The Texas Lawman's Last Stand

by Delores Fossen

  “Because if I’m dead, you’d be my daughter’s next of kin,” Mattie jumped in. “Well, I did an online will last night, and I’ve named Bo as her legal guardian. So, if I’m dead, you won’t get your hands on her or her bone marrow.”

  Kendall nodded. “Good.”

  Surprised, Bo glanced at Mattie who obviously shared his reaction. “Good? Why?” she pressed.

  “Because I don’t want anyone with a reason to kill you. I know you don’t believe that, but it’s true.”

  “You’re right,” Mattie countered. “I don’t believe that.”

  Bo wasn’t sure he did, either, but it left him with a question. “Who would kill Mattie in order to help you?”

  Kendall shrugged as if he might not answer, but he finally said, “Cicely. She wants me to live. That’s why she insisted she get pregnant.”

  “You don’t want the child?” Bo questioned.

  Now, there was some emotion. Something flared through his eyes, but Kendall quickly concealed it. “I want the child,” he insisted. “It’s the mother I’m having second thoughts about.”

  So he didn’t want to marry Cicely, but since she was carrying the baby that could ultimately save his life, Kendall was stuck with her. But Bo didn’t feel sorry for the man. After all, Kendall could be the man who wanted Mattie dead.

  “And then there’s Ian,” Kendall added after taking a deep breath. He looked Mattie straight in the eyes. “He could want to kill you for a different reason.” He tipped his head to Bo. “And you’re that reason.”

  Mattie made a sound of total disbelief. But Bo didn’t. “Ian is jealous of me,” Bo stated. “You think he’s jealous enough to want me dead?”

  “Maybe he wants both of you dead. Since he can’t have Mattie, it’s possible he might not want anyone to have her.” Kendall paused. “I’ve been going over all of this for months. I didn’t kill Mattie’s fiancé, so that means someone else did.”

  Mattie folded her arms over her chest. “And you think that someone is Ian?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “You’re suggesting an old friend of yours could be guilty of some serious crimes, and you’re apparently willing to do the same for your soon-to-be wife.”

  “If they’re guilty, I want them to pay.”

  “Yeah,” Bo grumbled. “And if they’re arrested, then the guilt isn’t on you.”

  “Believe what you will,” Kendall said softly. He opened the door and started to leave.

  But instead he practically ran into Cicely.

  The woman looked as startled as Kendall did. But Bo saw something else in the depths of her eyes. She was angry. Had she heard Kendall’s accusations?

  “Why are you here?” Kendall asked Cicely.

  “Because I love you. Because I was worried about you.”

  He didn’t respond to that. He merely kissed her cheek. It was as chaste as the look he gave her. “I have an appointment. I’ll see you at lunch.” With that, he strolled away.

  But Cicely didn’t budge. “Did you agree to have your daughter tested for the bone marrow match?”

  “No,” Mattie answered.

  “No?” It seemed as if all the breath left Cicely’s body. “But why not? How could you have turned down Kendall at a time like this?”

  “Kendall didn’t ask,” Bo informed her. And even if he had, the answer probably would have been no.

  “He didn’t?” Cicely was obviously dumbfounded. “He was supposed to ask.” She shook her head. “But you’ll agree to do it, right?”

  “Bo and I will have to give that some thought,” Mattie insisted.

  “Thought? What’s there to think about? You have a chance to save him, Mattie. You can’t refuse. He’s your own flesh and blood.”

  “He might have killed Brody,” Mattie reminded her.

  Cicely opened her mouth as if to vehemently deny that, but she closed it. She stood there for several long moments, apparently trying to figure out what argument she could give that would make Mattie change her mind.

  “Don’t you dare ruin my one chance at happiness,” Cicely finally said, her voice clogged with emotion and with tears in her eyes.

  Bo stepped closer, and he made sure the scowl on his face was a good one. “Is that a threat?”

  Oh, Cicely clearly wanted to say that it was. But she was too smart for that. “No threat,” she finally said.

