Stone Cold Cowboy

by Jennifer Ryan

  “What is it, sweetheart?”

  “Thank you.” She walked right into him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him tight, taking in his now familiar scent. Horses, grass, leather, and him. The man she loved more and more. So much so that soon it would be too hard to hold back telling him. Showing him.

  Why was she waiting?

  He’d shown her time and again how much he cared about her. Maybe he didn’t love her, but he definitely wanted a relationship with her, but did he want forever, or just right now?

  If she told him, would he back away? Would he tell her he loved her, too? If he did, would it just be because she’d said it and he thought she expected him to say it? No. Rory wasn’t the kind of guy who said something without meaning it.

  Still, she held back, but hugged him tighter, hoping he understood everything in her heart that she couldn’t find the courage to say out loud. Not yet. But she would soon, because she didn’t want to risk not telling him and him not knowing if something happened to her.

  A chill ran up her spine. She wished she could shake the feeling that after all the bad she’d suffered, there was still more pain to come.

  “Hey now, sweetheart, what’s all this? Everything is fine.” Rory rubbed his hands up and down her back, soothing her.

  “It’s nothing. I’m just so lucky to have you, is all.”

  “I’m pretty sure all the luck is on my side. Let’s hope it doesn’t run out. I’d hate for you to figure out you can do a hell of a lot better.”

  He teased, but under the joking she sensed a trace of unease in him. Maybe they both needed to be reassured everything was fine between the both of them. They were both dealing with uncertainty and the newness of their relationship. Not to mention the overwhelming connection and pull between them. Something she’d never experienced and didn’t want to lose.

  “I can’t do better.” She leaned back and looked him in the eye. “I already have the best.”

  His hands contracted on her hips. He held her tight, staring down at her. The intensity in his eyes stunned her, but she fell into the depths and saw that her words touched him deeply.

  Rory didn’t speak. He didn’t have the words to tell her what she’d said meant everything to him. He never needed anyone in his life to make him feel whole. He missed his parents. The knot of pain lived inside him. He’d gotten used to it. He felt their absence all the time. Somehow Sadie had become such a part of him that if he lost her, he’d spend the rest of his life feeling like a piece of him was missing or dead. Even the thought made his gut tighten and his heart squeeze painfully. Without her, it might stop altogether.

  He bent his knees, drew his hands up her back, wrapped his arms around her, hugged her close, and picked her right up off her feet. Her toes banged against his shins. Her arms wrapped tight around his head. He buried his face in her neck and inhaled, filling himself up with her sweet scent and the way she made him feel.

  “Rory, someone is coming down the driveway.”

  He gently set her back on her feet, cupped her face, and stared down into her worried blue eyes. “I’ll never let anything bad happen to you again.” He pressed his forehead to hers, then gave her a quick kiss to seal that promise.

  “Miss Higgins?” the man asked, stepping out of his white Ford truck.

  “Need to change that soon,” Rory said under his breath.

  “What?” Sadie asked, turning back from walking down the steps to greet the stranger walking their way.

  “Nothing,” Rory mumbled, waiting for the nerves to hit. Nothing. Not even a second thought. Just a sense that everything was right. The same feeling he got every time he looked at her.

  He didn’t like the look of the man approaching her. In a few long strides, Rory was off the porch and at her side, his arm banded around her back, his hand firm on her hip. He’d never been a possessive man, but with her, all bets were off.

  “Who are you?” Rory hadn’t meant the question to sound so much like a demand.

  Sadie’s head snapped toward him. The guy caught Rory’s eye, then dipped his gaze to Rory’s hand on Sadie’s hip. Good. He got the message. Mine. Hands off.

  “Agent Cooke.” Sadie somehow knew the guy’s name. Did she know him?

  Cooke’s eyes narrowed on Sadie. “How did you know?”

  “You look just like your brother Trigger.”

  “Either he told you, or you’re more observant than the average person.”

  “Observant. Especially when someone puts a gun to my head and goes by Trigger.”

  “Most people would freak out and blunder all the details.”

  “I’m not most people. Your brother made it clear in his own way he had no intention of hurting me despite how he made it look.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes, so tell me why he’d do that when you’re both after my brother.”

  “Observant and smart.” Cooke shook his head, looked off in the distance, lost in thought.

  “What do you want?” Rory asked, hoping to get some information and some good news—like Connor and his cohorts would be behind bars immediately.

  “The same thing you want. This to be over.”

  “Trigger needs to get out from under cover,” Sadie said, her words soft and full of understanding. “You’re worried about him.”

  “Let’s hope you’re not too damn smart for your own good.”

  “Watch it,” Rory warned, stepping in front of Sadie and staring down the asshole.

  “She figured everything out. She says one word to her brother and mine is dead.”

  “I won’t do that.”

  “She wouldn’t do that,” Rory said over Sadie’s words.

  “If you do, I’ll see you go down for aiding and abetting your brother. I will find every speck of dirt on you and use it against you both personally and legally.”

  Sadie stepped around Rory. “Hey. You don’t need to threaten me. I’d never do anything to jeopardize your brother’s life.”

  “Not even to save Connor?”

