Dream Lover (Denim and Spurs Book 2) (15 page)

Dawning set in. “Mornin’, ma’am.”

She kissed his cheek, grinned at him, and backed away. “None of that. We’re practically family, you can call me Vic.”

“I can’t call you Vic,” Gian complained.

“That’s because you’re my pain in the ass brother. Now go make sure that dumb fuck sheriff isn’t coming after me with an assault charge.” She whirled back to Judd. “You leave too, she needs some time away from men. She’s leaving today.”

“Back to my ranch,” Judd said with finality.

Vic crossed her arms. “I’m staying where she is so if you don’t want me there, I suggest we stay elsewhere.”

“You’re more than welcome to stay.”

“I know.” She made shooing motions. “Go.”

With another kiss to Laciee, he carefully dislodged from the bed and stood.
I have to see the sheriff anyway.
“I’ll be back to take her home.”

“Of
that
I have no doubt.” Vic crossed her arms and delivered a pointed look to them both.

Gian rose in an unhurried motion, then kissed Laciee’s cheek before doing the same to his sister. “Suppose you show me where the sheriff hangs his hat during the day, cowpoke.”

“Christ, you’re gonna end up dead somewhere, Gian. Be nice, he’s Laciee’s love.”

Judd nearly asked her to repeat her statement but instead walked out, the fed on his heels.

The staff ignored Judd and he went to his truck. As if the fates had aligned his stars, he groaned when the man unlocked a black SUV beside his truck.

How do all government officials get them?

“Lead on,” Gian said.

He snarled under his breath and climbed in his truck. On the drive he thought over everything. He needed to check with Cian. Increased attacks with her arrival.
Had she been on to something?

Parking at the station, he hopped out. The fed walked beside him and Judd noticed the change in the man, serious with a law enforcement swagger behind it. Side by side they entered Branchwater’s police station. Once inside, the officers in the front gazed up and stared.

“Follow my lead,” Gian uttered seconds before he held up his badge. “SSA Carracci, FBI. I need to speak with Sheriff Bolton.”

“He’s in his office.” The female who’d spoken pointed the direction.

Judd followed, noting the ones who met his gaze only did so momentarily. The fact they wouldn’t hold it told him so much. They knew that Laciee had been injured and she’d been staying with him.

“Sheriff.”

Bolton jerked to his feet, eyes widening briefly. Judd took one step toward the sheriff, only to halt when Gian spoke.

“I’m ready to go over all the information you have, Sheriff. I’d also like the investigating officer to join us as well.” Gian sat and stretched his legs out.

“This is a police matter, Mr. Travers—”

“Is staying,” Judd said, taking the seat beside the federal agent.

“He’s helping me out while I’m here.” Silence reigned for a few terse seconds. Gian cleared his throat. “I’m waiting, Sheriff, and while we sit here, clues are being missed. Evidence lost. I don’t like that. Get the officer in here.”

Bolton frowned. “I don’t appreciate you coming in here. We didn’t request your assistance.”

Gian laced his fingers together. “Let’s get something straight right now. I don’t give a flying fuck what you appreciate. I’m not asking to be invited to assist. I’m taking over. So let’s skip the posturing. I’ll give you my boss in New York who will pass you through to the agency in Washington and the director of the FBI who will then call your supervisor. Then you can have not one, but three ass chewings. Either way, I’ll be in charge. So, let’s skip it. I want the papers and the god damn investigating officer in here now!”

Judd admitted—grudgingly—he was impressed. Bolton sank to his chair and pressed a button. Moments later, a fresh-faced kid stuck his head in.

“Yeah, Sheriff?”

“Grab your file on the Dupree case and come in.”

“My file?”

“Get on, Daliey.”

“Ye…yes, sir.” He vanished and came back with a tiny steno in one hand.

“What do you have?” Gian’s tone was cold. Professional.

The kid paled beneath his tan. “Not much. Single car accident.” He flipped a few pages. “Went off the road outside of town—”

“Where?” Judd interrupted.

Blue eyes stared definitely at him. “What?”

“Where did it happen? You said off the road. Where? A corner? What?”

“About seven miles from town.”

Judd leaned back and crossed his arms. “That’s flat.”

Daliey frowned. “Cars can flip over on flat stretches.”

