“You just ate two donuts,” Katy groused, shaking her head in disgust.
“Yeah, but there’s this cute little dark haired beauty at Mac’s that Jace likes to drool over while I talk to Dottie. And since I’m in the giving mood today...”
Ryder laughed when Jace flipped him off, but in the back of his mind his thoughts were on Rayna Williams. Why would someone volunteer for a mission like the one she was on? Did the woman have a death wish? How the hell were they going to keep her safe?
Chapter 6
After three full days of meetings, Rayna was finally allowed to leave for Serenity Springs. Agent Brentworth left the day before, driving an older Ford pickup truck, and hauling a horse trailer with a gorgeous Buckskin gelding in the back. At first she assumed the agency obtained the horse for him to go along with his undercover identity, but she’d been wrong. Pistols belonged to Nathan, and had for over five years. Rayna hadn’t even recognized the man when she and Agent Donaldson stopped by a pre-arranged meeting place to go over everything one last time. His hair was now a light brown, his eyes pale blue with the help of contacts. Instead of his usual suit and tie, he wore a black tee-shirt that clung tightly to his thick, muscular chest. His jeans were frayed and well worn, with a rip in one knee. He’d tilted the brim of his dusty Stetson back with a cocky grin and drawled, “Hello beautiful. The name’s Nate Burrows. I don’t believe we’ve met?”
Rayna had almost swallowed her tongue. Gone was the gruff, straight-laced FBI agent. In his place stood a laid back, cocky-as-hell cowboy dripping of sensual recklessness. “You better tone that down some around those young teenagers,” she warned, fighting laughter. “They are very impressionable at that age.” Nate just shrugged, and continued on with the meeting, never once letting go of his new persona.
The agency decided not to go too in depth with a cover story for her. Everyone agreed sticking as close to the truth as possible was best. They had no idea how much information Diego Cortez had managed to dig up on her already from the mole in their office, and they didn’t want to compromise the mission before it even started. Besides, the idea was to draw Cortez to her, so there was no reason to hide. Right now, Rayna’s file stated that she was on an extended leave of absence for the next few months. She was taking a much needed break before starting a new position with the federal office in Dallas, Texas, which was closer to her new home in Serenity Springs. That position would not be available until after the first of the year, but it had already been promised to her.
The drive from Virginia to Texas took two days, but she had finally arrived. Entering Serenity Springs, Rayna pulled up to a four-way stop on the town square, taking a moment to look around briefly while she waited for her turn to continue on. It had been twelve years since she’d last been there, but the place still looked the same for the most part. She could see some new business establishments, but the building layouts on the outside were still the same. She smiled at a mother and small child who crossed the street in front of her, before taking her foot off the brake and slowly pulling through the intersection.
Even though she was tempted to, Rayna did not stop anywhere in town. Instead, she drove through and turned east onto Highway 2. After another mile, she turned south onto a rock road. Rayna knew she should check in with the sheriff, but she wasn’t ready for that conversation just yet. First, she needed to go see the last place she had ever truly been happy. She needed to go home.
In just three more miles, Rayna found what she was looking for. Her hands trembled slightly as she turned right, and then slowly drove down the long driveway to the old farmhouse. It was a large, two story home with a beautiful wraparound porch. The house was freshly painted, a pretty yellow color with white trim, and she could just barely catch a glimpse of a white gazebo in the back. She remembered spending hours in that gazebo, curled up on the seat reading, and dreaming about a blond haired boy with mesmerizing blue eyes who made her pulse race, and a crooked grin she had wanted to trace with her fingertips. She’d never gotten the chance, but those dreams stayed with her for years.
Slowly making her way around the circular drive, Rayna’s hands tightened on the steering wheel before she came to a stop in front of the house. She sat there for a long moment before finally shutting the car off and removing the key from the ignition. Shoring up her courage, she made herself open her car door. As much as she wanted to be there, needed to be there, a part of her wished she could just start the car and drive right back down the driveway.
