by Rita Herron
Their kisses became frantic, desperate, so passionate that Kim felt her orgasm building, her body begging for sweet release.
Brandon didn’t disappoint. He kissed her breasts, tugged one nipple into his mouth and sucked so hard that she nearly came off the bed with a moan. He stroked her other nipple to a turgid peak, then laved it and suckled her, using his free hand to find her heat and slip two fingers inside.
She was wet and aching, and parted her legs in invitation. Brandon stroked her until she was nearly mindless; then he dipped his tongue to the heart of her. She moaned and arched into him, letting him love her as she dug her fingers into his shoulders.
Sensations charged through her body in a quivering rush. Kim cried out his name, and was rewarded when he rose above her and slid his thick length inside her. She gripped his shoulders, losing herself in the energy of their bodies slapping and moving together in a frenetic rhythm.
He lifted her hips, angling her so he could plunge deeper, then filled her so completely that she fell over the edge and her body shook with pleasure as another orgasm ripped through her.
She closed her eyes, battling tears and the words of love that threatened to spill over. She had known making love with Brandon again would mean losing her heart to him.
Then again, she had lost it years ago, and had never reclaimed it.
Chapter Fourteen
Brandon collapsed against Kim, his body sated, his heart aching. How had he ever broken it off with Kim years ago?
Why had he been such a fool?
She snuggled against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her tighter. He had her back now, and he would never let her go again.
Somehow he’d save their daughter and spend the rest of his life making up to Kim for the pain he’d caused her. He’d love and protect her and Lucy every damn moment of every damn day.
Kim grew still, and he realized she must have fallen asleep. He closed his eyes, and found himself dozing off as well, but an hour later, he jerked awake, his heart racing with worry.
Knowing he wouldn’t sleep again, he climbed from bed, grabbed his clothes and went downstairs. He made a pot of coffee, then pored through employee files and past business deals, searching for anyone else he thought might have a grudge against him in case Baxter’s property turned out to be a dead end.
Another possibility occurred to him. Maybe the kidnapper wasn’t holding a grudge. Maybe he just desperately needed money.
He studied the files again, searching for financial inconsistencies, but personal backgrounds and family information were minimal. His phone buzzed at about 5:30 a.m. and he answered quickly.
“Brandon Woodstock.”
“This is Aiden Hollister. I have an address on Baxter.”
“Thanks.” Brandon scribbled it down. “Listen, if I send over a list of my employees, can you find out if any of them are financially strapped? I’m looking for motive.”
“Sure, just email me the list and I’ll get on it.”
Brandon thanked him, then attached the file and emailed it to Hollister.
Anxious to talk to Baxter, he rushed to his bedroom and showered, then dressed. He peeked in on Kim, but she was resting and he hated to disturb her. So he jotted a note explaining where he was going and asking her to call him immediately if she heard from the kidnapper, then propped it in front of the coffeepot.
Then he retrieved his gun, snatched his keys and headed out to his SUV. The sun was just climbing over the tops of the junipers and oaks as he left the ranch, the temperature heating up to the eighties. It would be a long hot Texas day, and unbearable if they didn’t hear about Lucy.
The cattle grazing in the pasture seemed oblivious to his turmoil though, as did the horses galloping freely across the land. The irony struck him. He had a fortune invested in his prized ranch, but nothing meant anything to him now unless he brought his daughter back alive.
The fact that the sheriff hadn’t called saying they had found Lucy on that deserted ranch was a good sign. It had to be.
Stomach knotting at the thought of the blood on the floor though, he punched the gas pedal, the SUV eating the miles between him and Baxter’s place in San Antonio.
The city was just coming alive with commuters, buses, tourists and families strolling the sidewalks and pouring into coffee shops and diners as he cut through the downtown streets and found his way to the retirement community called Southwind for Seniors on the northeast part of town.
The community was set on fifty acres with a central inn that offered apartments as well as individual cabins boasting a rustic feel. Natural wooded areas, greenery, lawns and blooming plants made it feel more like a vacation spot than a home for seniors. A pool and recreation area, tennis courts and clubhouse occupied one corner built strategically around man-made waterways. A large pond provided recreation for canoe rides, and picnic tables were scattered along the bank for gatherings.
Nursing facilities and a medical complex also were integral to the community.
It couldn’t be cheap to live here. Had Baxter needed money for health care?
He made his way through security, then parked in front of a row of log cabins. Budding flowers and live oaks flanked the rustic front, a sharp contrast to the deserted overgrown property Baxter had left behind.
Brandon tucked his gun beneath his jacket, hoping he wouldn’t need to use it, but also hoping this man had answers.
If he didn’t, Brandon had no idea where to turn next.
KIM WOKE WITH A START. She could have sworn she had heard her little girl crying, that she was just across the hall. But reality hit her with the force of a physical blow.
Perspiration beaded on her forehead as she shoved at the comforter and rolled over, searching for Brandon.
He was gone.
Memories of the night before crashed back. The old deserted farmhouse. The blood. The call. Not finding Lucy.
