Disarming the Rancher Page 4

  Raleigh polished off the muffin and downed a quick cup of coffee. Thinking about running into Brax at the barn last night caused her cheeks to heat and that butterfly sensation to return to her stomach. She must be losing her damn mind.

  Before she could go too far down that road, she grabbed sunglasses and slipped out the back door before anyone realized she was awake. Once she got to the Firebrands, she would text Hardy to let him know she was okay. He wouldn’t expect her up for a few more hours though. And he was currently preoccupied with trying to keep the small crowd that was forming off her property line.

  The shed was unlocked, so she walked right in. This time, she grabbed her old helmet off the nail and then placed it over her head. That should help keep her identity under wraps. She pushed the minibike into the woods, not wanting to draw attention from the crowd out front or from her bandmates.

  Jake, who was usually the sweetest and most innocent one of the group, had been upset by her leaving last night without taking anyone with her for protection. She hadn’t seen him yet this morning to know if he’d gotten over it. The kid normally treated her like she walked on water, all starry-eyed. She hated to burst his bubble, but she was a normal person just like everyone else, she just happened to have a career in the spotlight.

  Once she was out of earshot, she threw her leg over the seat and then started the engine. Being on Red Devil made her smile. The wind whipped against her as she navigated around the trees, up and down small hills and around the creek.

  Don’t get her wrong, she loved what she did for a living but it came with a price, and that was personal freedom.

  Just as the Firebrand property line came into view, she heard the roar of an ATV gunning toward her. The male rider wasn’t wearing a helmet. She didn’t recognize him as local but to be fair, it had been a long time since she’d lived in Lone Star Pass.

  And yet, the way he stared at her with those determined eyes sent her pulse racing. A burst of adrenaline caused her hands to tremble as she twisted the throttle with her right hand.

  It didn’t matter who this guy was, she planned to let him eat her dust.

  Normally, she had to get off her minibike in order to squeeze it through the break in fencing but with the ATV closing in, there was no time. She cut left, drawing him away from the property. If she could get enough of a lead, she could lose this guy and double back.

  An icy chill raced down her back at the thought that he might be the bomber who seemed intent on taking her out. To what end?

  He could silence her. Then what? What would he have to gain? Then again, she’d read about worse things happening to good folks for no reason other than someone snapped and decided to take out as many folks as he could. Her threat had been targeted, directed at her. The thought sent an icy chill racing down her back.

  She cut right again, and the ATV followed right along. This situation was going from bad to worse as he was cutting her off from going back to her house. She tried not to think about how stupid she’d been for putting herself at risk by going out by herself. It would serve her right if something happened…

  And yet she couldn’t go there.

  His ATV was faring better with the terrain they were on. He had more stability with four tires and these little hills were perfect for him. She had to take it easy or risk getting too much air, giving him an unfair advantage. To make matters worse, she wasn’t rocking a big engine with her minibike.

  Think. Think. Think.

  That was it. She needed to outthink him. She knew the area. Did he?

  There was only one way to find out.

  A flat area would give her the speed advantage. The meadow wasn’t too far away. She was also nimbler than the ATV. So, she started cutting her turns faster and then speeding up whenever she had some clearing. The path along the creek would give her flat ground.

  It was closer than the meadow and he was gaining on her again.

  Leaning left, she made a hard turn toward the creek and then twisted the throttle as far as it would go. She risked a glance back and was rewarded with a tree stump in the way. A sharp turn wasn’t enough to avoid contact. Her front tire nicked the tree stump and she felt herself go flying.

  A yelp escaped before she could rein it in. Her head landed a foot away from the base of a large oak. She’d been thrown a good five feet and for a split-second waited for the pain of a broken bone to strike.

  When none came, she scrambled up onto all fours and recited a gratitude prayer Nana had taught her when she wasn’t much bigger than a fly.

  The problem was that her engine ku-klunked and then died. Out of gas?

  The ATV driver sneered as he aimed directly toward her. She stood up and glanced around. Could she run? Climb a tree?

  Since she’d never made a good squirrel, she went for option number one. She threw off her helmet to minimize any extra weight that might slow her down, and ran.

  The ATV engine roared. He was letting her know that he was coming for her. She could almost see the smirk on his face. Since rolling over and giving up wasn’t in her DNA, she ran harder. Branches slapped at her as she headed into a thicket. He’d never get his ATV through the trees ahead if she could beat him there.

  Of course, a foot chase might be a different story and she couldn’t risk a glance back to see if he was gaining on her.

  And then out of nowhere, the ATV engine faded. The rider was still on the thing because the engine buzzed. Her mind snapped to the fear of a black bear being out here. Or wild hog. Those could really butcher a person. Either one would stop the ATV in his tracks.

  Heart hammering her ribcage, she risked a glance to see what had caused the jerk to split.

  The answer was immediate. Brax Firebrand stood there. His back was to her, but his stance said he was aiming a pistol at the ATV driver. Thank the stars for small miracles.

  Raleigh called out to Brax, figuring it best not to surprise a man with his finger already on the trigger.

