A Threat to His Family

by Delores Fossen

  Owen didn’t remind her that they’d have to move quickly. They did. Raylene, Owen and she all rushed out of the cruiser and into the house. The moment they were inside, Jack shut the door and rearmed the security system.

  “I would ask if you’re all okay,” Jack said, “but I figure the answer to that is no. How about Eli?”

  “He’s with the dead gunman,” Owen answered.

  Jack gave an approving nod and tipped his head to the stairs. “Addie, Francine and Gemma are in the master bathroom. I told them to get into the bathtub and stay down.”

  Now it was Owen who gave a nod as he started up the stairs. Laney headed in that direction, too, but she stopped next to Jack. “I’m sorry.”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “I only want one apology and it’s from the SOB who put all of this together. It took plenty of bucks to hire this many thugs to do these attacks and kill at least two people.”

  Yes, it did. “Both Terrance and Nettie have money like that.”

  “And Emerson,” Jack quickly added. “No trust fund, but you can bet he could figure out a way to tap into his wife’s money. Heck, Nettie’s so much in love with him that she might have given him the cash with no questions asked.”

  All of that was true, and it was yet another reason for them to take a look at their financials.

  Jack gave her a friendly, almost brotherly nudge on the arm before she tucked her loaner gun into the back waistband of her jeans and went up the stairs. She followed the sounds of the voices and found them still in the bath. Addie was in the giant tub, playing with a stash of toys, and Gemma, Francine and Owen were all sitting on the floor next to her.

  The moment Laney stepped in, Addie looked at her and smiled. Like the way Owen had held her in the cruiser, that smile worked some magic.

  “Horsey,” Addie said, holding up one of her toys. It seemed to be an invitation for Laney to come closer. So she did, kneeling down beside the tub. Thankfully, the little girl didn’t seem to be aware that she was in this room because there had been another attack.

  “You think it’s okay for me to go to the kitchen?” Francine asked Owen.

  He nodded. “Just stay away from the windows.”

  Francine thanked him as she got to her feet. “I think I need a cup of tea.”

  “I need a drink,” Gemma added, getting up, as well. “A strong one with lots of booze, and then I’m going to call Kellan.”

  Laney nearly told the women there was no reason to leave on her account, but she realized she wanted this time with Owen and Addie. Even if it was for only a few seconds.

  Gemma gave her arm a gentle squeeze, a show of support, which Laney greatly appreciated.

  After the women were gone, Laney brushed her hand over the tips of Addie’s curly hair and got another smile from the little girl. Laney found herself smiling, too. Yes, this was definitely magic.

  “I’ll go into the other bedroom so you can be with her,” Laney told him, but when she started to stand, Owen took hold of her hand and kept her in place. He didn’t say anything. He just kept his grip on her while he continued to watch his daughter.

  “I’ve been thinking about setting up a safe house and moving Addie there,” Owen finally told her long moments later.

  That didn’t surprise her, not with the repeated attacks, but Laney thought she knew why that had put such an unsettled look on Owen’s already troubled face. “You wouldn’t be able to go with her.”

  “No. I’d need to be here, to see this investigation through to an arrest. Plus, it might be a good idea to put some distance between her and me.”

  “Distance between Addie and me,” Laney corrected. She sighed, groaned. “I’m the target.”

  Owen quickly shook his head and caught her chin to force eye contact. “Maybe you were the sole target in the beginning, but those shots have been fired at me, too.”

  “They wouldn’t be if you weren’t with me,” she pointed out just as fast.

  Now he was the one to sigh, and he stared at her a long time before he said anything else. “So far, the attacks have happened when we were outside, and the hired thugs haven’t managed to get close enough to this house to fire any shots inside.”

  That was true, but she was about to argue that it could change, that this latest gunman might be the first in a string of others to come. But she could see the risk of taking the baby out on the road—even in a cruiser. Yes, a cruiser was bullet-resistant, but shots could get through. They’d just had proof of that.

