Stone Cold Cowboy

by Jennifer Ryan

  He walked down the hill with her, trying not to jostle her too much. He approached his horse, wondering how to get in the saddle without draping her over his horse and hurting her more. He looked around, trying to find a way to make this easier. He spotted the boulders nearby, grabbed the reins, and led his horse over to the rocks.

  Even as a kid he hadn’t needed mounting steps, but with Sadie bundled in his arms, this would make things easier. He stopped the horse next to the rocks, climbed up on the boulder, turned to his side, put his left foot over the horse’s back, and lowered himself into the saddle as slowly as he could so he didn’t spook the horse. He fell harder than he’d like the last foot or so and the horse pranced, but didn’t try to throw him and the extra weight he carried.

  “That’s it, boy.” Rory settled Sadie against his chest and on his lap. He grabbed the reins and kicked the horse to move. They rode down the valley toward where he thought the cattle rustlers took his herd. Better to get to the road here than try to take Sadie all the way back to the ranch. He tried to picture where they were in relation to his place and the neighbors’ houses. No matter which way he worked out the journey, they were all too far.

  Rory pulled the reins right, leading his horse up a tall hill, hoping he’d get a cell signal way the hell out here. The chances were slim, but he had to try. The horse took the steep terrain at a lumbering lope, jostling Sadie against him. She twisted to get more comfortable and ended up with her face buried in his neck and her chest pressed to his. His coat kept her warm and helped to keep him warm, too, though his bare back froze. He held her close and tilted his head to press his cheek to her forehead and add what warmth he could to her.

  The horse made it up to the rise and he scanned the area, making sure the bastards who took his cows and did this to Sadie weren’t near. He pulled his cell from his back pocket and swiped his thumb across the screen. Great, not only was his battery at twenty-four percent, but he had only one bar. Even if the call went through, it would probably be dropped.

  “Come on, give me one small break,” he said to the sky, knowing his chances were slim.

  He hit the speed dial for the ranch, hoping his grandfather or one of his brothers actually picked up.

  “Yo, what’s up?”

  Rory had never been happier to hear Colt’s voice. “Grab some blankets, the first aid kit, and hall ass down to Miner’s Road where it cuts close to the creek. You know the place?”

  “What the hell happened? Why are you way out there in the boondocks?”

  “Don’t ask questions, just get moving, or a woman is going to die.” He hated to speak his worst fear. Her still body, shallow breathing, and utter quiet sent fear shivering through him that had nothing to do with the dropping temperature.

  “On my way. Need anything else?”

  “Water. Hurry the hell up. Break every speed law you ignore anyway.” Giving in to the desperation gnawing at his insides, he begged, “Please, Colt. Hurry the hell up.”

  “On it.” Colt hung up. Rory lit a fire under him. Rory hoped Colt got there before things got worse.

  “Come on, Sadie, hold on. Help is coming.”

  He nudged his horse down the hill. Since Sadie passed out, which only made him worry more, he kicked the horse into a trot. He’d beat Colt to the meeting point, but he needed to get Sadie off his horse and check her wounds again. He glanced down at her bruised face. Whoever did this hit her. He didn’t tolerate others who got off on teasing or hurting other people. It wasn’t right to make others feel bad for any reason, but especially because you thought you could get away with it. This went beyond anything he’d ever seen or thought could happen to a person. To string her up like that, using the barbed wire they’d cut from his own fence lines. Bastards. He wanted to get his hands on them and make them pay.

  Rory halted the horse by the road, noting the cow and horse tracks, along with the deep ruts from the trucks and trailers that hauled away his herd. He kind of wished the thieves were here so he could teach them a lesson about hurting innocent women. He’d like to show them how much the kind of torture they inflicted on her hurt. Whoever did this to her liked cruelty. Rory vowed to take him down, because no way in hell Rory let him get away with hurting Sadie, or anyone else.

  He turned his focus back to the woman in his arms. He gave in to the strange need overtaking him and pressed his cheek to her head and hugged her close.

  “Help will be here soon.” Hurry the hell up, Colt.

