Sudden Setup
Barb Han
A stranger is her only hopeAlone and on the run, Holden Crawford knows helping Ella Butler will only bring him trouble. Once her would-be killers are caught and Holden knows Ella is safe, will revealing his darkest secrets bring them closer…or force her out of his life forever?
Someone desperately wants her dead.
A stranger is her only hope.
Alone and on the run for the past two years, Holden Crawford knows helping Ella Butler will only bring him trouble. But not rescuing one of Cattle Barge’s wealthiest daughters isn’t an option and now he’ll risk everything to protect her. Once her would-be killers are caught and Holden knows Ella is safe, will revealing his darkest secrets bring them closer...or force her out of his life forever?
USA TODAY bestselling author BARB HAN lives in north Texas with her very own hero-worthy husband, three beautiful children, a spunky golden retriever/standard poodle mix and too many books in her to-read pile. In her downtime, she plays video games and spends much of her time on or around a basketball court. She loves interacting with readers and is grateful for their support. You can reach her at www.barbhan.com (http://www.barbhan.com).
Also by Barb Han (#u982c49f5-afbc-5378-bb6c-fda767e3dadb)
Sudden Setup
Stockyard Snatching
Delivering Justice
One Tough Texan
Texas-Sized Trouble
Texas Witness
Texas Showdown
Texas Prey
Texas Takedown
Texas Hunt
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Sudden Setup
Barb Han
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-1-474-07879-5
SUDDEN SETUP
© 2018 Barb Han
Published in Great Britain 2018
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any 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 publisher.
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www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Many thanks to Allison Lyons, the absolute best editor. My enduring gratitude to Jill Marsal, the absolute best agent. I’m privileged to work with both of you and count my blessings every day.
Brandon, Jacob and Tori, nothing in my life would make sense without the three of you. Your smiles bring joy and light to every day. Bitty Bug—our fairy-light chats are the highlight of every evening.
Babe, how lucky am I? You make me laugh, lift me up when I cry and cheer me on every single day. If I could be granted one wish, it would be that every person could have this kind of love. I can only imagine how much better the world would be for it. I love you.
Contents
Cover (#ua8e5cbd9-55c7-58a2-88eb-8e8ba30a4572)
Back Cover Text (#u9360a4fd-2627-5cd2-afaf-d952cd55399a)
About the Author (#u3a2caf3f-ef1a-5747-944a-dd0274e76a2c)
Booklist (#ub2ed6f11-fccc-59f0-bee8-d0f59e54ef77)
Title Page (#uc36d52e5-ebee-5389-b484-d71ed147a213)
Copyright (#u9c435354-9e18-5f85-83ae-98fb7dc12ee0)
Dedication (#ue873353a-08b5-5459-ad7c-a297ec297898)
Chapter One (#u43c9a924-ae13-5ed6-b651-da5732ef7e4e)
Chapter Two (#u74942e22-c623-5144-854f-29a0c40b7338)
Chapter Three (#u9b97beca-67fb-509f-b612-28f039bf3503)
Chapter Four (#u356e83d4-d582-5d81-b2cf-ade644e4b84f)
Chapter Five (#u9e77e5d2-ac76-5c73-8a6d-29dcf633c737)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fifteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Sixteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seventeen (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One (#u982c49f5-afbc-5378-bb6c-fda767e3dadb)
Whoever said mistakes don’t define a person didn’t have a clue. Holden Crawford stood over the petite woman curled in his bed, figuring that helping her would cost him dearly. He shook his head at his own stupidity. She’d already been in and out of sleep for a day and a half, and he was beginning to worry that she’d taken a harder knock to the head than he initially assessed. As soon as she woke and he made sure she was all right, he’d drive her close to the sheriff’s office. Then he’d disappear. Again.
Holden had recognized Ella Butler immediately when he saw her hiking. She was the daughter of the wealthiest man in Cattle Barge, Texas—a man who was helping Holden out while he needed a hand and a protected place to stay off the grid.
His daughter was trouble times ten. His best bet would be to leave her in the cabin with a few supplies and take off before anyone connected the dots that he’d been there. And yet, abandoning her while she was so vulnerable wasn’t something he could do. Even someone as hardened as him couldn’t walk away like this.
Holden ignored the annoying voice in his head that tried to convince him sticking around might be an option. His duffel was already packed and sitting next to the door.
He’d told himself that staring at the wavy-haired beauty as she hiked along Devil’s Lid was for survival reasons and not because those long, silky legs of hers were highlighted perfectly in pale pink running shorts. He’d needed to see if she would detour to the cabin on the outskirts of her father’s property where he stayed and expose his hiding spot. Hell, it had been his sanctuary.
Out of nowhere, her head had snapped to one side and then she’d lost her footing. She’d free-fallen a good ten feet before hitting the hard clay soil. She’d rolled another twenty before meeting an equally rough landing at the bottom of the gulch.
It had been no accident.
At that point, Holden had had two choices: help or walk away. Tracking the responsible party hadn’t been a serious consideration, although Holden didn’t doubt his own skills. It was more important to make sure she was safe first. But there was a problem with helping her.
Ella Butler was news.
If it hadn’t been ninety-five degrees at eight o’clock in the morning, he would’ve cleaned her wound and then left her with a couple of water bottles for when she woke. August weather was too unforgiving to leave her stranded and the gash on her head was serious. Holden had had no choice but to bring her back to the cabin.
To complicate matters, she’d blinked up at him. He had to know if she remembered him when she woke because if she could give his description to law enforcement, the real trouble would begin.
Holden walked another circle around the room.
Questions ate at him. First of which, what kind of fool hiked alone in one of the most remote and barren places of the Butler property? There were all kinds of dangerous creatures out there, and he should know because he’d found a scorpion in his boot yesterday morning and had crossed paths with a coral snake by lunch. He recalled the childhood saying he’d been taught to tell the difference between a coral and a harmless snake with similar markings: red on yellow, kill a fellow; red on black, venom lack. This part of the country had no shortage of venomous creatures.
There were other concerns about leaving her alone. Did she know there was no ready water supply? He’d had to hike for miles to locate a decent place to dig to find the lifesaving liquid when he first arrived. Making the trek had become part of his daily routine after morning push-ups and was the reason he’d seen her in the first place. His daily schedule had been the dividing line between life and death for Ella Butler.
Holden had kept an eye on her to ensure that she didn’t get too close to his camp. The place sat on the westernmost boundary of the Butler property referred to as Tierra del Fuego, meaning land of fire in Spanish.
If he was being completely honest, he’d admit to being intrigued by Ella. He’d chalked it up to too many days without female companionship and his dread at realizing the time had come to move on from Cattle Barge.
He’d spent a little more than two years on the run. Two years of not speaking to another person. Two years of eating every meal by himself without anyone to share his life with. And yet in a strange way, Holden had felt alone his entire life.
Scouting a new location was a lot of work, but his diligence had kept him alive so far. He’d been on the move twenty-five consecutive months, never pausing for more than a pair of weeks in one spot. This was the longest he’d stayed in one place, and his instincts had told him that it was time to go even before he’d witnessed the assault.
The problem was that he liked Cattle Barge. Holden felt an unexplainable connection to the land. He’d let his emotions win over logic in staying on too long. He’d erred by not listening to his instincts. And there’d be a price to pay for that lapse in judgment, he thought as he looked down at her.