  “The ranch hands are willing to keep guarding the place?” she asked.

  Owen nodded. “I suspect Jack will have to leave. Raylene, too. But Eli and I can stay here. And we have you for backup.”

  That was more than just a little vote of confidence. It actually caused some of the tightness in Laney’s chest to go away. Owen trusted her to be part of this.

  “Thanks,” she managed to say, half expecting him to ask why she’d said that.

  He didn’t. Owen reached out, sliding his fingers over her jaw. To her cheek. And then to the back of her neck. He leaned in slowly. So slowly. Until his mouth brushed over hers. Almost immediately, he pulled back, their gazes connecting. A dozen things passed between them. Unspoken words but they still understood.

  The need.

  The ache.

  The impossibility of it all.

  Laney felt every one of those things, in every inch of her, and she was certain Owen did, too.

  “Kissy,” Addie said, clapping.

  The moment between Laney and Owen was gone, replaced by another one that seemed even more important. And possible. Using the side of the tub, Addie got to her feet and dropped a kiss on Owen’s cheek before doing the same to Laney.

  “Kissy,” Addie repeated, beaming with that incredible smile.

  Yes, this was more important.

  Owen scooped Addie out of the tub and into his lap and showered her with loud kisses that had the little girl giggling. Addie leaned over and spread some of those giggles and kisses to Laney, including her in a moment that she didn’t deserve to share. But it was a moment that she’d never forget.

  It didn’t last, though. Owen’s phone rang and even though Addie was only a toddler, she seemed to understand the importance of it because she moved into Laney’s lap when Owen took out his phone. Laney saw Kellan’s name on the screen, which was probably why Owen didn’t put the call on speaker. Not with Addie right there. He wouldn’t want to risk her hearing anything about the dead gunman.

  To make sure Addie was spared that, Laney got up and shifted the little girl onto her hip so they could go out into the adjoining bedroom. Keeping hold of her hands, she let Addie jump on the bed, something that Francine had let her do. Of course, that seemed like a lifetime ago.

  Everything did.

  She’d come here, lying, looking for Hadley’s killer. That had seemed the most important thing in the world. In some ways, it still was. But now it wasn’t just about finding justice, it was about putting an end to the danger so that this precious little girl, Owen and his family would be safe.

  Laney pulled Addie back into her arms when Owen entered the room, and she could tell from his expression that he’d just gotten more bad news.

  “Rohan Gilley’s lawyer just visited him at the sheriff’s office, and after he left, Gilley told Kellan that he was finally ready to talk,” Owen explained.

  She shook her head, not understanding his somber tone, because it was good that the hired gun had broken his silence. “And?” Laney prompted when Owen didn’t add anything.

  Owen dragged in a breath through his mouth. “Gilley said that Emerson is the one who hired him.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Emerson.

  Owen had already cursed his brother-in-law, but he kept cursing under his breath every time his calls to Emerson went to voi
ce mail. Where the hell was he? Since Nettie wasn’t answering her phone, either, Owen could only guess that Emerson had gotten wind of Gilley’s “confession” and had gone on the run.

  To avoid being arrested for murder.

  That only caused Owen to silently swear even more, and the profanity wasn’t just aimed at Emerson. He aimed plenty at himself. All the signs had been there, and Laney had said right from the get-go that Emerson had killed her sister. He hadn’t listened and now they were in this mess.

  “No one in Emerson’s office has seen him,” Eli relayed when he finished his latest round of calls.

  Eli and Owen were only two of the people looking for Emerson. Gunnar and Raylene were back at the sheriff’s office. Kellan was no doubt doing it, too, though he likely had his hands full with Gilley and getting the warrant not just for Emerson but for his financials. Because he’d been swamped and since there’d been no evidence to hold him, Kellan had cut Terrance loose. Temporarily anyway. Terrance would be making a return trip to the sheriff’s office for further questioning. That might not even be necessary, though. If they could arrest Emerson and get him in the box for questioning, he might confess all.