  Cicely reached into her purse and pulled out a business card, which she handed to Mattie. “Call me if you change your mind. Oh, and there’s this…” She pulled out a small black jeweler’s box that she gave Mattie, as well.

  Mattie opened the box and Bo saw the diamond ring inside. Mattie shook her head. “What is this?”

  “Ian found it in Brody’s desk after he was killed. Apparently, Brody planned to give it to you.”

  “Oh.” And that was all Mattie said.

  Cicely shrugged. “I didn’t think it was a good idea to give it to you, but Ian disagreed.”

  Mattie eased it into her pocket. “Thanks.” And judging from her expression, she wasn’t sure if it had been a good idea. It had definitely brought back some memories, and he could see the proof of that in her suddenly sad eyes.

  “Think about having the test done,” Cicely insisted. She walked away, hurrying in the direction where they’d last seen Kendall.

  “Are you okay?” Bo asked Mattie.

  She paused a moment. “I’m fine. The ring was just a surprise. When Brody proposed, he didn’t have a ring yet. He said we would pick it out together, so I didn’t know he’d even bought one.” If she wanted to add anything to that, she dismissed it by clearing her throat and tipping her head to an exiting Cicely. “After conversations like the one we just had with her, I don’t think we’re any closer to the truth than we were when all of this started.”

  “Maybe.” Bo waited for her to bring up the ring again. She didn’t. So he decided to move on. “But we do have a lot of facts. Somewhere in all of that, there’s the truth.” But he was certainly beginning to suspect Cicely more and more. “Any reason Cicely would have been the one to have your fiancé killed?”

  “Not directly.” Now she paused. “But if she thought she was protecting Kendall…”

  No need to finish that, because Bo was convinced that Cicely would do anything for Kendall. After all, she probably got pregnant to give him a possible bone marrow donor.

  “I need to do the interview with Tolivar,” he reminded her. “You can watch from the observation room and just text me if you have any questions.”

  They headed in that direction, but before they made it there, Bo saw his captain and Tolivar making their way up the hall toward him.

  “There’s been a change of plans,” the captain volunteered, and judging from his sour expression, this wasn’t a good change for them.

  Like his expression, Tolivar’s stare was cold and hard. “My rep advised me to speak with my boss before I answer any of your questions.”

  Mattie huffed, and that was exactly how Bo felt. However, he didn’t direct his comments to Tolivar but to his captain. “He shot and killed a man here in the city. It’s our jurisdiction, and he should have to answer questions.”

  “Normally,” the captain snarled.

  “What the captain means is that Terrance Arturo was a suspect in a federal investigation. I was in pursuit of him when he took those shots at you. When he ran, I went after him. He turned, tried to kill me, so I took him out. Just as I’m trained to do.”

  “Yeah. But in doing so, you took out an assassin that someone had hired. By killing him you prevented us from learning the identity of his boss.”

  “I also saved him from coming after you again,” Tolivar said directly to Mattie.

  She nodded. “I’m grateful for that, but by killing Arturo the danger didn’t end for me.”

  “No,” Tolivar agreed. “And that’s why I wanted you back in my custody.” His expression turned even harder. “But you’ve made your bed. Now you can sleep in it.”


  When the marshal started to walk away, Bo caught on to his arm. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “It means I don’t give a rat’s you know what about Mattie, you or your situation. I was just trying to do my job, and look where the hell it got me.” He threw off Bo’s grip and walked away.

  “What did he mean by that?” Mattie asked.

  “Tolivar was suspended about a half hour ago,” the captain explained.

  “For shooting Arturo?” Bo wanted to know.

  The captain shook his head. “We’re not sure, and the Justice Department isn’t talking. I’m thinking they want to pull him in because he botched this case.”

  Hell. Bo hoped that didn’t mean some kind of cover-up. He wanted details about why Tolivar had been right there when Arturo launched that attack.

