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She’d never really been determined, but something had changed inside her since coming to Ryker. Something had grown... her resolve and strength, yes, but self-belief also. She could survive without her grandfather mapping the course of her life, she’d proven that now.
Ahead of her, Joe rode lead. Broad shoulders back, head turning from right to left. She’d kissed those shoulders, and a great deal more. Now, they were angry with each other again. She knew his worry had been driven by fear, and her anger by stubborn pride. It seemed they were destined to constantly bring out the worst in each other. This was such a depressing thought, she pushed it aside.
They’d been riding twenty minutes when they stopped in a part of Ryker Falls she had not visited since returning. It looked different now. A wooden log building with pitched roof was the Ranger station for the area. People were gathered out front on horseback. Beyond that, further up the hills, she saw the lodge she’d heard locals talking about.
It was owned by the wealthy Ted Hosking, who from what she’d gleaned had more money than any one person had a right to. He was also arrogant, according to Piper.
Fin walked out of the ranger station as they dismounted. He wore his khaki uniform, and his usual smile was nowhere to be seen.
“Nothing new come in?” Joe asked him.
“Nothing.”
The group was worried, Bailey could feel it.
“Elijah has four children, three girls and a baby boy.” Piper rode up beside Bailey. “He’s a good man, and worships his family. I hope he’s okay.”
“I don’t remember him,” Bailey said. But then she hadn’t been very social when she lived here. She gripped her friend’s hand briefly, and then listened to Fin’s briefing.
The Trainers asked questions, and she watched as they interacted, their familiarity with each other obvious. She loved her brother, but Beau was six years older than her, and he’d left the house at twenty to pursue his career, so she’d lived most of her life since then with just her grandfather at her side. Her mother was under his control too, and pretty much did what she was told, so Bailey had never had much of a relationship with her either.
Looking at Piper, Bailey thought it must be wonderful to have the support of the Trainer brothers.
“You can stay here and wait for us if you want, Bailey.” Joe wore sunglasses now, so she couldn’t read his expression as he moved to her side.
“I’m coming.”
He snapped his teeth together, Bailey guessed to stop more words from pouring out, and simply said, “You’re with me then.”
“I’ll be okay, Joe. Really. I won’t take risks, and I’ll stay safe. You don’t need to watch over me.”
He didn’t answer, just nodded, and she saw the worry sat hard on him. Worry, Bailey realized, for her, his siblings, and what was going on in their lives. Knowing his own father may want to harm them must be hard to accept.
She nudged her horse closer, and touched his hand. “Joe, I know you’re scared for me and your siblings, but we’re okay while we’re all together.”
He didn’t answer, just closed his hand around hers briefly, and then urged his horse away. Buzz followed at a trot. They headed up past the lodge, which allowed her to study the huge building. It was impressive. Pitched roof, massive glass windows, and several floors high. It had wings left and right, and an equally impressive beige stone front entrance.
“You been there yet?”
Bailey shook her head at Piper’s words.
“Worth the experience, even if the guy running it’s a jerk.”
“He’s not a jerk, he just doesn’t happen to think the sun rises and sets over you, like half the other males in this town,” Jack drawled.
Piper poked out her tongue, then they fell silent again. What was waiting for them up in those hills? She hoped it was an injured Elijah Neil. The other option wasn’t something she wanted to contemplate.
“I just wantedto keep you safe, Bailey.” Joe found his voice when they left the others to start searching their allocated area. He turned in his saddle to look at her over his shoulder. “I just wanted to—”
“I know, but I’m good, and I want to do this,” Bailey said. “Sitting back there, thinking, waiting, with nothing to do would have been worse.”
Not for me.He wanted her sitting in Maggie’s house with the doors locked, where she couldn’t be hurt, where nothing could touch her. No more ugliness, nothing. His need to protect this woman was as strong as ever.
“I also know you’re worried about the others, Joe.”
“Yes.” He said the word slowly. He was worried. More than worried, he was plain shit-scared. Too many incidents had happened now, including whoever that man was at the bar last night with the knife. It had to stop, and to do that, they had to find whoever was responsible. “I don’t want to lose anyone,” he said. “And you’re in that anyone, Bailey.”
“I don’t want anything to happen to any of you either.”