Making love with Brandon.
She’d been starved for comfort, and Brandon had held her in his arms. Her dreams of being with him had suddenly seemed real. Possible.
So why had he left her alone in bed?
Had he heard something about their daughter?
Her pulse raced, and she grabbed her robe and raced down the stairs calling Brandon’s name. A quick glance in the kitchen indicated it was empty, so she checked his study. Papers littered his desk, and his computer was on. She glanced at the screen and saw he’d been researching employee files.
A message light revealed he had two new emails. Had he found something? Could the kidnapper have sent a message?
Her hand trembled as she clicked the icon to bring up his mail. The first was a bid on some cattle. The second one was from Marty, Brandon’s ex-wife.
Her chest clenched as she read the message.
Dear Brandon,
Please call me, sweetheart. I heard about your daughter being kidnapped and I will do anything I can to help you. I still love you and I know you love me, too. I can’t wait to hold you in my arms again.
Love, your wife forever,
Marty
Jealousy seized Kim, along with sudden fear. Brandon hadn’t seen these emails, but he could have been talking to her all along. Had he left her bed to talk to Marty? Was he planning a reconciliation?
Had he slept with Kim out of pity?
And what about Lucy?
How had Marty found out she was Brandon’s? Had he called and told her?
Suddenly furious at the thought of him deserting her and her daughter, and at herself for falling into his arms and bed again, she headed toward his bedroom.
“Brandon!”
The door stood ajar so she knocked loudly, then pushed open the door. “Brandon, are you in here?”
She scanned the room, once again surprised that the furnishings were more masculine and that she didn’t see touches of Marty in this room.
But Brandon wasn’t inside.
A wet towel was draped over the towel bar in the a
djoining bathroom, and she realized he had showered.
She rushed to check for his SUV, but it was gone. How could Brandon have left without telling her? What if the kidnapper called?
She would have no way to go meet him.
Unless he had called and Brandon had answered and gone without her....
Her heart stuttered as she rushed to check her phone, but there had been no incoming calls.
She wanted to scream with frustration. Where was he?
Shaking with worry, she stormed back to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee, punching in his number as she grabbed a mug. The call rolled to voice mail, and she slammed her hand on the counter in anger.
Then she spotted the note propped in front of the coffeemaker. Hoping it was good news, she flipped it open.
Kim,
The P.I. called with an address for the owner of that deserted property where we made the drop. Maybe this is the lead we need. Call me if you hear anything.
Brandon
Please let it be a lead.
Relieved to know he was working on finding Lucy instead of with Marty, she poured a cup of coffee. Although disappointment plucked at her as she reread the note. Brandon hadn’t said he loved her or even signed Love, Brandon. The note had been short and to the point.
Did he regret making love to her? Or had last night just been a night of sex to tide him over until he and his wife solved their differences?
Renewed anger tightened every muscle in her body. How could she have been such a fool to have fallen in love with him again? He’d only been divorced a few months. Did he regret it?
Furious at herself, she carried her coffee to the porch and looked out across the ranch.
When they brought Lucy home safe and sound and the kidnapper was in jail, she and Lucy would move back to the Bucking Bronc Lodge.
She would walk away from Brandon this time with her dignity still intact.
And he would never know that he’d crushed her heart again.
BRANDON STUDIED the wiry-haired older man in the doorway, scrutinizing him for signs he was a vicious kidnapper. But the frail man with his nearly bald head, crooked wire-rimmed glasses and age spots dotting his gnarled hands didn’t fit the profile of a criminal.
“Mr. Baxter, I need to talk to you.”
A little boy about ten ran up and tugged at the old man’s leg. “Grandpa, can we finish the game?”
“In a minute.” Mr. Baxter patted the boy’s shoulder affectionately. “Why don’t you pop some popcorn in the microwave while I find out what this man needs.”
Brandon gave the kid a quick smile, his gut instincts telling him this trip was a waste. Then again, maybe Baxter had been desperate for some reason....
“What’s going on?” Baxter asked.
Brandon cleared his throat. “I don’t know if you saw the news about that little girl, Lucy Long, who was kidnapped.”
Baxter pulled at his chin. “Yeah, I saw it. But what’s that got to do with me?”
“My name is Brandon Woodstock. A while back I looked at a piece of property you owned outside San Antonio.”
Baxter quirked a white brow, confused. “Yeah, but I sold that land last year. Got an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“Who did you sell it to?”
“Why do you want to know?”
“The little girl who was kidnapped is my daughter,” Brandon said. “Yesterday, the kidnapper demanded we bring the ransom money to your old ranch.”
Baxter coughed into his hand. “Good lord, I had no idea.”
“Being you owned that property, I thought that you might know something about the kidnapping.”
Baxter wheezed a breath; then his eyes flickered with sudden understanding. “You thought I had something to do with it?”
Brandon jammed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “That property is the only lead I have.”
The man’s gaze latched with his. “Listen to me, Mr. Woodstock. I found out I’m dying last year. That’s why I sold my place. It was the best thing I ever did because I’ve reconnected with my children and grandchildren again.” He gestured over his shoulder toward the kitchen.
