Saving His Soul (Serenity Springs Series, #3)

by Dawn Sullivan

“And both of them are just fine,” Rayna told him. Lyssa might not make it, but he didn’t need to know about that. “Your men, on the other hand, are in custody.”

  There was a flicker of unease in Diego’s eyes, and he glanced around the farm quickly before looking back at her. “You’re lying.”

  “Am I?’ Cocking an eyebrow, Rayna went on, “Not only that, but the man you sent to the Caldwell’s up the road is also sitting in jail. They are all turning over evidence on you as we speak.”

  “Looks like you are the only one left.” Ryder’s voice rang out from behind her, “The two in the barn didn’t quite make it out, and it doesn’t look like the ones out here fared any better.”

  Taking advantage of the distraction, Rayna kicked out, connecting with the gun in Diego’s hand, and sending it flying. He rushed forward, grabbing her and yanking her into his arms, her back against his chest. She felt the bite of a knife in her side, as she locked eyes with Ryder. He held his gun leveled on them, not lowering it, even with the threat to her life. He trusted her. He knew she would want to go down fighting, no matter what, she could see it in his eyes.

  “Hiding behind a woman, Diego?” Ryder said, shaking his head. “Rayna was right, you really are nothing but a coward.”

  Rayna smiled at the sound of sirens coming their way. Here comes the cavalry. Too bad it would be over before they got there.

  “I’ve had enough of you bitch! Say hi to your parents for me!” Rayna felt the knife cut into her, but she didn’t let the sharp pain stop her. Slamming her elbow into his side, she threw her head back connecting with his face. There was a satisfying crunch, and then she twisted around, grabbing his arms and wrestling him to the ground. Diego lost the knife in their struggle, and soon Rayna had him on his stomach, and she was straddling him. “You bastard,” she yelled, digging her knee into the center of his back. “I should fucking kill you for what you did to me.”

  “Do it!” he sneered. “You don’t have the balls!”

  “That’s where you are wrong,” she said, slamming his head into the ground. “I just choose not to kill unless it’s absolutely necessary. Besides, the thought of you rotting away in prison seems like a better idea to me.”

  “I agree.” Ryder said, jumping over the side of the gazebo to get to her quickly. “Besides, where he’s going, he probably won’t last a month.”

  Hearing a soft moan behind her, Rayna turned to look at the boy who had just saved her life. She wanted to go to him, but she refused to let up at all on Diego until he was in a pair of cuffs.

  Nickolas was silent when the authorities arrived to take away his father. Rayna stayed by his side until the EMTs showed up to take him to the hospital. Wishing that she could go with him, but knowing she needed to stay behind for questioning and to file her report, she promised Nickolas that she would be there soon. She saw the disbelief in his gaze before he turned away, blocking her out.

  Chapter 39

  Rayna’s boots clicked loudly on the hospital floor as she made her way down the hall toward Nickolas’s room. She was exhausted. After three hours with the FBI and Serenity Springs police department, she and Ryder spent another hour at his place with his parents. The man his mother shot was going to live, and Cara seemed to be doing fine, but they were worried about Ryder’s father. Even though the doctors had looked Charles over, they wanted someone to keep an eye on him throughout the night, just to make sure the stress wasn’t too much on his heart.

  With the fear of another heart attack on their minds, none of his family wanted to leave his side. Creed and Katy had decided to split the time, so he was at the ranch now, while she was on duty. Caiden was also at the house, and Rayna had left Ryder with them, promising to call him as soon as she made it home, no matter what time it was. She didn’t want to leave him, but she could not just abandon Nickolas at the hospital. She knew what it was like to be in pain, in a room by yourself, with no family, and no one who really cared about you. She would not leave Nickolas alone like that.

  There were two deputies posted outside Nickolas’s door, and she could see Katy talking to a doctor in the small waiting room not far away. “Is that really necessary?” she asked by way of greeting. “I’m sure the kid isn’t going to get up and run away after all that he’s been through.”

  “It’s for his protection,” Katy said, before smiling and thanking the doctor. Turning back to Rayna after he left, she continued, “I just want to make sure that his dickhead dad doesn’t have any more of his goons around that could harm him.”

