by Lily London
PROTECTING
HALEY
TRANQUILITY BAY RANCH, BOOK 1
LILY LONDON
Copyright © 2020 by Lily London
All Rights Reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication / use of the trademarks is not authorized, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners.
CONTENTS
Also by Lily London
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Epilogue
About the Author
Reader Feedback
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CHAP
TER 1
DEREK
Imade my rounds to all the critical areas of the ranch just after six in the morning. I’d just finished checking the northern fence line and had turned Swallow’s head back toward the stable when the shot rang out. I was off the horse, taking cover, my rifle pointed in the direction of the sound, before I scraped myself on some prickly pear and remembered that this was Montana, and that shot was almost certainly meant for a coyote, not a person. Damn PTSD demons. My hands shook while I stowed the rifle and coaxed Swallow back to me. It took a while since my fear had spooked her. I wondered if any of this would ever get better. It had been three years since my best friend Clay kicked in the door to a target’s house, and it exploded, taking out the rest of our Tier 1 team, and landing Clay and me in the hospital.
Just like that, my career as a Navy Seal was over. Nine years was all I got as a military man, and there was no program to help me adjust to civilian life. At least I was luckier than Clay. I had a couple of burn scars, but nothing like the mess on his legs and left arm. The headaches that came out of nowhere after that skull fracture could make some days difficult, but Clay had to figure out how to live with a prosthetic right leg that he hated with a burning passion.
As I rode back down the trail, I thought over the past few years. I struggled for a long time when I first got out, not sure what to do or where to even go. Finally, I decided to move back to Bozeman, Montana and bought this place. My grandfather had a horse ranch when I was a kid before he lost it due to the economy. I always loved being around the horses and taking care of them. So, when this place was put up for sale, I bought it and decided I would just figure it out as I went. Now, three years later, I had managed to keep this place open and to expand it into one hell of a horse ranch. We offered riding classes and boarding, so we always had revenue and activity on the ranch.
We housed twenty horses along with many cats and dogs. Whenever the animal shelters were too full, they brought them to me so I could board them and find them new homes. I had always loved animals and hated it when an animal was put to sleep just because there was no more room left. This way I could shelter them to give them time to find a new home. Being around the animals helped me with my PTSD, I found it therapeutic and working with them gave me a purpose. That was why when I needed to hire ranch hands, I only hired ex-military. I wanted to give
them a safe place to start over and a reason to get up every day like the one that was taken away when they left that life. I am a firm believer in helping people, especially a brother. It didn’t matter to me what branch of the military they were in. If they served, they were my brothers. It was just that simple.
Three months after I took this place on, I hired Clay to be my foreman. He grew up in Texas and was used to being around horses. His father ran a horse ranch, so he had experience with them, and he knew better than me what needed to be done. With his PTSD being so bad I was hoping he would find relief being around the animals just like I had. That relief is why I changed the name to Tranquility Bay Ranch. It was a symbol of everything that this place represented in my mind. I was glad to see that Clay was slowly getting better, he had a long way to go and sometimes his PTSD did get the best of him, and he would hide out for a few days. I never bothered him, though, never pushed for him to meet someone or interact with people when he wasn’t able. I knew he needed time, and I was going to give him all the space he required.
I headed over to where Clay was in the stable mucking out Chocolate’s stall. Chocolate was a newer horse that I had received a few weeks ago. He was given to me by a vet who had been treating Chocolate for abuse and neglect. He was a beautiful rich brown color, hence the name that Dr. Morgan gave to him. Though only a year-old, Chocolate had been severely mistreated by his former owner since the day he was born. He was still too thin and scar-covered for my liking. When he first arrived, he feared everyone. No one could get close to Chocolate until a few days after he came to the ranch, and Clay came out of his house. Clay had been locked up after a PTSD episode and hadn’t been around when Chocolate was brought to us.
I swear it was magic between them. Clay was the only one Chocolate would let go near him. It was like they shared a similar pain and instantly understood each other. Clay was still the only one that Chocolate would let be around him. Now and then I could feed him, but for the most part, it was only Clay. I made sure I made enough noise that Clay would hear me. He didn’t do well when someone snuck up on him. Clay turned to see that it was me, and he gave me a nod. Clay wasn’t a big conversationalist. He used to never shut up, but ever since that night, he rarely spoke. I suspected it was because he was too busy trying to keep himself together, struggling to hold his emotions and demons in check, afraid that if he did talk it would all come pouring out. He wasn't ready for that yet.
“Morning. It’s beautiful out today. Do you think Chocolate is ready to be out with the other horses?” I asked.
“Don’t know. Could try with a couple of the older ones in the bigger paddocks.”
