Cowboy Sanctuary (The Dixon Ranch)

by Michelle Hughes

  My head was pounding, but if it was going to explode then at least it could wait for a better time. Mom walked over with two pills. She took the beer and handed me a glass of water. “You’ll thank me later,” she said.

  I swallowed the pills down, not wanting the pain to distract me from what mattered.

  “If something happens to that girl, I’ll never forgive myself,” I admitted. Being pulled into my mom’s arms made me feel like the little boy she’d raised long ago, but I needed that comfort as my entire world came crashing down on my head. Thankfully, Jeremy was asleep and didn’t have to witness his daddy falling apart this way.

  “God has her in His hands. Don’t you worry none.”

  I gently hugged my mom, knowing I was the most blessed man in the world to have a family like the one I’d been given.

  “Pray for her.” I’d always been a God-fearing man, but now, in the face of all this, I counted on that faith more than ever.

  “We’ve got an agent on his way from San Antonio now,” Travis interrupted. “Pop is heading down to the bank to take care of the money situation. Try and keep your pants on. We’re going to do everything we can.” I knew Travis would move heaven or hell on this if anyone could, and again I realized how truly lucky I was.

  “Thanks for having my back.” I knew I could be a stubborn sonofabitch at times, especially with my brothers, but Travis was probably going to save Dana’s life by using his instincts.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going to let you forget it.” His half smile told me he was worried but trying to make me feel better, and I’d never be able to repay him if this went off without Dana getting hurt.

  The next two hours felt like having my toenails pulled out one by one as we waited for the suit to arrive. I thought Travis was enough to drive me crazy. with his follow-the-law-to-a-T attitude. When the agents arrived, I didn’t have much to give them except that my girlfriend’s crazy brother-in-law had gotten her mixed up in some criminal activity and was demanding money.

  After grilling me for what seemed like forever, the suits told me that giving money might not be the smartest idea, and I quickly told them where to shove their thoughts on that. I wasn’t about to play a game of Russian roulette with my girl’s life on a hunch. They weren’t thrilled with my refusal to let them negotiate, but that was their problem.

  Pop managed to get the money. I didn’t ask how, because my mind was on Dana and not that huge pile of green stuffed in a duffel bag. I knew it was legal because he’d done it, but the feds didn’t have my trust and needed it spelled out. I almost got into an argument over their doubts, but Mom came in as a buffer, reminding me they were only doing their job.

  We were waiting on Derrick to call again, and it felt like years had passed instead of hours when the call finally came. We put the phone on speaker and got directions for the drop. I had to remind the prick we were eighteen hours away and couldn’t be there in the time allotted. Using a smartass tone, Derrick suggested we get a flight.

  I pulled up the information on my computer and saw the earliest flight was at eight in the morning and would take almost three hours. Derrick spoke to someone in the background, then told me to book it and to call when I made it in. That was it. He hung up.

  Travis and Pop were going with me. I didn’t have time to argue as I made the arrangements. The feds put in a call to the Chicago bureau, who would take over once we crossed over, but one of the agents was flying with us to make sure there were no issues.

  I felt like I was living another life as the drama unfolded around me. We didn’t need to pack, so all we could do was wait until it was time to leave and listen to my mom telling us to stay safe and not do anything to risk our lives. She didn’t want any of us going. I could see it in her face, and suddenly she looked years older. I hated that this was putting stress on her when she didn’t need it. I vowed to never let anything bother her this way again and hoped she could handle us being gone.

  “Maybe you and Pop should stay home?” I suggested. I didn’t want to risk their lives. Travis knew what kind of situation we were getting into more than my old man or I did, so he had to know it was dangerous.

  “We’re family, and that means we never leave someone hanging. Don’t worry about me, but you’re right, Pop don’t need to make this trip.” Travis turned to our father and raised his hands, asking without saying a word.

  “You let me worry about myself, boys,” Pop responded. “I’ve been taking care of things for longer than you’ve been breathing.” That was all that needed to be said. Neither of us was going to argue with the man.

  “If you ask me, I should take your place and you stay here with the womenfolk,” Ranger spoke up. He had been quiet this entire time, and calling out Pop was unusual for him. Unusual for any of us, really. Pop was still the head of this family.

  “We don’t need looking out for, son. Best remember who you’re talking about and to,” my mom warned. This situation was messing with all of us, and for Mom to put Ranger in his place wasn’t unlike her, but the vehemence in her voice was. “There’s no reason for anyone to go but Brock and Travis, because he’s in law enforcement!”

  Pop walked over and wrapped his arm around mom’s shoulders, but she was having none of that.

  “Don’t come over here, hugging up to me, when you’re being as headstrong as these boys we raised. You need to let them take care of this.”

  “I might be able to help,” he said. If the two of them ever argued, it wasn’t something we saw. They had had this thing where all arguments happened outside our earshot since . . . Well, forever.

  “How in tarnation can your flying off to Chicago help?” Mom slipped out from underneath his arm and began wiping down the already perfectly clean kitchen. That was her way of saying she was angry and you better stay out her way until she calmed down.

