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“Yeah.” He tapped the wheel. “It’s a ways north of Jeopardy Falls. Secluded. And we’re all armed. We’ll be safe there.” He prayed.
TWENTY-THREE
“WE’LL GET TO THE RANCHso you can get some sleep,” Christian said as they drove through the lifting darkness.
“Can we get my truck on the way?” she asked. “It’s still at Tad’s gallery.”
“Sure.” He tapped the wheel. “We go through Jeopardy Falls to get to our ranch.”
“I appreciate you offering to let me stay.” She wanted to stay near Christian, but the thought of being at Deckard MacLeod’s place... Her heart palpitated, clamminess clinging to her palms.Great.If she wasn’t enough of a mess, she was about to have a panic attack in front of Christian. “But...” She took a moment to calm her voice. Well, as much as possible.
“But?” he asked, his tone resolute.
“But I’ll be fine at my house,” she said. “I’m armed, thanks to the retrieval team getting my gun, and my place is so out of the way, I think they’d have a hard time finding me.”
“It’s not worth the risk,” he said, concern thick in his voice. “You can take my room, and I’ll take the couch, or you can bunk with Riley.”
She finally managed a deep inhale and then released it slowly, trying to quell the anxiety pulsing through her. He wasn’t going to take no for an answer, was he?
Dawn broke right as they pulled into Tad’s Jeopardy Falls gallery lot, the promise of light after a long dark night soothing.
“Thanks,” she said as he hopped out and opened her door.
“I’ll wait, so you can follow,” he said, his arm draped over the still-open door.
“Probably a good idea for me to put your address in my GPS ... just in case.” That way she could pull back, drive slower, put off facing Deckard MacLeod a little longer.
Christian nodded and gave her the address.
“Thanks. I’ll see you there,” she said, trying to push her fears of seeing Deckard at some point down to the pit of her gut and praying they wouldn’t rise to the surface—raw and painful.
“I’ll see you to your truck,” Christian said.
She smiled—as much as she could manage with the heightened frenzy of panic swarming her ears in a fast-pitched whirring and clutching her chest in a squeezing sensation. “Such the gentleman,” she said as they walked to her truck door. She used the fob to unlock it, and it beeped, its lights flashing on cue.
“You know ... you act like no man’s ever seen you to your car or even opened your door first.”
“Rarely at best.”
“Now, that’s a sad commentary on men these days.”
He opened her door, and she climbed into the truck.
“Thanks,” she said, her gaze pinning on the windshield. Relief slid over her at finding it empty. Devoid of another note.
“My pleasure,” Christian said with a smile.
She started the ignition.
“I’ll wait until you’re ready and you can follow me out.”
“You know, I should probably grab clothes and toiletries.”
“I’m sure Riley has plenty to share.”
“That’s nice of her, but—”
“She won’t mind in the least. I know it might not be comfortable, but the ranch is fortified. We’ll be safer there. We can run and get your clothes later in the day if we determine we’re not in the killers’ crosshairs.”
