Cassie Miles - Secluded with the Cowboy

As soon as she and Dylan returned to the bedroom, Nicole’s self-control began to crumble. She’d managed to tell the story of her kidnapping in broad strokes, leaving out the humiliating details. How could she ever speak of those things? The filth. Her screams into empty darkness. Her gnawing hunger.

It was better to bury those horrors under layers of silence, not telling even Dylan. Especially not Dylan. When he looked at her, she didn’t want him to see a victim—a helpless, terrified creature.

She sat on the edge of her bed, hands folded in her lap, hating the unassuaged fear that roiled inside her. Desperately she longed to forget the kidnapping, to erase every scrap of it from her memory.

Dylan sat beside her and wrapped his arm around her, cradling her with unusual tenderness, as if afraid that she’d shatter if he held her too tightly. Leaning her cheek against his chest, she whispered, “I don’t want to fall asleep.”

“Nightmares?”

“If I let my defenses down, I remember too much.” Her breath shuddered. “I might lose control.”

“You’re safe now, darlin’.” He stroked her hair. “You know I’ll take care of you. It’s going to be all right.”

Much as she wanted to believe him, her fears would not be so easily cured. Her nostrils flared as she remembered the stink of the dank, dark places where she’d been held captive.

In the creaking of the old ranch house, she heard echoes of mocking laughter. “Why does Nate hate us so much?”

Dylan tightened his embrace. His muscles tensed. “When I think of what that bastard did to you…” He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to relax. “I won’t let him hurt you. Not ever again.”

Downstairs, the front door slammed hard enough that they could hear it all the way up here in their bedroom. It sounded as if a herd of buffalo had charged inside. Someone called out Dylan’s name.

“I’d better see what they need,” Dylan said.

She understood that he was the boss, and the Carlisle Ranch was his responsibility. But she wanted his full attention tonight. When he stood, she rose to her feet beside him. “I’m coming with you.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “You can rest.”

“Didn’t I just tell you that I don’t want to sleep? You never listen to me.” The familiar complaint sparked her anger. “Have you heard one word I’ve said?”

“I get it.” He glanced toward the door. “If you want me to stay here with you, that’s what I’ll do.”

She didn’t want to argue. “Go. But I’m coming with you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Together they went down the hallway and stood side by side on the staircase, looking down at two ranch hands in gloves, cowboy hats and heavy jackets. Both wore guns on their hips. Both were out of breath.

“What’s up?” Dylan asked.

“Somebody cut the barbed wire on the south pasture. We got cattle running loose.”

Dylan’s tone was clipped. “Rouse anybody who’s sleeping in the bunkhouse and get on it.”

“What about the men who are standing guard?”

“They stay put,” he said. “The house needs to be secure.”

“Okay, boss.”

“You boys get started. I’ll be with you in a minute.” As the ranch hands went out the door, Dylan turned to her. “I need to see to this problem.”

“No,” she said.

He took her hand. “I’ll get Carolyn to stay with you. This shouldn’t be a big deal, and I—”

“You can’t go,” she said. “Cut wires on the south pasture? That’s deliberate sabotage. Remember what Burke said about Nate staying in this area until he takes his revenge? He cut that fence.”

“I reckon you’re right. But there’s close to three hundred cattle in the south field. I need to help.”

“Nate’s baiting you, trying to draw you outside.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “Please, stay here with me.”

“I’m not hiding from Nate Miller.”

His green eyes darkened. She’d always loved the clarity she saw in his gaze. Though Dylan was good at disguising the way he felt, his eyes were truly windows to his soul. She saw his determination, fire and strength. She knew that he was ready to go into battle. My God, he was handsome. Her husband stood ready to protect her, to fight for her.

But right now she didn’t need a hero. “Listen to me. Please listen. If anything happens to you—”

“I can take care of myself.” His smile was fierce. “I’d welcome a showdown with that sorry son of a bitch.”

He made it sound as if this would be a fair fight, like a duel, with the two of them facing off. “Nate could be hiding in the forest with a rifle. He could pick you off before you know what’s happening. You could be dead before you have a chance to draw your gun.”

He leaned down and lightly kissed her forehead. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

As he descended the staircase, she watched. She was proud of his courage. But furious at the same time. Even now, after everything she’d been through, he brushed her warning aside. “Stubborn,” she muttered under her breath.

After blowing her a kiss, he strode out the door, plunging headlong into danger. She sank down on the staircase and slumped forward, exhausted. But she knew she wouldn’t sleep. Not while Dylan was in jeopardy.

From behind her, a gentle voice offered, “Shall I make tea?”

She turned her head and looked up at Andrea, Dylan’s mother—a woman she barely knew. Nicole stood on the stair and adjusted her robe. Politely, she said, “It’s nice to see you.”

In a mauve kimono-style robe with a striped pattern at the sleeves and hem, Andrea looked big-city sophisticated, even without makeup. She pulled Nicole into a hug. “Thank God you’re all right. I was so worried.”

“Thanks, Andrea.”

“I should be thanking you.” She linked arms with Nicole and descended the staircase. “Until you came along, I’d pretty much lost contact with my son. You have no idea how much I appreciate the Christmas cards and birthday greetings that you send.”

Nicole hadn’t made a special effort. Keeping in touch with Andrea simply seemed like the right thing to do. “We’re family. Staying in touch is important.”

“I especially like the photos. My daughter in New York would love to come out here for a visit.”

“She’s welcome anytime.”

They entered the kitchen just as Carolyn and Burke stumbled out from the pantry. From the disheveled state of their clothing and their sheepish expressions, it was pretty obvious why they hadn’t run to answer the front door.

“What’s going on?” Carolyn demanded.

Her mother answered, “Some fencing was cut on the south pasture. Sabotage.”

“It’s got to be Nate Miller,” Burke said.

“Dylan has already gone running out there to help round up the cattle.” Andrea’s tone was authoritative. “I would appreciate it, Burke, if you went along to keep an eye on him. Carolyn, you stay here.”

“Why?” Carolyn was never one to accept orders without question.

Nicole said, “Because Nate wants revenge against the Carlisles. The whole family. You’d be a target.”

“She’s right,” Burke said, giving her a quick kiss. “I’ll take care of this. Maybe I can get your brother to put on a Kevlar vest.”

“Please do,” Nicole said. “A suit of body armor would be great.”

If anything happened to Dylan, she didn’t think she could stand it. He was stubborn, inattentive and arrogant. But he was still her husband.

DYLAN RODE with Burke across the field behind the horse barn toward the south pasture—a fenced area that had been the site of prior sabotage before Nicole was kidnapped. His schedule of rotating the two thousand head of Carlisle cattle on land they owned and land they leased had gotten out of whack. Now that Nicole was home, he could get back to the serious business of ranching. It wasn’t going to be easy. His foreman, Lucas Mann, had been killed when the ransom was delivered.