“They can,” he stated. “I want to see the car and the damage.”

Daliey slicked his gaze to the left where Bolton sat, swift as a snake. “Can’t do that.”

“Why not?” Gian asked this time.

“It’s been crushed.”

Judd shared a look with the fed before they both looked to the men in the room. “I’m sorry, you put a car in the crusher from an investigation that hadn’t been completed yet? Destroy evidence much?” Rage pumped through his veins, and he struggled to remain in his seat.

“I completed it,” Daliey said, irritation in his tone. “I even contacted the rental company and informed them what happened. They didn’t want the car back because it was ruined beyond repair.”

Gian stood and gestured from the kid to the door. “You and I need to have a chat.” A pointed look at Judd. “I’ll be back in five minutes to get you and we’ll go talk to the garage, then the paramedics.”

The moment it was just the two of them in the room, Judd rose and approached Bolton. “Listen well, Sheriff. I heard what you said to Laciee. You look sideways at my woman again and I’m going to bury you somewhere on my acreage where not even the fuckin’ buzzards will find your body.”

Bolton stood. “Are you threatening me?”

“No,” Judd said seconds before his fist connected with the man’s jaw. It sent the sheriff sprawling back into the chair he’d just vacated. “I made a promise.” While slightly satisfied by the feel of the man’s chin beneath his fist, he still wanted to pummel Bolton until there was nothing left but a bleeding pile of pulp.

Chapter Fifteen

Three days later, Laciee was ready to scream to the heavens. She knew Judd had a lot on his plate, but the man had gone ghost. She didn’t see him. She only knew he’d been around based on the scent of him on the pillows and how she slept well at night. It would end today, this shit of avoiding her. She pushed away her pills when Vic handed them to her and stood.

“Come on.”

Like any good friend, Vic rose instantly with the question, “Where are we going?”

“Out to find that man who’s been avoiding me.”

“Ohh, a cowboy hunt. I’m in.” She bent down and laced up her boots before slicing her gaze up to Laciee. “What? You want me to tie your shoes for you?”

Laciee scowled at her. “Bitch.”

“Maybe I should get you Velcro shoes so you don’t need assistance, you whiny old biddy.”

Flipping her off, Laciee shoved her feet into her boots. “You’re older than I am, whore. Now be a good girl and lace my god damn boots.”

“You know,” she commented, kneeling before Laciee. “Maybe it’s good you’re not taking these damn meds anymore. They have been making you a cranky bitch.”

“I’m not cranky.”

Vic looked at her, brow arched in the perfect way it always did for her. “Really, this is a winning personality?”

“Wasting daylight.”

“You want it done faster, do it your damn self. I’m making sure these fuckers stay on. This way you can ask Judd to help you out of them later. Either that or it will slow him down when you try to get all sexy with him later, which we both know is part of the reason you’re acting this way. He’s not touched you.”

Laciee hated that she was right.
Hated
it. “Let’s go,” she uttered when Vic finished.

“Oh, Gian said he had some information for you and would be out today to share it with us.” Vic opened the door and shooed her out.

The sun was warm on Laciee’s skin and she tipped her face up the moment she stepped from beneath the awning of the porch. Her ears were full of the cattle and other ranch sounds.
This is comforting to me. So much better than the sounds of sirens, gunshots, and the other filth I hear on the streets in New York.

“You okay?” Vic touched her shoulder.

“Feeling a bit beat up but, yeah, I’m good. Just don’t let me fall on my face.”

“Of course not.”

Moving slowly because of her injuries, she shuffled her way down toward the main barn, figuring that was as good a place as any to start. They never made it there. A truck raced up the drive, diverting their attention.

Vic held her arm as they stared at the fishtailing vehicle. People ran from the barn and jumped in the back of the truck that then tore off again, heading out onto the range. Brake lights appeared and the large pickup reversed and squealed to a halt beside her and Vic.

“There’s been an accident out on the range. Come on.”

Vic immediately vaulted into the back while Laciee slid into the passenger seat. Taylor, another ranch hand, was behind the wheel and he shoved the shifter back into gear and gunned the engine. “Who’s hurt?”

Taylor didn’t answer, and her stomach plummeted to her feet. “Is it Judd?”

“Don’t know.”