  Sadie’s legs hung over his arm. Her feet remained bundled in his scarf, but her legs had to be cold. He swung his leg over the horse’s neck and slid off the saddle, landing hard on the ground. It wasn’t easy, but he managed to untie the saddlebags and toss them to the ground. He turned and pressed Sadie’s legs to the horse’s side, hoping the heat from the animal and him would warm her up even more. The cold breeze blew against his back. If he was this uncomfortable, he could only imagine how Sadie felt tied up and hanging in the biting wind, practically naked, for God knew how long.

  Torn from his dark thoughts by the sound of an engine, he stared down the road as Colt skidded around the bend, driving way too fast. Thank God for little brothers who like to live on the edge because they haven’t learned they aren’t invincible. Colt made him worry far too often, but today he’d take his brother’s devil-may-care attitude.

  Colt hit the brakes, and the truck slid to a stop feet from him. Rory pulled Sadie close as his horse shied away. Rory rushed Sadie to the back of the truck. Colt let down the tailgate, spread one of the thick blankets, and Rory laid Sadie down, tucking her legs up on the bed of the truck.

  “Open that medic kit. Pull out the bandages and gauze,” he ordered his brother, who stared down at Sadie, not saying a word.

  Rory slapped him on the shoulder. “Colt. Move.”

  Colt got busy, basically dumping the contents and sorting through them. Rory pulled open the jacket, undid his tied shirt, and pulled the bloody swatch off her side. The ride had been hard on her, tearing open the cut and making it bleed freely again.

  “Holy fucking shit, what the hell happened?” Colt asked, finally finding his tongue.

  “Some twisted fuck hung her from a tree with barbed wire.”

  “Is that what all those holes and scratches in her are?”

  “Yes,” Rory bit out the single word, trying to hold on to his temper. Every time he saw the wounds, his fury surged, but with no outlet, it burned in his gut.

  Rory took the thick gauze pad and pressed it to Sadie’s side, staunching the blood.

  “That’s not from the wire,” Colt said.

  “No. I think they used a knife.”

  “Someone punched her in the face.” Colt’s words held a world of sympathy.

  “Hand me that tape. Let’s get her patched up and to the hospital.”

  They worked in silence, unwrapping and rewrapping her wrists with clean bandages. Colt took one foot; he took the other.

  “This is inhumane.” Colt shook his head, dabbing at the caked, dried blood on Sadie’s thigh.

  “Just do the best you can for now. They’ll clean her up at the hospital.”

  “I called Ford, told him you needed help. Take the truck. I’ll take your horse back to the ranch. Ford and I will meet you at the clinic.”

  “You don’t need to come. I’ve got this.”

  “We’ll meet you there.”

  Rory nodded. Since their parents died, even before but especially since, they did everything together. None of them went through anything alone. He appreciated his brothers’ support and understanding.

  With Sadie tended to the best they could for now, he bundled her in the blanket and carried her to the passenger side of the truck. Colt opened the door and he stood on the running board and slid her in headfirst. Colt pulled out the blanket from the floorboard and shook it out. Rory took it and tucked it over and around Sadie.

  “She’s out cold,” Colt said.

  “Exhaustion. She’ll
do better once she’s had some rest.” Rory spotted the bottles of water on the floorboards. He grabbed one, uncapped it, and held Sadie’s head up again. “Drink some water, sweetheart.” He tipped the bottle to her lips. Again, she sputtered, but drank a few ounces.

  He laid her back down, drank the rest of the bottle himself, then jumped out of the truck and closed the door.

  Colt peeled off his jacket and the thick flannel he wore underneath. He held the dark blue and white plaid out to Rory. “Take this. It’ll be too small, but at least you’ll have something to wear.”

  Rory stuffed his arms into the sleeves. If he flexed too much, he’d probably tear the material. He pulled the sides together and barely managed to button the thing at his sternum. No way he buttoned it across his chest.

  “You look like the Hulk in that thing,” Colt teased.

  Rory couldn’t even muster a smile at the stupid joke. “Take my horse back. It’ll be a long ride, and I’m sorry for that.”

  “No worries. I got this.”

  “Swing by Sadie’s place on your way to town. Tell her father what happened and where she is.”