  Rayna rubbed a hand over her eyes wearily. “Thanks. I’m sorry, Katy. I just know what Nickolas is going through. I should have been here before now. He probably thinks I’ve forgotten about him.”

  Katy slipped an arm around Rayna’s shoulder, pulling her in for a quick hug, before backing away. “Then I’m glad he has you in his corner. He’s going to need someone.”

  Rayna glanced over when she heard footsteps coming down the hall, relieved when she saw Nathan and Harper. “Thank God,” she breathed. Knowing they were alright, and actually seeing it with her own eyes, were two different things.

  Nathan stopped beside her, nodding stiffly to both her and Katy. Rayna cringed inwardly at the tension rolling off both him and Harper. They stood a distance apart from one another, keeping their eyes on Rayna. “We are certain all of Cortez’s men have been apprehended,” Nathan said, his voice full of authority, definitely the FBI agent now, and not Nate Burrows. “Nickolas should be safe now.”

  “And Lyssa?” Rayna questioned.

  Nathan’s eyes turned glacier hard, and one of his hands clenched tightly into a fist. “She’s been life-flighted to a hospital in Dallas. She’s in critical condition. They don’t know if she is going to make it.”

  Rayna held back tears as she sat down in one of the chairs near her. “It’s my fault,” she whispered. “If I hadn’t come here, if I hadn’t pushed to bring Diego down, Lyssa wouldn’t be in this situation. Nickolas wouldn’t be hurting.”

  “Stop right there,” Nathan said gruffly, walking over to sit beside her. “Diego Cortez is a piece of shit, Rayna. He preys on others for his own enjoyment. Not only did you manage to capture him, but you took down a lot of his crew too. Think of all the lives you saved that they would have taken in the future. I am sure Lyssa would agree that whatever happens, taking him out of the picture was worth it.” When Rayna would have protested, Nathan reached over and took her hand in his. “As for that boy in there, you saved his life too.”

  “No,” she whispered, “he saved mine. He jumped in front of me to take a bullet that was meant for me, Nathan.”

  “Yes, and he is a fucking hero for it. Don’t take that away from him, Rayna. You go in there and you tell him how proud you are of him, just like I’m telling you right now. I am so damn proud of you, Rayna Williams. You are one of the best agents I have ever worked with, and I would want you on my side any time.”

  Rayna swallowed hard, covering his hand with hers. “Thank you, Nathan. You don’t know what that means to me.” Looking at Harper, she said, “I heard Barker and Masters ended up on your ranch after their visit to Lyssa. I’m so sorry, Harper.”

  Harper’s gaze went from her to Nathan, then back again. “Don’t be, Rayna. Nate filled me in on what’s been going on. I’m just glad they caught the bastards so you can live your life in freedom now.”

  “Thank God none of the children were there when they showed up,” Katy said, “although it looked like you were doing just fine when I got there.”

  A short burst of laughter left Nathan, as he looked at Harper for the first time since they arrived, pride in his eyes. “She had them hogtied and waiting for me by the time I got there. Remind me not to mess with her in the future.”

  Rayna saw Harper flinch before she replied, “I was just protecting what’s mine.”

  Something was definitely not right between Nate and Harper, but it wasn’t her place to interfere. Standing, Rayna smiled, �
�I think it’s time we went to check on Nickolas. He needs to know he isn’t alone in all of this.”

  “I agree,” Harper said. “I would like to go with you, if you don’t mind.”

  “Of course not. I think your expertise will help in this situation.”

  They made their way down the hall to Nickolas’s room, Katy and Nathan following close behind. The deputies nodded at them as they entered the room, not moving from their posts. Nickolas lay in the bed staring out the window beside him. He sported a stark white bandage where the bullet had entered his shoulder. From what the doctor said, he was lucky because it was a clean shot that went straight through, hitting nothing vital. After some physical therapy, he would be just fine.

  “Hey there,” Rayna said, walking over to Nickolas, “Sorry it took so long for me to get here. I had to take care of some things first.”