“There’s no way I’d jeopardize my family.” He moved to shut the door. “Now, I’m sorry about your daughter. I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but I had nothing to do with it.”
Sincerity echoed in Baxter’s tone.
Brandon nodded but caught the door. “All right. But just tell me who bought your land.”
The man removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. “Sure, hang on and let me get the information.”
The little boy yelled for his grandfather, and Baxter told him he’d be right there. A minute later, he returned and handed Brandon a piece of paper with a name on it.
Brandon glanced at the name in confusion. A corporation had bought the land. But who owned the corporation? And what would they have wanted with that property?
He turned and jogged back to his car, disappointment ballooning in his chest. He’d have the P.I. check it out.
But he had a bad feeling it was a dead end. A corporation wouldn’t be involved in a child kidnapping. More likely, the kidnapper had stumbled on the deserted property and taken advantage of the isolated location as a hiding spot.
He mentally recounted the events of the past few days as he drove back to the ranch. He had to have missed something.
There were two kidnappers, a team. Kim had been attacked before she’d come to his place, then at his ranch. So far, none of his employees had come forward with information, but maybe Hollister would uncover something about one of them that would prove helpful. Still, he wanted to talk to them himself. Study their faces. See if anyone looked nervous.
He accelerated, anxious to get home, then punched in his ranch foreman’s number.
“Walt, have all the hands meet me at the dining hall in an hour. I need to talk to them.”
After Walt agreed to spread the word, Brandon phoned the P.I. and gave him the name of the corporation that had bought Hollister’s land.
Then he hung up and sped toward the ranch. Kim would be awake by now.
Maybe she had heard something.
ANXIETY KNOTTED EVERY MUSCLE in Kim’s body. She paced the kitchen, constantly checking the drive and the phone for Brandon or any updates on Lucy.
Why didn’t someone answer her pleas on the news? Where was Lucy? Was she hurt? Did she know that her mother and father were going out of their minds looking for her?
The sound of an engine rumbling down the road made her jump, and she rushed outside on the porch and watched as Brandon appeared. He unfolded his big, hard, lean body from the SUV, and she fought to keep from running toward him and begging him not to go back to Marty.
To make a family with her and Lucy.
But she took one look at his chiseled jaw and swallowed the words. The tight line of his frown suggested he didn’t have good news.
“You haven’t heard anything?” he asked as he trudged up the porch steps.
She shook her head. “No. What happened?”
“I tracked down the man who used to own the property where we dropped the ransom. He’s terminally ill and sold it to a corporation then moved into a retirement community.” He scrubbed a hand over his chin. “I’m pretty sure he had nothing to do with the kidnapping.”
Kim sagged into the porch swing. “What now?”
“I called Johnny’s P.I. friend to check out the corporation. Maybe it’s a lead.”
Kim tried not to fall apart, but she felt herself losing it. “So we’re still in the dark. And Lucy is out there....” She glared at Brandon, the fact that he’d chosen Marty over her and he might do so again, and the tension of not knowing if her daughter was alive, eating at her.
“This is our fault,” she said, breaking down. “My fault. If I’d taken better care of Lucy, watched her more carefully, if you’d been around, she wouldn’t be gone.”
“Kim,” Brandon said, reaching o
ut to console her. “We will find her. I’m not giving up and neither can you.”
“But you heard what he said. I told you to let me go alone,” she shouted. “If I had, I’d have my daughter back now.”
Brandon’s eyes flared with anger. “No, you’d probably be dead. And then Lucy wouldn’t have a mother.”
Hysteria bubbled in her chest. “No, I’d have her back, but you insisted on coming and now we may never know where she is.” Kim stood, the layers of hurt too much to bear. “Besides, what does it matter to you if I’m dead? You didn’t want me and Lucy four years ago. You have a wife—”
“Kim, stop it!” Brandon shouted. “We’re going to find Lucy. I promise.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw, and Kim knew on some level, she was being unfair. But he’d left her in bed alone, and she’d read that email and all she could see her in mind was that blood…Lucy’s blood. And the picture of Marty and Brandon on their wedding day…
“I know how well you keep your promises.” She whirled around and ran into the house. A second later, the door slammed, and she heard Brandon’s footsteps pound inside.
“I’m not giving up,” he said in a gruff voice. “I’m going to meet with my employees again. When I get back, we need to talk.”
The door banged shut and tears spilled over, running down her cheeks. She knew he was doing everything he could to find Lucy, but what if it wasn’t enough?
Her cell phone buzzed, and her heart jumped as she raced to it and snatched it up.
“Hello.”
“You have one more chance,” the computerized voice said. “Bring a hundred thousand in small bills to the address you’ll receive on your text. And this time come alone, or you’ll find your daughter dead.”
Chapter Fifteen
Brandon fought hurt over Kim’s comments. He’d thought they had bonded again last night. They’d shared comfort and an incredible night of lovemaking that had only confirmed that they should have been together all along.
