Tina Leonard - A Callahan Outlaw's Twins

“I’ll do my best.”

“If you have to hypnotize her again, do it.”

Sloan shook his head. “She asked me not to. Actually,” he said, “she didn’t ask me. It was more like she commanded me never to do it again.” The memory of her ragging him about it made him smile. She refused to admit that she’d been in shock and pain, and relaxing helped. He admired the fact that she would choose pain over giving up any independence. “I can’t do it. She’s not a willing subject.”

“She’s not a willing subject about anything. Why do I always have stubborn women around me?” Jonas asked. But the question was rhetorical, Sloan knew. Jonas was crazy about Fiona, about his wife, Sabrina, who was rumored to have a very stubborn streak, and even Kendall.

“Strong men draw strong women,” Sloan said.

“Lovely. Just once I’d like to have a ‘Yes, Jonas’ type of female in my life.” He got up to pace, so Sloan reached for a cookie, biting into it with pleasure. The simple pleasure of a home-baked cookie was something he hadn’t had in years. Not since—

“Sloan.”

“Yes.” He straightened, focusing on Jonas again. “I’m listening.”

“Whatever you do, you can’t let Kendall run you around.”

Sloan hesitated. “Meaning?”

“She’s bossy. She thinks she can handle herself. And handle anything. The truth is, she doesn’t really know much about what’s been happening here over the past four years. She doesn’t know much about the family.” Jonas paced some more, his body darkly silhouetted in front of the huge window where the moon shone into the den, touching the furnishings with dim light. “She knows a little, but not enough to convince herself she can’t go about her duties the way she used to. I know Kendall. She’ll decide she imagined the whole thing, that she hurt herself on the jeep. Like maybe a big bird flew over and startled her or something. The next thing you know, she’ll be back out there, making plans for the new bunkhouse.”

Sloan swallowed. “I’ll get her out to Hell’s Colony somehow.” It would be for the best.

He looked at Jonas. “I think I have an answer to your problem.”

“I would love to hear it,” Jonas replied, appearing relieved. “Please share.”

“Fire her,” Sloan said.

Jonas looked stunned. Then he laughed. “That’s perfect.”

Sloan felt bad, but saving Kendall from Kendall was paramount.

“Wish I’d thought of it.” He got up, slapped Sloan on the back. “I’ll leave you to take care of that tomorrow morning, after we’re gone, cousin.”

Jonas walked out. Sloan grimaced, the delicious cookie no longer appealing.

It was going to be a long night. The dream wolf had long been his nocturnal companion, a shadowy fear that kept peace at bay and shredded his sleep.

But he’d rather face the wolf than the woman who was going to be none too happy when he told her that her services were no longer required.

* * *

“WHAT?” Kendall exclaimed in a shriek. She glared at Sloan. “What do you mean, I’m fired?”

Damn Jonas for leaving this mission to him. Sloan leaned against the wall in Kendall’s room and shrugged—although the last thing he felt was calm and uncaring.

“Fired. Out of work.”

Her blue eyes narrowed on him. “You did this.”

He sighed. “I did.”

Kendall threw the nearest thing that could be used as a projectile, which happened to be her hairbrush, since he’d caught her in the middle of trying to fix herself for the day. The brush bounced off the wall, not one inch from his face. “I’ll have you know my services command hundreds of thousands of dollars. If I call up any of the corporations who’ve tried to lure me away from Gil Phillips, Inc., in the past year, I’ll have a position in thirty minutes, and a salary that would make your head swim.”

He nodded. “Your right to do so.”

She shot a heart-decorated flip-flop at him, followed by its mate. They both missed, but she was getting warmed up, and Sloan figured the next time she’d peg him.

“Get out.”

“I’m under orders to get you to Hell’s Colony.”

“Orders? I’ve been fired. I don’t take orders from Jonas Callahan anymore, that supercilious ass.” She hopped out of the bed, her face creasing with pain as she tried to stay off her foot. “And you promised to take me out to the canyons, though I see now you’re not a man of your word.”

She hobbled to the landing. “Jonas!” she yelled down the stairwell.

“He’s gone. They’re all gone.”

She hopped back into the room, staring at him. “What do you mean, they’re all gone?”

“There’s no one on the ranch but my family, and Fiona and Burke.”

“Oh, my God.” She sank onto her bed again, and Sloan felt sympathy for her. He knew how it felt to lose everything. “I didn’t know they’d leave this soon. No wonder it’s so quiet. I thought the children were all watching a movie in the bunkhouse or something.”

He shook his head. “They left before the sun was up this morning.”

“I can’t believe it. And yet I’m relieved.” She gazed at Sloan. “And you’re supposed to fire me so I’ll leave, too.”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Jonas was too chicken to do it.”

“I’ll bet.” Kendall sat silently for a moment. “You’re both chickenhearted weasels. But at least you told me to my face.”

“I’m a gentleman.”

“Whatever.” Kendall didn’t look at him. “I’m not leaving.”

Sloan’s heart sank. He should have seen this coming. No wonder Jonas had gone off like a dog not eager to see a bathtub. Swallowing hard, Sloan stared at Kendall, reading her face. She was thinking, thinking hard—and he was in trouble.

“You hire me,” Kendall said.

“What?” He blinked, automatically stiffening.

“You’re in charge here now. You hire me.” Kendall raised a brow, challenging him.

“I can’t do that.” Sloan shook his head. “I have no authority to make hiring decisions.”

“This is a combat zone. You can make decisions without Jonas’s okay.” Her determined expression said she wasn’t about to let this go. “Besides which, you want me here.”

His gaze snapped to hers. “I don’t—”

“Yes, you do.” She crossed her arms. “You’d feel a whole lot better if you could keep your eyes on me.”

His eyes and some other things. Sloan resisted his errant thoughts. “No can do, sweetheart. Be a good girl and mind your ex-boss. He knows what’s best for you. Me, I’m just an interloper.”

“You’re a tough guy,” Kendall said. “And tough guys like to do things themselves. You want to protect me, don’t you?”

He wasn’t falling for the boost to his ego. “You’ll be safe in Texas. Where you belong.” He got up, went to the door. “I’ll have one of my brothers take you to Albuquerque so you can catch a plane.”

“Sloan.”

He wished he didn’t have to stay in here with her any longer. She was winding tendrils of temptation around him, and the worst part was, he knew she was doing it. Didn’t really want to stop it. “Yeah?”

“I’m staying. I’m going to stick it out with Fiona and Burke. This may not be my home, but I’m not giving up the job I’ve already put several months of work into planning. And you wouldn’t, either, if you were me.”

His mouth flattened. “You have to leave. All the rest of it I’m not getting drawn into.”

He walked out, feeling a ball of tension knot his neck. Everything she’d said was true: he did want her here. He did think he could do the best job of protecting her. But she’d be safe in Texas, where Jonas said her family had a compound.

The problem was, Kendall knew he’d thought up the plan to fire her, so she knew Jonas still wanted her to finish his bunkhouse—when the danger passed. She didn’t consider herself to be in danger, so she saw no reason not to go on with her whatever-the-hell-it-was that she did. Decorating or something. She was fiery like his sister, Ashlyn, and Sloan had plenty of experience with that.