Owen gave her now.
With the fire and need consuming them, he pushed into her and she closed around him. Owen stilled for a moment, his eyes coming back to hers. More long moments. But these seemed...necessary. As if they both had to know that this wasn’t ordinary. That it wasn’t just the heat. No. It was a lot more than that, whether they wanted it to be or not.
He was breathing through his mouth now. Heavy, sharp gusts. But still, his eyes—dark and heavy—moved over her, taking her into his mind just as she’d taken him into her body.
When he started to move, he did it slowly. Long, easy strokes. Stretching out the pleasure. That didn’t last, either.
Couldn’t.
The urgency returned with a vengeance. Something primal that was bone-deep. His need to finish this. The strokes came faster. Deepened. Kept pace with her quick, throbbing pulse. The need came faster, too. Demanding that now, now, now.
Owen gave her that, too.
He pushed into her until the climax slammed through her. Her vision pinpointed just him before it blurred. Before the only thing she could do was hold on. And take him with her.
Chapter Fourteen
When Owen came back from the bathroom, he’d expected to find Laney already dressed and either pacing or working on the laptop. But she was still naked and apparently asleep. She was on her stomach, her hand tucked like a pillow beneath her face. She looked...well, peaceful.
And beautiful.
No way would he convince his body otherwise. Not a chance of convincing it—or rather, certain parts of him anyway—that he didn’t want her all over again. That wouldn’t have been such a bad thing if one of those parts hadn’t been his heart.
Hell.
He hadn’t just had sex with her. He’d made love to her. Big difference, and he was honest enough with himself to not try to downplay it. Sex was easy, often with no strings or ones that didn’t matter. But there’d be important strings with Laney. Not from her. He was guessing she’d give him an out and say that it didn’t matter. She wouldn’t be doing that for herself but rather for him.
Owen wouldn’t take an out. He’d never been the sort to dismiss his feelings, which meant he was going to have to somehow work out this guilt going through him about Naomi. In a way, it felt as if he’d cheated on her. Or worse, it felt as if he’d finally gotten past her death. And that was worse than the guilt.
Pulling in a long breath, he eased down next to Laney on the bed. She automatically moved closer to him, draping her arm over his chest, and he felt the muscles tense in her arm. She opened one eye, looked at him and frowned.
“You’re dressed.” She started to scramble away from him, probably to put on her clothes, but he dragged her against him, holding her.
She didn’t move away, but she did look up at him. He recognized suspicion in a person’s eyes when he saw it. Suspicion. Then lust. She glanced at the door, probably to see if he’d shut it. He had.
“I’m naked,” she said. “You’re not. I think this would probably work better if you were naked, too.”
That made him smile, and Owen brushed a kiss on the top of her head. He just wanted a moment, with her like this in his arms. It didn’t settle the guilt trip in his mind, but it sure as heck settled the rest of him.
She levered herself up, touched her fingers to the bunched-up part of his forehead. “What is it?” she asked.
Owen wasn’t sure he would have told her, but he didn’t get the chance to decide because his phone buzzed. He’d turned off the ringer so that it wouldn’t wake Addie, Francine or Gemma, but the buzz came through loud and clear.
Emerson’s name was on the screen.
“Put it on speaker,” Laney insisted as she got to her feet and began to dress.
Owen did, but he turned down the volume. “Where are you?” Owen immediately asked.
“I’m driving to the ranch. We need to talk.”
Yeah, they definitely needed to talk, but Owen didn’t want Emerson within a mile of the ranch. “Go to the sheriff’s office. Kellan’s there and he’ll talk to you.”
Emerson made a sound of outrage. “You’re my brother-in-law, not Kellan. I want to talk to you.”
“The hands have orders not to let anyone on the ranch.” Owen spelled it out for him. “They won’t let you on.”
Emerson cursed. “Didn’t you hear what I said? We need to talk. I can’t find Nettie, and I think someone’s trying to kill me.”
