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She wrapped her arms around his neck, like she never wanted to let him go again. He felt that same desperation. He couldn’t let anything hurt her.
He set her on the couch, smoothing back her hair. “I’ll call the sheriff…” he said. He’d even enlist the help of Morningstar, the worst jerk in existence, anything to keep her safe.
“And tell him what? That Lacy came in to town and he talked to me? Lacy will just tell the police that he was trying to finish up business with me.”
“At least get a restraining order against him.” Porter honestly had no idea how any of that worked, but he didn’t think it would take much to get something like that.
She brushed her hands against the scruff of his jaw. “I don’t want to deal with it. I just want to get away from here.”
Cadence was still trembling from her encounter with Lacy. Resentment filled him. Lacy thought that he could push them around because he had money? But Porter could see that Lacy’s threats had hit home. She was scared. He had to convince her that he could protect her.
“Why should you leave?” he asked. “You have a right to be anywhere that you want to be. He might own parts of this town, but the people here at Harvest Ranch won’t put up with a bully like him. You’re not alone… no matter if you choose to be with me or not. You understand? We can do this. I meant what I said, Lacy willneverown us.”
“He said that he’d ruin your family,” she cried out.
“Never. Nash is too smart for him, and he can’t get anything over on West.”Especially not West.
“Your family is struggling with your momma’s medical bills,” she said. “Lily said you owe money to the bank.”
“Wealwaysowe the bank.” Cadence didn’t understand how life worked in the country. “It’s how we survive out here.”
“What if you can’t meet those bills in time and Lacy decides to buy out your land from under you as revenge and–and…?”
Lacy had a lot of money and he was ruthless. His family was drowning in debt. His father was always tightlipped about their finances, and who knew how bad it had already become? He shook his head, remembering his mother’s view on things. “My mother has a plaque in her kitchen…”
“Consider the Lilies of the field, I know,” she said with some impatience, “but I’m not going to be the reason that Lily loses her home!”
“I’m not saying that it’ll happen, but people are more important than things.Youare more important. My family would agree with that.”
“Your family already has too much to worry about.”
Porter kissed her, trying to soothe the trembling of her soft lips. “Don’t borrow trouble. It isn’t happening to us.” Though it was happening to quite a few of his friends. It was too late for Funches, and it was impossible to tell who else had signed on already. Porter needed to look at the rest of those contracts in the works and warn those people that WhiteBoulder was brutal. Even then, there wasn’t much he could do unless they decided not to go with the higher bids.
Their world was crumbling around them and all Porter could do was hold on to what was most important. That was Cadence.
“Let’s forget about this for a while.” He sat back against the couch and pulled her to him. He’d cheer her up if it killed him. “You’re having a baby. What names are you thinking of?”
“Uh…” She seemed surprised at the change of topic, but he noticed her eyes closing as she leaned her head against him. The poor girl was exhausted. Cadence had kept too much stress inside for too long. “I haven’t thought of any,” she whispered.
“You’ve got to have some favorites.”
“Yeah, but…” She took a deep breath. He could swear that she was falling asleep. “I’ve always liked Ash.”
“For a girl or boy?”
“Both.”
He wouldn’t make fun of her. He kissed her cheek. “It’s already growing on me… just like your name. Cadence,” he tested it on his lips again. “It’s beautiful…” Not as beautiful as she was—she was gorgeous inside and out. He stroked her arm, listening to her breaths deepen. She finally trusted him enough to let down her guard completely. “I might slip sometimes and call you Angel,” he admitted.
She groaned. “Why, oh why did I use that name?”
He kissed the top of her head and kicked off his boots so that he could put his feet up on Emily’s pristine white ottoman near the side of her couch. He intended to prove exactly how dependable he was, even if that meant staying up for most of the night, protecting her from all her worries—imagined or otherwise.
Poor Cadence needed a break.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The steady beating of Porter’s heart against her ear reassured her that she wasn’t alone, though nightmares of Lacy’s threats troubled her sleep.