  “Son, if you want me with you, I’ll go, but I don’t think your mom will ever forgive me if I do,” Pop said to me. He always tried to keep the peace with her, and I finally understood why. After watching the love of my life walk away, I knew I’d do anything she wanted when I got her back.

  “We’ll be fine, Pop. Take care of Mom before she has all our heads on a stick when we get home.” My mom could hold on to a temper longer than any woman I’d met, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, especially Pop.

  When we left, I could tell he wasn’t thrilled with staying on the home front, but we’d probably just saved him from getting an earful from Mom. We made it quickly through security, thanks to our escort. We were soon in the air and flying toward the place that I wished had burned to the ground during that Chicago fire I’d read about in the history books. I’d never cared for the city, and now I blamed it for my woman being in danger. Stupid, I know, but that didn’t matter.

  We were met by the men in black at O’Hare and given what they called a quick briefing on what would happen next. I never wanted to be briefed on anything again if it took that long. I put in a call to Derrick with the agents listening in, and the location was set.

  Derrick gave some warning about knowing if we’d set him up, and I wanted to send the feds on their way for fear that something bad would happen if they were involved. Of course, they told me it was just a fear tactic that kind of person would use, but what else would they say? It was pretty apparent these guys weren’t from Texas, so I had no idea how they expected to blend in with me and Travis.

  We’d discussed that money wasn’t allowed to change hands without Dana being visible, so I relayed that information to Derrick. He countered, after speaking to someone, that we’d only see her when he was gone. She’d arrive on the next stop of the “L” train. One of the agents had to advise me that it was the transit system. They didn’t like the terms, but I didn’t give a shit. I gave my agreement.

  Travis and I took a cab to the train and were informed the feds would make their own way there and weren’t very specific about how or what they’d do. I did make it very clear that if
anything happened because of them, I was going to be in prison for a long time. Travis was not happy with my threat and reminded me on the drive over I could be arrested for what I’d said.

  We were to give Derrick the money, wait for him to get back on the train, then stay until Dana came back. What happened to Derrick, I didn’t care. When we had her, we’d drive back to the airport and take a return flight home. All I wanted to do was get her to that plane and make sure she was where she belonged. In my arms!

  If anything happened to her, I felt sorry for every single person in this city. My nerves were strung tight, and I was running the minute my feet hit the pavement. I saw Derrick a few minutes later and took great joy in the fact that someone had used him for a punching bag. I wanted to do much worse, but Dana came first.

  “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.” He looked full of regret, but it didn’t meant shit to me.

  I handed over the bag with Travis by my side and gave him the once over. “If she’s hurt in any way, I will hunt you down and make sure you never see the light of day again,” I promised. It took everything I had in me not to kick his ass where he stood.

  “Don’t try and find the people who took her. They make me look like a good person.” Derrick took the bag of money without answering my threat, and I felt more fear than I thought humanly possible. If these people scared him, and I thought he was probably the antichrist in disguise at this point, then they were the epitome of evil. I needed my girl in my arms. Now!

  He stepped on that train, and I held my breath as it disappeared until I couldn’t stand not taking in some oxygen. I had no idea how long it would take for it to return, and time ticked slowly by until I was sure I’d go stark-raving mad waiting to see if they were true to their word.

  “Just pray,” Travis said. He was nervous too. He was wringing his hands and not full of his usual witty sarcasm. Seeing him unglued made my anxiety increase. Dana was never leaving my side again. Not as long as she lived. Even then. I was going to plot out our burial spots so when we went, we’d be stuck side by side for eternity.

  I was thinking of all the ways to make sure we were never apart when the train pulled up again. I wanted to run inside to find her, but Travis seemed to have developed mind-reading capabilities because his hand clenched on my arm. We watched the droves of people escape, and I felt my heart race in dread. Finally I saw the most beautiful woman this side of heaven, and nothing was keeping her away. Pulling out of Travis’s grip, I ran until she was in my arms, and I lifted her off the ground, spinning us both.

  “Woman, you scared the living hell out of me, and I swear I’m putting super glue on your ass to keep it where it belongs.” Dana clung to me. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and my heart was whole once again.

  “I don’t care what you do to her ass, but I think we need to get out here,” Travis said from behind me. His voice of reason told me that our situation still wasn’t safe. Heeding his warning, I picked her up in my arms and carried her until we were away from the station.

  “I love being in your arms, but you can put me down. I still remember how to walk,” Dana said. That might have worked had her arms not been wrapped around my neck in a chokehold refusing to let go. I was going to check every inch of her body for damage when we were alone, but for now I was happy to keep her close to my chest.

  Travis flagged down a cab and told the driver to return to the airport. I had to almost pry Dana out of my arms to get inside, but she crawled up in my lap and clung to me again the second we were seated. I wasn’t complaining. I needed to let her calm down before I asked what had happened, because it was pretty apparent she was terrified.

  Holding her as tightly as I could without hurting her, I looked over at my brother in desperation. This wasn’t like my Dana, and it was scaring me in a way I didn’t know how to deal with. He shook his head, but I had no idea what that meant, so I just held her. I gave her all the warmth and security I could now.

  Reaching the airport presented another dilemma because we had a few hours before a return flight was available. We went to the cafeteria, but Dana refused to be anywhere but in my arms, so I watched Travis eat while my anger rose at someone breaking my wild filly.

  All I could do was soothe her with words about how much I loved her and how I’d never let anyone hurt her again. That did nothing but make her more emotional, and I was terrified that she’d never recover from what happened.

  I wanted to rip that bastard’s head off for what he’d put her through. And the men who had held her for ransom? There was nowhere on earth they’d be safe by the time I finished with them. They had hurt was what mine!

  “I want to go home.” These were first words Dana had spoken, and I hoped she meant to Texas because this place was off the map for her from now on.

  “I’m gonna get you there, darlin’. Be strong for me a little longer. Little Man has missed you so much.” I hoped bringing up Jeremy would help her focus. Instead, she began crying again. “Do something, Travis!” I pleaded. Asking him for help was unfair, but I was lost with this scared, fragile girl who had replaced my headstrong woman.

  “She’s gonna be fine. You’ve got this. Post-traumatic stress—same thing folks feel when coming back from a war,” Travis said. We were talking about Dana like she wasn’t with us because mentally I’m not sure she was. The feds walking over to our table was the last thing I wanted to deal with.

  “We have an agent on Stallings, but he’s holed up at his home address, and no one’s been in or out yet.”

  I didn’t give a damn what was happening with Derrick. I had my own crisis to deal with.

  “Ms. Waterfield, it would be very helpful if you could tell us who was holding you,” one agent asked.

  Dana clung to me tighter, and I glared at them in response. “In case you haven’t noticed, she’s not exactly in any condition to talk yet!”

  “I don’t think she’ll be able to answer any questions until she feels safe again,” Travis said. “We’re going to have her seen by a physician as soon as we get home. Have your boys in San Antonio follow up?” Travis was speaking with calm logic when all I had was rage and fear building in my gut because my woman was falling apart.

  “I understand she’s been put under stress, but if we don’t have some information, we can’t find the people responsible.”

  These fuckers didn’t give a damn about anything but their case, and if I had the mental strength to let go of Dana, I might have decked them for being so insensitive.

  “I’m aware of the implications of that, including time, but as you can see, she’s traumatized,” Travis replied. The volume of his voice had increased in warning, although they didn’t know him like I did. I knew he was about to lose patience.

  “Ms. Waterfield, please. Anything you can tell us will help.”

  Travis stood up, placing himself between the agents and us. “If you don’t want to explain to your office why you violated this woman’s rights, I’d advise you to walk away. She’s unable to cooperate. When she’s stable, I’ll make sure she gives a full interview.” Travis was my hero today, and I owed that man a couple of steaks and beers. Maybe a lifetime of them, after all he’d done to help.

  “Her well-being is obviously the main concern,” one of the agents said. “Have her contact our office at the earliest convenience.”

  Watching these city feds stand down to a country sheriff might have been comical at any other time. Right now, I was happy that they were backing off.

  Dana managed to walk through security, but she was still looking at her feet when it was time to board. I’d thought I wanted a woman who would let me take care of her, but I’d give anything right now for her to show some of that spirit I had fallen in love with. It was almost like someone had taken her away and left a shell behind.

  She clung to my hand for the entire flight and still didn’t speak on the ride to the hospital. We didn’t even bother stopping by the ranch first, since it was out of the way
, but Travis called the folks to let them know what was going on. He also asked that they not drive over, because Dana needed time to compose herself. I’m sure that went over well with my mom.

  Dana answered questions promptly in the emergency room, not adding anything unless it was necessary. I released a breath I hadn’t known I was holding when she said nothing had been physically done to her. The doc said she should recover fully but might want to get some counseling if she felt things were becoming overwhelming.

  “Can we go home now?” Her question spoke to my heart calling my house her home.

  “If that’s what you want, then I’ll move a mountain to make it happen.” She had to know she was my world.

  “There’s no reason for her to stay,” the doctor said, and confirmed he’d be back with her discharge papers. She was already standing up to leave.

  “I’ll take care of this. You go ahead to the truck.” Travis was saving the day once again, and the debt I owed kept mounting up. I didn’t mind at all.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you.” Dana’s words were soft and full of regret, and I wasn’t allowing it.

  “None of that matters anymore, sweetheart,” I assured her. “I was a stubborn, pigheaded fool, but I promise I’ll never be that stupid again.” I hoped I could keep that oath, because it was kind of who I was.

  “I want you to be stubborn. Promise me you’ll never let me do anything that stupid again for as long as I live,” Dana insisted. A small smile found her face, and I was glad she was coming back to me.

  “I don’t know, darlin’. I might have to take you over my knee, and you said I could never do that.” I wanted to keep our conversation playful because she needed to relax.

  “I thought I knew a lot more before.”

  I hated hearing her talk that way. “Stop that right now. You’re a beautiful, smart, talented woman, and it’s not your fault someone used all that was good in you to get their way. This wasn’t your fault.” I pulled her into my lap, and her lips crashed into mine, kissing me with what I could only describe as desperation.