Elizabeth Goddard - Texas Christmas Defender

“I’m going to remove my hand. Don’t scream,” he said, keeping his voice low.

His voice...it wasn’t Rio, her brother. But no matter. Rio had sent one of his enforcers...except his trusted lieutenants were all Mexican, and this man hadn’t spoken in Spanish. Didn’t have an accent.

“Did you hear me? I said, don’t scream.” He repeated it in Spanish this time, but he was still missing the expected accent.

She nodded. She lost nothing by agreeing. No one would hear her scream except possibly Inez Ramirez, the older woman from whom Adriana leased the llama ranch she someday hoped to own. But this man wouldn’t be afraid of Inez.

He slowly lowered his hand from her mouth. The weapon remained aimed at her head as the man carefully stepped around her and into view.

Adriana gasped. Even relaxed a little, because she recognized her captor, and it wasn’t Rio or one of his minions.

This man was the Texas Ranger she’d saved two years ago in Mexico. Maybe...maybe today wasn’t her day to die, after all. Thank You, Jesucristo.

“What...what are you doing here?”

“I’m Texas Ranger Brent McCord, and I’m looking for Adriana Garcia.”

“I know who you are.” She could never forget the intensity of his green eyes. “And you know who I am, too. Don’t you remember me?”

“Are you Adriana Garcia?” He repeated the question, his gaze remaining hard, his tension palpable.

The question stung her as she stared down the muzzle of his handgun. He didn’t remember her or what she’d done for him? He’d been a stranger to her when she’d risked her life to save his by distracting one of Rio’s high-level henchmen. Or hatchet men, as she thought of them.

The guy would have seen the Ranger and would have killed him without hesitation. Not only had she distracted the goon, but she’d concealed the Ranger in her own home until it was safe to lead him away from the danger.

Her palms slicked, even now, at the memory of the risk to her own life. Her brother had learned of her betrayal only a few months ago, and that had sent her on the run, fleeing to Texas. The truth was she’d wanted an out from their family’s horrible, deadly business, though she wasn’t personally involved with her brother’s cartel. She’d lived in fear for far too long, and helping the Ranger had propelled her on a path to freedom, but she still wasn’t completely free. Not yet. Her long-dead American mother would have been relieved Adriana had made it this far out of Rio’s grip. That she had even tried.

Had the Ranger known that she’d been forced to run in fear for her life because she’d aided him? He must know something of her circumstances to even be aware that she was in Texas. Apparently he’d been searching for her. Even more disturbing—he’d found her.

She sagged. “You don’t remember.”

Oh, but she’d forgotten she now wore a disguise—her hair dyed auburn and permed with short curls. Her fake tortoiseshell glasses. She wasn’t supposed to look familiar to anyone who could recognize her—that was the whole point. So why had she spoken to him the way she had? Did she want him to remember or recognize her?

If he truly didn’t know her, then this was her chance. She could deny her true identity. She had to be more than careful. There was a reason she was in disguise, even at the llama ranch. Why, then, did she find herself wanting this man to remember her?

As she studied him closely, the truth became plain in his eyes. This Texas Ranger with the piercing green eyes knew who she was, all right.

She saw something more than just recognition there. Appreciation?

Warmth flooded her. She couldn’t help but smile on the inside at that. The two of them had a connection from the past. Something about him had drawn her then, and it drew her now, even though he had his weapon aimed point-blank at her.

Right. The gun. She couldn’t let herself forget that. She shook off her illusions that the Ranger owed her anything, or that he would never harm her because he felt something for her. He could very well be here on Rio Garcia’s cartel business, after all. He could have been bought and turned like so many other supposedly good guys. Everyone had their price.

What is your price, Ranger McCord?

Adriana took a step back. “You know who I am, so why ask the question? Who sent you? My brother?”

“What?” His face morphed into a deep scowl, as if she couldn’t have offended him more. “Didn’t you hear me? I’m a Texas Ranger.”

Though he’d emphasized those last two words, she scoffed. “There are Americans, law enforcement officers, on my brother’s payroll. Maybe even Texas Rangers. He could have sent you because he knew I would more easily trust you.” At his obviously shocked and offended reaction to her words, she almost wished she could take them back. But she reminded herself that she shouldn’t trust this man, even if she’d saved him. Even if he owed her his life.

“You mean because you saved me before.”

She nodded and noticed that Kiana had shifted around and edged closer, extending her neck.

“You could be a double agent.”

His face scrunched up. “What? No...no, I couldn’t.”

She’d turned the tables on this man. Now he had to defend himself. With his back to Kiana, the Ranger didn’t pay any attention to the llama.

“I want to hear you answer the question. Are you Adriana Garcia, sister of Rio Garcia, or not?”

Adriana prayed for direction. And forgiveness. If this man had been sent to kill her, then she’d failed in her biggest mission in life—to take down her brother once and for all. Since her escape from that life, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Rio’s cartel. But she’d let her guard down today of all days because it was Christmas.

Christmas...

“Don’t you realize it’s Christmas Day?” she asked, avoiding answering his question. He already knew who she was anyway. For some reason he wanted to hear it from her. “You’re here at my llama ranch on Christmas. Don’t you have family?”

He was one serious Ranger to have given up his Christmas for work. Or maybe it wasn’t such a sacrifice—maybe he didn’t have anyone to spend the holiday with. She understood about being alone, far from her family, on Christmas. The thought both saddened her and filled her with relief that she had escaped that life. Better to be alone than with her family.

“If you’re Adriana Garcia, you’re wanted for the murder of a border patrol agent,” he said. “I’m here to take you in. I’ve heard that you’re as ruthless as your drug-lord brother. That you only came across the border to start your own cartel here.”

The news rolled over her, crushing her under the weight of it. She was wanted for murder? Her knees buckled and she thought she would drop to the ground, but she stood taller, defying this man’s accusations. Her brother must have framed her, somehow. How did she make the Ranger believe her? Words failed her.

If only he understood that the reason she’d had to flee was because she had put herself between her brother and this man, maybe he wouldn’t be so willing to accuse her. Though she’d planned to run, wanted to escape her family and break all ties with them for so long, saving the Ranger and subsequently being pursued by the cartel had given her all the reason she’d needed to act.

But for him to accuse her like this...

Did she imagine it or did he aim his weapon a little higher? Did he finger the trigger?

Adriana lifted her chin in defiance. “And what do you believe, Ranger man? Do you think I killed the border agent? That I’m here to start up my own cartel to rival my brother’s?”

Agent McCord finally noticed Kiana—llamas were normally friendly and sociable, but the very pregnant llamas were territorial, and Kiana had sensed the danger this man was to Adriana. Though Kiana didn’t stand close to him, her ears were back, and Adriana knew what came next.