The truck bounced over ruts and bumps, and her eyes burned with tears from the pain in her back and neck but she kept her mouth clamped shut. If Judd had been hurt, nothing was keeping her from reaching his side. The ride took a while and when they finally poured into the clearing, she shook her head at the scene. Horses were in the shade and men were lying on the ground. To the far right, she spied some more men dragging carcasses away with their animals.

Laciee turned her head and met Vic’s gaze of confusion, but her friend was the second one out of the back the moment the truck stopped. She ran over to the men on the ground and started barking orders. Laciee wanted to go and help but with her broken arm and the pain radiating through her body she understood she would be more of a hindrance than anything.

Scanning the group for Judd, she found him talking to his brother and made her way toward him, doing her damnedest not to wince over the shooting pain in her back. His gaze sliced to her and she nearly drew back from the chill in his eyes. Anger and ice made up his expression.

“What are you doing here?” he barked.

“Looking for you?”

“One minute, Cian.” He met her half way and glared at her. “So you come partway across the ranch in a bouncing truck without care of your own injuries?”

“Maybe I was worried about someone other than myself,” she snapped back.

“Laciee!” Vic’s cry for her had her whirling away from Judd and hurrying to her friend’s side as swiftly as she could manage.

“What?”

“This is no place for you. These two men are going back in the truck. I need you to go with them and keep an eye. There will be an ambulance waiting for them. I guess there’s no chopper around here,” Vic said.

“Okay,” she agreed instantly.
I’ve seen Judd is fine and he doesn’t want me around. Not only that, but Vic’s right, I’m no help.
She turned to the truck and waved Taylor over. Frank and Joel lifted one of the men in while another worker and Vic moved the other. Hands at her waist had her startling until she realized it was Cian. He lifted her in the back.

“Seemed faster this way,” he said releasing her.

She stepped over the other injured man to settle between them both and glanced at the handsome Irishman. “Thanks. Keep an eye on Vic for me, please. Make sure she stays safe.”

Cian’s wink didn’t exactly settle her nerves, not when it had been accompanied by the sexy smirk. “My pleasure.”

She pounded on the window with her good arm. “Let’s go.” Deliberately moving her gaze away from Judd without so much as a word, she focused on Vic. “Keep yourself safe.”

“I’ll be right behind you,” she said blowing her a kiss. “Don’t forget, Gian is waiting for you back at the ranch.”

In her periphery, Laciee witnessed the jerk that laced Judd’s body at Vic’s statement.
God, I love you, Vic.
“Thanks.” The truck turned and she situated herself. There were dogs lying there panting as well. Whatever happened hadn’t been small scale. She remained in the back for the next two hours as they sped along as fast as their conditions allowed for.

The ambulance waited as promised, and she didn’t move when they took both men from the back. In fact, she didn’t move after that either. Her back screamed in pain, and she wasn’t positive she could go anywhere.

Gian was there, and Rosa as well. Tears blurred in Laciee’s gaze as he reached to the top of the bedrail and hopped into the back with her.

“Beautiful, you’ve done too much, haven’t you?” he asked in Italian. “You didn’t think about what it would do to you to go out there.”

“No.”

“Can you stand?” He crouched beside her, slipping his arm around her back. “I’ll help.”

With a minimal bout of pain, she got to her feet. Gian jumped back out and turned to reach for her. “I’m carrying you,” he said, continuing on in Italian.

Laciee didn’t argue with him, well aware he was pissed if he wasn’t using English. She hobbled to the end of the lowered tailgate and allowed Gian to draw her into his arms and carry her. Beside them, Rosa kept pace, chattering in Spanish. Laciee merely closed her eyes.

A short time later, she was lying on the bed in the spare room that Vic was using. Gian sat at her side and Rosa flitted around, making sure Laciee drank her tea and took some pain meds.

“I’m okay,” she said, trying to assure not just the two of them, but also herself. They both shared some words in Spanish and she scowled at them, pissed her pain and foggy head were making it difficult for her to translate. “What are you saying about me?”

“You should have learned the language if you wanted to demand such things,” he taunted, handing her more water, along with two more pills. “Take those as well.”

She frowned at him, then looked to the pills. Muscle relaxers. Popping them, she drank, then handed over the glass, too tired and sore to argue that they didn’t have to wait upon her.

