by Sabrina York
She skirted the shadows and went up on her tiptoes to peek inside the shop window.
To her horror, she saw the dogs, both tied up and snarling at someone who was out of sight. She saw Andrew too. Lying on the floor, immobile.
Her heart flared and she froze as Baron stepped into view. He nudged Andrew with his toe and then chuckled. He lifted a bottle, one she recognized as Andrew’s favorite Scotch, and poured it liberally over his body.
Horror clutched at her as she realized what her ex-husband intended. Maybe it was because she’d lived with him so long, knew him so well, was well aware to what lengths he would go to get what he wanted—but it was clear as day.
He was planning to burn down the barn…with Andrew in it.
The thought of losing Andrew, the precious, gentle, special person she loved made her blood go cold.
No, her soul wailed. Then, again with calm and cold determination.
No.
This was not going to happen.
She pulled out her cell phone and, with shaking fingers, texted 911. There was no time to chat with a dispatcher. It would take them forever to get out here, but she didn’t care. With the restraining order and the reports they’d filed, they’d know what the trouble was.
She had to save Andrew.
If it wasn’t already too late.
She practically flew around the barn, through the open doors and back toward the shop. She stopped by the door and peeped around the frame to get a good view of what was happening. The smell of gasoline was strong; she realized Baron had doused the interior of the building.
He’d probably been hiding here, just waiting for Andrew to come check on the dogs.
Her gaze fell on Andrew. From her vantage point from outside, she hadn’t seen the blood. There was a lot of it, covering his shirt and matted in his hair.
Fury rose in her soul.
If Baron had hurt Andrew, he was going to die.
Sucking in a deep breath, she pulled the pistol and whipped into the doorway.
To her shock, Baron sat in the chair at the desk, sipping on Scotch. He lifted his glass when he saw her. When he noticed the pistol, his lips quirked.
“Took you long enough to show up,” he said.
“Wish I could say the same about you. Aren’t you supposed to be wearing an ankle bracelet?”
“Ankle bracelet?” He grinned and lifted his pant leg. There was nothing there. Hell. “I have a friend who knows how to detach them without sending out an alert.” His grin was pure evil. “As far as they know, I’m at home watching television. Perfect alibi. Gotta love technology, baby.” He stood, but when she thrust the gun in his direction and told him to freeze he did. Mockingly, he lifted both his hands. “What are you going to do? Shoot me?”
“Probably.”
His chuckle sent a skitter up her spine. “The blast might ignite the gas. Then what would happen?” He smirked.
God, she hated it when he talked to her like that. Like she was too stupid to live.
“I guess we would both die,” she said. She had no idea if the blast from a pistol could ignite a fire, but she did know he would say anything he could to get her to back down.
She wouldn’t.
Instead, keeping her eyes glued to him, and the pistol pointed at his heart, she edged over to where the dogs were tied and used the knife to slice the rope keeping them bound.
“So like you,” he sneered as she shooed the dogs toward the door. “They’re just fucking dogs.”
She glared at him. “So like you,” she responded. “You don’t care for anything or anyone but yourself.”
“I care about you, baby.”
“You care about controlling me. You don’t even know me.” As she spoke, she slowly moved around the room to Andrew’s side. She reached down to feel for a pulse. Relief gushed through her as she found it. A slow, steady thrum.
“I didn’t kill him,” Baron said.
“We both know what you have in mind.”
“Come with me, and it won’t happen.”
No. She would not go with him. And he would not burn Andrew alive. Not while she still had breath in her body.
But Andrew was out cold, and he weighed a ton. There was no way she could drag him out and keep the gun on Baron.
She could shoot Baron—she was pretty sure no jury in the world would convict her—but Andrew’s words came back to haunt her. Never point a weapon at someone you are not prepared to kill. And suddenly, she understood why. If she shot Baron and didn’t kill him, she would only enrage him more.
Quite the irony.
She should have shot him and let the chips fall where they may, because in her hesitation, he charged.
He was bigger and stronger and far less principled. He tackled her and slammed her into the wall so hard it shook. Her head spun. Her nerves screamed with pain. The pistol flew from her hand and clattered to the floor.
“What are you going to do now, Missy?” he hissed into her ear. His body subjugated her, pressing hard, keeping her motionless. His breath was hot on her cheek. He stank of sweat and whisky. “What are you going to do?” His laugh was a triumphant cackle.
It made a familiar terror rise within her, and that infuriated her.
She was done with fear. She was done with subjugation. She was no longer a woman who would accept such treatment. Even if it meant the end of her life, she would fight back.