Owen didn’t say “Welcome to the club,” but that was what he was thinking. Laney, too, because she rolled her eyes. “What makes you think someone’s trying to kill you?” Owen prompted.
“Because a car’s been following me. I’ve got a gun, but if these are hired killers, they’ll be a lot better shot than I am.”
“Funny you should mention that. Rohan Gilley, the gun we have in custody, said you were his boss.”
That brought on a whole new round of cursing from Emerson. “He’s a lying SOB. I didn’t hire him. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“Nothing other than lying to keep your affair with Hadley a secret,” Owen reminded him.
“I didn’t kill her!” Emerson shouted. “I didn’t kill anyone, and I sure as hell didn’t hire Rohan Gilley.”
Owen had no idea if that were true, but even if he believed him, he wouldn’t let Emerson on the ranch. They were on lockdown, and it was going to stay that way until they were no longer in danger.
“Go to the sheriff’s office,” Owen repeated. “Give your statement to Kellan. If there’s someone following you, someone who intends to do you harm, then Kellan can also put you in protective custody.”
“Is that where Nettie went?” Emerson snapped.
Owen didn’t have a clue, but since that might urge Emerson to go there, he settled for saying, “Could be. You should check and see. And do it soon, Emerson,” Owen added just as the man ended the call.
He had no idea if his brother-in-law would actually do that, but maybe he would so they could begin to start putting together the pieces of this puzzle.
By the time Owen put his phone away, Laney was completely dressed. Something that didn’t please the nonheart part of him. He considered getting her out of those clothes again and going for another round, but he didn’t have a second condom and wouldn’t ask Eli for one.
Well, maybe he wouldn’t.
Owen was pretty sure the moment Eli saw his face, his brother would be able to figure out what had gone on. Heck, Eli might even volunteer another condom then—even though the timing sucked. Owen mentally repeated that part about the timing, got up and faced Laney.
“I’m going down to relieve Eli for a while,” he said.
“I’ll go with you and grab something to eat.”
Until she’d added that last part, Owen had been about to tell her to get some rest, but since she hadn’t eaten anything all day, he didn’t want to nix a good idea. He might even be able to grab a bite, as well.
Apparently, good sex spurred the appetite.
Owen peeked in again on Addie before Laney and he made their way down the stairs. And yep, Eli did figure it out. The corner of Eli’s mouth lifted in a smile, but he thankfully dropped the expression when Laney came in. She greeted Eli and went straight into the adjoining kitchen.
“Don’t say a word,” Owen warned Eli.
Eli didn’t, but he did chuckle. If it was loud enough for Laney to hear, she didn’t react. She started making sandwiches from some cold cuts that she took from the fridge.
“Why don’t you get some sleep?” Owen suggested.
“Will do after I fix me one of those sandwiches.” Eli traded places with him, and Owen moved to the window as his brother went into the kitchen with Laney.
It was dark outside. No moon. But there were security lights on the road leading to the house. Owen had de
bated as to whether or not to turn them off. Debated keeping off all the lights inside, too, so that no one would easily be able to see they were there. However, he’d nixed the idea since the security lights would make it easier for the hands to see if someone tried to get onto the ranch.
Owen was less than a minute into his watch duties when his phone buzzed again. He silently cursed, figuring it was Emerson. But no, it was Terrance. Owen answered, putting the call on speaker because both Laney and Eli had entered the room, no doubt to listen.
“Are you at the sheriff’s office?” Terrance asked, continuing before he gave Owen a chance to answer. “Because I need to see you.”
“I’m a popular man tonight,” Owen grumbled. “What do you want?”
Considering Terrance had blurted the first part of his conversation, it surprised Owen when the man went silent. Owen was about to repeat his “what do you want” demand when Terrance finally spoke.
“Look, I need to explain some things, that’s all.” Terrance definitely didn’t sound like his usual cocky self. “Your brother, the sheriff, made it clear that he’s looking at me for Nancy’s murder.”
