AspenTrilogy (Boxed Set)

by Cindy Stark

  She and Hannah rolled a few times, but luckily for Lily, Hannah was pretty drunk, and it only took Lily a few quick moves to pin her to the floor. Lily sat on her stomach, holding Hannah's hands tight to her chest, ignoring the throb in her wrist. Hannah squirmed, but she couldn't throw her.

  Lily glanced at the crowd around them. Scott's brows had climbed closer to his hairline in surprise, while Milo watched with an amused expression. Sierra's mouth stood slack.

  "Hey, keeper of the peace, shouldn't you do something?" Scott nudged his buddy.

  "Let's see how this plays out. I won't let anyone get hurt." Milo nodded at Lily as though he approved.

  Good, 'cause she had something to say.

  "See this bruise on my cheek?" She waited until she'd received several acknowledgements before she continued. "I'm sure most of you are calling Luke Winchester a son of a bitch for doing this to me. Well, I'm here to tell you he didn't. He's not like that, and I think most, if not all of you in town would agree that he's a good man if you stop to think about it." A few nodded.

  "Hannah made up that lie to hurt him and me."

  Hannah made a big push that almost unseated Lily, but she quickly regained her dominance. "Tell them Hannah. Tell them how you lied."

  "Bitch," she yelled at her.

  "While you're at it, tell them how you also lied about Luke all those years ago."

  Hannah narrowed her eyes, shooting a steady stream of visual daggers.

  "I know you did." Lily shook Hannah. "Tell them. He deserves to be free from your lies. Everyone knows you lied about the bruise on my face. They're not going to believe anything you say any longer, so you might as well tell them."

  "Never," Hannah shrieked and tried to buck her off.

  "Lily." A deep voice called to her from behind, and she shifted her gaze to find the crowd parting.

  Luke emerged.

  Her heart flopped with a sickening thud. How much had he seen? How much had he heard? She froze, not sure how to react.

  "Let her go," he said in a calm voice.

  "No." She shook her head, frustration forcing her emotions to the surface. "She needs to fix this."

  Luke held out a hand to her. "It doesn't matter anymore. She doesn't matter. As long as you believe in me, that's all I need."

  Hannah shoved again, and this time Lily grasped Luke's hand, setting Hannah free. Hannah made a swipe at Lily's legs, but Milo caught her, hauling her to her feet.

  "Come on, Hannah. Show's over. Let me give you a ride home."

  Hannah struggled for a minute, and then crumbled in Milo's arms, crying. He led her out the back door as the volume of the crowd's whispers increased.

  Luke wrapped an arm around Lily. "Let's get out of here."

  Lily nodded, grateful to have him to lean on. The rush of adrenaline that had spiked during her brawl with Hannah evaporated, leaving her drained. Betty, who had found her way into the bar, grabbed Lily's hand as they passed, giving it a squeeze. Lily smiled. At least she had one friend in this town.

  Darkness dominated the sky by the time they emerged. Quiet replaced the noisy atmosphere, and it was a relief to be away from everyone.

  "I didn't mean for that to happen."

  "It's okay." Luke took her hand and led her up the sidewalk toward her car. His truck was parked in a haphazard fashion alongside the road next to the parking lot.

  "I wanted to confront her, but I didn't expect her to go after me like that."

  Luke laughed then. "Hannah's been known for her temper, but it looked to me like you were holding your own."

  Lily half laughed-half sighed. "I guess I was." She looked up at him, her heart full of emotion. "I didn't know I had it in me."

  "Guess you have a little redneck in you, after all."

  "Guess so," she said as she reached her Honda, the overhead parking lot light illuminating the grit on her white paint.

  "What's this?" He traced a gentle finger over the bruise on her cheek.

  She felt like an idiot. "I fell down the stairs, trying to chase after you this morning."

  He widened his eyes. "No."

  She nodded. "Call me Grace."

  "I'm sorry. I didn't handle things all that well this morning."

  "Me, either."

  Luke glanced over her car and then frowned. "Where do you think you're going? Looks like you've packed up everything."

  "There's nothing left for me here." She twined her fingers to keep from reaching out for him. Things seemed better now, but she wasn't sure to what extent.

  "What about me?"

  She tried not to get her hopes up. "You left town before I did."

  He pulled her into an embrace, his eyes full of emotion. "I did. I'm sorry about that, too."

  Her reserve melted. She touched his face, running her thumb over his raspy jaw line. She had her man back in her arms, and she intended to keep him there. "You had every right to leave. I hurt you with what I said, but I really want you to know that I didn't mean it. I was kidding around, trying to offer support to Hannah, but I hope you'll believe that I'm not the type of person to use people like that."

  "I know." He hugged her. "Me, either, Lily. There was a short period of time when I liked Hannah, but I never slept with her, and I never meant to hurt her."

  Lily put her fingertips on his lips. "Shh. I don't want to talk about her anymore, okay? She has issues she'll need to deal with, but they're not ours any longer."

  "Agreed." He lowered his head, touching her lips with a tender kiss that quickly heated, leaving her breathless when he pulled away. "Where are you headed now?"