“Vic said you had some news to tell me,” she uttered, relaxing back and willing the pain to subside.

He reached out a hand and slipped it down the side of her face. His touch, while comforting, wasn’t the one she wished on her. Shoving thoughts of Judd to the back of her mind, she focused on Gian and the words falling from his mouth.

* * * *

Judd swore as he wiped his hand along his brow. He ached like never before. The slaughtered cattle had been destroyed, and the minor wounds on his men were being finished up by Vic. He patted Kilburn on his muscled neck and headed to where she stood, toe to toe with Cian.

“What do you know of riding?” his half-brother asked.

“Don’t assume you know everything about me, Irish, just because you’re looking at a woman from New York City. I can ride. I grew up riding.” She drew a hair band from her pocket and tied back the thick black waves. “I ride English, but I can ride.”

“I have no doubt you can ride, but can you outride me?”

Judd cleared his throat, interrupting where this conversation was headed. Both of them turned to look at him. Vic’s gaze sparkled with impishness as she stepped closer to Judd.

“You got any injuries I need to tend?” She canted her head to the side. “I can’t have Laciee’s stubborn man getting sick from anything festering.”

He wasn’t sure about the
Laciee’s man
bit. “Stubborn?”

“Please, like we both don’t know you’ve been avoiding her because you can’t keep your hands off her. Not that I blame you, she’s hot but she could do for a bit of words from you so she is aware you don’t hate her.” She walked off to where the men were talking and took the water from Joel who passed it to her without comment.

Cian moved to stand at his side. Judd crossed his arms and watched her interact with his men.

“How are you?” Cian’s question broke the silence between them.

“Glad it’s over. How about you?”

“Pissed the bastard got the drop on my Aeveen. I’m gonna miss that damn dog.”

Judd nodded, not needing to mention he’d seen the tears the man had spilled as he buried his hunter. “If you think everything is under control here, I’m ready to end this.”

“We have all we need. I’ll take Vic back with me.”

Judd cut his gaze sideways, taking in the look of desire on his sibling’s face. “Cian,” he warned.

“I know. Best friend of your woman. Still a woman, and unattached.”

“Christ, you’d hump a tree in the woods.”

Cian grinned. “How do you think I managed to make it all these past few nights out there?”

Judd shook his head. “Not going there.” He clapped Cian on the shoulder and strode over to meet the men. “Let’s go home.”

They all shared looks with him before swinging up into their saddles. Over Kilburn’s head, Judd spied Cian talking to Vic, seconds before he lifted her onto the back of his horse. Judd swung onto his gelding and as one, they all began heading back to the main part of the Flying T. Chatter floated around him and he thought back to what Vic had said.

Sure, he’d been avoiding Laciee when she was awake because then there would be questions. Ones he wasn’t ready to address. When she slept, he could hold her close and pretend there wasn’t anything else going on around them. At night, it had been hell to spend the time with her body curved into him and unable to do anything about it.

The one man they caught was on the back of another of his ranch hand’s horses with him. Judd wanted to keep an eye on the troublemaker but he knew if the man was with him, he would kill the S.O.B. Safer all the way around for it to be done this way. After this though, there were bound to be some changes in Branchwater. Changes made him think back to the woman who’d turned his life upside down the moment she’d fallen off the table and into his embrace.

The dogs padded along among the horses as they rode, tired as well, and missing the leader of their pack. Sonny and Cher were quieter than usual.

The sun had begun to lower in the sky when Judd reached the barns. As stable hands ran out to take weary horses for a good rubdown and feed, his gaze moved to the silver Mercedes in his yard.

What now?

With a final pat for his horse, he and Cian, along with Vic, strode across the yard to the house. He entered first and knew Vic came after him.

“Rosa, whose car is that?”

“That belongs to Mr. Raines.”

“Shit.” He looked around the living room. “Where are they?”

“Back porch. She wouldn’t let him inside. It’s okay though, Gian is with her.”

Words which didn’t make him feel any better. Ignoring the fact he could use a shower and wanted to put on some clean clothes, Judd pushed through the living room and stepped out onto the back porch. Laciee sat on a large cushioned chair, her cast covered by words he couldn’t understand. Against the wall behind her stood Gian, his arms crossed as he lingered near. Before her, standing and pacing back and forth was none other than Mr. Raines.