* * *
ELLA’S EYES BURNED as harsh light and a sharp pain in that spot right in the center of her forehead, like a brain freeze, nailed her. She blinked a few times, trying to clear the blur. The outline of a very large man looming over her came into focus, causing very real fear to surge through her. Ella tried to force herself awake but darkness pulled. Her mind screamed to get up and run. Her limbs couldn’t comply and so no matter how hard she fought against it, her eyes closed and she gave in to sleep.
It was dark by the time Ella woke again. She vaguely remembered being helped outside to go to the bathroom once, or maybe it was twice, but then she might’ve dreamed the whole episode.
Glancing around, she tried to get her bearings. Her head pounded as she strained to figure out where she was. The bed was hard but comfortable. There was a blanket draped over her. It was clean and soft.
Instincts kicked in and she felt around to make sure she had clothes on. Movement sent shards of pain needling through her skin. A flicker of relief washed over her when she realized her shirt and shorts were on. The respite was short-lived. Her eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness when she saw the silhouette of a man folded forward in a chair in the corner. Based on his steady breathing, she surmised that he was asleep.
Ella couldn’t make out his face from across the room but a warning buzz shot through her at the sheer size of him. Questions raced through her mind but she couldn’t bring one into focus. Exhaustion kicked in again and it felt like she’d run a marathon in the August Texas heat. All she could do was close her eyes and rest. So she did.
“What time is it?” Ella asked, unsure how long she’d dozed. She’d been awake for a few minutes, assessing whether or not it was safe to talk. The sun was up. Her thoughts had been engaged in a battle of good versus evil, debating the intentions of the stranger in the room. Eventually, logic won out. If this man had wanted to hurt her, he could’ve done so already. Still, she’d walk a fine line with him and make sure she didn’t provoke him.
“You’re asking the wrong question,” the strong male voice said—a voice that sent electric chills up her back.
“What should I be asking then?” She tried to push up to sit but her arms were too weak. The male figure made no move to help her.
“It’s Thursday.” He turned his back to her in a surprising show of trust and picked up whatever was on his plate. He popped something into his mouth. It must be what smelled so amazing. Her stomach growled despite being convinced that she wasn’t hungry.
She scanned the room for anything she could use as a weapon while he wasn’t watching. Her vision was improving even though looking around still made her eyes hurt. She glanced at the door, hoping to find a baseball bat or something she could use if push came to shove. There had to be one around there somewhere, her head would argue because it felt like one had been used to crack it open.
The room was sparse. There was the makeshift bed in the corner that she was presently resting on. A very uncomfortable-looking lawn chair—the one he’d slept on last night—was pushed up to a table, which was nothing more than a piece of drift board propped up by stick legs tied off by rope. Either this guy was a survivalist or a former Boy Scout. She couldn’t decide which one.
Ella remembered that the stranger had slept hunched forward on that chair made of lightweight aluminum and cheap material. Only a gentleman would give up his bed...right?
Embarrassment heated her cheeks as she recalled him helping her outside to use the bathroom. If he’d wanted to take advantage of her, he’d had plenty of opportunity. And yet he wasn’t being welcoming.
The plate the stranger ate from was some kind of metal, like she’d used for camping with her brothers and sister when they were old enough to set up a tent in the backyard. It had come in an outdoorsman kit, she remembered.
She performed a mental calculation that took longer than it should have and made her brain pound against her skull. “I’ve been out for two days?”
“In and out,” the stranger said. She didn’t recognize his voice at all and she knew she would remember such a deep baritone if she’d heard it before. There was an intense but calming quality and it sent a trill of awareness through her, which was totally inappropriate and unwelcomed. She chalked her reaction up to hitting her head too hard.
“I’m sorry, have we met before?” she asked, hoping to place him. Her mind was fuzzy and she was having a hard time processing information.
“No.”
“Then can I ask who you are?” Ella racked her brain trying to figure out who he could be.
“No.” There was finality to his tone that sent a different kind of shiver down her spine, an icy chill that said he was a man with secrets.
The thought of being alone with a person who wouldn’t identify himself made Ella want to curl into a ball to protect herself. Her father was one of the richest men in Cattle Barge, Texas, and her life had turned upside down after being given the news of his death a few days ago. When she really thought about it, this man could be after her father’s money. She was still fuzzy as to why she was here in the first place, and no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t come up with a good explanation. She’d lost more than the last two days because she didn’t even remember why she’d gone hiking in the first place.
And then it hit her. Had she been abducted?
“Good luck if you’re trying to get ransom for me from my brothers,” she said. “My father was killed and all of our money is tied up right now.”
“I’m not interested,” he said, his voice a low rumble. He froze.
If it wasn’t ransom money he was after...then what?
Ella didn’t want to go there with the physical thing. Besides, there was something strange in his voice when she’d mentioned that her father had been killed. He’d stopped what he was doing, too.
“I should go.” She tried to force herself up on weak arms.
“That’s not a good idea.”
Icy fingers gripped her spine at his response.
“I’m perfectly capable of getting up and walking out of here and you can’t stop me,” she said with more indignation than she’d intended. It was the latent Irishwoman in her. Her mother had had the bright red hair to match, or so Ella had been told. Dear Mother had disappeared when Ella was too young to remember her and had never looked back. Ella took after her father with his honey-wheat locks and blue eyes. She had the stubbornness to match. She was also astute, and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize the stranger was hiding from something or someone. And now she was alone in a cabin with him.
She had no plans to let her guard down.
“You need to hydrate. You wouldn’t make it a mile in this heat in your present condition,” he said.
“Do you live here?” she asked. He seemed to know the area pretty darn well and he was right. She wouldn’t last long in the August heat without provisions.
All he did was grunt in response.
Ella looked around, trying to find clues as to who the mystery man could be. The place was tidy. There was no dust on the floor. Her gaze slid to the door where a makeshift broom was positioned. It had been made from hay that had been tied together at the base of a tree limb. Whoever this mystery man was, he’d set up shop with the intention of sticking around awhile. He had survival skills, too. Her mind immediately headed down a negative path... Who would want to be alone on the most remote area of her father’s land? A man who has something to hide, a little voice answered. He could be a doomsday prepper, bank robber or—gasp—serial killer.
Her gaze darted around in an effort to find evidence as to which one he was.
To the other side of the doorway sat a duffel bag that had been zipped closed. She fought against her worst fears that there were torture instruments in there.
The stranger turned around and she could barely make out his features for all the facial hair. His build was football player big and he had to weigh in at well over two hundred pounds. He was pure muscle and his size was intimidating. That thought sent a trill of awareness skittering across her skin. Under different circumstances, she could appreciate the athletic grace with which he moved. Ella’s five-foot-five-inch frame was no match for this guy. Working the ranch kept her strong and in shape but she was small by comparison.
The lawn chair scraped against the hardwood flooring, drawing her attention.
“You didn’t tell me your name,” she said.
Another grunt came in response as the large figure moved toward the bed. Ella scrambled backward—pain shooting through her with every movement—until her back was against the wall. She fisted her hands, ready to swing if he gave her any indication that his intentions had changed.
There was something in his hand as he moved toward her, the light to his back. His sheer size blocked out the sun rays coming from the window and bathed her in darkness. Her body was ironing board rigid.
“Be still. And relax. I’m not going to hurt you,” he said, and he looked offended as his features came into focus.
“If that’s true, why won’t you tell me your name?” she asked, not ready to trust him.
“You’re better off not knowing.” His side was turned to her and his face was partially hidden. He didn’t make eye contact. Up close, she could see that he would be quite attractive if he cleaned up that beard or shaved it off altogether. More than attractive, actually, she thought as her stomach did an inappropriate little flip when he turned and she could really see into his eyes.