“Let him have more room to be on his own but could still interact with the others. Ok, let’s try that and see. We need to get him more social, and he needs proper exercise.”
Clay gave a nod as he continued his work.
“I got a builder coming by later to go over the plans for the new stable. Since Quinn’s getting supplies today, I’m gonna have Jason and Reed working in the back section getting the ground in better condition for the build. You good with that, or did you have them set on something else?”
It was my ranch, but Clay had a huge say in where the ranch hands were set for the day. He tried to rotate them around, so they weren’t always stuck doing the same task. It never bothered me where they were working, Clay always had them doing what they needed to do, so there was no need for me to get involved.
/> “That’s fine. They were going to get the training paddock ready for next week’s jumping class. They can do that tomorrow.”
“I’ll go let them know, then head into the office and get some of the paperwork in order. I gotta get payroll done and submit my builder’s permit for the stable. You good, brother?”
I could tell he was tired. He had dark circles under his eyes, and it told me he hadn’t slept last night. He would often have insomnia when his PTSD was acting up. Clay could go months without an episode and then unexpectedly, he would be kicked in the nuts with a flare-up. I knew what it was like, and even after three years, I still had my moments when it got the best of me. Clay was dealing with something that I wasn’t, though. He had the guilt crushing him. He blamed himself for the death of our brothers. Like he was supposed to know that kicking the door in would cause an IED to go off. I knew it would take an exceptionally long time before he would start to heal from it if he ever did. I was just hoping that over time he would relinquish some of the guilt and finally allow himself to recover. He used to have so much life in him. It was wrong that he was missing so much of it.
“I’m good. You?”
“Yeah, brother, I’m good. You know where to find me if you need me.”
Clay just gave a nod, and I turned and headed out. He needed some time alone, and I could respect that. I headed off to find Jason and Reed to let them know what I needed before I headed off to the office. Haley, my receptionist, was not here at this hour, but she would arrive within the next two hours when we were officially open. It would give me some time to get the payroll in order, and then later I would head out and help with the horses.
CHAPTER 2
HALEY
Arriving at Tranquility Bay Ranch normally brought me excitement and joy. I had only been working in the office here for a month, and I relished every second of it. Being in Tranquility Bay was an amazing experience. I loved being around the horses and miscellaneous animals. Derek and his men were all friendly and had interesting stories to share. I could see the love and sense of family that they had created with each other. Derek was an amazing man. He had survived war multiple times and had served this country for close to a decade. I hated that he had been injured, but I was happy that it had allowed me to meet him and have him in my life, even if it was solely as a boss.
Only now my peace was broken once again. I had received text messages last night from an unknown caller. I didn’t need to recognize the number to know that it belonged to my ex-boyfriend Damien. I had been hiding from him for two years now. I didn’t have any family, never did. I grew up in the foster care system and spent my life being bounced around from one temporary home to another. When I was fourteen, I had started living with Damien, who was thirty-three at the time. He was sweet and caring at first, telling me he loved me and that we would be happy together. He swore to me that I would never have to leave, and we could build our own family together. It sounded perfect, and it was everything I had ever wanted. That tranquility only lasted six months, and then the abuse started. I was trapped until I turned eighteen and found the courage to leave.
I left with nothing more than a bag of clothes and hitchhiked to the other side of the country. For the past two years, I’d been bouncing around from one small town to the next. Every time he found me, I moved. I’d changed my phone number so many times I’d lost track. I didn’t know how he always managed to locate me. I used a fake name; and had lived in my car for the past two years because I’d been afraid to get a place of my own. When I had to shower, I’d used the bathroom at the YMCA, and I could use the small kitchen at work for meals. I just left some food in the fridge, so I could easily make something without any questions being asked. Derek had never had a problem with it, something I was thankful for not having to explain.
After a month of being in Bozeman, I thought I might have found a place that I could fit in for the long-term. Bozeman wasn't a small town, and I figured maybe that was my problem. I had always lived in small towns, and Damien could easily track me down. I reasoned that maybe a larger city would help keep me hidden. I had even started looking at apartments to see how much it would cost to rent a small studio. I allowed myself to hope the pattern was going to break, and now I was paying the price for that lapse.
I would need to leave soon, but I knew from past experiences that Damien liked to play first. He would send me text messages, and then try and leave me presents before he would approach me. I had maybe a month before he came after me physically, and I would need to leave. I had let it go too long once, and I wasn't going to make that mistake again. Another month would let me save up as much as I could. When I moved, I would have enough to see me through until I found a new place and changed my name. I had been so many people already, I couldn’t remember even half of my identities. Sometimes I had a tough time remembering my real name.