So many memories were rushing back at once. Memories she had managed to suppress for years. Matty chasing their dog, Bandit, across the yard, his loud giggles lost in the wind as they raced around. Her Mom hanging up laundry on the clothesline, a loving smile spread across her pretty face as she watched them run. Her sister had always been closer to their mother, while Rayna was a daddy’s girl. She and her father were so much alike, from their love of books, to the way they enjoyed anything that had to do with the outdoors. There were many nights she, Matty, and their father would pitch a tent in the backyard and camp out, roasting marshmallows over a small fire, while her mother and sister stayed inside watching movies and eating popcorn.
To the right of the house was an older, dark red barn where Matty liked to play with his tractors on the dirt floor. Rayna preferred snuggling the cats and kittens that lived in the loft while daydreaming about anything and everything.
Rayna felt her chest tighten with suppressed emotions as she finally made herself get out of the car and walk to the house. When she found the place for sale online the month before, she bought the house sight unseen, without even bothering with any home inspections or a walk-through. She received a lot of money when her family was murdered; money that she had only used for college, preferring to get a job and pay her own way in life, and so she was able to purchase the home with cash. The paperwork was signed in front of a notary in Virginia, and the keys handed over at that time.
Forcing her legs to move, Rayna reluctantly climbed the stairs to the porch and made her way to the front door. Her breath caught in her throat when she swore she heard her mother’s laughter and Bandit barking. She missed her family so much. Inserting the key into the lock, Rayna turned it, pushing the door open and stepping inside the entryway. To her right was a large, open living room with light-colored carpet and beige walls. Walking slowly through it, she smiled tremulously as she remembered sitting on an old, light blue couch beside her sister, listening to Ryder Caldwell strum his guitar as he sang to them. He always had his guitar with him back then, and she loved it.
Next was the dining room. There had been many family dinners at a large table in the middle of that room. So much teasing and laughter, and even some tears on occasion, but always love. They had all been so close.
Her heart breaking at the memories, Rayna turned and made her way across the room, before stopping in the doorway of a bright yellow kitchen. There was a small table with four chairs under the window straight across from her. A breakfast nook separated the area from the kitchen appliances, and a laundry room was through a door in the back of the kitchen area, along with a small bathroom. She remembered her mother and sister baking cookies while she and her brother tried to steal them. Her mother always tried to get her to help make them, but Rayna would rather lick the batter from the bowl. She chuckled softly, thinking that she still wasn’t much of a cook. She lived on takeout and TV dinners normally, which was just fine with her. Give her a gun over an oven any day.
After one last look around, Rayna made her way back through the large, empty house to the stairs leading up to the second floor. Trailing a hand lightly along the dark wood of the banister, she slowly climbed the stairs to the bedrooms above. When she reached the top, she turned to the right and walked toward a smaller room at the end of the hall. It was painted a light green color with white trim. When they lived there, it had been dark green with a John Deere border around the top. Matty used to spend hours in the middle of the floor playi
ng with little cars, trucks, tractors, and trailers. Tomboy that she was, Rayna loved to play with him.
Fighting tears, Rayna turned and walked back down the hall, stopping in front of a large, open, cream-colored room. Entering it, Rayna let out a shaky breath, the tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. It was the bedroom she had shared with her sister. Crossing the room, she stopped by the large window with the cushioned bench beneath it. Placing a trembling hand on the wall to the side of the window, Rayna gazed out over the pasture land below. This had always been her favorite place in the house. If you could not find her in the gazebo or hayloft with a book in her hands, this was where she would be, lost in someone’s fantasy. Books had been a way for her to dream about love and adventure, and forget about the reality of their lives; always living in fear that they would someday be found by Diego and his men.
She remembered clearly the way the room looked when she was growing up. The walls painted a light blue color, the border made up of magnificent horses. Rayna’s side of the room held two bookshelves, both stuffed full of books she loved to get lost in. Her sister’s side had its own shelves filled with captivating images she’d taken throughout the years. She loved taking pictures and watching them come alive when they were printed. She had dreamt of becoming a famous photographer someday, living in California or New York.
Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, Rayna rested her forehead against the wall as she recalled the whispered conversations she and her sister would have nightly; from their love of horses, to cute boys, to their hopes and dreams of the future. Only a year apart in age, they had been very close. There was one secret Rayna never shared with anyone, though, especially not her sister. She had never admitted her feelings for Ryder Caldwell to anyone except herself.
Taking a deep breath, Rayna pushed down the memories threatening to tear her apart. Wiping the wetness from her face, she left the room and made her way down the hall, pausing in front of the last room. The master bedroom where her parents used to sleep.
Entering the room, Rayna’s gaze slowly wandered around the pale yellow room. She could picture her parents’ king-sized bed on the far wall, large enough for Rayna and her siblings to crawl in and cuddle with their mother. They had spent several Saturday mornings in that bed watching cartoons when they were younger. They would laugh and giggle for hours over the silliest things.
Unable to stand the bittersweet memories any longer, Rayna dropped to her knees in the middle of the floor and sobbed. Grief swamped her and anger began to rise. Why had she lived when the rest of her family was taken from her? They were gone. All of them...gone. She had been alone for so long, facing all of life’s trials and tribulations on her own. Unable to hold the pain deep inside any longer, Rayna felt a bellow of heartache and rage rip from her throat, scream after scream following.
Chapter 7
Ryder reined Cochise in as his gaze rested on the farmhouse before him. It had been years since he’d been this close to Olivia’s old place. At first he had visited daily, hoping by some miracle that she and her family would return; that the news of their accident was a horrible mistake and they had just left suddenly for a surprise vacation or were visiting family somewhere, and would be home soon. Finally, when he was able to admit to himself that they would not be coming back, he decided avoiding the place was a better idea. After that, he only stopped by once a year, on the anniversary of their deaths, and he never allowed himself to get near enough to the house to be spotted trespassing by the new owners.
There was a black, four-door car parked in front of the house, the back filled with boxes. It looked like Rayna Williams was finally here. They were beginning to wonder if she’d changed her mind, which no one would blame her if she did. What she planned to do was just plain crazy in Ryder’s opinion.
As he was debating on whether or not he should go knock on the door and introduce himself, a blood-curdling scream came from inside the house. After quickly calling for backup, Ryder urged Cochise across the large expanse of yard that separated him from the house at a dead run. Reining him in at the bottom of the porch steps, he swiftly dismounted. Pulling his gun from the holster at his side, Ryder raced up the stairs and didn’t hesitate to push open the front door.
The screams were coming from the second level of the house. Not wasting time to clear the main floor, Ryder flew up the stairs and briefly checked the bedrooms to the right of the long hallway before swiftly making his way toward the other end. He stiffened when he looked into the last bedroom. There, kneeling in the middle of the floor, was a small woman who he assumed was Rayna. Her small hands were clenched tightly into fists at her sides. Her head was flung back as if she were yelling at the heavens, her dark brown hair resting just below her shoulders. The pain and anguish on her beautiful face twisted his insides, and when she screamed loudly again, he could not stop himself from stepping forward.
“Rayna,” he crooned soothingly, cautiously making his way toward her. The woman’s eyes sprang open and she quickly reached for her gun. “Hey now, sweetheart,” he said with a gentle smile as he slipped his own gun back into his holster, “it’s alright. I’m not here to hurt you.”
As she continued to stare at him, he saw her eyes widen in shock. His own gaze narrowing, he felt his heart jump and then speed up erratically. This could not be happening. No fucking way was this happening. He blinked several times before swallowing hard and taking a step forward.
He would know those big, alluring brown eyes anywhere. He’d seen them so many times when he was growing up. Her hair had been longer, almost to her waist, and a shade or two lighter. She was older now, but her features were unmistakable; so much like her sister’s, yet so different.
