Rebecca Winters - A Bride By Summer - The Texas Ranger's Bride / From Best Friend to Bride / Once Upon a Bride

Kellie felt sick. When she checked it, there was a picture with the text. She pressed on it and saw herself and Cy in his car as they were backing out of her garage. The text read, Plan to say goodbye to your husband, Kellie girl. It’ll be payment for my brother. Then I’m going after your horse. Don’t forget your turn is coming.

“Cy—” she cried out in panic. Within seconds he came down the stairs. “Look at this! He’s a maniac! He’s threatening to kill you and my horse!” She handed him her phone so he could see everything.

Without thinking about it, Cy sat down and put his arm around her shoulders to comfort her. He’d been wondering when she’d break down. All this time she’d been so brave, but the threat accompanying the photo of her horse had been the tipping point for her. It was too much. She burrowed into his neck and sobbed.

He brushed the hair away from her cheek. “Awful as this is, it means he’s ready to spring into action. But don’t worry. Two of the agency’s men dressed like local ranch hands are guarding your horses around the clock.”

She blinked. “All this time?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, thank heaven.”

“The stalker doesn’t have much more time before you leave for the rodeo next week. I’m convinced he’s going to make his move soon. I’ll be ready for him,” he murmured, pressing kisses to her brow.

One minute she was clinging to him. In the next instant she raised her head to reveal a tear-sodden face. He brushed the moisture from her cheeks with his thumb.

“I—I’m sorry I fell apart like that,” she stammered. “How embarrassing.”

Cy heard the words, but their lips were only an inch apart, distracting him from his duty to protect her. All that registered was her warmth and beauty, seducing him into wanting a taste of her. It was wrong to give in to his desire, but he’d passed a threshold where chemistry had taken over. He could no more stop what was happening than he could prevent himself from being swept into a vortex.

When his mouth closed over hers, he heard a small moan, then she was giving him access as if she couldn’t stop herself, either. For a minute he forgot everything while the wonder of her response had taken hold. One kiss became another and another until it all merged into a growing need that had set them on fire.

He’d never known this kind of ecstasy before, not even with his fiancée. Maybe it was because of the danger surrounding them that the experience of holding and kissing her had surpassed any pleasure he’d known with the few women from his past.

Kellie was exciting from the way she looked, talked, walked, rode a horse and fought her fear. Her smile dazzled him. Her lust for life—her plans for life—thrilled him almost as much as her touch, almost as much as the feel of her body molded to his.

Caught up in a frenzy of giving and taking, Cy unexpectedly heard a familiar voice come into his head. You realize the two of you will be walking a very thin line.

Stunned by how far he’d gotten carried away, he lifted his mouth from hers with reluctance. Somehow he managed to let her go and got to his feet. He cleared his throat and stood there with his hands on his hips while he attempted to get his breathing under control. “That wasn’t supposed to happen, Kellie. I apologize for betraying your trust, but you have my solemn oath it won’t happen again.”

She looked up at him through clear blue eyes dominating a flushed face. “It takes two, Ranger Vance. I was right there with you and crossed a line I swore I wouldn’t. But I’ll tell you this. I enjoyed it.”

An honest woman. He smiled, loving her candor. “It was even more exciting for me than watching you round the third can in Bandera and fly straight down the alley.”

After running his hands through her hair, Cy could see he’d disheveled it. She smoothed a few strands off her forehead. “It’s past my bedtime, so I’ll say good-night.”

“I need to keep your phone,” he said before she reached for it. Kellie nodded, then stood up and hurried out of the living room.

No sooner had she disappeared up the stairs than Vic called. Cy pulled out his phone and clicked on. “Did you get in to interrogate our prisoner?”

“Yes, but he’s not going to give up any information. These guys are real pros, but I have other news you need to see and sent it to your email. I sent the same email to the agents back east who are working on this case.”

“How soon can you get here?”

“I’m walking toward the front of Kellie’s town house now.”

“I’ll let you in.”

In a few minutes they sat at the kitchen table. Cy handed him Kellie’s phone. “Take a look at the message from the sender named Trixie. Dan took a picture of me and Kellie in the car backing out of the garage earlier today.”

Vic studied the photo and read the text. He shot Cy a glance. “The loss of his twin has unhinged him.”

“Yup. He’s starting to take daring risks and is damn good at knowing how to terrorize Kellie. I assume he’s armed with a rifle in order to take care of me and Trixie. Then he’ll go back to his preferred method to kill Kellie.”

“We’ve got to find him quick.”

“Did Janene ever track down that IP address?”

“No. It has her stumped for the moment, but I’ve received information on the identical-twin birth records from both cities.”

“I want to see those, but first let’s talk about the photo. Dan was obviously hiding behind the fence this afternoon in order to take it. No doubt he was hidden in the same place when we took his brother out to the van. I’m thinking he’s using one of the town houses.”

“So am I,” Vic broke in. “I’ll phone TJ right now to get us a warrant.”

They could read each other’s minds. “We’ll need backup so we can do a thorough search of every town house on this street and the town houses on the other side of the alley. Our lunatic is hiding out here somewhere ready to strike. We need to nab him fast.”

“Agreed.”

While Vic got on the phone with their captain, Cy opened the email Vic had sent. He studied the statistics for identical twin boys born in hospitals in 1986 when the populations of both areas were smaller. The sum from both cities equaled ten sets, six from Charleston, four from Virginia Beach. Hopefully, the agents at the other end could track down the parents from birth records and make an ID that would help them form a correct profile of the brothers.

Vic ended the call. “TJ’s getting the warrant as we speak. He’s sending Luckey to guard Kellie so you and I can do the search with the crew. As soon as he gets here, we’ll start.”

Cy’s thoughts were whirling. “I need to tell Kellie about the change in plans.” Since he had her phone, he needed to tell her in person. “Be right back.” He got out of the chair and hurried up the stairs with her cell phone.

“Kellie?” he called to her before rapping on her door.

“Yes?” she answered immediately.

“I have to leave for a little while with Vic. But I won’t go until Luckey gets here. He’s one of my closest friends in the Rangers.”

“One of the Sons of the Forty, you mean?”

“Yes. He’ll guard you with his life.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“I’m leaving your phone on the floor outside your door in case you need it. If the stalker calls, let it ring through to your voice mail. I’ve just put Luckey’s phone number in your list of contacts. He’ll answer if you call him. Try to go back to sleep if you can, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Be careful, Cy.”

He took a deep breath. “Always.”

Chapter Seven

I have to leave for a little while with Vic.