  Might.

  And he might deny it, just as he’d denied the affair with Hadley. At least, he’d denied it until he’d had to face those pictures.

  “I’m sure it’s occurred to you that Gilley could be lying through his teeth,” Eli pointed out.

  Owen nodded. Yeah. In fact, that had been his first thought. After all, Gilley wasn’t exactly a responsible, law-abiding citizen. He could have simply grown tired of being in a cell, waiting for a plea deal, and had decided to strike out.

  “If there’d been no circumstantial evidence against Emerson, Kellan probably wouldn’t have even told me what Gilley had said,” Owen answered. “But there is evidence.”

  Eli made a sound of agreement. “And it doesn’t help that he’s gone AWOL. If that’s what happened.”

  Owen looked at his brother, who was at the living room window. “You think something could have happened to him?”

  “Depends on if he’s really a killer or not. If it’s Nettie or Terrance, then Emerson could be the next victim. They might try to make it look like a suicide.”

  Owen could definitely see that happening, but maybe before anyone else died, Emerson would come in and give a statement.

  “You should get some rest,” Eli added when Owen groaned and rubbed his eyes. “I’ll be fine to keep first watch. Better yet, why don’t you make sure Laney is okay?”

  Eli took something from his pocket and tossed it to Owen. Only after Owen caught it did he realize what it was. A foil-wrapped condom.

  Owen scowled at him.

  “You think you’ll need two of them?” Eli asked in his best smart-mouthed tone.

  Owen scowled some more. But he slipped the condom into his pocket, causing Eli to smile. It made Owen want to punch him. Or thank him. Before he could decide which, he turned and made his way up the stairs.

  He checked on Addie first and saw that she was sacked out in her crib. Francine and Gemma had taken the bed and were asleep, too. Only then did he remember he’d told them that he’d likely be getting up in the middle of the night for watch duty. Obviously the women had decided to make that easy for him by switching around the sleeping arrangements.

  Owen checked on Laney next because he hadn’t had a chance to talk to her since the Gilley bombshell about Emerson. And no, “checking on” her didn’t have anything to do with the condom.

  Probably not anyway.

  Her door was open, but his heart dropped to his knees when he didn’t see her inside. A few seconds later, she came out of the hall bathroom. She was wearing a robe several sizes too big for her and was toweling her wet hair.

  “Emerson?” she immediately asked, and her whispered voice hardly had any sound.

  He shook his head, saw the mixture of disappointment and frustration go over her face, but she didn’t say anything else until they were in the bedroom. “Emerson might not be guilty.”

  Since that was the same conversation he’d just had with Eli and then with himself, Owen nodded and shut the door so they wouldn’t wake Addie, Francine or Gemma.

  “Gut feeling?” he asked.

  “Just trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. I want the attacks to stop, but I want to make sure the right person pays for that.” She paused. “Even if Emerson killed Hadley, it doesn’t mean he hired those thugs.”

  Owen believed that, too. That, of course, put them right back to not having a clear suspect.

  He stayed by the door while she continued to dry her hair and pace. Owen figured she wouldn’t be getting a lot of sleep tonight, either. However, when the towel shifted a little, that was when he saw the cut on her right temple.

  “You’re hurt?” he asked, going to her.

  “No. It’s only a little cut.”

  He didn’t have to ask how she’d gotten it. It’d been when the gunman had shot through the glass. He hadn’t seen it earlier because her hair had covered her.

  No, she wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight.

  She looked at him, forced a smile. “You do know it’s not a good idea for you to be in here, right?” she asked.

  “I know.” He didn’t hesitate, either, and had no doubts about that. It was a very bad idea.

  But he didn’t budge.

  There was a storm stirring inside him, and it spread until he thought there wasn’t any part of him not affected by it. All fire, and it was edged with danger. He thought maybe if he’d been facing down gunmen, it wouldn’t have felt as strong as this.