  Brax turned his head toward the sound of Raleigh’s voice, keeping the barrel of his pistol aimed at the trespassing jerk. He’d heard her yelp and knew she was in trouble. A little piece of his heart wanted her to be coming back to see him. He shut that down before it could take hold.

  The ATV driver turned tail, and for a split second, Brax thought about going after the guy. The move would leave Raleigh alone and vulnerable. Brax wouldn’t risk it.

  “Your timing is perfect. I’m not sure what I would have done if you hadn’t intervened.” The words came out through gasps. Raleigh bent forward like she was struggling to catch her breath.

  “I thought I heard Red Devil out here. Came over to investigate.” Relief washed over him at making it in time.

  “You saved my backside, and it’s very much appreciated.” She stood up, and pinched her side with her freehand. “I am way more out of shape than I realized. You’d think with all those concerts I’d be in better form.”

  “How much running do you do on stage?” His question was rhetorical.

  “True. Mental note…add a cardio workout to my morning stretches,” she said, the fear in her eyes belied her casual remarks. She’d always been tough on the outside.

  “Any idea who that was?” He motioned toward the direction the ATV driver had disappeared. There was no sign of him or sound of a motor but that didn’t mean he was gone. Brax surveyed the area, ignoring the way his pulse kicked up a few notches every time Raleigh was near.

  “None,” she admitted. “And the only description I got would probably match half of Lone Star Pass.

  “Then we should probably get out of here before he circles back,” Brax said. “I scared him away for the moment. Doesn’t mean he won’t regroup and come at us again.”

  She nodded.

  “Any chance you have any gasoline on you?” Her perusal shouldn’t kick up his pulse another notch. And yet, it did.

  He tucked the pistol in its holster and shook his head.

  “Have a horse tied up that way.” He motioned toward the property line. “I can get you to safety and we can deal with the minibike later. Deal?”

  She looked like she was contemplating her options even though she had none that he could see. She was also covering the fact her body was trembling ever so slightly, most likely from a mix of adrenaline and fear. Raleigh was clearly rattled by the near encounter with the ATV driver. The very real thought they might have been up close and personal with the bomber raised Brax’s blood pressure a few notches.

  “Let’s go.” She retrieved her helmet before walking over to her minibike. She tucked the helmet under the handlebars. “That should keep it safe until we can come back for it.”

  “After you.” He held the fence apart so she could squeeze through before one-arming the post and hopping over. “Bullet is tied up over here.”

  Brax walked Raleigh to his American Paint Horse. She was well-versed in riding so he didn’t have to worry about showing her the ropes. She tucked her left boot in the stirrup, grabbed the horn and saddle, and then threw her right leg up and over in one smooth transaction. He ignored the jolt of electricity that came with contact when he hopped up and on the horse behind her.

  She handed over the reins. Bullet gave them a smooth ride back to the barn.

  “We can ride back in my pickup so we can bring gasoline.” There was always gasoline on hand in the equipment room, never in the barn.

  “While we’re here, is there any chance I can swing by and see your mother?” Raleigh asked.

  “She would like that a lot actually,” he said. “I thought you were trying to fly under the radar for as long as possible.” He stopped right there when he caught onto the implication and put two-and-two together. “You’ve been found.”

  “Woke up to a
throng of people outside the front gate. I skipped out on my security detail while he kept them from stampeding the house. Who I need to text before he realizes I’m gone, but I need a few minutes to catch my breath first.”

  “The attention ever get to you?” The invasion of privacy would drive him crazy.

  “Hard to complain when I set myself up for this, you know?” She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes, and he wondered if she refused to let herself feel any differently.

  “Still. You’re a human being. And a private one at that if memory serves.” He remembered all the times he ran past her while she was picking on the guitar in a quiet corner. She had a streak that had her riding minibikes and racing through his family home. Most of the time, though, she could be found writing in a notebook or strumming the guitar. Once she left Lone Star Pass for the Austin music scene, it all clicked and made sense. The showman in her was getting used to the attention. The songwriter in her sat and observed, then scribbled her thoughts. The musician in her turned them into hits.

  “Sometimes,” she said and her cheeks flushed. “I didn’t think you’d ever noticed me unless I was on Red Devil.”

  “I didn’t,” he said. Then, felt the need to clarify. “Not back then anyway.”

  He hadn’t meant to say the last word and her eyes gave away the fact she’d noticed. His throat felt drier than the clay soil during a drought. The current one was about to enter its third year, much to everyone’s disappointment. They needed rain.

  Before she could say anything, he added, “Mom has been at the main house with Adam’s new bride and baby.”

  “Adam is married? He has a baby? When did that happen?” Her eyes widened in shock. “Hold that thought. Of course, he’s married. Some of the others probably are too.” She glanced down at his wedding finger and could have sworn he saw relief wash over her when she didn’t see a gold band.

  “Everyone is single now except for Adam,” he said, figuring he didn’t need to go into everyone’s complicated lives.

  She seemed to catch onto the word, now, when she gave a knowing look.

  “It’s strange how I half expected everyone to be exactly the same as when I left. The same age and at the same place in life…funny how that works because obviously time stands still for no one,” she said, her gaze unfocused like she was looking inside herself for the insight. “And maybe it’s true that you can never go back once you leave.”

