by Sandy James
Then why was he not staying at that godforsaken ranch, finishing his plans to spirit Grace out of Montana?
Matthew Riley.
The man had vexed Stephen from the time he’d begun to pursue Grace. Always helping get her out of town before Stephen could get his hands on her. Always managing to move her out of his grasp.
Just like today.
This time, Matthew Riley wouldn’t walk away unpunished.
“I will have Grace. She will be mine again.”
A knock on the door ended his pacing. “Come in.”
Skittering into the room like a frightened rodent, Trey hurried to stand in front of Stephen.
Despite the desire to reach out and strangle the life out of his minion, Stephen sighed in resignation. “What did you find out?”
“Not gonna be easy. The ranch is pretty isolated, but snatching her up might be a problem.”
“Why? She’s here. She’s not running away.”
Trey stared at his shoes. “That rancher ain’t gonna let her go easy. Might have to kill him. There’s also the brother—he’s not likely to let Grace outta his sight. Not after all these years.”
Stephen fought the fury racing through him. The beating had left him bruised and sore, and holding a mask of indifference had become next to impossible.
He wanted Matthew Riley broken and bleeding.
Then he wanted him dead.
“I’ll be leaving on the morning stage, but I won’t go far. You, however, will be staying.”
“Stayin’?” Trey asked. “If you’re leavin’, why on earth would I be stayin’?”
Stephen fixed his gaze on Trey. “It’s time to get the brother out of the picture.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Push, Emily.” Grace watched as a patch of dark hair began to emerge. “That’s it. Push!”
Victoria held Emily’s hand as the mother-to-be grunted and bore down hard enough her whole body shook with the effort.
“You’re almost there,” Grace coaxed, trying to keep the panic flowing through her out of her voice. “One more push should do the trick.”
She still found it hard to believe that she was helping bring her granddaughter into the world. Funny, but she’d had a feeling right from the beginning that this baby would be a girl. She’d pictured the child in her mind a million times, blending her long ago memories of Jake’s face with Emily’s features.
The night had been long for poor Emily. Grace’s terror had subsided as she realized she was a comfort to her. The fear of something going wrong remained, but she swallowed it and showed Emily only confidence.
The last few hours, the pains had come more and more swiftly until Grace had tears in her eyes each time she saw Emily’s features contort, signaling the beginning of another pain. Offering silent prayers for Emily and her grandchild helped her focus and keep her head.
The first orange streaks of sunrise had just appeared when the baby decided she’d waited long enough. The pains came—one right on top of another.
All Grace could do was give Emily as much encouragement as possible and pray she’d soon hold the little one in her arms. “You can do this, honey. Your baby’s almost here. One good push.”
And what a push it was. Emily gritted her teeth, pulled her knees up, and bore down until her face flushed beet red.
The baby’s head and shoulders came sliding out so fast, Grace had to work frantically to catch the tiny girl. Grabbing a cloth, she wiped away the mucous covering the baby’s face, especially around the mouth and nostrils.
“Breathe,” she whispered. “C’mon, sweet baby. Breathe for me.”
The infant squirmed, opened her mouth, and let out a wail that made all three women weep and laugh at the same time.
Thank you, God, for this precious little life.
“Is he okay?” Emily tried to push herself up by her elbows to see. “Ten fingers? Ten toes?”
“She,” Grace replied with a smile as she finished cleaning up the squalling infant, “is perfect and very, very beautiful. Chubby and pink and absolutely furious, but beautiful nonetheless.”
After tying off and cutting the cord, she wrapped the baby in the blanket Victoria held out for her. Victoria helped Emily lay back so Grace could place Emily’s daughter in her arms.
“She’s so small.” Victoria ran trembling fingers over the baby’s blanketed head.
“That’s the way they come.” Grace let a chuckle to hide the fear that still thrummed through her. So many things could’ve gone wrong—so many things still could. And, dear God, she offered continual thanks that she was really seeing her granddaughter with her own eyes.
“Hi, baby,” Emily cooed, gently touching a fingertip to her daughter’s face. “I’m your mama.”
The infant opened her eyes as if searching for the voice she’d just heard.
Much as she wanted to simply stare at her new granddaughter, Grace went about helping get Emily through the afterbirth, cleaned up, and ready to see her husband, who still waited right outside the door. His footsteps pacing the length of the hall and back hadn’t stopped the whole night through. Every now and then when Emily groaned or cursed after a strong labor pain, he would shout a shaky apology through the door.
Jake had only come into the room once, thinking to help his wife by holding her hand or wiping her brow with a cool cloth. After only two strong pains, the color had drained from his face. Emily told him to leave because she didn’t want him swooning on her. He hadn’t even tried to argue and had, in fact, fled the room as if the devil himself was on his heels.
As Emily set the infant to her breast, Victoria took her leave. The instant the door was opened, Jake hurried into the room.
“I heard crying. How’s my son?”
Emily, tired though she was, gave him a smile. “Your daughter is wonderful.”
“Daughter? I–I have a daughter?” He looked so wobbly, a slight breeze might’ve blow him over.