The man was clearly hiding something and an attraction was so out of the question that she had to choke back a laugh. Her emotions were all over the map. How hard had she hit her head?
“I’ll be the judge of that,” she said, seeing how far she could push her luck.
The layer of blankets dipped where he sat.
Her heart pounded in her chest and it felt like there was glue in her mouth for how dry her tongue was. Her entire body was strung tight.
“Let me see that gash on your forehead,” he said in his deep baritone. It had an amaretto-over-vanilla-ice-cream feeling and had that same warming effect on her insides. This close, she could see that he had deep-set, serious eyes that were the lightest, most pure shade of blue that she’d ever seen. A square jaw was covered by that dark beard. He had thick, curly hair the shade of a dark cup of coffee.
“What happened to me?” She inched toward him, not ready to give much more.
“I’m a man of my word. I already told you that I wouldn’t hurt you and I won’t. So move a little faster, will you.” He sounded frustrated and impatient.
“Well, excuse me if I don’t jump into the arms of a complete stranger when he beckons,” she snapped back. Talking made her skull hurt. Could her brain be in actual pain? Speaking of which, now that blood was returning to her limbs, her entire body was screaming at her.
A smirk lifted the corner of the stranger’s mouth. He quickly reeled it in.
“I have two pain relievers in my hand if you’ll sit up and take them,” he said, holding out his flat palm.
Okay, so he wasn’t lying about the twin tablets. But who knew if they were OTC or not.
“What are those?” she asked.
“Ibuprofen,” he stated. His tone was about as flat as stale beer.
She stared at them like they were bombs about to detonate.
“There’s a bottle of water on the floor,” he said, leaning toward her.
She let out a yelp that caused his entire face to frown.
“I’ve already said that I won’t hurt you. I brought pain relievers and a wet napkin to clean some of the dried blood from your forehead so I can get a look at your injury. I didn’t do it before because I didn’t want you to wake with a stranger standing over you.” He shot her a look of aggravation.
That actually made a lot of sense and was considerate when she really thought about it. She wasn’t exactly ready to relax because he could still be a weirdo, and she was too weak to put up much of a fight. Besides, what was with the secrets? Sharing his name would go a long way toward winning her trust. Instead, he acted like a criminal. If he wasn’t one, he needed to come clean.
“I’d apologize personally if I knew your name,” she said, matching his level of irritation. He wasn’t the only one who could be frustrated.
“What were you doing out here all alone?” the stranger asked.
“I don’t know,” she responded. If he wouldn’t give out any information, neither would she.
He shot her a look that cut right through her.
“I was hiking. I must’ve lost my footing and hit my head,” Ella said, pressing her fingertips to her temples. “It’s all still a little fuzzy.”
Brooding pale blue eyes examined her and she saw the dark circles cradling them. Whoever this guy was, he had a lot on his mind. There was something else there, too, but she didn’t want to analyze it because it made awareness electrify her nerve endings. It also made her aware that if she’d been asleep for two days she must look like a train wreck and have breath that could wilt a flower.
Blue Eyes dabbed the wet cloth on her forehead above her right temple. She winced.
He muttered a curse and pulled his hand back. “That hurt. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Why was she reassuring him? Reason took over, reminding her that he seemed intent on helping her. She was in a vulnerable state and while she couldn’t exactly trust him, she also had no reason to think he had plans to hurt her.
He gave her an apologetic look.
“Best as I can remember, I was hiking pretty far out on the trail. Most of how I ended up here is fuzzy. Am I allowed to ask what you were doing out there?” Ella flinched again when the cold, wet cloth touched her skin.
“No more questions,” Blue Eyes said. He made a move to stand.
Ella caught his elbow.
“Please don’t leave. My father was killed and that’s the last thing I remember. I have no idea what happened or how I got here. I’m not trying to be a jerk, but I’ve just been told that I’ve been out of it for two days. I have a gash on my head that I don’t even know how it got there, and I’m so thirsty I could suck a cactus dry, and despite that, I really need to go to the bathroom,” Ella said, letting all the words gush out at once like a geyser whose time to erupt had come.
“Can you manage on your own?” He motioned toward the door and there was a storm brewing behind those blue eyes at the mention of her father.
“I believe so,” she said.
“Toothbrush and toothpaste are on the sink. Bathroom’s outside.” He turned and walked out.
Chapter Two (#u982c49f5-afbc-5378-bb6c-fda767e3dadb)
Holden needed air. He lifted his face to the sun. The Texas heat beat down on his exposed skin, warming him. Maverick Mike was dead?
For a split second Holden feared that he could be the reason, that the men who were after him had somehow connected him to his father’s friend. But that was impossible.
This was a wake-up call. Helping Ella had been a knee-jerk reaction and Holden could feel himself sliding down a slippery slope with nothing solid to grab hold of. He owed her father for offering him a place to stay when Holden was at a low point, and that was the reason he’d told himself that he stepped in with Ella. Speaking of her father, the news still hadn’t quite absorbed. Holden rubbed his chin through the overgrown scruff. How could Butler be gone?
The door opened and Ella froze as soon as she saw him standing there.
“I’ll give you privacy,” he mumbled. Someone needed to toss him a lifeline because the woman stirred feelings he hadn’t allowed in longer than he could remember—feelings he never wanted to experience again. Then there was the obvious fact that he couldn’t afford those feelings. They’d have him wanting to stick around and protect Ella Butler while they figured out who wanted to kill her. Holden reminded himself that he’d done his part. He’d kept her alive.
“Why did you help me? You could’ve walked away. Left me there. No one would’ve known any different.” She positioned her hands on either side of the doorjamb.
“No, I couldn’t have.” He made a move toward the door to indicate that he was done talking. She didn’t flinch.
“Sure you could. It would’ve been easy. My body would’ve been found eventually and no one would be the wiser that there was someone who could’ve saved my life.” She stared at him for a long moment without saying another word. “Something tells me you know how to cover your tracks, so there must’ve been some reason.”
“You’re welcome for saving your life,” he said, debating whether or not he should tell her everything. She needed to know that her fall had been no accident, but he’d keep the part about his connection to her father to himself. “Now that you’re up and around, I’ll drop you off in town tonight.”
“And then what? You’ll disappear?” Her gaze zeroed in.
She shouldn’t care what happened to him because she needed to be concerned about herself.
“Don’t worry about me,” he said.
“Too late for that.” She issued another pause while staring at him. There was something about her cornflower blue eyes that he couldn’t afford to notice. “I’d like to properly thank you for what you’ve done to save my life. Any chance I can convince you to come back to the main house with me?”
“Sweetheart, I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time. I really don’t need—”
“Obviously, you need a place to stay.” She glanced around as if for emphasis. “We’re always looking for a good pair of hands around the ranch. It’s clear to me that you’d make a good addition and we need more men like you.”
“You ought to be careful who you go offering jobs to,” he stated.
“I trust you.”
“That’s a mistake,” he said plainly.
“No, it isn’t. But even if it was, it wouldn’t be my last.” One of her balled fists was on her hip now. She had a lot of sass for someone in such a vulnerable position. He’d give her that.
This conversation was going nowhere so Holden did what he did best: went silent as he stared her down. She should be more afraid of him than she was acting. She had been earlier when she’d opened her eyes, and as much as he didn’t like it at first, her reaction was for the best. What had he done to make her so comfortable now?
“You want coffee?” he finally asked, shaking his head. She was as stubborn as the stories he’d heard about her father.
“That would be amazing, actually,” she said with a small smile.
“Then get out of my way.”