  “Do we have any surveillance footage of the shootout between Arturo and the marshal?” Bo asked.

  “We’re working on it. If we get it and if it shows Tolivar acted improperly when he killed Arturo, then somehow I’ll haul his butt back in here.”

  Well, that was a start. “What do we do about Tolivar in the meantime?”

  “Stay out of his path,” the captain warned. “And watch your backs, because I wouldn’t be surprised if Tolivar tried to get some revenge.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Mattie winced when the lightning shot through the sky. The storm had finally rolled in around midnight, and it wasn’t showing any signs of letting up.

  The thunder came, a low rumbling growl, and the rain pelted against the windowpanes. Thankfully, those were the only noises she heard. The safe house was quiet, and despite the storm, the children were sleeping. Rosalie had insisted on staying the night with them in the nursery, and even though Mattie had volunteered, as well, Bo had convinced her she should get some rest.

  Right.

  She was exhausted, and she’d managed to doze a little. Cat naps. If she could get her brain to settle down, she might get some honest-to-goodness sleep. But her thoughts kept going back to the danger. To the engagement ring she’d tucked into the dresser drawer. To the whole custody issue with Holly.

  And to Bo.

  Especially Bo.

  There was another jolt of lightning, and Mattie resisted the urge to pull the covers over her head. That’s what she would have done when she was a kid, but tonight she was already too warm, as if her skin were too tight. She recognized the feeling.

  It was a pull, deep inside her. Probably some primitive response, she reasoned.

  But the bottom line was she wanted Bo.

  He was just next door, one room over, and she wanted to go to him. To climb into his bed with him. And do exactly what her body wanted her to do.

  Mattie could only imagine what it would be like to be taken by a man like Bo. He always seemed right on the edge between danger and reason. Between being out of control and taking control.

  What would it be like to have him inside her?

  Moving, taking and not asking permission for whatever he chose to do to her?

  Mattie could almost feel it, and it took the breath right out of her. She pressed her arms over her breasts, trying to stop the tingling that was making its way all over her body.

  She saw movement through the open doorway of her room. Heard the footsteps. And then saw Bo. He was naked. Well, almost. He wore a pair of loose boxers that rode low on his hips. And he was aroused.

  The boxers didn’t hide that.

  Was she just dreaming? Mattie was afraid so. She wanted to reach out and touch him, but he would no doubt disappear. So instead of trying to touch and losing the moment, she took her time, savoring the sight of him.

  Outside the window another bolt of lightning slashed through the night and sent a spray of light over Bo’s body. He was like something out of a fantasy.

  All man and muscle.

  His chest strong and welcoming. His face set in that expression she’d come to know so well. He looked ready to devour her.

  Mattie smiled, still sleepy but now very alert. And very hot. “Are you here to devour me?” she asked, chuckling.

  “If that’s what you want,” he drawled. He dropped his cell phone on the nightstand.

  She froze. That didn’t sound like a dream response. That sounded like the real thing.

  Mercy.

  If he was real, then no one deserved to look that good.

  He stared at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I thought you’d be scared.”

  “I was.” She swallowed hard. Not because she was afraid of the storm or what he might do next. Mattie was afraid he might go away.

  But he didn’t.

  Bo reached down and jerked back the covers. She still had her hand on her breasts and probably looked like she was groping herself. However, she didn’t have time to dwell on that. He moved forward, putting his knee on the bed. The mattress shifted with his weight, turning her toward him.

  He leaned down, his mouth hovering over hers. His breath kissing her. He shoved aside her hand and put his own palm on her breast. “This is the only time I’ll ask this—do you want me to leave?”

  “No.” She couldn’t answer fast enough.

  She reached for him, but Bo beat her to it.

  His mouth came to hers, but not with the hard pressure she’d expected. No. He was almost gentle. Almost. His mouth barely touched, and it was the same with his tongue. But there was nothing gentle about his body. His muscles were all corded as if he were fighting a fierce battle with himself.

