent her over the edge.
“Let’s go in,” Gage said, pulling her gently to his side and locking the truck with a click of his fob. He held the door open for her, admiring her ass in the sundress she’d slipped on.
“Hey, Gage. There you are.” The officer raised a brow when he took in the way Gage had his arm around Hope’s waist. “Ah, and you must be Hope.”
“Yes, hello.” She reached out to shake his hand, but their hands barely touched before Gage grunted and pulled her hand back.
“Ho, ho, so that’s how it is. Let’s get this over, then.” He led them to the back of the station and into his office. “Please take a seat.”
“Thanks, Sheriff McCain.” Hope stepped around the chairs and took a seat to the right, leaving the left for Gage.
“Call me Ray,” the sheriff suggested as he sat down behind his desk.
“I don’t think that’s appropriate,” Hope insisted.
“We’re practically cousins. At least Gage and I are.” He shrugged.
She twisted in her chair, grabbed the arm of it, and narrowed her brows at Gage. “You two are related?”
“Yes.” Another personal thing he’d kept from her. She wanted to get up and storm out of the office, but she had nowhere to go. That only angered her more. She loved Gage and hoped that he would treat her with the love and respect he claimed he felt for her.
“Oh. Okay.” She sat back in her seat and faced the sheriff. Her back remained straight, and her face hardened.