She twisted her mouth in a frown at his sharp tone but stepped aside. He walked straight past her without making eye contact even though she stood there expectantly for minutes afterward. And then she slammed the door shut. Not only was Ella stubborn but she had a temper. The nuances of her personality were none of his business. Period.
Holden refocused on the facts. Ella Butler had been missing for two days. His position at the cabin had been compromised from the moment he’d witnessed the attack, and he could see now that it was a miracle no one had shown up. The situation was declining. Fast.
There’d be a search underway by now. The news that “Maverick” Mike Butler was killed would be enough to create a full-scale media circus in Cattle Barge. Add a missing heiress to the equation and Holden couldn’t begin to wrap his mind around how out of control the coverage would be. He’d been so far off the grid that he’d missed all of it.
The news that her father had been murdered before an attempt had been made on her life sat in Holden’s gut like he’d eaten a pack of nails. The media attention surrounding her disappearance—and that would be big news—must be the reason the person who’d chucked that rock at her hadn’t returned. Holden had been watching out for the culprit.
She needed to know that the blow to her head wasn’t an accident. He wasn’t sure how she’d react, especially given the fact that she’d just lost her father. Normally, he’d suspect someone close to her, a family member. Money or greed would be motive for murder, and especially when considering the amount Maverick Mike had amassed. His fortune was legendary but so were his antics. He had a lot of enemies. Holden wanted to ask about the circumstances surrounding her father’s death but decided against it for the time being. He shouldn’t show too much interest in the Butler family. Once he settled into a new location far away from Cattle Barge, he could find out what had happened. Mike Butler’s death would be all over the news, so it would be easy to find.
Holden glanced at his watch. Ella had been gone a full ten minutes. Should he check on her?
A thousand thoughts rolled through his head. Adjusting while in action had always been Holden’s strong suit. He told himself this time would be no different. The door opened at about the time he’d made up his mind to mount his own search. She looked at him boldly.
“Coffee’s getting cold,” he snapped. She needed to be afraid. He set her cup on the table that he’d made by hand after he arrived last month. The cabin was the first place he’d bothered to put together anything that resembled furniture. His thinking had always been “get too attached to any one place and leaving would be that much more difficult.”
His plans had really gone south in Texas—but then he was beginning to see why the place was so appealing with its wide-open skies and thousands of stars at night.
Ella moved to the table and picked up the tin mug. She cradled it in her hands like it was made of pure gold when she sipped. A little sound of pleasure drew from her lips. “This is really good. How did you do this?”
“You haven’t had any for too long. Muddy water would taste good to you right now.” Holden kept the part that he liked giving her that small moment of happiness to himself.
“I promise the coffee’s not this good at the main house.” She paused and then her eyes brightened. “I don’t know what I’ve been thinking. My brothers and sister are probably frantic with worry right now. There’s no chance you have a working cell phone, is there?”
“No.” He was completely off the grid. There was no way to track him using technology.
“I need to reach them and let them know that I’m okay. I know what I said earlier about our money being tied up, but if you’re in some kind of trouble I can help.” The determined set to her jaw said she meant it.
Holden shook his head. The less she knew about his circumstance, the better.
“I’m more concerned about you right now,” he said. “Besides, you’re news and that’s bad for me.”
“You’re on the run from something.” She had part of that right.
More like someone.
Her gaze penetrated deep into him. “You know who I am, don’t you? You’ve always known.”
He nodded.
“And you’re not out to hurt me. So far, from what I can tell, you’ve been helping me,” she continued.
“I want you to listen carefully to what I’m about to say. What happened to you out there was no accident,” he warned.
She gasped. “Not you...”
“No, it wasn’t me. But someone did that—” he motioned toward the gash on her head “—on purpose.”
He let the revelation sink in for a minute.
“It wasn’t you and it wasn’t an accident,” she said so quietly that he had to strain to hear.
Holden handed her another cup filled with beans he’d warmed in the fire. “You’re used to better food, but this is protein and it’ll keep your stomach from growling.”
Ella took the offering with trembling hands as his message seemed to be taking seed. “Who would want me dead?”
He didn’t like that momentary lost look in her eyes.
“I’m telling you because you’re going to want to be careful from now on. Take necessary precautions and don’t wander off alone.” Holden leaned his hip against the counter.
She took a bite of food and chewed.
“You said that your father was killed,” he continued.
“Yes.”
“You’ll want to look at people who stand to gain from your death after his to start. Scrutinize those closest to you,” he said, figuring with her money she could hire proper security who could keep her safe until the law found the man trying to kill her.
“I have no idea. I mean, I think what you’re saying is that my brothers or sister might want me dead to get me out of the way or take my share of our inheritance, but I trust them with my life,” she said.
“What happened to your father?” he asked. The look he shot her must’ve been interesting.
“He was shot twelve times while he slept naked in the spare bedroom attached to his office in the barn,” she informed.
“No one heard anything?” he asked, thinking that someone had wanted to make a point. An act like that came across as anger motivated.
“The barn isn’t near the main house. Dad liked to keep home and work separate,” she said.
“Which is difficult, considering you do live your work when you own a ranch,” Holden said. “Your family would know everyone’s sleeping patterns and where your father would be on a given day.”
“He spent a lot of nights in the barn. What makes you so sure it’s one of them? Did you used to work in law enforcement?” She turned the tables.
“No.” Holden had no plans to elaborate on his background. The less she knew, the better for both of them.
“We leave as soon as the sun goes down,” he said, closing the bag to the coffee grinds.
* * *
ELLA REALIZED SHE’D been gripping the coffee mug so tightly that her knuckles were white. She reminded herself to breathe as she tried to absorb the reality that had become her life. Her brothers would not try to hurt her. For one, the Butler kids had had each other’s backs since childhood after their mother had taken off and left them with their father. They’d had to. Their father wasn’t exactly skilled in the parenting department. He’d loved them in his own way, Ella thought defensively. She’d always felt the need to protect her father. But he wasn’t the problem this time.
Thinking made her brain cramp.
Ella eyed the stranger carefully. By nightfall, she’d be done with him. He’d be out of her life forever. She should be happy about that, and yet the thought tugged at her heart. Maybe it was because she’d lost so much already with her father’s death. Or it could be her soft spot for lost causes. There’d been countless stray animals that she’d made space for in the barn only for her father to tell her they had to go. Usually, they were injured and she knew they’d never survive on their own. Her brothers or sister would come to her rescue and help her keep them hidden until she’d manage to nurse them back to health and then find a new home.
A few were worked into the menagerie of pets on the ranch. Oftentimes one of the hired hands would end up with a new pet to take home to his family. And many of the employees at Hereford Ranch covered for her to help with her causes. No one went against Maverick Mike’s wishes directly, but everyone pitched in behind the scenes to help Ella.
Looking back, it was probably difficult for them to turn away such a persistent little girl. Ella had been told more than once that she had the campaigning abilities of a politician.
Her gaze drifted to the wounded person standing before her with no name. If anyone needed to find his way, it was the man across the room. She told herself that was the reason she felt an unexplainable draw toward the mystery man and it had nothing to do with the inappropriate surge of attraction she felt every time she glanced his way.
“What will you do once you drop me off? You can’t stay here anymore, can you?” she asked.
“You need to worry about yourself. Use some of that money you have to hire extra security,” he snapped.
Ella bristled.
His voice softened when he said, “You’re in danger and you owe it to your father to be careful.”
“Why do you care?” she asked.
“I don’t,” he said. “But you should.”
A noise sounded outside and Blue Eyes dropped into a crouching position in half a second flat. The remarkable thing was that he made no noise with his movement, and that made her think he might have a military background.
