Page 214 of Ironwood Ranch Cowboys

Instead, they step backward into the shadows beside the barn and disappear completely.

Gone.

My stomach turns over hard. I lower the camera slowly, every nerve in my body screaming now.

I don’t chase.

That’s the important part.

The old version of me would have. Would’ve marched straight over there fueled entirely by spite and bad decisions. But the old version of me also thought surviving meant handling everything alone.

Now I know better.

I grab my coffee again with shaking hands and back toward the house without taking my eyes off the barns.

Every window suddenly feels exposed. Every shadow too deep. By the time I get inside, my heartbeat is completely out of control.

The kitchen lights are on, country music hums softly from somewhere near the stove, and Duke is standing barefoot at the counter in gray sweatpants and a black thermal, hair messy, coffee mug in one hand while he digs through the fridge with the other.

For one completely irrational second, relief hits me so hard I almost cry, which is ridiculous.

I’m not a woman who cries because she saw a hot man before sunrise. Even if said hot man smells like coffee and clean soap and looks unfairly good half asleep.

Duke glances up. The smile that starts forming dies. “Annie?”

His whole body changes. Like someone flipped a switch beneath his skin.

The mug lowers slowly. “You okay?”

I open my mouth.

Nothing comes out.

He crosses the kitchen fast. “Hey. Hey, talk to me.”

“My tires,” I say finally. “Someone slashed my tires.”

Duke goes completely still. “Where?”

“Both front ones.” My fingers tighten around the camera strap hanging against my chest. “And there was someone by the barn.”

His jaw flexes hard enough to hurt. “You saw someone?”

“I got footage.”

That gets his attention. “You went after them?”

“No.”

The answer comes fast. Firm. Because I know exactly what the brothers are going to hear if I hesitate.

Duke studies me carefully. “Good.”

I blink.

Then his expression hardens again. “I’m going to see the car.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO