by Piper Stone
Fight. Protect.
As I turned around, eyeing the gawking store attendant, his face pinched as he pulled two of the items closer to the register, two thoughts remained in my mind.
One: Why in God’s name was I so attracted to the feisty chick with a bad attitude?
And two: What the hell was she trying to insinuate and how did she even know that I was in town? Maybe there was more behind what had happened than anyone had been willing to tell me over the phone.
Evidently, the folks involved had no idea who they were dealing with.
I was a killer after all. They would tell me the truth.
One way or the other.
Chapter Two
Hawk
“Then why don’t you get the fuck out of here?” Drake snapped, pointing toward the door. “We don’t need your kind around here anyway. I’ll do just fine on my own.”
I growled as I stared at him, a series of nasty words swimming to the surface. When had everything gone to shit? Sucking in my breath, I moved toward the door, refusing to look back.
“Just remember. You’re no longer welcome here, brother.”
The memory was just as fresh as if it had happened only a few days before instead of seven years, the ache in my heart even more pronounced. I shoved my hand into my pocket as I stared at the same door that I’d walked out of all that time ago, never planning on returning again.
I took another hard look at the living room of the aging cabin, myriad strong emotions rolling through me like a firestorm. The place was a hell of a lot different than the last time I’d seen it, as if care and love had been poured into the timbers and stone. Even the sign at the front entrance to the ranch was entirely redone, Big Meadow Ranch highlighted in what appeared to be gold lettering. He’d taken pride in something that I’d tossed away.
I wasn’t going to come to terms with the news tonight. Sadly, tomorrow wasn’t going to be any better than today. Appointments had been scheduled, details to work out. Shit. I wasn’t any good with that kind of crap, but there was no avoiding my responsibilities.
Even seeing the stable full of beautiful horses had caught me off guard. I was surprised he’d kept them, especially since he’d changed careers. All Drake had ever wanted to do was handle the ranch, making it a success. Sadly, my father hadn’t been the best businessman, almost losing it twice when I was a kid.
One thing Drake had never mentioned was being a firefighter. Well, we’d both changed significantly since our nasty argument. A hell of a lot happened in seven years. As I heard another whinnying sound, I had to smile. Enjoying a long horseback ride had been one of the activities I’d missed after moving away. Maybe I’d get a few chances before rolling back out of town.
I could consider a roll in the hay as well, taking my time feasting on the reporter’s sexy body after I made certain her bottom was cherry red in color a second time around. I could tell she was indeed a ballbuster, likely not the type to follow any man’s rules. As my cock pushed hard against my zipper, I couldn’t help but laugh. Nope. The woman and I were oil and water. Best to stay as far away from her as possible.
Just being there seemed surreal, the magnitude of the last few days finally taking a toll. I hadn’t ventured any further than the room I was in and the kitchen, my emotions incapable of dredging up any additional memories. Maybe I’d find the gumption to look at the barn. I’d have to fully comprehend the extent of the land as well as the buildings. From what I could tell, selling the ranch should be easy enough to do.
I rubbed my eyes, ready to call it a night as I snapped off the lamp, loathing the shadows as they filled the room.
Then an odd noise fractured my pity party.
“What. The. Fuck?” Suddenly, the horses were agitated, the sound filtering through the thick walls.
Maybe it was the fact the plane ride from DC had been shit, the delays due to bad weather significant. Or maybe I was exhausted from being forced to hop on a choppy freighter flight out of Afghanistan only the day before that, the turbulence so bad my stomach had yet to calm down. Hell, even the two harassing phone calls had done nothing but rile the soldier in me.
Then there was the bizarre shit with the reporter, a woman who definitely needed a firm hand in her life.
Whatever the reason, I. Was. Pissed.
The sound just outside the house indicated an intruder. Was the person stupid as fuck? He had to see I’d just turned off the lights. Had the mysterious asshole not noticed the big Dodge Ram or the whinnying horse they’d obviously agitated?
I grabbed my Sig, growling more than once before moving in the darkness toward the front window. I’d carelessly kept the blinds open, certain no one would dare freaking bother me on a secluded ranch.
I was wrong.
Whoever thought they could take advantage of the situation had a hard lesson coming to them and I was just the man to do it. I peered out, able to see a good portion of the front lawn through the full moon highlighting the area. While I saw no movement, I was able to sense the asshole’s presence, my extensive training never failing me. I swept my gaze from left to right, holding my breath.
A single shadow drew my attention. What the hell were they doing? Wait a minute. The jerk actually thought he was going to break in through the front door? I snickered under my breath as I took careful steps toward the entrance, standing just about six feet in front, the weapon pointed at chest level.
And I waited.
Within seconds, the thief managed to unlock the door, very slowly pushing it open and taking a single tentative step inside.
“I’d think twice about planting another foot inside this house. I have a Sig Sauer pointed at your gut and trust me, I’m an excellent shot.” I kept an even tone in my voice even though I was furious, my blood pressure rising. No one dared to fuck with me.
There were two types of criminals. The one who was conciliatory immediately, begging for forgiveness and the one who didn’t give a shit whether they were doing anything wrong.
This asshole?