  She shrugged. That was her biggest problem. "I don't know. I can't stay here."

  He tightened his grip on her waist. "Why not?"

  "First, I no longer have a home, and second, how would I ever live down the scene I caused tonight?"

  He kissed her again, leaving his lips lingering on hers. "Stay with me," he whispered against her mouth. "I don't want you to go."

  "What about all the rumors, all the gossip?" She couldn't get enough of the taste of his kiss and helped herself to more.

  "Who cares? Let them talk." He took her face in his hands, running his roughened thumbs over her cheeks. He searched her eyes, gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Seriously, Lily, I've found the woman I want. Please give me a chance to love you. Living here might have its difficulties from time to time, but I'll stay if you'll stay."

  Her heart fluttered in her chest, stealing her breath. "You love me?"

  "I know it's hard to believe since we haven't known each other all that long, but I don't need more time to know what I know."

  "Wow." She searched his face, unable to stop a grin from spreading across her lips. "I'm pretty sure I don't need more time, either." She didn't. Standing there in his arms was where she belonged, and she couldn't picture herself anyplace else. "I'll stay."

  "Yes," he yelled toward the heavens and lifted her off her feet, turning her in a circle before setting her down again.

  She laughed, not remembering if or when she'd ever felt so happy. "I love you, Luke, and if you let me, I'll stay forever."

  Forever in their town. Forever in his arms. Forever in love.

  THE END

  LAWLESS

  (Aspen Series #2)

  By Cindy Stark

  AMAZON KDP EDITION

  PUBLISHED BY

  C. Nielsen

  www.cindystark.com

  Lawless © 2012 C. Nielsen

  All rights reserved

  Amazon KDP Edition License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. The ebook contained herein constitutes a copyrighted work and may not be reproduce
d, transmitted, downloaded, or stored in or introduced into an information storage and retrieval system in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the copyright owner, except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This ebook is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  To the sexy men of country music who've provided many hours of enjoyment and inspiration. Thanks Jason Aldean, Brantley Gilbert, Luke Bryan and Jake Owens.

  Also to my beautiful daughters—I couldn't be more proud of you.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Deputy Sheriff Milo Sykes's police radio crackled to life. "All units respond to a reported 10-71 at Mt. Uintah Medical Center. Suspect is at large and considered armed with possible multiple weapons. Four wounded. Suspect is wearing a camouflage t-shirt and brown pants."

  Milo's pulse paused as his brain digested the information. "Shit." He grabbed his radio. "2A12 responding to 10-71."

  With a quick swipe, he gathered the driver's license and registration sitting on the clipboard on his lap and exited his SUV. He sprinted to the older model Mustang he'd pulled over for speeding and dumped the identification on the driver's lap. "Drive safe, ma'am."

  Within a couple of seconds, Milo was back in his vehicle, lights blazing and sirens blaring as he headed the three miles back to Pinewood.

  When he arrived on scene, the late-afternoon August sun bore down on two identical Chevy Tahoes that blockaded the entrance to the small two-story medical center that serviced the entire county. Another pair of SUVs blocked the staff entrance. There was no other way out. He scanned the area, not seeing anyone except the two officers in front of him squatting on the ground, peering through the sights on their shotguns.

  Milo pulled up behind them and cut his sirens. He scanned the area, following the direction of the other officers' weapons. His heart pounded as he ducked out of his car and crept toward his two comrades. "What the hell is going on? We have a sniper?" The rural county hadn't experienced anything that dangerous in decades…if ever.

  Charlie Adams kept his eye glued to the scope on his rifle. "We've got a gunman hunkered down behind the sand pile on the south side of the parking lot. Witnesses say he's shot one EMT and wounded three other civilians. Sheriff Williams is in contact via cell phone with one of the vics. Reports are the EMT is unconscious and bleeding severely. The others are wounded, but conscious and stable."

  Deputy Eric Larsen removed his sights from his gun long enough to eye Milo. "Karen Jensen is the wounded EMT."

  Milo jerked as though Eric's punch had been physical. "Not Karen." He and his cousin Karen had grown up together. They'd made mud pies as kids, gotten sick off a stolen cigarette when they'd been ten, and nearly burned down their town with illegal fireworks as teenagers. She couldn't die. She had two kids of her own that she'd only half raised. "What's the plan?"

  "Sheriff Williams should be here any moment. We're keeping the gunman contained until he arrives."

  "While Karen bleeds out?" Sheriff Williams was an exceptional peace officer, but that was a dumb ass plan.

  "It's not like we have a SWAT team and air patrol," Charlie answered.

  Milo peeked over the hood of the vehicle. A shot pinged not five inches from his head. "Son of a bitch."

  "Keep your head down," Eric responded. "The guy is an expert marksman. Must have some military training or something."

  Yeah? He wasn't the only one. "Anyone else on scene, yet?"

  "Nope." Charlie cracked his neck before refocusing on the sniper.

  Enough time had been wasted. "I'm going to try to draw his fire away from the victims. Maybe that will distract him enough someone can help Karen. If I get a shot, I'm taking the asshole down."