  Laney must have sensed that storm because her breath kicked up a notch. It was heavy, causing her chest to rise and fall as if she’d just run a long distance. He saw the pulse on her throat. Took in her scent, something beneath the soap she’d used in the shower.

  Her scent.

  It roared through him even faster than the storm.

  He had a dozen arguments with himself as to why he should turn around and leave. And, one by one, he lost every one of those debates. Because right now there was only one thing that mattered. One thing that he knew he had to have.

  Laney.

  Owen went to her, pulled her into arms and started what he was certain he would regret soon enough. He kissed her.

  * * *

  FROM THE MOMENT she’d stepped from her shower and had seen Owen, Laney had figured it would lead to this kiss. She hadn’t seen any way around it. That didn’t make it right.

  No. Owen would almost certainly feel guilty about this. Once the heat had cooled down, he would consider it a lapse in judgment. But she wouldn’t. She would see it as her one chance to be with him.

  And she would take it.

  Even if Owen wasn’t hers to take.

  Laney melted into his arms, into the kiss. It wasn’t hard to do. She wanted him more than she wanted her next breath, and with that clever kiss, he was giving her everything she needed. The taste of him. The fit of her body in his arms. The feel of his mouth on hers. And she got even more of that when he deepened the kiss.

  Both his mouth and hands were rough. Rushed. Maybe from the same fiery need she was feeling or because he didn’t want to pause long enough to change his mind. But Laney made him pause. She pulled back, met his gaze, looked straight into those storm-gray eyes. She didn’t say a word. Didn’t have to. She just gave him those seconds to reconsider.

  Their gazes held. So deep. So long. And it wasn’t necessary for them to have a conversation. He told her all she needed to know when his mouth came back to hers. Owen snapped her against him, his hand slipping into her robe and pushing open the sides.

  She was naked beneath, something he soon discovered when his fingers brushed over her nipple. He still didn’t stop. Didn’t even hesitate when he lo
wered his head and took her nipple into his mouth.

  The fire shot through her, flooding the heat to the center of her body. Oh, she wanted him.

  Owen didn’t stop with the breast kiss. He trailed his mouth, and tongue, lower to her stomach. He might have gone even lower if she hadn’t stopped him and pulled him back up.

  “You’re wearing too many clothes,” she protested and immediately tried to do something about that.

  She fumbled with the buttons on his shirt and then cursed his shoulder harness when she couldn’t get it off him. Owen helped with that, kissing her and backing her across the room. At first, she couldn’t figure out why he wasn’t taking her to the bed, but then Laney realized he’d locked the door.

  Good grief. Anyone could have walked in on them, and his daughter was just across the hall. That reminder gave her a moment’s pause that might have lasted longer if Owen’s next kiss hadn’t sent her back into the melting mode. Mercy. The man could kiss.

  And touch.

  Yes, she soon learned he was very clever at that, too. With his hands skimming along her body, he moved her toward the bed, easing her back on the mattress while his fingers found their way between her legs.

  The touch took her breath away and caused the pleasure to spear through her. But soon, very soon, it wasn’t nearly enough. She wanted him, all of him, and that started with getting him naked.

  “Still too many clothes,” she complained. “Get them off now.”

  That finally spurred him to a different kind of action and, while still kissing her, he shucked off his shirt. Laney finally got her chance to touch him. His chest was toned and perfect like the rest of him. She ran her hand down to his jeans to get his belt undone.

  And she unzipped him.

  She gave in to the heat from the kisses and touched him, sliding her hand into his boxers. Touching him. A sound came deep from his throat. Part groan, part pleasure. She saw urgency come to his eyes. Felt it when he shoved his hand in his jeans pocket and took out a condom.

  Laney pushed off his jeans and boots as he put on the condom. Both ate up seconds and caused the pressure to soar. Now, she kept repeating in her mind. Now.