I hissed as the person bolted, jumping off the front porch before I had a chance to blink. “Fuck.” I took off after the intruder, shocked he was able to get such a significant head start. Hell, yes, I was one tired Marine, but this was ridiculous. As the person raced toward what appeared to be another vehicle, I lunged forward, grabbing the jerk by the scruff of the neck.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I demanded, dragging the guy several feet toward the house as his fists flew. I’d handle this privately. I wasn’t in the mood to call the sheriff. That would only lead to a night of questions and additional lack of sleep.
Plus, I really wasn’t prepared to shout out to the entire city that I was home.
The perpetrator didn’t make a single sound until I yanked him onto the porch. Then I heard an angry snarl followed by a pummeling of fists against my back, the hard wallop to my kidneys excruciating.
“You and I are going to have a discussion, buddy. Then I’ll make the determination whether or not to call the sheriff.”
“Fuck you.”
I was only inches away from the door when I heard the two words. They actually reverberated in my ears but not because of the vulgar language.
Because they were being spoken by a woman.
Correction, by the reporter who’d dared accost me.
Exhaling, I yanked the girl inside and kicked the door shut, struggling to turn on the closest lamp while she continued to fight my hold. As the yellowish glow flooded the room, I let her go, still keeping the barrel of the gun pointed in her direction.
She obviously needed another lesson the hard way.
In front of me stood the gorgeous, bratty, and rebellious woman that I’d found difficult to take my mind off the entire evening. Fuck me. This wasn’t good. Even wearing a ball cap covering her hair and an ugly flannel shirt several sizes too big, I’d recognize her anywhere. My balls tightened as my thoughts drifted to tearing away her clothes, del
ighting in the sexy package underneath.
You’re not some barbarian. Cut the shit.
Inhaling, I had to give the woman credit. She had chutzpa.
“What the hell is wrong with you? You could have killed me,” she demanded, her eyes darting from my face to the gun, watching in slow motion as the cap tumbled from her head.
Somehow, I would have expected the woman to be shaking in her boots or at least to begin pleading for her life. Not this girl. She stood defiantly, her long dark curls framing the face I hadn’t been able to get out of my mind. And those gorgeous blue eyes shimmered in the shadows, deep and inviting. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and my gaze shifted from her long neck and voluptuous breasts to her shapely legs. Even though she was wearing clunky boots, worn-out jeans, and the ugly shirt, there was no chance at disguising her beauty.
That didn’t take away from the fact she’d managed to break into my brother’s house or had tossed a list of accusations at me in front of a crowd of strangers. What in God’s name was she after, her fifteen minutes of fame? I had yet to be able to look into her allegations, preferring to soothe the savage beast dwelling inside of me with several glasses of bourbon.
For a few seconds, we were at a standoff, the girl tapping her boot on the hardwood floor as if I was the actual intruder. The gall of the woman was more rebellious than the majority of soldiers I’d known in the Marines.
That made my hunger all that much more significant.
The obvious attraction we shared remained, her lips pursing and her hips swaying. The electricity that had occurred before was now dancing like a live wire, sparks flying everywhere.
Her face flushed and I sensed she was doing everything possible to curtail her reaction. Seemed like a good thing to do.
She had a point to get across but so did I. I wasn’t going to accept this kind of behavior from anyone, especially when she didn’t know me.
I’d sworn off women the moment I’d entered the world of the Marines, preferring combat to personal interactions. I had no place allowing temptation. Then what the hell was I doing?
“What the hell is wrong with me? You were the one breaking into my house, not the other way around, sweetheart,” I retorted, studying her intently. After sliding the safety back into position, I slipped the gun into the small of my back, intrigued that she’d gone this far for some interview. “I would have thought my earlier lesson would have done you some good. I can see I was wrong.”
“First of all, if you dare call me sweetheart again, I’m going to rip your lungs out. Second, this isn’t your house. Maybe you’re the one who needs to be arrested. Your brother wouldn’t dare allow you to set foot in his home, not after...” Her words trailed off, a moment of self-doubt sinking in, forcing her to blink several times. “And third and most important. You will not lay a single hand on me again or I will cut it off.”
I sucked in my breath, memories flooding into the back of my mind, none of them I wanted to resurrect.
She’d obviously spent some time checking on my brother and his possessions, as well as our caustic relationship. Maybe she and Drake had been an item. I wouldn’t know since I hadn’t talked to my brother since storming out the door. As she shifted from foot to foot, I inched closer. I folded my arms as I glared at her, remaining unblinking. “Like I told you before, little lady, I’d love to see you try.”
“You have no idea what I’m capable of, cowboy. Or can you even handle a horse any longer?”
My God, the woman didn’t know when to quit. “Let’s try this again. Who the hell are you?”
She hadn’t identified herself and I hadn’t cared to find out her name.
Yet you spanked her bottom until it was cherry red.
And I would do it again.
“Call me Red Riding Hood and why the hell are you here?” The way she scanned the room, her eyes resting on the various pictures located on the bookshelf made me curious. What exactly was she looking for? I had the distinct feeling she’d never actually been here before. If she was so close with Drake, wouldn’t she be allowed in his house?