  “This is my home, so I never had my sights on living anywhere else,” he said.

  “Yeah,” she said. “If I had a cattle ranch legacy, I might have stuck around too,” she said with a spark in her eye. It was the look she got when she was headed for mischief.

  “Ready to head to the main house?” He wanted to circle back to speak to his mother after she’d ducked out of their questions this morning. He never thought he’d see the day when he heard himself say that his mother was hiding something. Now, he needed to find out what it was and why.

  5

  “Before we go inside, I should go ahead and let Hardy know where I am. He was already so frustrated with me last night he barely spoke to me, and I’m not going to make it any better if he realizes I’m gone without saying a word again.” Raleigh fished her cell out of her back pocket and held it up for Brax to see.

  “You want me to head inside?” Brax asked.

  “I’d feel better if you stayed out here to be honest,” she said. Her response seemed to catch him off guard. But then, he didn’t have to worry about a bomber targeting him. Out here, he didn’t have to worry about much at all. Poachers came to mind. Raleigh sighed. She wasn’t exactly being fair. The Firebrand Ranch just seemed so idyllic and untouchable it was easy to get lulled into a sense of security here. The feeling was half the attraction of coming here. That, and the fact Mrs. Firebrand had treated Raleigh like one of her children. Maybe a little more special at times, since she was a visitor.

  Raleigh’s third hit had been a tribute to Brax’s mom. Funny, she’d never circled back to tell anyone, least of all Lucia Firebrand. Life had been a whirlwind in those early years. Still was, if she was being honest.

  She stared at the cell, thinking she should call Hardy so he could hear her voice and know that she was fine. He didn’t know about the ATV, though. Would he be worried?

  Either way, he wasn’t going to be thrilled with her for leaving the property without giving him a proper heads-up.

  With a sharp sigh, she tapped his name on the screen.

  Hardy picked up on the first ring.

  “I’m sorry,” he immediately said. “Where are you?”

  She wasn’t sure why he was sorry…then it dawned on her something must have happened at the house.

  “I’d rather not say in case someone is listening. Suffice it to say that I’m fine,” she said.

  “There were too many of them,” he said and his voice sounded defeated. “They came at us from all directions. I’m just relieved you got out before they breached the house.”

  “Everyone else get out?” she asked, her pulse kicking up a few notches.

  “The mob turned out to be harmless, but you couldn’t have known that when they broke through the line,” he said. “The guys are all fine and accounted for. We’ve been worried sick about you though.”

  Broke through the line?

  “Is the house okay?” she asked.

  “Things got a little out of hand, but I was able to get everyone under control. There were some superfans in there who got a little too worked up at the thought of seeing you in the flesh,” he said. “House is good. I don’t want you to come back until we’ve cleared every room.”

  This week was turning into her worst nightmare. Would it ever end?

  “Why don’t you text when it’s safe for me to come home,” she suggested, filling him in on the ATV incident. At least she was in the clear with Hardy and, as it turned out, in the right for getting out of Dodge when she did.

  “Will do,” Hardy agreed, and they ended the call.

  Glancing up at Brax was a mistake. The look in his eyes sent a different sensation skittering across her skin. No one had ever looked at her with eyes so determined to protect her, and she’d had a security detail since she’d made it in the business. There was another emotion in there that she couldn’t quite pinpoint. Possessiveness? More of those butterflies released in her stomach and she didn’t bother to fight the feeling this time.

  The thought of Brax Firebrand being attracted to her was where she drew the line. She was reading too much into a look. He was one of the good ones and wouldn’t take lightly to someone threatening her or anybody else for that matter. He’d shown up in the nick of time and had gotten her out of a tight spot. Of course she would feel a certain pull toward him for saving her.

  It was as simple as that.

  Besides, when did she become attracted to a Firebrand?

  The feeling of being home must be more powerful than she realized. And she’d missed Lone Star Pass. Leaving all those years ago was like cutting off a piece of her heart. The thought of returning became harder and harder with her tour schedule. She was just beginning to realize the toll being away for so long was having on her.

  “If I heard you correctly it’s not safe for you to go back there,” he said. A jaw muscle ticked, and it seemed like he was holding back something he really wanted to say.

  “That’s right. People got past Hardy,” she admitted. “Everyone is accounted for and Hardy is clearing the house before I go home. Lucky me, he didn’t realize I’d skipped out before it all went down. I’m in the clear.”

  Brax shook his head.

  She shot him a confused look.

  “What do you think about staying here at the ranch a while?” he asked.

  “I don’t want to leave the guys high and dry.” What would that be saying to them? Her life was the only one worth saving?

  Brax clenched his back teeth and the jaw muscle ticked again. He studied her for a long moment but must’ve decided not to speak his mind.

  “Should we go inside now?” she asked. The honest truth was that she feared she would be putting his family in danger. It would only be a matter of time before her new location would be figured out, and an overzealous fan or reporter would find the holes in security at the ranch. As far as she knew poachers never came close to the houses or barns.