He lifted a shoulder, clearly embarrassed. “Get on your horse, sweet pea.”
She gave a happy wiggle. “Am I being cute?”
Cupping her behind playfully, he laughed. “What do you think?”
Orion and Flame spooked, and she jumped at their agitation as Ben tensed and swung his head around. A shiver passed over her a moment before she heard the voice.
“You son of a bitch.”
She froze as Owen appeared from around the trunk of a nearby tree. He had a gun, and blood trickled down the side of his face. But it was the look in his eyes…
Ben shoved her behind him quickly.My God. He’s here to kill us.Heart rapping in her chest, she heard herself start to breathe loudly.
“Don’t be stupid, Kincaid,” Ben said in a calm voice. “There are two hundred people on the spread today. They’ll hear a gunshot. You won’t get away.”
“I got around your ‘guard.’” He staggered closer. “Sure, hetook down two of my guys before I put him down, but it might be better this way. I kill you. Plant the gun. My guys take the fall.”
His voice sounded slurred to her. Was he drunk or hurt? She peeked around Ben’s shoulder.
“A gun is for cowards,” Ben ground out in a frightening voice. “Why don’t you put it down and fight me like a man?”
Owen’s laugh sounded evil. “Fight you? You really do think I’m stupid? I’m going to kill you, McAllister, because that puts Cooper back with Amber. And since my dad gave the ranch to your brat, we need him to have what’s ours. You shouldn’t have taken the Flying K from me.”
Oh my God, he was crazy. She looked around for a rock or anything to use to distract him. They needed to get out of here.
“I die, my family raises Cooper,” Ben said flatly. “You accomplish nothing.”
“We’ll see.” His dark eyes flattened. “Taft is on our side now, and he’s got plans. You’ve left us with nothing. Nothing! Now, stop hiding little old Hannah, ’cause I’ve got plans for her. After I kill you, I’m going to do what I’ve wanted to for a long time.”
That sent a sheer bolt of terror through her. Kill Ben and then rape her? She gripped Ben’s arms.
Ben stared him down, his voice steady but with an edge. “You’ll have to kill me before I let you get to her.”
“Fine.”
A shot exploded. She jerked with a shriek as Ben’s body slammed into her and took her down to the ground, lying partially on top of her.
The wind knocked out of her, so she could only clutch his arms and gasp. “Ben.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
He’d been shot.Ben wasshot. “No, no, no, no, no.”
Scrambling out from under him, she shoved him onto his back. He’d been hit in the chest. Blood was soaking his shirt. His color was already fading.
This couldn’t be happening. Was he breathing? Her hands shaking, she fumbled at his shirt, trying to push it aside to find his pulse. “Ben, listen to me. I’ve got you?—”
Someone grabbed her by the back of the shirt and yanked her up.
Owen. Terror gripped her anew, and she started kicking and fighting—she needed to save Ben. “Let me go!”
He shoved her to the ground and stood over her, kicking her when she started to crawl back to Ben.
It was the cocking of the gun that made her freeze. She looked up.
Blood dripped onto his shirt from his head wound, the gun firm in his hand, aimed at her head. “I’ve waited years for this. Hannah, I’m going to gore you like a bull.”
When he sank to his knees, the gun lowered.