His gaze locked onto hers and the look he shot her warned her to be quiet. She froze, fearing that whoever had tried to kill her was back. Would they have returned to verify that she was dead and then go hunting for her when they didn’t find a body?
Her pulse raced.
With effort, she slid off the chair and made herself as small as she could on the floor. Movement hurt despite the couple of pain relievers he’d supplied earlier. Ella knew Blue Eyes had this under control. And it struck her as odd that she felt safe with the stranger.
Thinking about the attempt on her life made her realize that there could be others coming to town to get a piece of her father’s will. Hadn’t his attorney, Ed Staples, warned that there could be a lot of surprises forthcoming? Even though he couldn’t possibly have meant this, Ella was beginning to fear that the actions of her father would haunt her and her siblings long after his death.
When the silence had stretched on for minutes, Blue Eyes moved to the window and checked outside. Without speaking a word, he slipped out the door.
Ella moved to the window to get a look for herself, watching as he moved stealthily. There was a certain grace about him.
Despite his untamed appearance, his muscles gave the impression he maintained a disciplined workout schedule. In fact, looking around the room, it was obvious that he liked things tidy. Something had made him want to drop out of civilization for a while. He couldn’t be a doomsday prepper because he seemed to have on hand only what he needed for a couple of days. She wanted to offer him some type of reward for saving her life but he’d already refused work. What else could she do? Offer a reward?
Ella thought about her two brothers, Dade and Dalton, and sister, Cadence. She wasn’t kidding before. They’d be frantic with worry about her by now. Even though her siblings had left town to escape the media circus in Cattle Barge, one of the employees would’ve contacted them about her disappearance. She’d been out of communication for two days...and with a total stranger. He could’ve done anything he’d wanted to her. A shiver raced through her. But he hadn’t.
For that reason and a few others that she didn’t want to overanalyze, Ella intended to figure out who this man was and why he was running.
Chapter Three (#u982c49f5-afbc-5378-bb6c-fda767e3dadb)
Blue Eyes walked back into the cabin, glanced around and then picked up his duffel bag. “Finish your coffee. We’re leaving ahead of schedule.”
“Everything okay outside?” Ella asked.
He didn’t respond.
“Is someone out there?” Her heart rate jumped a few notches higher.
“Not now. There will be,” he said and mumbled, “I should’ve gone a long time ago.”
That statement implied he wouldn’t have been around to help her and she didn’t appreciate the sentiment. “Well, I, for one, am glad you outstayed your welcome. I wouldn’t be alive otherwise.”
She was getting indignant. She couldn’t help herself. He wouldn’t tell her anything about himself and she wasn’t trying to take advantage of him or turn him in to the FBI. All she wanted to do was find a proper way to thank him. The guy was working her last nerve and her head still pounded.
“Why don’t you come to work for me on the ranch?” she asked while watching him pull out bleach wipes from his bag. He wiped down the dishes before placing them inside the duffel. Now he really had her curiosity heightened.
“I already said that I don’t need a job.” For the irritated sound that came out of his mouth next, she would’ve thought she’d just asked him to scrub the toilet with his toothbrush.
Ella made a production of glancing around. “Are you being serious?”
He shot her a warning glance. It said to tread lightly.
She ignored it.
“Because as far as I can tell, you very much need a paycheck. And a decent place to sleep.” She waved her hand around.
“I had one until you came along and messed it up for me,” he quickly countered.
“You can’t be serious,” she said.
“Try me.”
“Is that a threat?” She planted her balled fist on her hip. It was probably the fact that she’d almost been killed that was giving her this new bravado. She didn’t care. The guy had some explaining to do and he was squatting on her family’s land.
“No. If you haven’t figured it out already, I’m trying to help you,” he said, opening up a knife and cutting the rope he’d used to hold together the table. The metal sparkled in the light. He wiped down each leg.
“Why won’t you let me return the favor?” she asked.
Another frustrated noise tore from his throat. “You don’t have anything I want.”
That sounded personal. She tried not to take offense. “I’d like to offer a financial reward. Surely, you could use some money.”
He didn’t look up but waved her off.
“At least tell me your name,” she persisted. Why was he being so obstinate? Was it really that difficult to give her something? Granted, she was used to getting what she wanted and with enough persistence she was sure that she could wear this guy down, too. She didn’t have the luxury of time and she wanted to send a proper thank-you or reward for his help.
“I’ve already told you that’s not a good idea.” He broke one of the legs in half and then tossed it into the fireplace.
“I disagree.” She stood there, fist planted.
“You always this stubborn when you’re wrong?” he asked, breaking the second leg and tossing it on top of the last.
“I’m usually right,” she said. Ella glanced around. It wouldn’t be dark outside for hours.
“Since you’re feeling better, I’ll take you to town. Go to the sheriff and tell him what happened. I’d appreciate it if you left me out of your statement. That’s how you can thank me for saving you.” Another broken table leg, more tinder for the fireplace.
“I thought we weren’t leaving until the sun went down,” she said, a moment of panic crushing her. Her father was gone. Nothing at the ranch would be the same without him. She hadn’t even begun to deal with his murder. An attempt had been made on her life. Of course she would go to the sheriff but she wasn’t quite ready to return to town and the unknown waiting there.
“Plans changed.”
“You won’t tell me why? I mean, I realize that we heard a noise but everything’s okay now, right?” She was still trying to figure out why she was arguing for more time with the man who wouldn’t even tell her his name. Logic be damned. Ella needed to know he was going to be all right. At least, that’s what she tried to convince herself and not that there was something magnetic about this man that was completely foreign to her.
“Being seen anywhere near you is dangerous for me.”
“What have you done wrong?” she asked, figuring she might as well go for it.
“Nothing that concerns you.” He broke the final leg and tossed it into the fireplace. She might not understand his way of life but she appreciated his self-sufficiency.
“Then tell me what you’re running from,” she said in a last-ditch effort to get him to talk.
A moment of silence passed between them as they stared each other down.
Okay, he won. Ella wasn’t in a position to bargain and this stranger seemed intent on keeping his secrets. He’d helped her and she was grateful.
“I probably haven’t sounded like it so far, but I really do appreciate everything you’ve done for me,” she said as she moved toward him, toward the door.
She paused before crossing over. For a second, time stopped and they just stood there, staring at each other. A sensual shiver goose bumped Ella’s arms. The stranger had the most amazing eyes, piercing eyes. Eyes that she could stare into for days. As odd as it sounded even to her, the moment felt intimate.
The attraction she felt caught her completely off guard. Rugged mountain men had never been her type. It was probably the mystery surrounding him that held so much appeal and the fact that all her senses were on full alert.
Ella broke contact as she heard the whop-whop-whop of helicopter blades in the distance.
“Let’s go,” she said.
* * *
HOLDEN SAT AT the counter of the diner in neighboring Rio Suerte. Another couple of hours and he’d be out of Texas altogether. He’d dropped off Ella Butler two blocks from the sheriff’s office. She could retrieve her Jeep near Devil’s Lid once she gave her statement to law enforcement. Ella was smart enough to take it from there. He’d done his part, repaid his debt to Maverick Mike.
Time to move on, he thought with a heavy sigh. He hadn’t thought about the murders he’d been accused of for two days while he was with Ella. The initials, HA, hadn’t haunted him. He’d discovered them etched into the bottom of a chair leg at his father’s place—the chair where his father had been tortured and killed.
Holden shook off the bad memory. He was no closer to figuring out what had happened then he’d been two years ago.