  "Kick some ass, bro," Charlie said as Milo slipped around the edge of the vehicle.

  More shots exploded around him as he made his way along the row of cars. He had to wonder if he was the idiot, not Williams. But Karen's life was the prize, and with Milo's Army training, he was the most qualified out of all of Williams' men to take out the perp.

  Milo reached the last vehicle on the row. Nothing between him and the ruthless marksman but 100 yards and a yellow VW bug. A bullet ricocheted off the metal next to him. The bastard was good. He'd give him that.

  He followed the ritual he'd perfected in Afghanistan and took a second to clear his thoughts. Pinewood's summer-long heat wave had expanded into fall, and the glaring sun cooked his shoulders. A trickle of sweat ran down the back of his neck, but a cool composure blanketed his emotions. Years of training with the military and then the U.S. Marshals had forged him into a cool piece of machinery. Many accused him of wasting his talents on a rural county sheriff's department, but this was where he wanted to be.

  The brilliant sun was good though. He'd taken up this position instead of moving around to the back of the hospital because, although he was more exposed, the bright glare would handicap his opponent.

  He checked his weapon. Ready.

  Milo changed his stance, lifting slightly. A bullet shattered the VW's front windshield and rear passenger window. Perfect. Having no glass would make his shot easier.

  He positioned his rifle, ignoring the pinging of bullets around him as he sighted his subject through his high-powered scope. The man, somewhere in his late thirties, sported a head of unkempt bushy brown hair and a full beard. "Sheriff's Department. Drop your weapon and come out with your hands up. If you don't, I will use deadly force," Milo yelled across the distance.

  "Fuck you, pig." Another shower of bullets danced off the metal around him.

  Couldn't the guy come up with something a little more original than "pig"? "Last chance," Milo answered. He'd barely gotten his words out when a red hot piece of lead burrowed into the flesh above his left elbow. "Awe, shit," he cursed under his breath. The last bullet he'd taken had cost him a night's stay in the hospital.

  With renewed determination, he ignored the fire in his arm, sighted in the prick, and squeezed the trigger. The rifle kicked against his right armpit, barely registering in his consciousness.

  The perpetrator jerked before dropping from sight.

  Milo lowered his weapon and stealthily made his way back between the row of vehicles getting as close to the shooter as he could without giving up his cover. A limp hand extended beyond the edge of the small sand hill, but Milo kept his weapon ready. Adrenalized blood thrummed through his veins as he peeked around the corner. The sniper's body lay prone, his weapon a good eight inches from his body, a neat bullet hole just left of center in his forehead.

  He pushed the button on his shoulder radio. "Target neutralized."

  * * *

  Milo slumped at a stool in Sparrow's Bar and Grill, doing his best to ignore the rocking country anthem playing over the sound system. At the moment, he couldn't care less about partying all night long. He'd already stuffed in two pieces of apple pie, compliments of the grateful citizens of Aspen for saving their quiet little county from the big, bad sniper. Other than that, his life had come to a screeching halt. Not a good thing for someone with a restless spirit.

  "Dude, you should be celebrating. You're the hometown hero." Scott lifted his mug of beer in a toast.

  Milo drew a finger through the condensation on his glass of soda. "I know, but it's hard to get excited about two weeks off work when I can't do anything but sit around." He needed his job, needed to be busy. He was a live-hard, play-hard kind of guy. The shooting had cost him a minimum of two weeks of administrative leave while internal affairs conducted an official investigation. The bullet hole in his arm along with the consequential drugs from said
shooting, left him with very little to do. No mountain biking, no dancing, and certainly no drinking, at least for a few days. "I can't even enjoy a damn beer." He'd been on leave exactly 18 hours and was already bored out of his ever-loving mind.

  He should be happy. The shot to his arm was barely more than a surface wound as far as he was concerned and had only cost him a couple of stitches. No blood transfusions. No days in the hospital. Sheriff Williams had given him quite the dressing down privately for not following protocol, but publicly he'd proclaimed him as a quick-thinking hero who'd saved many lives. Karen, along with the three other victims, was still in the hospital, but all were expected to make a full recovery.

  "That's tough." Scott swiveled on his bar stool to watch the few couples who'd come out to dance on a Thursday night. "You can still fish, though, right?"

  He did have that. "Doc said no activity, but I'm pretty sure fishing doesn't count." The river that ran through his property provided some of the best fly fishing in the region and had afforded him solace on many occasions.

  "When are you going to show me that honey-hole you keep talking about?"

  "Never." Milo laughed. "A man does not share his honey-hole."

  Scott gave him a sideways glare. "I think you're making it up anyway."

  The vibrating phone in Milo's pocket saved Scott from his smart-ass remark. He pulled it out, surprised to see the name Quinn Crawford on the screen. Although they'd been close during their years together in the Army and the U.S. Marshal's Service, he'd only talked to his friend a handful of times since he'd left the service three years ago.

  Milo pressed the answer button. "Quinn?"

  "Milo, buddy. How have you been?"

  He could barely hear his friend over the music. "Hang on a second." He looked at Scott. "Be right back."