“Yeah, because she worked for you,” Owen was quick to remind him.
“She did, but I swear I didn’t have anything to do with her murder.”
That was the second time tonight that someone had denied being a killer. Owen wasn’t any more inclined to believe him than he was Emerson.
“I didn’t kill Nancy,” Terrance went on. And he paused again. “But she did get into that bank box to get the pictures.”
Laney dropped the bag of chips she’d taken from the cabinet and hurried closer to Owen. Eli moved closer, too, eating his sandwich. While he wasn’t hurrying, it was obvious his attention was nailed to the conversation.
“I’m listening,” Owen told Terrance.
“Once I made the connection between Hadley and a safe-deposit box, I wanted to know what was inside,” Terrance admitted.
Owen’s jaw tightened. “Why? Because you thought there was some kind of evidence in there that would get your conviction overturned?” And yes, that question was loaded with sarcasm.
“No. I was guilty of assaulting Laney, and I served my time,” he quickly added. “I just thought there might be something that would...punish Laney. Something to give her a dose of the same pain she gave me when she didn’t do her job and vet the gold digger who drained me dry.”
Owen was about to point out that Terrance had been the one stupid enough to fall for a con artist, but Laney spoke before Owen could.
“Punish me?” Laney repeated. “How?”
Terrance muttered some profanity. “I thought it would bring back bad memories for you. Something that would make you feel guilty for not finding your sister’s killer.” He paused. “When I told Nancy this, she took it upon herself to get into the bank. I never hired her to do that, never encouraged her.”
Owen doubted that. There’d likely been plenty of encouragement. Payment, too.
“How’d Nancy get the key to the box?” Owen queried.
“I’m not sure. She didn’t tell me.”
Owen doubted that, as well. There was a slim chance that Nancy could have bribed someone at the bank to get her a duplicate key. Also a slim chance that Nancy had killed Joe and got the key from him. But all of this pointed straight back to Terrance.
“Nancy acted of her own accord,” Terrance declared. “Because she thought it would be a favor to me.”
“A favor?” Owen challenged. “She committed a felony. This is more than just a favor.”
Terrance made a sound of agreement. “She had a thing for me and probably thought I’d be so grateful that it’d start up something personal between us. It didn’t.”
Owen would give that some more thought later, but for now he wanted to keep pressing for details. Then he could sort out what were lies and what were truths.
“What happened when Nancy went to the bank?” Owen asked.
“She called and said the only thing in the box was a bunch of pictures. Pictures of Hadley and the married DA. I wasn’t sure how I could use those, but I told her to copy them, put them in online storage and then put the originals in a safe place.”
“And then you killed Nancy?” Owen finished for him.
“No! Of course not.” There was plenty of emotion in his voice now and some of it sounded like regret. “Nancy asked if she could make some money off the pictures, maybe by getting the DA to buy them. I told her no, that I didn’t want her to do that.” Another pause. “But I think she tried. I think that’s what got her killed.”
Yeah, maybe killed by Terrance himself because the woman had disobeyed his order. “Who murdered Nancy?” Owen demanded.
“I don’t know, but I refuse to be blamed for her death. I won’t let your brother come after me and try to stick me behind bars.” The anger was back with a vengeance, and his voice started to rise. “I won’t go back to jail.”
“You won’t have a choice about that. If there’s any proof whatsoever that you paid Nancy to go to the bank—”
“There isn’t,” Terrance interrupted. “Because I’m innocent, and as far as I’m concerned, this will be the last conversation I have with Laney, your brother or you.” With that, Terrance ended the call.
Owen wasn’t so sure about this being the last, but he hoped that Terrance would truly stay out of Laney’s life. That would definitely happen if Terrance was arrested for murder.
“If Terrance was telling the truth about Nancy,” Laney said, “maybe the woman used the courier so she’d be one step removed from the blackmail. In fact, she could have paid someone to contact the courier service.”