  Rory ran around the truck, hopped into the driver’s seat, started the engine, and turned the heat up to warm him and Sadie, though she was bundled well in the blankets. Rory turned the truck and headed down the road, Colt already in the saddle and riding back home.

  Rory drove like the devil was after him. He sped past other vehicles, ignoring the honks when he cut things too close between a slow car and oncoming traffic. He didn’t care if the cops came after him; he needed to get Sadie to the clinic. With that thought in mind, he pulled out his phone, scrolled through his contacts to his grandfather’s favorite doctor, and hit the call button.

  “Dr. Bowden.”

  “Bell, it’s Rory.”

  “Hey, Rory, how is Sammy? Everything okay?”

  “Granddad is fine. Ornery as ever. Are you at the clinic?”

  “Yeah, I get off in an hour.”

  “I’m on my way. I need you to get ready for a woman I’m bringing in. She’s suffering from hypothermia. She’s got three deep cuts that will need stitching. She’s covered head to toe with puncture wounds from being tied up with barbed wire. Her wrists and ankles are raw and bleeding badly. She was hung from her hands, so her wrists and shoulders are sore. Maybe she’s got some pulled muscles and tendons, I don’t know.”

  “Got it. Is she awake and lucid?”

  “No. Not really. I’ve got her warm now, but I don’t know how long she was hanging there.”

  “Oh God, Rory. Okay. I’ll get everything ready for when you arrive. How far out are you?”

  “Twenty minutes.” A long fucking time in Sadie’s case. She must be in so much pain. The thought drove him to push the gas pedal harder, drive faster, regardless of the danger. “They hit her, Bell. They cut her. She’s in bad shape.” The words came out softer than he intended since he could barely choke out the words past the lump in his throat, but Bell heard him.

  “I’ll take care of her, Rory.” Bell’s calm assurance bolstered his waning confidence that he’d gotten to her in time.

  “Thanks, Bell. I’ll be there soon.” Choked up, he disconnected the call. He reached down to touch Sadie’s shoulder to reassure her in some small way, but he pulled his hand back, afraid to touch her and disturb any of her wounds. In the end, his unusual need to comfort made him brush his fingers through her long blond hair. She stirred beside him, tilting her head into his soft touch. He did it more, hoping that small comfort gave her strength to get through this. Her small bloody hand reached out from the blanket and settled on his thigh. He pressed his hand over hers and swore he’d keep her safe from now on. No one would ever hurt her again.

  CHAPTER 3

  Rory paced outside the hospital room door Dr. Bell Bowden shoved him out of five minutes ago, trying to hold on to his sanity. She’d let him stay while they cleaned, dressed, and stitched Sadie’s wounds, but not even his good friend’s wife let him stay while they photographed Sadie’s many injuries and examined her to see if she’d been sexually assaulted. He hadn’t even considered it when he found her nearly naked. He didn’t want to think about it now. The way he found her, the pain inflicted on her was enough for any one person to bear. To think whoever did that to her touched her, hurt her in that way made the rage roiling in his gut feel like a ticking time bomb about to go off.

  He turned back toward the room on his journey back and forth down the short corridor just as Bell stepped out of the room with a nurse, carrying several metal instruments on a tray. The nurse walked away, but Bell stood staring at him, a serene look on her face and in her blue eyes.

  He let loose his fisted hands and raked his fingers through his hair and held the back of his head. He stared at the floor, trying to pull himself together as the wave of relief washed through his system.

  “The sheriff’s deputy just walked in, Rory. I’ll speak to him and give him the details. Because of doctor-patient confidentiality, I can’t share the information with you.”

  “You don’t have to. As I’m sure you planned, I can read it on your face. Whoever the fuck did this to her didn’t rape her.”

  Bell didn’t say a word to confirm it. Her eyes softened on him. “You can sit with her if you’d like. I gave her a sedative to keep her calm. She probably won’t wake up for hours.”

  Rory walked right past the deputy and straight into Sadie’s room. She lay in the bed, covered by a sheet and blanket up to her chest. Her hands lay at her sides.