  “As your brother already pointed out, nothing will save Connor from what he’s done. I am not helping him anymore.”

  “Is that right?” Cooke eyed Sadie.

  “That’s right. You want to nail Connor, I won’t be the hammer that strikes the blow, and I won’t stand in the way.”

  “So after all these years of you saving his ass, you’re out?”

  Sadie held up her hands, showing the agent the scars around her wrists and on her arms. She pulled the hem of her shirt up and showed him the marks across her torso and the scar on her ribs.

  Stunned she’d do such a thing, Rory stared at her, shocked. “Sadie.” He tugged her shirt down for her.

  “I’ve learned my lesson.”

  “Well, if it’s any consolation, the charges against your brother are far less severe than the charges against Derek for what he did to you.”

  “That doesn’t really ease the fact that I have to live with knowing my brother turned his back on me when I needed him the most.”

  “Then you understand why I’m here. I would never turn my back on Beck.”

  “Beck?”

  “Trigger. If he trusted you with that message, despite not knowing if you’d betray him for your brother, then he’s desperate to get out.”

  “Why doesn’t he just come in?” Rory asked.

  “He’d never jeopardize a case we’ve been working on for over a year. People are depending on him finishing this job. The lives he’ll save if we get this crap off the streets and put these people behind bars . . .”

  Sadie got it. “You’re not worried about those lives, you’re worried about his.”

  “I’m always worried about his, but what he did, giving you that message . . . it was reckless.”

  “No, it wasn’t. He saw in me exactly what I saw in him. Resignation. Those guys are not going to stop, or think about what they’re doing. They’re reckless. That’s what makes Trig . . . Beck nervo
us. That’s why he wants out.

  “I’ve watched my brother this past year, and especially these last weeks spiral downward into desperation. For his next fix, to make the big score, and to save his life. I’m sure Derek’s experience tells him exactly what I know and have seen, desperate people do stupid things. Add in a sick sadist and it’s a recipe for disaster. There’s something about Derek that’s just pure evil. I don’t know how else to say it. He likes hurting people. Even when there’s every reason to walk away—like you’re stealing a herd of cattle and the owner is coming after you—he doesn’t care and has to feed that need to hurt someone. He could have just left me out there in the middle of nowhere without my clothes or my horse, but instead he indulged that dark side. It’s not the first time either. No telling what Beck has witnessed and stood by helpless to do anything or be caught out for who he really is.”

  Cooke shook his head and stared off in the distance again. “You said he didn’t look good.”

  “Physically he seemed fine. You guys have an uncanny resemblance. He’s leaner than you, but it’s what I saw in his eyes—that’s not quite right, it’s what he let me see, so he could determine I was on his side. He’s tired of the game. Tired in a way that goes so deep he’s having trouble believing and living the lies.”

  “Which is why I need your help to end this. Beck won’t come in until he finishes this case.”

  “I told you—”

  “I don’t give a fuck that you want to keep your hands clean.” Cooke took a menacing step forward, then caught himself when Rory glared. “If you truly believe Beck can’t live the lies, then he’s dead. Dead. Do you get it?”

  “I understand you’re upset, Agent Cooke.”

  “Caden,” he bit out, trying to rein in his temper and be civil.

  “Caden, there’s nothing I can do. I don’t know where my brother is. He’s not answering my calls.”

  “You’ve got a number for him?”

  “He swaps out his burner phone every couple of days. They’re not as stupid as you think. They know the cops are after them and using traceable phones will only get them caught.”

  “You must know something.”

  “I know my brother and Derek owe someone a lot of money. That person is going to collect one way or the other and that scares me more than I can explain because my brother is all I have left of my immediate family. I know it will take a miracle for my brother to change his ways. He won’t turn himself in no matter how many times I beg him to do so. He’s a follower, looking for the big score that will set him up for life. He doesn’t see that he will always be the little fish swimming with sharks who will turn on him to save themselves.

  “I know he doesn’t trust me anymore.”

  “Is there someplace he goes when he needs to hide? A friend or a girl who will help him out?”

  “Caden, you’re grasping at straws. The cops know all those things. Everything. This isn’t my brother’s first time hiding from the police. They’ve checked out every known haunt, friends, enemies, and girlfriends. If he’s cooking up meth, he’s doing it somewhere isolated. Not in town, but out in the country. Doesn’t Beck know where?”

  “No. For all their stupidity in other things they’ve kept their operation a secret.”

  “If Beck can’t give you the information, then why do you think I can?”

  “Because you know your brother. You know his habits.”

  “I used to, but he’s been more out of my life than in it the last couple of years. I’m his go-to girl for bailout. I can’t help you.”

  “It better be can’t, because if it’s won’t, you’ll go down with him.”

  Sadie threw up her hands and let them fall in frustration. “What do you want me to say? He’s probably in some abandoned shack on someone’s property. There’ll have to be at least an old dirt road for them to get their supplies in and out. At the bare minimum, they’ll need water, but even that they can bring with them. Since he’s been stealing Kendrick cattle, my guess is that he’s close to the Kendrick land. He didn’t pick the Kendrick cattle for any other reason than he’s lazy as hell when it comes to actual work.”