  With that same surprising gentleness, he moved the kisses to her cheek. To her neck. And then to her breasts, kissing her through the flimsy fabric of her cotton gown. Each touch of his mouth jabbed at the ache in the center of her body. Each time he ran his tongue over her nipples, the ache pierced through her until she arched her hips, looking for some kind of relief.

  He cursed when she brushed against his erection.

  Bo stared at her, his eyes hot and burning now. He grabbed her gown and pulled it over her head, sending it flying to the floor. He cursed again when he saw her panties and quickly rid her of those, too. He stripped them off her legs, but in the same motion he lowered his head and kissed her right in the center of all that heat.

  Now Mattie cursed.

  And when she arched her back, it wasn’t to seek relief. This wasn’t relief. His mouth was torture, and it nearly sent her straight to a climax.

  She didn’t want this to end so soon. She wanted it to last all night, but she would settle for at least a few more minutes. That wouldn’t happen if he continued to kiss her there.

  Mattie gripped his shoulders, pulling him up to her. More torture. Both of them were misted with sweat, and it created some sweet friction, with his firm male body sliding against hers.

  “Could we do this now?” she asked, but it wasn’t really a question. She fought to get his boxers off and then tried to position her body so that she could take him inside her.

  But Bo had his own positioning ideas. He kissed her hard and rough this time. Just the way she wanted. The gentle foreplay had been nice, but she didn’t want nice now. She wanted this hot alpha cop that she’d been lusting after for days.

  Bo didn’t disappoint. He latched on to her right leg, hooking it around his back. He did the same with her left one, and that put his hard sex right against hers.

  Yes! Talk about living out a fantasy.

  He kept kissing her, kept pressing his chest against her. And then he went inside her in one long stroke that filled her until she thought she might scream. She wasn’t a screamer, but she might make an exception for this.

  Her breath was gone, so she couldn’t tell him how good it felt. She couldn’t tell him that she was on fire. But Bo apparently knew that, because he moved in her, sliding against the right place to make that fire turn into an inferno.

  Mattie fought to hang on, but the heat was too much. The need was too much.

  And Bo knew exactly what he was doing.<
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  He drove inside her, over and over again. So it didn’t take much. A few of those strokes. Another kiss. And Mattie felt the gold light explode inside her head. Maybe it was the lightning. She doubted it, though. That gold light was from Bo. And she latched on to it. She latched on to him.

  And she let herself shatter.

  HELL.

  That one word kept repeating through Bo’s mind. He was in trouble.

  Being with Mattie had been far better than his expectations, and he’d expected something pretty damn amazing.

  Because his body wasn’t on fire right now and had just been sated, he wanted to dismiss this visit to her bed as bad judgment. He could have even lumped it together as a reaction to all the stress they’d been under.

  Yeah. “Stress sex.” Good name for it.

  Hell.

  He wasn’t even sure it’d been just sex. It felt a lot more like making love, and that caused him to mentally curse again. He knew better than to get involved with Mattie. She already had too much to deal with, and now he’d added himself to the things she had to work out. Because she was no doubt trying to put this in its proper place just as he was doing.

  He braced himself for the talk. The one where she would make him feel like dirt for adding this wrinkle to her life.

  But she didn’t say a word.

  Mattie made a sound of sleepy pleasure, a sort of low feminine moan, and her eyes drifted closed.

  She fell asleep.

  Bo stared at her, watching her face, waiting. But after a few minutes, it was clear she wasn’t in the mood for talking.

  Relieved, and a little confused, he rolled off her so his weight wouldn’t crush her. Without opening her eyes, she adjusted, wiggling her body against him until she was on her side facing him, her breasts squished against his chest.

  She made another of those sounds of sleepy pleasure.

  Maybe because she was thinking about her late fiancé?

  That put a scowl on his face. Because he sure hadn’t been thinking about Nadine when he’d been inside Mattie.

  He was right back to mumbling hell again.