“Steady there, Jake.” Grace laid a hand on his arm.
He turned his gaze to her. His smile was so genuine, so loving, it brought fresh tears to her eyes. “Thank you, Grace.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek.
Her hand covered the spot his lips had touched.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“Sorry?”
“That I was so cruel to you when you got here. I’m ashamed of myself. For God’s sake, you’re my sister.”
She swallowed hard. “You forgive me? You really forgive me?”
Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged the breath right out of her lungs. Then he turned her loose and hurried to his wife’s side
Adam stood in the doorway. His welcoming smile almost reduced Grace to nothing but a blubbering mess.
Dear Lord, she was exhausted. And numb. Too much had happened too quickly, and all she wanted to do was go back to Twin Springs and sleep in her own bed with Adam’s arms wrapped around her. Then, maybe she could finally think of some solution to all her problems. The weight of the past and her lies were unbearable.
He opened his arms to her.
She surrendered to his embrace and snuggled tight against him. “Take me home, husband.”
“Gladly, wife.”
***
Adam didn’t press Grace to talk.
She’d dozed on and off as they made the trip home, barely able to keep her eyes open long enough to greet Matthew as he’d passed them on his way to take Victoria’s mare to town.
Grace had done him proud. He was sure that spine of hers was made of the strongest steel. She’d been through so much in the last twenty-four hours. Realizing she was pregnant. The appearance of Stephen Shay. And she’d had to deliver a baby when she’d never even been a mother herself.
Or so she says….
He had another theory that might’ve seemed far-fetched when it had first formed.
Not anymore.
Now wasn’t the time to force the issue. Grace would open up when she was ready—not
a moment before.
Her head bobbed. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. A sleepy sigh fell from her lips as she pressed up closer.
So many questions ran through his head, but he wouldn’t put them to her. Not now. There would be time aplenty after she had some rest.
Somehow, someway they’d get this whole mess sorted out.
Victoria was safe, staying on in Grace’s old room at the Four Aces to help Emily with the new baby. Matthew was staying on as well, sleeping on a cot in the back room of the saloon. He’d vowed to keep an eye on Victoria to make sure Stephen Shay wasn’t causing her any trouble. Knowing things between Matthew and Victoria were shaky at best, Adam had been afraid to ask him to watch over her. Thankfully, Matthew had come up with the plan on his own.
Not much of a surprise.
No one had seen hide or hair of Stephen after he’d left with his beady-eyed assistant, but there was little hope he’d leave them in peace for too long. Something told Adam that Stephen wasn’t there for Victoria—she was only a means to an end.
He feared that end was his wife.
She might hate it, but he wasn’t going to let Grace go too far without being glued to her side.
Pulling back the reins, he brought the wagon to a stop when they reached the ranch. “Gracie.” He gave her a little nudge. “Go inside, darlin’. I’ll put the horses away and join you. We could both use some sleep.”
“I should make you some breakfast,” she mumbled, still more asleep than awake.
“You’ll do no such thing. Go to bed. I’ll come and catch some sleep with you as soon as I get the horses unhitched.”
Adam crawled out of the wagon and then lifted his wife to the ground. One quick hug before he turned her toward the back door and gave her a gentle push between her shoulder blades to get her moving.
By the time he made it up to their bedroom, he’d expected to find her snuggled under the blankets, sound asleep. Instead, she knelt in the middle of bed, wearing nothing but the beauty God graced her with.
His body responded hard and fast. “Grace... You’re exhausted.”
She opened her arms to him. “I need you.”
As if he’d make her ask twice…
He tugged off his shoes and socks, pulled off his shirt fast enough a couple of buttons popped off, and removed his pants.
Grace crawled to the edge of the bed, and in a matter of moments his naked body was against hers. Her kiss was downright desperate. Deep and furious, her tongue rubbed over his as he growled low in his throat.
She pressed her breasts against his chest. “Make love to me.”
Adam answered her with another deep kiss as he lifted her to lay her down on the bed. Covering her body with his, he parted her thighs with his knee so he could settle himself against her. She replied by wrapping her legs around his hips and squeezing.
He tried to go slow—to take his time so he could coax her response—but she dragged her nails across his shoulders and murmured that she wanted him inside her and that she wanted it now.
“Patience,” he whispered in her ear.
His lips moved to her neck as she tilted her head to bare more of it to him. Her toes rubbed against his legs as she mewled her pleasure. He kissed along her collarbone to the valley between her breasts, teasing her with what he knew she wanted. Her hands moved to his head, fingers sliding through his hair as she gently guided him toward her breast. With a smug smile, he kissed her pink nipple, teasing and taunting with his tongue.
“Please, Adam.”
He rewarded her by tugging on that taut nipple with his teeth before drawing it into his mouth.
Grace arched up against him. When his hands were on her body, he could let everything bad fall away. His world was reduced to the feel of her skin, the warmth of her lips, and the love they shared.
His kisses moved lower. Down her stomach—where he stopped to press his lips to her skin to kiss his unborn child—to the juncture of her thighs. When he nudged her thighs, she opened her legs wider. Then he kissed the very core of her, finding her sensitive nub and stabbing his tongue in and out of her tight channel.