“Macey?” he rasped, as he fought to comprehend what was happening. Shaking his head in denial, Ryder took another step closer before whispering hoarsely, “I thought you were dead? They told us there was a car accident. That your whole family died.”
Rayna slowly tucked her 9mm back into her holster as she stared at the man in front of her. A dusty, cream-colored straw Stetson covered short, blond hair. Dark lashes framed clear blue eyes that looked at her in stunned shock. He had a strong jawline, and a perfect mouth with hard lips that were slightly open as he watched her. Ryder was dressed in a blue and white sleeveless checkered shirt, tight Wranglers, and a pair of dirty cowboy boots that were clearly worn by a hardworking rancher. It was just the way she remembered him, for the most part. He was obviously older, and harder. His body had filled out into a long, lanky, and muscular build. She could see tattoos on each arm and one peeking out from his button-up shirt on his chest. Years ago, he didn’t have tattoos. She loved body art, and wanted to see what else graced his skin.
She’d missed him so much. His teasing, his laughter, his music, everything about him. At least everything about the boy he used to be. She was sure there were things about him besides his appearance that had changed, just like there were things about her that were different now too.
“You’re alive,” he rasped again. “Does this mean...? Is Olivia?” And right there was the reason she had never told anyone how she really felt about Ryder Caldwell. Even at seventeen years old, she knew that Ryder didn’t return her feelings, because those amazing, captivating eyes were always on her sister.
Taking a deep breath, Rayna placed her hands lightly on her hips. “Hello, Ryder,” she said softly, unable to tear her gaze away from his.
Before she could respond to his question about Olivia, Rayna heard the sound of a car coming down the long driveway. Quickly moving past Ryder, she ran to Matty’s old room to look out the window. She relaxed when she saw that it was the sheriff’s truck. Rayna watched as Sheriff Creed Caldwell and Deputy Katy Caldwell stepped out of the vehicle, their guns drawn and ready. It was nice to know she would have backup on this suicide mission, as long as no one got themselves killed.
Turning to leave the room, she stopped short when she saw Ryder blocking the doorway. He was leaning on t
he doorjamb, hands placed on either side of the door frame effectively blocking her escape. “Is she alive?” he demanded roughly.
Slowly, Rayna shook her head in regret. “No, Ryder. She’s not. I’m the only one who survived that night. Trust me, I wish it were different. I would give anything to have my family back.”
The muscle in his jaw ticked, but that was the only outward sign that he had heard her. His face became a mask, a blank slate showing no emotion, before he turned and walked away.
Rayna stood alone in the empty bedroom for several moments, before finally following him down the stairs and out the front door where he stood talking to his brother and sister. She waited silently on the porch at the top of the stairs for them to acknowledge her presence before saying, “Creed, Katy. I was going to come and check in at the station after my stop here.” Gazing out over the yard and into the fields beyond, she went on, “I have a lot to tell all of you. We can do it here or at the station, but staying out in the open like this is not a good idea.”
“Do you think Cortez already knows that you are here?” Creed asked, his voice low and gravelly.
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Rayna replied, glancing back in his direction. “But even if he does, I don’t think he will strike yet. He will watch, and he will wait until he thinks my guard is down, just like he did with my parents. Unfortunately for him, my guard will never be down. I worry more for you and your family’s safety than my own.”
“We are here to help you, Macey,” Katy said as she stepped forward, her eyes full of concern and sympathy. “You don’t have to go through this alone.”
“It’s Rayna now. I haven’t been Macey Johnson since I woke up and found out that son of a bitch killed my entire family. After that, I became Rayna Williams, and I have fought hard every day to become the woman I am now. The woman who will take Diego Cortez down.” And she would bring him down, there was no doubt in her mind. Her dark eyes glittering with determination, Rayna turned and walked back to the front door. Opening it, she looked back, “It’s better if we have this discussion here at the house. I don’t want to endanger any more people than I have to.”
Saving His Soul (Serenity Springs Series, #3) Page 4