As theories went, it wasn’t a bad one, and if that was what happened, then Terrance could indeed be innocent. But that left them with the same question he’d just presented to Terrance. Who killed Nancy?
Eli was still chowing down on his sandwich when his phone buzzed. “It’s Jeremy,” he relayed to them. Jeremy Cranston, one of the ranch hands. Eli took the call on speaker.
“I just spotted someone in the back pasture,” Jeremy said. “A man. And he’s got a rifle.”
* * *
LANEY’S STOMACH TIGHTENED into a cold, hard knot, and she realized this was something she had been expecting. Something she’d prayed wouldn’t happen.
But here it was.
“The armed guy isn’t close to the house,” Jeremy added a moment later. “I saw him through the binoculars as he came over the fence. Should I leave Bennie here and head out to that part of the pasture?” Laney knew that Bennie Deavers was the other ranch hand helping them guard the immediate area around the house.
“No,” Owen answered. “Just keep an eye on the intruder. He could be a lure to get us to go after him.”
Oh, God. She hadn’t even considered that. She should have, though. Laney should have anticipated that whoever was behind this would do anything to get to her.
But why?
She still didn’t know, and that tore away at her as much as the fear for Owen, his family and the hands.
“Have you seen anyone else?” Owen asked Jeremy. “Maybe somebody on the road?”
“Nobody. Don’t have to tell you, though, that there are a lot of acres. A lot of ways for someone to get here if they’re hell-bent on it.”
No, Jeremy didn’t have to tell them. And yes, the person after her was definitely hell-bent.
She thought of all the old trails that coiled around the ranch and fed out into the roads. Once they’d been used to move cattle and equipment before the roads had been built. Now they could provide access to someone who wanted to get close without being seen.
“Keep an eye on all sides of the house,” Owen instructed as he turned off the lights. Eli went into the living room and did the same. “Just keep an eye on the gunman and t
ext Eli or me when he gets closer to the house.”
Eli had already moved to the front window to keep watch when he ended the call. Owen moved to the kitchen window, but he looked at Laney.
“Have Francine and Gemma move Addie into the tub,” he said. “You go in the bathroom with them.”
“Yes to the first. No to the second,” Laney argued. “You need backup, and I not only have a gun, I know how to use it.”
Laney didn’t give him a chance to answer. She ran up the stairs to get Addie to safety. Gemma must have heard her coming because the woman stepped out into the hall.
“There’s an armed man in the pasture” was all Laney said, and Gemma hurried back into the room to scoop up Addie.
“Francine, get up,” Gemma insisted, already heading to the adjoining bathroom. Thankfully, Addie didn’t wake up, and Laney hoped it stayed that way.
The nanny sprang off the bed, her eyes wide with fear. Fear that Laney couldn’t soothe because the danger had returned. “I’ll come back up when the threat is over,” Laney assured her. She prayed that wouldn’t be too long.
Of course, after this threat was over, Owen would no doubt make the decision to move Addie. This was the second intruder in only a handful of hours, and he had to get his daughter out of harm’s way. That meant taking the little girl to a safe house—away from Owen. And Owen would almost certainly insist that Laney go into a safe house, as well. Not with Addie, though. No. The best way to protect Addie was to get her away from Laney.
Once Francine and Gemma had Addie in the bathroom, Laney made sure all the upstairs lights were off and then hurried downstairs. Since Owen was still in the kitchen and Eli at the front of the living room, Laney went to the side window positioned between the two areas. They could cover three sides of the house in case this armed thug got past the ranch hands.
And the wait began.
It was impossible for Laney to tamp down all the fear that was rising inside her. Impossible to keep her breathing and heartbeat level. But she forced herself to remember her training. She didn’t have nearly the level of expertise that Owen and Eli did, but she’d taken self-defense and firearms classes. Maybe, though, it wouldn’t come down to any of them using those skills.
A Threat to His Family Page 15