  “The sheriff’s people have been all over that place and found nothing.”

  “Well, if Connor made it easy we’d all be doing better things right now. It’s probably some trailer they’re able to move, or a shack they’ve camouflaged. I don’t know, but it’s there. If I hear from him again, I’ll let you know. I’ll even try to convince him, again, to turn himself in.”

  Sadie turned her back and walked away, straight up the steps and into the house.

  Rory hung back, eyeing the agent. “She really doesn’t know anything.”

  “How is she? Those marks on her . . .” Caden shook his head, his mouth pulled into a tight line of disapproval and sadness.

  “She’s had it rough since Derek strung her up. Now her father is dead and her brother is in dire need of money or he’s going to end up dead, too. He’s desperate. She hasn’t said it outright, but she knows he’ll use her to get that money if he has to.”

  “Does she have the kind of money he needs?”

  “No. Her brother has sucked every last dime she’s got. Hell, he still owes me. She’s tried to pay off his debt.” Rory read the disapproval in Caden’s eyes. “Hey, I didn’t ask her to or want her to. She has a deep sense of justice and right and wrong. She’s not in this with those guys. I don’t know if her father left any money for her. This property is worth quite a bit thanks to the rich folks moving in and driving up land prices, but she can’t pull any money from the property on a dime. She’d have to get a loan from the bank and I don’t think she’d do that for him. Not now. She’s set on letting him go down for what he’s done.”

  “I need more than her trying to convince Connor to turn himself in. I need her to actively try to make him do it. If I can get my hands on him, I can turn him against the others and pull Beck out.”

  “I won’t let you use her as bait. Derek has a real thing for her. The way he looks at her, it’s like a mountain lion hunting down prey. I won’t let you put her in harm’s way for a bunch of drug dealers.”

  “I can protect her.”

  “Bullshit. Your priority is your brother. She’s mine. I’ll keep tabs on anything she finds out—if her brother contacts her again—and I’ll let you know. That’s the best I can do.”

  Caden handed over his card with his information. “I need a location. If Beck finds it at the very last second, and I don’t have eyes on it ahead of time, it may be too late.”

  “Understood. There’s a lot of wild land out there to cover. I’d suggest you try a helicopter, or one of those drones everyone is arguing about on the news. You might have better luck that way than trying to cover all that territory on the ground.”

  “Are you willing to go for a ride to take a look? You know your land better than anyone, I presume.”

  “Sure. Set it up. I wouldn’t mind getting some aerial shots for my own use.”

  “I’ll be in contact.” Caden held out his hand.

  Rory took it and held tight. “You do anything that puts her in danger, and I’ll take off your head.”

  “Understood. But she finds out anything, I want to know.”

  “Understood.” Rory shook, then released Caden’s hand. He waited for the guy to climb in his truck and drive away. When he turned around, he spotted Sadie standing in the open doorway staring back at him. If anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself. He couldn’t live without her. He didn’t want to. But how to make her a permanent part of his life with all this turmoil mucking up their lives? He didn’t know, but he’d find a way, because her happiness meant everything to him, and she meant everything to his future happiness.

  CHAPTER 22

  Sadie turned from the front door and walked down the hall toward her room. She stopped outside her father’s bedroom door and stared at the stripped bare mattress. The cleaning crew had done a great job.
Not a single drop or splatter of blood remained, but she still saw it clear as day in her mind. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out, trying to erase the image and the echo of fear running through her system.

  Strong hands clamped on to her shoulders and rubbed her tight muscles. She exhaled and relaxed into Rory’s touch. She’d become so used to him touching her in such a short time. “Used to” didn’t quite cover it; she craved his touch. It always calmed and excited her all at once.

  “What does he want from me? I can’t tell him anything the cops don’t already know. My brother is pissed at me, you, the world. What am I supposed to do?”

  “Breathe, sweetheart.”

  She sucked in a ragged breath, turned, and pressed her forehead to his chest. His hands slid around her waist, and he held her gently. That was Rory, a steady presence. One who never pushed her, never asked for more than she was willing to give, and always stood with her.

  She gripped his sides, pushed back, and stared up at him. Before she said a word, he leaned down and kissed her softly.

  “What was that for?”

  “You looked like you needed it.”

  She squished up one side of her mouth and nodded. “I always seem to need a kiss from you.”

  “Happy to supply as many as you need.”

  “One more, then it’s time to get down to business.”

  Rory’s smile just might do her in. He leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers, then brushed his lips over hers and sank in. She opened to him, savoring the glide of his tongue over hers. His hands slid up her sides a second before his thumbs swept along the outside of her breasts. She pressed close to him and his hands rubbed down her back and over her bottom. His fingers sank into her ass and pulled her up and closer, her belly rubbing against his hard length. She wanted to get her hands on him, but not here. Not now. He must have felt the same way, because the minute her hands touched his bare back under his shirt, he pulled away, breathing hard. His intense gaze met hers as he licked his bottom lip in a move so sexy she wanted to bite his lip and taste him again.

  “Honey, you keep kissing and touching me that way, we’re not going to get anything done.”