  “Like putting my father in jail.”

  It wasn’t a question, and she decided honesty was the best policy. “Yes, Nickolas. It’s where he belongs.”

  He finally turned to look at her, and her heart filled with compassion at the lost look in his eyes. “And me? Is that where I belong too?”

  “No,” she said softly, sitting down beside him and taking his hand in hers.

  “How do you know? Maybe I’m just like him.”

  Squeezing his hand, Rayna smiled. “I know a lot about you, Nickolas Matthew Cortez. I know that you love to read. You read everything you can get your hands on, both fiction and non-fiction. I know that you sketch beautiful pictures. I know that you excel in school, getting straight A’s.” Reaching out, she cradled his chin in her hand, “And I know you are a good person. A very good person. You are nothing like your father, Nickolas. You are your own person, and now you get to build your own life, just the way you want it.”

  Nickolas’s jaw clenched, and he admitted, “I’ve hurt people before. I didn’t want to, but he made me.”

  “I know that too,” Rayna said, letting go of his jaw to ruffle his hair. “I also know that it was against your will.”

  “I should have done something.”

  “You did,” Nathan interjected from where he stood leaning against the far wall. “You saved Rayna’s life today, Nickolas. You stood up to your father, and took a bullet meant for her. That means something.”

  Nickolas looked over at Nathan, and she could see the war he was fighting inside. “That doesn’t make up for what I’ve done in the past.”

  “No,” Nathan agreed, “but you have the rest of your life for that. It’s your choice how you live it, but you took a step in the right direction today, kid. I have confidence that you will prove to be the man I know you can be.”

  Nickolas’s gaze went from him, to Harper, to Rayna, before he nodded. “I’m not my father.”

  “No,” Rayna said, patting his hand gently, “you are not.”

  Nickolas was quiet for a moment before he said, “If I’m not going to prison, does that mean I will be put in foster care?”

  “That’s where I come in,” Harper responded, stepping forward.

  “Are you a social worker?”

  “No, I’m not.” Harper smiled, placing her hands on her hips and lifting an eyebrow. “Do I look like a social worker?”

  A small smile lifted the corner of Nickolas’s mouth. “No, not really. Not like any of the ones I’ve seen on TV anyway.”

  Harper laughed, shaking her head. “You got that right, Nicky my boy, I am definitely not like the ones you see on TV.”

  “Harper,” Nathan interrupted, “can I talk to you outside for a minute?”

  “No.” Her response was quick and decisive, before she looked back at Nickolas. “I own a place called New Hope Ranch just a few miles outside of town. I have several kids like you that live on that ranch with me, Nickolas. Kids that have nowhere else to go.”

  “Kids that no one else wants, you mean.”

  “Not exactly.” Harper smiled gently now, going to stand beside the bed. “Some of them have families who love them very much, but they are going through things that their family is unable to help them through. Some of them come from abusive homes, some have no one. I don’t discriminate on my ranch. If you need help, for any reason, I’m there.”

  Nickolas looked at her in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

  “Nickolas, I’m offering you a place to live. A place where you will have to help out with chores, where you will have to go to school daily, a place where you will be challenged to be the best person that you can be. But, also a place where you will fit in and know that someone is always there for you, no matter what.”

  “You?” he whispered.

  “Yes.”

  “And me too,” Rayna promised, squeezing his hand again. “I live just a few miles away.”

  “You aren’t leaving?” Nickolas asked, turning his hand over to clutch at hers.

  “I will have to for a little while, but when I come back, it will be for good,” Rayna promised. “You will never have to be alone, Nickolas. We will be here for you.” She would make sure of it.

  “I don’t know if a judge will sign off on this,” Nathan said, straightening away from the wall.

  “He will,” Harper said, glaring at him, “because you are going to make sure it happens.”

  Nathan looked from Harper’s demanding gaze, to Rayna’s pleading one, before muttering, “Women.” Shaking her head, Harper left the room, Nathan quickly following.