  The bandages around her wrists hid the ominous cuts and bruises but not her swollen hands and fingers. The many red nicks and scratches all over her arms, chest, and shoulders made her look like a gruesome pincushion.

  Afraid to touch her, he stood at the edge of the bed staring down at her.

  “Hey Sadie, it’s Rory. I’m back. You’re not alone. I’ll keep you safe.” He didn’t know why he spoke the words. She was passed out and probably couldn’t hear him, but if she did, he wanted her to know. He meant it.

  She flinched in her sleep, her eyes squinting and her lips drawing into a tight line. Caught in a nightmare, her eyes rolled beneath her closed lids.

  Disturbed by her distress, he reached out and touched her hand. She flinched, then settled again. “Shh, you’re okay. You’re safe.”

  Rory didn’t so much sit in the chair beside her as fall into it, exhausted in both body and mind. He scrubbed his hands over his face, scraping his palms on his rough jaw. He needed a shave, a shower, food, and for Sadie to wake up and be okay. He dropped his hands back to his thighs, hitting the sore spot on his palm. He held up his hand and stared at the deep gash. He’d washed his bloody hands in the restroom, but the cut still stung. He’d ask one of the nurses to bring him some antiseptic to clean it out.

  Sadie got a tetanus shot to go along with her dozens of stitches. Bell did a fantastic job taking care of her. Seeing Sadie laid out on a hospital gurney came a close second to the worst thing he’d ever seen. Right behind her hanging from a tree. Thank God for the new private rooms at the recently opened clinic. He’d have hated to make her endure the long drive to the Bozeman hospital.

  Rory answered the tap on the door. “Come in.”

  The sheriff’s deputy stepped into the room, his gaze shooting from Rory to Sadie in the bed beside him.

  “I’m Deputy Mark Foster. Rory Kendrick?”

  Rory nodded.

  “Dr. Bowden filled me in on Sadie Higgins’s condition. I’ve been out to the site where you found her. Gathered all the evidence. Mind telling me what happened?”

  Rory ran his free hand through the side of his hair. The other he kept on Sadie’s swollen one on the bed.

  “I understand it’s difficult to talk about it.” The deputy glanced at the marks marring every bit of skin not covered by the blankets or bandages and grimaced.

  “You should see the rest of her.”

  “Unfortunately, I saw the pictures
.”

  “I was out checking the cattle this afternoon. Just a normal day.” Then it turned to shit. “The herd I had grazing in the south pasture was missing. One of the fence lines had been cut, not pushed down by the cows. I spotted the horse tracks and figured out what happened.”

  “They took the wire with them and used it on her,” the deputy guessed.

  “Yes,” Rory bit out. “I followed the tracks that led across my land and two neighbors’, straight for Miner’s Road. I figured if I could catch up to them, maybe I’d find out who’s been stealing cattle from me these last months.”

  “How many cattle did they steal?”

  “They started off small, which is why I didn’t really notice right away. They’d take three, four at a time. By the time I realized what was going on, twenty-two cattle were missing. Today, they took ninety-seven.”

  The deputy blew out a soft whistle. “That’s brazen.”

  “Yes it is. Reckless, but well coordinated. They had the trucks ready to take the cattle away.”

  “Your brother Ford contacted the sheriff’s office and reported the missing cattle. We’re looking into it. How did you come to find Sadie?”

  “A fucking miracle, really.” The thought that he could have ridden right past her, left her hanging there . . . He couldn’t bear the thought. “My horse shied at one point. I think he smelled the blood on the wind. Who knows? I noticed the disturbed ground and drag marks. Looked like a fight broke out among the assholes who took the cattle.”

  “I saw the spot. Judging by that nasty bruise on her face, I’d say one of them went after her for some reason.”

  “My guess is she tried to stop them.”

  “You don’t think she’s in on this?”

  “No.” Rory’s gut said no way in hell. If she was, she’d paid a mighty high price. Still, it didn’t feel right from what little he knew about her. “I tracked four horses from my place to that spot where a fifth horse showed up. I don’t know why she was out there. Not exactly an easy or logical place to ride from her place.”

  “Could be this has to do with her brother, Connor. He’s been in a lot of trouble over the years,” the deputy pointed out.