And she did.
Using the close quarters combat techniques Andrew had taught her, she slammed her knee into Baron’s groin and when he released his hold a fraction, she turned and gored him in the gut with her elbow. She followed that with three sharp blows to his chin and came around to flatten his face with the heel of her palm.
Blood poured from his nose and mouth. He staggered, then reeled back and gaped at her, his eyes lit with—
Oh shit. She knew that look.
Even as he advanced on her, she dropped to the ground and rolled, scrabbling for the pistol. She found it and lifted it just as he lunged for her.
The blast was deafening.
Much louder than it had seemed when they were shooting tin cans in the backyard.
It seemed to surprise Baron too. His eyes widened and he glanced down. A red stain blossomed on his sweatshirt just below his shoulder.
“You…shot me,” he said in an astonished tone.
“Damn straight I did,” she said. “And I’m ready to do it again.”
She was. More than ready. But she didn’t need to. His eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the ground with a groan. Even when she nudged him with her toe, he didn’t move.
When the faint cry of sirens echoed in the distance, she almost laughed.
Leave it to the police to arrive when all the heavy lifting had been done.
Chapter Thirteen
Andy awoke in a strange room, surrounded by flowers and beeping machines. It didn’t take a genius to realize he was in the hospital. Still, genius that he was, he tried to move.
Pain shot through his head and he groaned.
Immediately, Melissa leaped from the chair by the window and hovered over him. “Are you awake?” she asked in a demanding voice. “He made a sound,” she told someone beyond his view. “I think he’s waking up.”
“They said he would.” Ah. Joseph. “What do you say, buddy? Want to return to the living?”
Andy blinked several times to clear his vision. He tried to remember what had happened to him, but only had a vague memory of heading into the barn after hearing the dogs bark. He’d noticed the strong smell of gasoline and then…nothing.
“I…what happened?”
“You got bonked on the head.” Melissa sat beside him on the bed and took his hand. He tried not to flinch, because he didn’t want her to leave, but the pain was excruciating.
“Who…who bonked me on the head?”
For some reason she glanced at Joseph, who shrugged. “He’s got to find out sometime.”
Well, he
ll. That didn’t sound good. “Find out what?”
“I think he needs water. Doesn’t he sound like his throat is dry?”
He knew damn well Melissa was avoiding the question, but he was thirsty, so he allowed her to hold a cup to his lips as he drank.
Damn, it was good water.
“Okay,” he said, once he’d drained the glass. “What happened?”
The two exchanged a glance. Andy could tell each was daring the other to spill the beans.
“It was Baron,” Melissa finally said, with a grimace. “I’m so sorry.”
He stared at her. “Sorry? Why?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Um, no?”
“This is all my fault.”
“What?”
“You would never have been in the position to be ambushed if you and I hadn’t…”
Joseph barked a laugh, causing Melissa to whirl around and glare at him.
“What is so funny?”
“It’s not funny. Just ironic.”
“What is so ironic then?” Wow. She was pretty damn intimidating when she had a mind to be.
“That you’re still blaming yourself.”
“I’m not blaming myself.” But a red tide rose on her cheeks as she realized it was the truth.
Joseph snorted. “The fact of the matter is, you and Andy were together, and together, you finally did Baron in.”
Her flush deepened. “I didn’t mean to shoot him.”
Andy stilled. “Wait. You shot him?”
“Only after she gave him a total smackdown.”
“A smackdown?”
“He’ll never be able to hold his head up in town again. Beaten by a girl. Imagine that.”
Melissa bristled. “Woman. Beaten by a woman. And the point is moot.”
Why was the point moot? Did she kill him? He hoped not. As much as he hated Baron Hadley and his ilk, Andy knew the weight of having taken a life and he didn’t want that for her.
“What…”
Joseph caught his horrified expression and laughed again. Damn, he was in a good mood. “So here’s the deal. Baron was planning to burn down your barn…with you in it. He set it all up to look like a suicide. Complete with a note referencing Danny.”
“Son of a bitch.” It was bad enough that Baron was so fucking nefarious, but to bring his brother’s suicide into it was beyond the pale. If Baron wasn’t already dead, Andy would kill him. And if he was dead, he’d hunt him down in hell and kill him again. “To make things even more interesting, the cops found his car, filled with supplies. He admitted he was planning to kill you and take Melissa with him to some wilderness cabin—”
“Which isn’t creepy at all,” Melissa added.
“Your girl here foiled his plan.” Joseph curled an arm around Melissa’s shoulder and squeezed.
“I couldn’t let him hurt you.” She frowned and then added, “More.”