I got out and headed into the office. Walking in and seeing Derek made my heart do a little flutter. The man was sex on a stick, I swear, and when he walked around in his cowboy hat and boots, all tan and muscle-hardened from the ranch work, something inside of me always went crazy.
“Haley, good morning,” Derek said with a smile and a warmth in his amazing green eyes that made me feel included, part of something important.
Instantly, my fears about Damien finding me settled down. I was safe here. There was no way Damien would be able to get to me with so many ex-military men around. That was also one of the reasons I loved working here. Around Derek, I felt safe. I couldn’t remember ever experiencing that feeling before, and I never wanted the sense of security to end. Only now it would have to. I would have to plan my escape and leave the safety of the ranch.
“Morning Derek, how are you?” I asked as I headed over to the kitchenette to grab a cup of coffee.
“Good.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught him giving me the kind of glance that made me crave his hands on my body—and I never wanted hands on my body, not after the painful times I’d had with Damien. But something about Derek made me want to take a risk and explore. I busied myself with the coffee. “Anything I need to know for today?”
“I gotta meet with a builder for the new stable. I’ll be out most of the day working in the field with the guys getting the construction site prepped. Clay is with Chocolate and having a rough day, so if you need anything, just call me.”
This wasn’t the first time that Clay’d had a difficult time since I started working here. In fact, Derek made a point to mention in my initial interview that some of the guys had their quirks and various levels of PTSD, with Clay being the worst. I was fine with being around them, and I always made sure to give Clay his space. They all sacrificed something for their country. The least I could do for them was give them room to breathe when they needed it. I would also cook meals for them when they were exhausted or all working late. It was a contribution I could make, and it helped me feel like I was a part of the family.
“Gotcha. I’ll make sure he gets space, and if I need anything, I will call you, but I’m sure nothing will come up. When is the builder set to be here?”
“Within the hour. I won’t be too far, so I should see him pull in. If not, just give me a ring. Plus, you have been here for a month now. I was hoping we could celebrate.”
“Celebrate?” Yes, I had been here for a month, but so what? It wasn’t like I had been here for ten years or something.
“It’s something that I do with all of my new employees. At the one-month mark, I cook dinner for them. It lets me show my appreciation of their hard work and to help make them feel a part of the family. Now, up until you, everyone has been a guy, so if you are uncomfortable with dinner, I completely understand.”
I could tell he was worried I would think he was hitting on me, but I knew he wasn’t. Unfortunately. I would have preferred him to have made the offer because he was interested in me. Still, a home-cooked meal was not something I could turn down.
“No, that sounds great.”
“Perfect, you free tonight?”
“I am.”
“Alright, I’ll see you at the house after work.”
The smile that Derek gave me sent shivers down my spine. All I could do was nod as he headed out. I knew he wasn’t making a pass at me, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to see if maybe he did feel the same as I did. I only had a month left here, so why not take advantage of it and be a little brave myself? If the moment was right, then tonight my lips would be tasting him, and hopefully, he would have me for dessert. After all, what was the harm? I’d be gone in a month, and he’d never see me again
CHAPTER 3
DEREK
Ihad just thirty minutes left of the day before Haley would be off work. I was looking forward to making dinner for us tonight. I had wanted to get to know her more over the past month. I desired to know all my employees. I took being the boss seriously, but I also wanted everyone that worked here to feel like they could come to me if they had a problem. I wanted them all to feel like they were a part of our family and belonged here. I could tell Haley was keeping herself at a distance, and I wanted to try and break through that tonight.
I headed back to my place to get showered and changed. I was covered in sweat and my clothes were filthy from work. I needed to clean up before I could start barbecuing us some steaks. While in the shower I allowed my mind to go over what I knew about Haley. After a month I normally had learned quite a bit about my employees, but with Haley, she was like a stone wall. She didn’t give up information freely. Her resume was good, but she didn’t go into much detail about anything outside of it. I had no idea if her parents were alive or if she had siblings. I didn’t know if she was seeing anyone or if she had roommates. Hell, I didn’t even know what her favorite color was. She was not forthcoming with any information about herself, and I couldn’t help but wonder why. Yes, we hadn’t sat down and had deep conversations, but we had talked pretty much every day to some degree. And it was those little things you learned about someone just by being around them. Haley made sure I knew nothing personal about her, and it sent off little flags of warning in my head. I didn't know why she was so guarded all the time. It could just be how she was, but there was this part inside of me that told me something wasn't right. I had learned to listen to those voices during my Seal days, and it had kept me alive. If something was going on with her, I wanted to let her know that she could trust me. That she wasn’t alone with whatever she was dealing with.