The restaurant was a typical off-the-highway food stop and seemed like the place frequented mostly by truck drivers. Holden had befriended more than his fair share while crossing the country, making his way to Texas. The diner was shaped like a train car. There was one row of booths behind him matched by a long counter with bar stools for single travelers. Two families were in the booths, no doubt stopping off for a quick meal while on a road trip.
There was only one truck driver in the building. Bathrooms were to Holden’s left, near the end of the counter where the cash register was located. There was one cook in the kitchen and only one waitress on duty. The cook was significantly shorter than Holden, bald, with thick arms. He bench-pressed. The man was in his early fifties with a cook’s belly. Holden dismissed him as a threat. He fell into the same category as the dads. One drove a minivan, the other a Suburban. Holden could tell they were from the suburbs based on their clothing—one was in jeans and a polo shirt, the other wore warm-ups and a T-shirt. They had that haggard look that came with long road trips with young kids.
The truck driver was substantial in size, mostly fat from spending his days seated. He looked strong, though. Holden could see his arms in the sleeveless flannel shirt he wore. The man couldn’t be ignored as a threat. If Holden assigned levels, five being the highest, the dads were ones and the truck driver was a two and a half, maybe three.
There were exactly two exits in the building: the front door he’d come through and the one in the kitchen. Holden was used to memorizing every detail, looking for every possible escape route. Doing so had kept him alive. Was he really living?
Holden dismissed the thought as going too long without human companionship. His brief run-in with Ella Butler reminded him of everything he didn’t have. He’d been alone for a very long time, focused on staying alive, staying one step ahead of the men who were after him. They were good. He was the best. And that was precisely the reason he was still breathing.
The waitress approached. Her metal-plated name tag read Deena.
“Make up your mind?” Deena asked, motioning toward the menu. She was in her late thirties and had early wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. Her neck was the biggest giveaway of her age.
“Chicken-fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy, carrots. More coffee when you have a chance,” he said.
She wrote down his order on the ticket with a smile, a nod and a wink. “Sam makes the best.”
“I’m counting on it,” Holden said, returning the smile. He excused himself to the restroom. He wanted to splash water on his face and wash his hands before he ate. He didn’t sleep much while he’d been taking care of Ella.
As he stood in front of the bathroom mirror, he was shocked at the stranger looking back at him. Furry face. Dark circles under his eyes. His thoughts snapped to Ella Butler and her initial reaction to seeing him. No wonder she’d been so afraid when she’d first opened her eyes. Hell, he would be, too.
He pushed those unproductive thoughts aside.
Holden splashed cold water on his face before washing his hands. Maybe it was time to shave the overgrowth. He hardly recognized himself anymore, and he certainly looked more animal than man. It was easy to do while he’d been mostly living off the land. And yet his reflection had caught him off guard.
Walking out of the restroom, he scanned the room. The situation was the same. The threat potential was low. He reclaimed his bar stool and did his level best not to look at the TV mounted in the corner of the room. A cursory glance revealed the channel was set to local news.
Holden picked up his fresh cup of coffee, ignoring the screen. He didn’t treat himself to a restaurant meal often. This was a delicacy he had every intention of enjoying.
And then he made the mistake of looking up.
There was a picture of the Butler ranch on the TV screen. The story was about an heiress’s life being in danger. Holden gripped the cup and waited...
Another attempt had been made on Ella’s life. A witness had seen a man trap a woman between two vehicles on a residential street one block from the sheriff’s office. The woman managed to fight off her attacker before slipping around an SUV and disappearing between two houses as at least one shot was fired. The witness, who would only agree to speak anonymously, recognized Ella Butler but was too frightened to get close enough to get a description of the heiress’s attacker. There was a lot of blood at the scene and a manhunt was underway for a gunman wearing a ski mask. He was considered dangerous and authorities cautioned people to keep a distance and call law enforcement immediately if he was spotted.
Holden could think of a few other things he’d like to do to the guy besides turn him in.
He released a string of curses under his breath. It was his fault for taking her to town in the first place. He’d left her there without transportation or a way to escape. Damn it. This was on him.
Anger roared through him along with an overdose of guilt.
He listened for any other news about Ella and sighed sharply when he learned she was missing and believed to be injured.
“I need my check,” he said to Deena.
Chapter Four (#u982c49f5-afbc-5378-bb6c-fda767e3dadb)
Ella rolled onto her side, ignoring the pain shouting at her. She could feel her pulse pound in her thigh where she’d been shot and pain gripped her in between the temples. She was losing blood, which was not a good sign. At least she’d managed to fight off her attacker and run. She’d poked her fingers through the ski mask he wore and had managed to knock him off balance. Then she’d bolted. It had all happened so fast. The blast. The cold, wet feeling spreading through her thigh.
Who would want to hurt her?
The stranger’s warning hadn’t been an overreaction. Her life was in danger. She’d been in such a fog earlier that she hadn’t even thought to ask any of the right questions. Could Blue Eyes have identified the rock thrower?
She crawled into the front landscaping of the modest home on Sixth Street, gasping. How long could she stay there unnoticed? A few minutes? Hours? The night?
It was getting late. She’d barely escaped the gunman. If only she’d been able to get a look at his face. And now she was hiding, on the run from someone determined to get her out of the way. She searched her mind for a name, anyone who would want her gone. Could this be related to her father’s death? Or was the timing a coincidence?
Her father had enemies and plenty of people didn’t like him, but it was as if he’d been made of Teflon and she could scarcely believe that someone had managed to get to him. Her heart fisted and grief shrouded her, weighing down her limbs. Her larger-than-life father was gone. She was hiding in someone’s landscaping and she had nowhere to go.
A sob released before she had time to force it back. Tears brimmed but she couldn’t allow herself to cry. Not now. Let that dam break and the flood might just leave a trail big enough for her attacker to find her. Start crying and she might not be able to stop.
A branch snapped. She glanced around, afraid to breathe in case the gunman was closing in on her.
Hope that the noise could’ve been the sheriff or one of his deputies—anyone who could help—fizzled when she saw the bobcat winding through the front landscaping. He was fairly small and definitely not a threat. But it reminded her that there would be others. Soon.
Ella needed a plan. Her thoughts shifted to the compelling stranger in her father’s cabin. He was strong enough to defend her. She told herself that was the only reason he entered her thoughts and not because of something deeper, something like missing him. Missing a stranger sounded ridiculous, even to her. How much blood had she lost? She had to be delirious if she was thinking about Blue Eyes.
One thing was certain. If she surfaced in the open, she’d be killed the second her chaser caught sight of her. The shotgun that had been fired at her shot real shells, as evidenced by the blood on the outside of her thigh where shrapnel had grazed her. Speaking of which, she needed to clean her wound before it got infected.
She couldn’t go home. There was too much chaos going on since news of her father’s murder broke and she’d be an open target.
She had no idea what the person targeting her wanted. Ransom? Revenge?
She and her siblings were close-knit. They’d had to be since it was generally up to the four of them to handle things at home. Their father had been tougher on the twins. She’d been protective of Dade and Dalton when they were young. They’d long since grown into men who could take care of themselves and everyone around them. Ella and the twins had always looked after their younger sister, Cadence.
Speaking of her siblings, she needed to warn them but had no way to contact them. Thankfully, they were tucked away, far out of town, having left immediately after news broke of their father’s murder. They’d decided to get away from Cattle Barge until this whole mess blew over and life returned to normal, whatever that would be now that their father was gone. With his unconventional lifestyle, she and her siblings had feared people would come out of the woodwork to claim stakes in his vast fortune. Based on the traffic she’d seen coming into town and the resulting chaos, the others had been smart to leave. Someone had to stick around and make sure the ranch was still running, and Ella had convinced them it should be her.