“I appreciate that.”
“You did teach me all that cool stuff. It seemed wasteful not to use it on someone. For all his faults, Baron makes a pretty good practice dummy.”
“So, what happened to Baron?”
“Ah, that’s the best part,” Joseph said.
Melissa refused to let Joseph do the telling of it. She leaned forward and whispered, “Just what you hoped would happen. He’s back in jail. But this time, he’s charged with attempted murder.”
“And arson,” Joseph added. “This time, he’s not getting out for a long, long time.”
Which was wonderful news.
Andy turned to Melissa and, moving as little as possible, reached up to kiss her. “Do you still want to marry me, now that you don’t need a big, bad muscleman around?”
Her eyes went wide. Her lips worked. And then she said the sweetest words he’d ever heard.
“I will always need a big, bad muscleman around.”
Then she kissed him.
And kissed him.
“Ahem. Well. I’ll just…you know. Leave you to it,” Joseph said. But Andrew noticed he didn’t leave.
Not until Andy glared him out of the room.
Once he was gone, Melissa grinned at him. “We’d better hurry,” she said. “The nurses come in every half hour.”
“We don’t need to hurry,” he told her with yet another kiss. “We have all the time in the world.”
They had forever.
Together.
* * *
Other Hell Yeah! Kindle Worlds Releases
Randi Alexander - Saddle and a Siren
Cynthia D'Alba - Cadillac Cowboy
Lana K. Dempsey- The Song of Her Sighs
Desiree Holt - Man of My Heart
Maddie James - Seducing Sarah
Donna Michaels - Her Hell Yeah Cowboy
Lexi Post - Cowboy's Break
Jodi Redford - Cowboy Kinky
Kandi Silvers - Boardroom Cowboy
Ciana Stone/Syneca Featherstone - Until There Was You
Sabrina York - Gun Shy
Other Kindle Worlds Romances by Sabrina York
Guard Dog (Stone Hard SEALs/Hot SEALs Crossover)
Herding Cat (Stone Hard SEALs/Hot SEALs Crossover)
Hot Rod (Omega Team)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Her Royal Hotness, Sabrina York, is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of hot, humorous stories for smart and sexy readers. Her titles range from sweet & sexy to scorching romance. Visit her webpage at www.sabrinayork.com to check out her books, excerpts and contests.
For more information, or to connect with Sabrina, visit SabrinaYork.Com
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Books by Sabrina York
CONTEMPORARY
Stripped Down Cowboys (And Prequel Novellas)
Stud For Hire, Book 1
Cowboy to Command, Book 2
Spurred On, Book 3
Prequel Novellas
The Real McCoy Prequel Book 1
Come Hell or High Water Prequel Book 2
Protect and Serve—Cowboy Justice 12 Pack Prequel Book 3
Stone Hard SEALs—Action Adventure Romance
Stone Hard SEALs (Action-Packed Military Romance Duet)
Guard Dog (Stone Hard SEALs/Hot SEALs Crossover)
Herding Cat (Stone Hard SEALs/Hot SEALs Crossover)
Hot Rod (Omega Team)
Tryst Island Series—Steamy Contemporary Romance
Rebound Book 1
Dragonfly Kisses Book 2
Smoking Holt Book 3
Heart of Ash Book 4
Devlin’s Dare Book 5
Parker’s Passion Book 6
Stand Alone
Heartbreak on a Stick (Contemporary Romance)
Pool Man (Sexy Vacation Debacle)
Whipped (Contemporary Romance)
Fierce (One Night Stand, Decadent Publishing)
Snow Angels (Calendar Men Series from Decadent Publishing)
REGENCY
Noble Passions Series
Dark Fancy, Book 1
Dark Duke, Book 2
Brigand, Book 3
Defiant, Book 4
Folly, Book 5
Untamed Highlanders
Hannah and the Highlander Book 1
Susana and the Scot Book 2
Lana and the Laird Book 3
The Dundragon Time Travel Trilogy
Laird of her Heart Book 1
Her Hot Highlander Book 2 (Coming Soon)
His Highland Lass Book 3 (Coming Soon)
Waterloo Heroes
Tarnished Honor
Call of the Wild Wind
COLLECTIONS
Historical
&nb
sp; Luscious—Seven Nights of Sin (Regency)
Call of the Wild Wind—Ever my Love (Regency)
Cowboys
Protect and Serve—Cowboy Justice 12 Pack
Elite Metal/Action Adventure
Lithium’s Rescue—Elite Metal Ghosts
Sterling’s Seduction—Elite Metal Collection