  “I’m glad to hear you’re staying, Rayna,” Katy said. “There’s a job waiting for you at the station if you are interested. I talked to Creed about it already. I’m planning on leaving town soon, and I’m not sure how long I will be gone. We could really use you.”

  “Ryder told me that you plan on looking for your birth parents. Do you know when you will be going?”

  “As soon as I know Creed will be okay without me. I don’t want to leave him in a bind.” Her eyes sparkling with humor, Katy said, “That’s where you come in.”

  Rayna laughed, “I will definitely think about it. Thank you, Katy, and I wish you luck. If you need help with anything, let me know. I may have some resources that you don’t.”

  Katy nodded, and for the first time Rayna saw hesitancy in her eyes. “I just hope I’m doing the right thing.”

  “Does it feel right?”

  “Yes.” Katy looked out the window, crossing her arms over her chest. “I have always wanted to look into my past. But now...I don’t know...it’s different. Now I feel like I have to. Something is pushing at me, telling me I can’t wait any longer.”

  “Then don’t fight it,” Rayna told her. “Go. We will all be here for you when you get back.”

  Katy whispered, “Thank you, Rayna. I think I just needed someone to talk to.” Walking to the door, she glanced back with a smile, “I better get back to work. Thanks again.”

  “Anytime.”

  Watching Katy go, Rayna realized Nickolas’s hand had slackened in hers, and she looked down to see that he had fallen asleep. Smiling, she whispered, “You are going to be just fine, Nickolas. I promise.”

  “Harper! Dammit, Harper, wait up!” Nathan skirted around a car, barely jumping out of the way in time to miss another one coming his way, before finally catching up to her, where she was getting ready to slide into her Ford truck. Catching her hand in his, he rasped, “Talk to me.”

  Harper stopped, one hand on the wheel, and turned back to look at him. “The counselors will be back with the children soon, Nate.”

  “Nathan,” he interjected.

  “What?”

  “My name is Nathan. Nathan Brentworth.”

  Harper shook her head, looking away. After several moments she whispered, “I don’t even know you.”

  “Give me a chance to change that,” he all but begged, and Nathan did not beg. “Let me show you the real me.”

  His grip on her hand tightened while he waited for her reply, his heart sinking when she finally turned back t
o him, her response there in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Nathan. You put my children in danger. Even if I could look past the lies, I just can’t forgive you for that.” Tugging her hand from his, Harper jumped into the truck, slamming the door shut behind her. Rolling the window down, she started the vehicle, putting it into gear. With one last look, she whispered, “Goodbye.”

  Chapter 40

  Two days later, Ryder knocked on Rayna’s door, his heart in his throat, praying what Katy had told him the day before was true. Was Rayna really staying in Serenity Springs? Was she giving up everything she knew in Virginia? Leaving the FBI? God, he hoped so. He could not imagine his life without her in it.

  The door opened, and Rayna stood on the other side. “Wow,” he whispered. She was stunning, with her hair loose around her shoulders, a dress that accented her curves to perfection, and a pair of dark brown cowboy boots, boots he vowed would stay on later, but nothing else. “You are so beautiful.”

  Rayna’s cheeks flushed a pretty pink, just the way he loved them to, and she ducked her head shyly. “Thank you.” Opening the door wider, she said, “I have dinner ready if you would like some?”

  “You cooked?” he asked in surprise.

  “Not exactly,” Rayna admitted with a laugh. “But I did everything else.”

  He glanced past her, beyond the living room to the dining room, which now had a nice sized table in it. There were two tall candles on each end, lit and shining brightly. Removing his Stetson, he hung it up on a hook by the door before walking to the dining room. There were two place settings, both filled with steak, potatoes, corn, and what looked like homemade bread. “Everything looks wonderful, Rayna.” It was perfect.

  “Good,” Rayna replied, a delighted grin on her face. The woman was full of contradictions. One moment a tough FBI agent ready to take down the biggest, meanest, mob boss in town, the next sweet and shy, worried about pleasing others. Then there was the sexy, sensual side of her, the one she saved only for him. He could not wait to see that side of her tonight. After what they’d been through, and then not seeing her for two days, he needed to feel her close.