But being in town was dangerous. So was the ranch. She didn’t suspect any of the workers who’d been around for years. There were a few new hands. She couldn’t rule out the team her father had put together even if she doubted he’d put anyone questionable to work on his ranch. He loved his family and was fiercely protective of them even if their relationships with him were highly individual and complicated. He’d never knowingly put them in jeopardy. Knowingly might be the key word. Could her father have put his trust in someone who’d duped him?
Her brain hurt. Her body ached. And some of her memories were patchy thanks to the blow she’d taken. At present, she was exhausted, hungry and bleeding. Her mind was going to places that she wouldn’t normally consider. She knew exactly where she needed to go so she could take a step back and think this through but had no idea how to get there. Her Jeep was parked near Devil’s Lid, which wasn’t doing her a lot of good. Blue Eyes had ridden her into town on his motorcycle.
There was no way she could make it to the sheriff’s office. The person who was after her could be watching. If she got anywhere near—
A hand clamped over her mouth. Ella gasped. She tried to bite but whoever was behind her was too fast at securing his grip—and it had to be a man. His hand was huge. He’d been stealthy, too. She hadn’t heard a peep. Her pulse pounded and adrenaline caused her body to shake.
“Be quiet and I’ll get you out of here,” said the familiar voice—the voice that belonged to Blue Eyes. “Can you walk?”
Her pulse raced from fear mixed with another shot of adrenaline. She nodded and his other hand slipped around her. A second later, she was being helped to her feet.
“I’m shot,” she said and could feel the physical impact of those words. No matter how much Blue Eyes tried to deny he cared about what happened to her, his body language belied his words when his muscles pulled taut with the news.
“How did you find me?” she asked as the initial shock began to wear off while they were on the move.
The motorcycle was parked at the end of a quiet street.
“I saw the news story about the attempt against your life,” he responded without missing a beat. “I recognized this area as close to where I dropped you off and tracked you by the blood trail I found.”
He made it sound easy but it couldn’t have been. How had this stranger become so good at hunting down a person? She decided this wasn’t the time to ask. By all accounts he was helping her...but he was so secretive before and it had her imagination churning against all logic. She didn’t like the confusing feelings she had toward him.
“How do I know you’re not going to hurt me?” she asked.
A frustrated-sounding grunt tore from his throat. “Seriously?”
Now all her defenses flared. “Yes. I’m a woman. I’m injured. Basic survival instincts kick in at some point. I have no idea who you are. I don’t even know your name.”
“If I wanted to hurt you, I would’ve already done it.” That deep voice reverberated through her, sending a trill of awareness coursing through her. “We’ve already covered that.”
Okay, she could concede that point.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Holden Crawford. Now that you’ve heard it, forget it as fast as you can. Knowing my name will only end up hurting you more,” he said. “That’s why I didn’t tell you before now. It’s not because I’m trying to hide something from you or don’t trust you. I haven’t had a real conversation with someone in more than two years. So I’m guessing by your reactions to me that I’m pretty bad at it. Can’t say I was especially good with idle chitchat before, so...” He shrugged massive shoulders. “And the last person I really cared about ended up dead.”
She gasped.
“Not telling you my name has been my way of trying to protect you,” he continued. “Your father was good to me, offered to let me stay on his land, and I figured I owed him one for it. That’s the reason I helped you and didn’t walk away. I’m not that good of a person to stick around for pure reasons. It was a debt. One that has been paid.”
“Sounds like you’re a better man than you want to admit,” she said.
“Me? Nah. I know exactly who I am, what I am, and it’s not good for someone like you,” he stated. “You’re better off without me.”
A frustrated grunt tore from her throat.
He turned to face her.
“I’m sorry about that.” He glanced at her thigh and a trill of awareness blasted through her, which was unwelcomed. There was something primal and magnetic that pulled her in when she was near Blue Eyes. Sex appeal over standard good looks? “That was my fault, and I came back to make it right.”
“You’re on the run from something you didn’t do.”
“That’s what I said.” He held out a helmet and waited for her to make a decision.
“Maybe I can help you,” she offered.
The look on his face said he doubted it.
“It’s now or never, sweetheart. The choice is up to you. Go with me and I can’t take you to the law.”
Ella figured her options were pretty limited at the moment. She had no idea who was after her. Going to the sheriff was logical, but getting there safely wasn’t guaranteed and the man who was after her would most likely expect her there. Striking out on her own wasn’t even a consideration. She was injured and had none of the necessary skills to survive. Go back to the ranch and she couldn’t be certain that she’d be safe.
“Let’s go,” she said, taking the offering. “And my name is Ella, so you can stop calling me sweetheart.”
She slid onto the seat behind him. He took her hands and wrapped them around his chest.
“Hold on,” he said, like there was another option.
Ella turned her head and pressed it against his strong back as wind whipped around her.
Adrenaline had long since faded by the time they reached the cabin and exhaustion made it difficult to lift her leg over the motorcycle. Holden helped her take off the helmet and then he secured it to the back of the seat, mumbling something about needing to get another one. Texas didn’t require one by law, but most riders seemed smart enough to take the precaution.
Ella stared at his face. Beneath all that wild facial hair was an attractive and capable man, and she ignored what the revelation did to her stomach.
“Did you get a look at who did this to you?” he asked.
“No. He had on a ski mask and it was dark outside, so I couldn’t get a good look at his face,” she said.
A disgusted look crossed his features. “This is my fault. I shouldn’t have left you there and especially not without a vehicle.”
She leaned her weight on him as he put his arm around her waist, hoping she’d feel less vulnerable if she knew a little more about the stranger who was helping her. More electricity fizzed through her as he walked her inside the cabin, and the overwhelming feeling that she was safe for now settled over her.
“Sit still,” he said as he retrieved a bottle of water and poured it over her thigh. “I have something that’ll help with the cut on my bike.”
He brought in medical supplies and attended to her wounded leg.
“Who are you really?” she asked, staring up at him.
“A man defined by his mistakes.” He stepped back but maintained eye contact, holding a second too long. The dark lines of his serious expression said he meant every word of that. Fire shot through her when she realized the implication of what he said.
“You think helping me was a mistake?” She scoffed. Anger had been building and she’d explode if she held it in any longer. “Well, then, I’m sure glad you went against your superior judgment or I’d be dead.”
“Twice,” he said through clenched teeth as he stood. His breath was a mix of mint and coffee. An infuriating part of her wanted to see what that tasted like. He raked his fingers through thick, wavy hair.
“Now that you’ve saved me again, why not just leave? My Jeep isn’t far from here. I’ll head north, away from the ranch, until I figure out who’s doing this to me,” she said with more anger than she’d intended.
He took a threatening step toward her, closing the gap between them even more, and this close she could almost sense what his skin would feel like pressed against hers as she stood.
Ella blew out a frustrated breath. She thought the same curse that he muttered when she said, “Mistakes aren’t the only things that define a person.”
Holden caught her gaze again and she felt the moment her anger turned to awareness. Awareness of his strong, masculine body so close to hers. Awareness of how much he turned her on even though she fought against it. Awareness of how good it would feel to have his hands on her, roaming her skin.
“Do tell,” he said, and there was so much sexual undercurrent running between them.
“We’re also defined by our choices,” she said.
“Fine. This is one of mine.” He dipped his head and kissed her.