“Come to me,” she begged, tugging on his hair.
He wouldn’t obey. Instead he kept up his tender assault on her senses. Only when her release tore through her did he raise himself up to surge inside her body.
Adam held her hips tight as he drove into her again and again. His name spilled from her lips in a breathless whisper and knowing she’d found fulfillment again, he claimed his own.
He never wanted their connection to end, pushing into his wife in lesser strokes and holding her against him. She felt so wonderful—so tight and so hot—if he stayed inside her too much longer, he’d get hard again. She needed her rest, not her husband pawing at her.
He broke their intimate link and rolled to his side, dragging her up against his body. With a kiss on the top of her head, he said, “Sleep now, darlin’.”
When she didn’t reply, he nudged her chin up so he could see her face.
His wife was sound asleep.
***
Adam woke to Grace’s frantic screams. She thrashed against the covers, fighting some nightmare foe.
He held her close. “Wake up, Gracie. It’s just a bad dream.”
Her eyes few open, full of fear—like a cornered animal. As her gaze found his, the panic slowly ebbed and her breathing eased so she was no long panting for each breath.
“Safe now?” she asked, her voice ragged.
“You’re safe now.”
Her whole body relaxed. After only a few moments, she drifted back to sleep.
It was no coincidence that her nightmares returned when Stephen Shay popped up in White Pines.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Grace slept until the early hours of the afternoon. Feeling a bit sinful for being so slovenly, she reminded herself that she’d been up the entire night helping Emily and the baby.
Reality hit her hard. Stephen had found her.
Her first instinct was to plan an escape. Running had always been what she’d done best.
The fear only lasted a few moments. A good look around the bedroom told her that her running days had ended the day she married Adam Morgan—because for the first time, she had a reason to stay put.
More than one reason...
As she rested her palm against her stomach, she closed her eyes and thanked her Maker for sending her not only a guardian angel but another child to love.
Dressing quickly, she hurried down to the kitchen.
Adam welcomed her with a warm smile.
She smiled back—until she remembered that he would want answers about Stephen Shay.
He didn’t say a word as she gathered a few things to eat, even pulled out the chair for her. As she picked at her food, he took the seat next to her, sipped some coffee, and stared at her with those wise blue eyes.
Nausea roiled through her. She pushed the plate away, knowing morning sickness wasn’t the only thing plaguing her. The food tasted wonderful, but her stomach was so tied up in nervous knots, she couldn’t force herself to eat.
“You ready to talk now?” he asked.
“I’d rather not.”
“I’d rather so.”
“Can we please go into town first and see how Emily and the baby are doing?”
Grace’s first thoughts upon waking had been if either of them had needed her during this night. Was her granddaughter nursing well? Was Emily getting enough rest to help her recover from the delivery? Did Victoria need any assistance in caring for them?
So much could still put both mother and child in danger…
She was turning into a nervous ninny. Would she be that paranoid raising her own baby? She’d probably worry about every sneeze, every cough.
She hadn’t realized she was wringing her hands until Adam’s touch stopped her.
“Gracie, what’s got you so worried?”
“Emily. And th
e baby. What if—”
“Stop. Just stop. We’ll go into White Pines. Seeing they’re both fine will put your mind at ease.”
A smile started to form on her lips until the next words fell from his mouth.
“We need to talk about Stephen Shay.”
She started wringing her hands again. “I–I don’t want to talk about him. You told me he left town. Can’t we put it behind us?”
Taking her hands into his, he stroked her palms with his thumbs. “Sometimes if you face what scares you, it’s not so scary anymore.”
“I can’t.”
Stephen Shay wasn’t scary—he was terrifying.
“I’ll protect you, Grace.”
Her husband’s tone was harsh, probably harsher than he’d ever used with her before. Not that she didn’t deserve it. She’d done nothing but divert his attention anytime he asked about her connection to Stephen. Adam was too smart by half, and she had no doubt he’d figured out most of what Stephen had done to her.
But he couldn’t possibly know Jake was her son.
“I know,” she replied. “I’m sorry, Adam.” She heaved a weary sigh. “Can we please go see Emily and the baby first? When we get back, we’ll talk. I promise.”
“As soon as we get back, you’ll tell me everything.”
A command rather than a question.
Grace nodded, her stomach leaping into her throat at the notion of laying all her secrets bare for her husband to see.
But Adam loved her. He would understand. If not understand, maybe at least forgive.
“Everything,” she promised. “I’ll tell you everything.”
They were on the road to town less than thirty minutes later. A couple of the bigger bumps made the bile rise in the back of her throat. She kept her thoughts and her nausea to herself, not wanting to be a burden.
“Sorry, darlin’. You still feeling poorly?”
The man was too perceptive. “Just a little.”
“It’ll pass in a few months.”
She sighed. “I know.”
“You know?” His head tilted, a smug grin on his lips. “Hard to believe you’ve been around a lot of womenfolk on all those long drives. How did you learn about morning sickness?”