“Then that would make me the big, bad wolf.” I couldn’t take my eyes off her lovely face, her cerulean blue eyes piercing even in the ugly light of the room. While her voice held utter arrogance, the lilt was beautiful, my cock shifting hard against my zipper. “As far as why I’m here. Well, that’s entirely my business, now isn’t it? And why would you do something like this when you knew I was in town?”
“Because the information I received said you were staying in a hotel.” She cringed the moment the words slipped out of her mouth. “Shit.”
“Shit is right. Your mouth gets you in all kinds of trouble.” I couldn’t believe the lengths she’d gone to in order to find out what my plans were. Another red flag rushed up the flagpole. There was no logical reason for me to comment to her ridiculous statement, but I found myself doing so. “No idea why I’m telling you of all people this, but I was planning on staying at the hotel. I had no idea how I’d feel about stepping foot in the old cabin. Then I figured it was best. My name is Jake. Jake Travers. Only my friends call me Hawk. And you’re not a friend.”
The tension was as raw as the attraction, the way she looked at me as if her hunger was off the charts.
She snorted, her lust-filled gaze turning into one laced with venom and disbelief. “Look, Hawk, although we’re not going to be friends. I’m just trying to get to the bottom of what happened to a real friend of mine, one with a heart of gold and a hell of a lot of integrity. What I do know is that you shouldn’t be here. I’m not even certain you really are a member of his family. Drake never talked about his brother, except in terms of how much he hated the man. Hell, that could be you. I already hate you and I’ve just met you.”
Another jab in the heart. She was pulling out all the stops, the feisty girl full of powerful venom.
The audacity of the woman was mindboggling. I studied her as she glanced around the cabin, her lips twisting. “You know exactly who I am so cut the crap. And for the record, Drake and I had a falling out, but I have every right to be here. Last time I checked my name was still on the deed. You, on the other hand, were breaking and entering. In these parts, that’s a crime. I don’t care what kind of a story you’re trying to get, I’m not doing any talking, especially to a foul-mouthed woman who specializes in invading people’s privacy.”
She laughed as she gave me a hard onceover. “Right. As I said before, you’re likely part of the problem, especially since you’re so damn smug.”
Smug.
Jesus F. Christ.
We were getting nowhere and as attracted as I was to her, all I wanted was some peace until I was able to sort this out. “What do you want, Red Riding Hood? I’m not going to give you a story because I don’t know shit. As you already found out, I stepped off a long and arduous plane flight just a few hours ago. Now, I think you need to tell me what the hell you’re getting at with these accusations.”
“I can’t reveal my sources or what I know.” She seemed uncomfortable as hell. Why did I have the feeling there were obvious holes in her story?
“Right. Not good enough. You are going to tell me.”
When she didn’t respond, my patience reached the point of no return. I yanked out my phone, prepared to call the sheriff’s office. I had to laugh. I used to know all the local numbers by heart. Not any longer. I’d have to call 9-1-1 unless she decided to come clean. “I’m calling the sheriff. You can explain whatever the fuck you were doing to him. My guess is that you go around accusing a lot of innocent people in your line of work. He might find that interesting.” I waited until five seconds before shaking my head, sliding my finger across the screen.
“Don’t,” she snapped then exhaled, the sound exaggerated.
“Why?”
“Because no one else believes me.”
I studied the way she fidgeted and shook my head. What the hell kind of story was she attempting to obtain? “Try a
gain.”
She fidgeted, telling me that I was right.
“Okay. The sheriff doesn’t like me very much. Just an asshole who hides evidence.”
“Gee. I wonder why he might dislike you. Getting yourself into trouble everywhere you go?” What the hell? My hackles were raised, my blood pressure rising. While I hadn’t been close to Drake for years, he was an honorable man. If something was going on, I was determined to find out what.
“That’s not fair. You don’t know me,” she stated, her nostrils flaring. I couldn’t help but notice she dragged her tongue across her lips in one hell of a provocative manner.
“And you don’t know me, but you certainly don’t mind accusing me of shit. You also don’t mind insinuating crimes without backing up your story. That’s not acceptable on any level. One last chance to tell me what you think you know.” I was furious with her. The impudence that she’d accuse me not once but twice of hoarding information about my brother was ridiculous. And unfounded.
As if you knew anything he was into.
I sucked in my breath, realizing that my inner voice was right.
I tapped my foot on the hardwood floor as I watched her lovely mouth twist in frustration. The carnal man deep inside was suddenly very hungry, but I didn’t come all the way to Missoula, Montana for one wild night in the sack.
Although that would certainly soothe the anger and the sadness.
I could tell she was fighting with a longing to rake me over the coals and realizing that she’d been caught in the act. While I had little patience, I stood quietly, curious as to what the gutsy woman intended on doing.
“Look, I’m sorry about trying to break in. That’s not the way I usually operate,” she said quietly, her shoulders sagging. I wasn’t convinced she was truly conciliatory. “I just feel desperate.”
“How do you normally operate, burning the place down?”
“You are an asshole,” she hissed. “Why did I bother?”
“And you’re the one who needs her mouth washed out with soap.”