His lips, pressed to hers, sent a current of need rippling through her and heat pooled inside her thighs. She’d never been this aroused this quickly in her life, but then a sexual current had been building between them since she’d first seen him.
He tensed, like he expected her to fight back, but all she could do was surrender to the out-of-control wildfire spreading through her. She stretched her fingers out and smoothed them across his chest as she parted her lips. His tongue dipped inside her mouth and she could feel the groan rumble from deep in his chest.
The realization she was having the same effect on him that he had on her was satisfying. A frustrating and intense sexual draw stronger than anything she’d ever experienced enveloped her. That strength of an emotion could be dangerous. Holden was dangerous.
Instead of pulling back, which would be the most sensible move, Ella wrapped her hands around his neck and deepened the kiss.
His arms looped her waist and he hauled her body against his. She could feel his heart pound inside his chest at a frantic pace. Her breasts strained against her bra as they pressed flush against his muscled chest.
How on earth was it possible to feel so much heat in one kiss?
Holden’s strong, flat palm slipped inside her shirt and her nipples pebbled. He hesitated at the snap on her bra and then all of a sudden her breasts were freed. He released a guttural groan as he took one of her full breasts in his hand. He teased the nipple, rolling it between his thumb and forefinger, and her stomach fluttered.
He pulled back long enough to search her eyes. He seemed to need reassurance from her that all of this was okay.
Was it?
Ella didn’t want to think. For once, she wanted to go with what her body craved...and right now, that was the blue-eyed stranger.
He pulled back. “See what I’m talking about?”
She studied him.
“I’ve needed to do that since you woke up the other day,” he grumbled. “And it’s a huge mistake.”
He had that right, she thought, as anger flared through her.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure nothing like it ever happens again,” she said.
Chapter Five (#u982c49f5-afbc-5378-bb6c-fda767e3dadb)
Ella could not, under any circumstances, allow Holden Crawford to affect her. She moved away from him and onto the makeshift bed, grateful that he’d left it intact. She needed...something—physical space, maybe—to clear her mind. What she wouldn’t do for a strong cup of coffee right now.
“I need to get a message to my family and make sure they’re okay. Whoever is doing this to me might also be targeting them,” she said, needing to redirect her thoughts and gain control of her overwrought emotions. Her attraction to him could be explained in simple terms. She’d almost been killed. Twice. He’d saved her. Twice. The magnetic pull she felt was nothing more than primal urge.
Holden studied her for a long moment. He had that wrinkled-forehead expression that made her believe he wanted to speak his mind. He seemed to decide better of it.
“Where are the twins and your sister?” he asked.
Ella couldn’t mask her surprise. She was going to have to get used to the fact that this stranger knew more about her than she did about him, reminding herself that he was one of her father’s many acquaintances. But then, it seemed like everyone knew her father or at least believed they did. She also realized that for all his antics, her father wouldn’t help someone who broke the law. Maverick Mike was many things, but he wouldn’t harbor a criminal and especially not anywhere near his beloved family or ranch. Despite complicated relationships, family was everything to Maverick Mike. His property was a close second. Her father had loved his land and everything about Texas was sacred to the man. She’d inherited his zest for family, the ranch and her home state.
“I don’t know exactly. They disappeared to get away from the media circus surrounding Dad’s death and I didn’t think to ask,” she said. “We all have places we go when we need time away.”
“Why did you stick around?” His gaze narrowed and his lips thinned.
“Someone had to stay in order to keep an eye on the business,” she stated. “An operation as big as Hereford doesn’t run itself.”
He gave her a look of concession. “Your brothers didn’t see it as their jobs?”
“As a matter of fact, they did,” she said, a little indignant. “They wanted to stay but I convinced them that they should take some time away.”
“Your arguing skills aren’t in question but I’m still surprised they agreed,” he said with a shake of his head.
“Well, they put up a good fight. But I managed to convince them.” That was putting it lightly. She’d almost had to physically force them off the property.
She looked at Holden, who seemed not to believe her.
“You may not realize it, but I can be pretty convincing when I need to be,” she defended.
“On second thought, I shouldn’t doubt that you know exactly how to get what you want,” he said with a tone she decided to ignore rather than explore. Mostly because it sent more of those unwelcomed shivers up her arms.
“What about you?” she asked, realizing that he wasn’t saying more than two words about himself.
He didn’t answer.
Shocking.
“What’s next?” she asked. Adrenaline must’ve worn off because she was starting to feel every ache and the pain was taking the fight out of her. Besides, the chemistry constantly sizzling between them was exhausting.
Holden paced. She waited.
“You make a choice,” he finally said. There was so much frustration and warning in his voice.
“I can’t go back to Hereford until I know who’s trying to kill me,” she stated. “I have no idea if this person has access to the main house, but he’s made his intentions clear.”
“It’s best to assume he does, and especially after what happened to your father on the property. I can keep you safe while the sheriff investigates the attempts on your life. Or we can figure out a better way to get you to law enforcement.”
She was shaking her head before he finished his sentence.
“If you accept my help that means going off the grid. You have to follow my rules and cut off all communication with everyone but me,” he said, and the look in his eyes said he meant every word. “You already know what it’s like to be around me. This is what you’ll be stuck with until this...issue is resolved.”
“I’m aware of your magnetic personality,” she shot back. She was also aware that he was the only one who seemed capable of keeping her alive. He might not be one to talk much, but it was obvious that he knew how to hide and a piece of her—a piece she should probably ignore—felt safe when he was around.
“Good. Being angry with me will keep us both from making another mistake like the one we made earlier,” he said, and his gaze dipped to her lips. He refocused on the patch of wall behind her head.
Did he have to keep reminding her?
“If I can’t speak to anyone else, how will the sheriff know what’s happened?” she asked.
“I’ll arrange for you to give a statement, but it won’t be in person,” he said. “Then we’ll disappear.”
She could hire a security company to keep her safe, but there was no time. She needed protection now. And it was too risky to give up her location to anyone before she could thoroughly vet the agency’s employees. This wasn’t the time to chide herself for not thinking of having a security team ready to go sooner. She hadn’t needed to consider it before now. Security on the ranch had always proved up to the task until her father...
Thinking about him caused tears to threaten.
Going to the ranch was out. Again, her father had been murdered at home, so someone had slipped past security. Either way, returning to Hereford might not prove good for her longevity.
Her father had trusted Holden Crawford. And that was saying a lot.
“I want your help,” she stated. “There are reporters everywhere in Cattle Barge and apparently—” she blew out a frustrated breath “—I’m news. If I surface anywhere, then my face will be all over the internet, on live feeds, and that will lead whoever is after me to my location. I can’t afford to be seen right now, and since you seem very good at staying under the radar, you’re my best chance at staying alive.”
His lips thinned and his gaze narrowed.
“I was afraid you’d say that,” he ground out as he walked right past her and out the door.
* * *
HOLDEN STALKED OUTSIDE and paced. The room had felt confining, like he was strapped in a straitjacket. Being in the Texas night air always gave him perspective.
Maverick Mike was dead. He’d been killed in a manner that was meant to make a statement. Sure, the man knew how to have a good time. Holden’s own father had always gotten a look of appreciation when he’d talked about his poker buddy from Texas. The annual secret game that had happened at Hereford every year was legendary but rarely spoken about. Holden was unclear as to how his father had been included, but he’d been making the trip since Holden could remember. Thinking of Pop brought a wave of anger to the surface. Holden should’ve been there to stop it. His fists clenched and that familiar sense of frustration bore down on him. Beating himself up over Pop’s death again wouldn’t change the past.
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