Page 15 of Savage Rancher
Mason's eyes are hard. "And you're willing to bet everything on that? Your freedom? This ranch?"
"Yes."
The word comes out flat, final.
Because it's true. I'd bet everything on Emma Hayes. I'd burn this whole fucking town down if it meant keeping her safe. I'd kill a hundred men like Turner if they so much as looked at her wrong. I'd go to prison, I'd die, I'd do whatever it takes—because Emma is everything.
Luke stares at me for a long moment, then shrugs. "Okay. Now we know where we stand. You’re still fucking crazy for her."
I’ve been crazy for her since the first time I saw her in high school. She’s why I got a job working as a ranch hand for her father.
"Doesn't mean she won't crack," Mason says. "Doesn't mean she won't wake up tomorrow and realize what she saw and decide to do the right thing."
I shake my head. "She won't. I know her."
"You know her?” Luke’s lips twist with skepticism. “You haven't been back in this town for more than seven days, and you haven’t spoken to her at all until tonight. How the fuck do you know her?"
Because I looked into her eyes. Because I touched her. Because I held her in my arms and inhaled her, just for a moment.
The silence stretches.
Luke's watching me with those pale, assessing eyes. “I know she’s the reason we’re here. But we need to be smart about this.”
“I’m going to admit that I may need help with that.” Christ, that's the understatement of the fucking century. Tonight is proof of that—I don’t need them to point that out to me. Because I flubbed the plan and left loose ends that I hope won’t bite us in the ass. “I didn’t have time to take care of the package.”
Luke sighs. “Anything else you need to tell us?”
“That’s it.”
“Turner didn’t say what he wanted with her land?” Mason asks.
“No,” I admit. “And neither did Emma.”
“Does she suspect anything about her father’s ‘accident’?” Luke makes air quotes around the word.
I shake my head. “No evidence to that.”
Mason nods. “His brother gonna be a problem?”
“Maybe.” I flex my fingers.
He nods again, propping his rifle against his shoulder. “We’ll be ready.”
“Fuck yeah, we will.” Luke pushes off the stall, clapping his hand on my shoulder as he passes. "I guess I’m up then. Don’t worry, brother. Not even the coyotes will find Turner once I’m done."
“Sure you don’t want help?” Mason asks.
Luke waves over his shoulder. “I got it.”
I relax. Our word is our bond, and I’m relieved as fuck that Luke and Mason are with me. Because they’re right—I’m not as clearheaded as I normally am.
Iamobsessed with her. I have been all these years. I want her so bad it's a physical ache. I’m surprised my hands aren’t shaking.
I want to strip her down and taste every inch of her. Want to make her come on my tongue, my fingers, my cock. Want to fuck her until she's boneless and satisfied and completely mine.
And now that I have her back in my life, now that she's seen what I'm capable of and she's still standing with me, now that I've kissed her again?—
She's everything to me. In every conceivable way. Completely and irrevocably mine.
