Barb Han - Bulletproof Christmas

Dade came rushing toward him as Boots sat next to Rory’s shoes. “I’m sorry, Rory. I don’t know how this order slipped past the rest of us and ended up being issued. It should never have happened.” He glanced toward his head of security and then the zip cuffs. “Take those ridiculous things off.”

Rory’s anger almost overshadowed the real reason he’d shown up to begin with as Terrell removed the bindings. He rubbed sore wrists. “I caught a guy on your property with a scope on Cadence’s room.”

Dalton entered the foyer, stress cracks around his eyes and mouth. He looked exhausted and Rory didn’t like being the one to deliver more bad news. “Where?”

“Due north from the main house,” Rory supplied. “Is she here?”

“Haven’t seen her yet but she was due in last night,” Dade supplied after shaking his friend’s hand. Dade was wearing jeans without a shirt or shoes. He’d obviously been roused from sleep. “I’m sorry again for the misunderstanding.” He motioned toward Rory’s wrists.

This was no miscommunication, but he wasn’t angry at Dade or Dalton for it.

“You want me to take care of this guy?” Landry asked, motioning toward Boots.

“He belong to you?” Dade asked.

“Does now.”

“All right if Landry takes care of him while we talk?” Dade nodded toward the beagle.

“Fine by me. Cadence needs to know how much danger she’s in.” She wasn’t stupid and if she realized how close she was to being shot, she’d take the right precautions. Rory didn’t even want to think about what might’ve happened if he hadn’t been there. Was he still frustrated with her for the stunt? Hell, yes.

But he didn’t want anything to happen to her.

It was probably guilt for walking out on her that had him wanting to protect her and not residual feelings. Rory didn’t do those with anyone no matter how much his heart wanted to argue at thinking about seeing her again.

“I need to talk to Cadence,” Rory said as Landry picked up Boots and then disappeared.

Dade stepped aside, allowing access to her hallway in the massive rustic-chic, log-cabin-style home. It looked more like a resort than private residence and he knew the layout well.

“She doesn’t want to talk to you.” Ella Butler stepped into the hallway in front of Cadence’s room.

“Too bad,” Rory said. “She needs to.”

Ella was shaking her head and she looked rattled by the ordeal. “We understand what happened and will take it seriously. My sister has nothing else to say to you.”

“Like hell she doesn’t.” He started toward her room.

Ella stood there, arms folded over her chest. He would never do anything to hurt a woman so he flexed and released his fingers to keep them from reaching out to pick her up and move her.

“What’s going on?” Dade’s brow was hiked.

“Good question,” Rory added, focusing on Ella. “Your sister can have me arrested if I set foot on the property when I’ve been summoned, but I don’t get to warn of her the danger she’s in or ask why she’s so intent on not seeing me?”

“No, you don’t. Now, leave,” Cadence said from her room.

“This is none of our business, Ella,” Dade warned and Rory wondered if his friend knew about the fling. He doubted it, considering how determined Cadence had been to keep it under wraps.

Just when Rory thought Ella was going to dig her heels in and fight, her expression softened and she said, “You’re right. We should stay out of it. I’m sorry, Cadence. But he deserves to know.”

Cadence didn’t respond.

“I’m sorry, Rory,” Ella said with a look as she, Dalton and Dade wished him good luck before disappearing down the hall.

Deserved to know what exactly? Rory questioned.

Rory tapped on Cadence’s door with his bare knuckles. He was the one who’d said there was no future for the two of them and then taken a job in Wyoming. When he really thought about it, she had every right to be upset with him. Not to trust him. Having him detained for being on Butler land was going too far but Cadence had a flair for the dramatic and she was probably still acting out of hurt—hurt that had been his fault.

“It’s important or I wouldn’t be here, Cadence. Open up,” he said.

“Go away.”

* * *

CADENCE STOOD ON the opposite side of the door, her heart thundering in her chest. This wasn’t how she’d envisioned telling Rory that he was going to be a father. She’d had every intention of telling him when the time was right but that time never came and she’d eventually decided to wait until after the babies were born.

There’d been so many times she’d wanted him to know but to what end? What did she want from him? Child support? Marriage? She almost laughed out loud at the thought of tying Rory down with commitment. He’d been all too clear that he wasn’t the type to stick around.

When he’d first walked out of her life, she thought that if she gave him enough time, he’d come back on his own. He’d realize that the two of them should be together.

As far as drinking the Kool-Aid went, she’d gone all-in with that fantasy.

He’d seemed content to stay away and her heart was still trying to heal from the snub.

So far, Ella was the only one who knew about the pregnancy and her sister had literally found out five minutes ago when she’d come in to check on Cadence.

“Stay away from your windows, Cadence. Someone was camping on your property and you’re being targeted.” Rory wasn’t trying to scare her. His voice was steady steel.

“Okay. Now I know,” she retorted, chiding herself for being so quick to dismiss him.

Several more taps came.

“I’m sorry about what happened between us.” His voice was low and gravelly. It was the same voice that had been so good at seducing her.

And the same that had told her the two of you didn’t have a future , a little voice reminded.

“Fine. I’ll take this seriously. Consider me warned. Now, you can leave.” He deserved to know he was a father but not like this. A cramp nearly doubled her over. She made it to her bed and sat down, gripping the mattress, trying not to make a noise.

She’d sent for a doctor four times in her first trimester, thinking the cramps were a bad sign that something was going terribly wrong. Turned out they were normal and especially common in a first pregnancy.

Before she could stop it, the doorknob twisted.

“No, Rory! Go!”

“I just wanted to tell you face-to-face—” His jaw fell slack the minute his gaze landed on her stomach.

Defensively, she brought her hands around her large belly to cover it.

Rory stood there, frozen, as though unable to speak.

A few seconds ticked by before he seemed to gather his thoughts well enough to say something.

“Do you mind telling me when you intended to share the news that you’re pregnant?” he finally asked, and there was so much betrayal in his voice.

She was pretty sure he was decent at math but also certain he had no idea how far along she was or the timing of a pregnancy. And part of her realized he had every right to be angry.

“I’d say it’s none of your business but that’s not exactly true since you’re the father,” she said, watching intently for his response.

A look of complete shock darkened his features as his gaze practically bore through her. His jaw clenched and released a few times, and it looked like he was grinding his molars. His stare became a dare when he said, “Then marry me.”

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