Caleb (5 page)

Rachel opened the door of Bill’s truck the same time Franklin exited the Cadillac and met him halfway between the vehicles. “What are you doing here?” She set the full force of her contempt free.

Irritation flared in his eyes before he quickly recovered. “Do I need a reason to inspect my property and make sure you’re not doing it any harm before I can claim it?”

“Fuck you, Franklin. My blood will soak this ground before you ever own an inch of it.”

“That can be arranged.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and regarded her with a potent mix of disdain and hatred.

“Try it.” She wouldn’t allow him to bully her any longer.

He stared her down for a few long seconds, his icy blue eyes intimidating, but she refused to look away. She wished she had a shotgun in her hands and could force him to leave. “You have no business here, so I’ll ask you again. What do you want?”

“Heard you brought home a man. Would that be your infamous, mysterious fiancé?”

She folded her arms across her chest. Bill had obviously opened his big mouth and had told someone in town, or he’d told her other employees and they’d spread the news. “That would be none of your business. Now leave.”

“But it is my business since it affects my claim on
my father’s
property.”

She hated the way he always tossed the fact that her uncle was his father first. More than that, she hated him. Hated how he’d always treated her like a second-class citizen. Luckily, he hadn’t been around much over the years, and her uncle and the other men had always protected her when they’d caught him harassing her. Unfortunately, Bill had deserted her this morning, and none of the others was in sight.

She inhaled, working to keep her calm. “You need to leave.”

“I’ll leave when I’m ready,” he challenged, further goading her, forcing her anger into a corner where it multiplied.

“I’ll call the sheriff.”

“You should know I’ve filed a suit against you.” His grenade buried deep before it exploded.

Fear filled the void it created. “It won’t do you any good. My uncle made his wishes very clear.”

“Think so?” He smirked, and she ached to wipe it off his face. “There are several things that make his will questionable. Like his unreasonable condition to require you to marry within two months. What kind of sane person does that?”

Her heart thumped so hard she was afraid her chest would burst from the pressure. “That was a clerical error.”

“Can you prove it?” he taunted.

“Conway will testify to that fact.”

“Conway, who’s a cousin on your mother’s side? Someone who might be persuaded for, say, a share in the ranch or a large chunk of money. I’m pretty sure my lawyer in Casper could make your country counselor look like a bumbling idiot.”

“
Leave
.”

“Make me.”

Her pulse roared in her ears. “I’m calling the cops right now.” Her hand shook as she dug in her coat pocket for her phone.

Franklin gripped her arm hard enough to bruise her. “No, you’re not.”

“Take your hands off her.” A deep thunderous voice called from behind.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Franklin challenged Caleb, but he also released her.

She rubbed the sore spots on her wrist.

“I’m the man who’s going to own half this ranch very shortly.” Caleb’s anger vibrated the air. “Who the hell do you think
you
are?”

White-hot fury exploded from Franklin’s expression. “The man who’s going to stop you.”

Caleb stood several intimidating inches taller than Franklin, and she could see her cousin visibly shrink as Caleb approached. “Do you have a legal document forcing us out?”

Franklin lifted his chin. “Not yet.”

“Then I suggest you pack your sorry ass into your car and drive on down the road. Otherwise, you might regret staying.”

“Is that a threat?”

She had to give Franklin credit for not completely backing down. If she’d come face to face with the angry mountain of a man standing in front of her cousin, she would have turned tail and run.

“Does it need to be to get you to leave?” Caleb moved another step closer to Franklin, leaving only an arm’s length between them.

Her cousin hesitated, and Rachel recognized the delicious moment when he caved. “I was leaving anyway. I’ve delivered my news to Rachel and let her know, like I’ll now let you know, your days here are in short number.”

“Is that a fact?” Caleb flashed a quick glance at her, and she swore she caught the hint of a smile in his eyes.

“It is.” Franklin took a step back and then several more until he was even with his car door. “Expect a court summons in the next week or so.”

Rachel closed the distance between her and Caleb and faced her cousin squarely. She nearly lost her train of thought when Caleb closed his fingers around hers in a show of solidarity. “I won’t hold my breath.”

Franklin gave her another of his famous smirks before he entered his car and slammed the door. His tires spit gravel as he peeled away.

“I used to love seeing that car pull into the drive when it belonged to my uncle. Now…not so much.”

Caleb shifted until he faced her, but he didn’t release her hand. “You’re shaking.” He grasped her other hand, his fingers wrapping around hers like a warm, solid embrace.

Suddenly he seemed like a much more formidable enemy to her heart than anything else. “He pissed me off.” Something crazy that had always hovered in the background of his person frightened her, too. Like one day, Franklin might really go off, and none of them would be safe.

“He’s a real asshole, just like Elle said.”

“She would know.” She couldn’t express how grateful she was to have a champion at her side. “Thank you for being here and helping me.”

“I should have come outside sooner, but I didn’t want to cause problems if it wasn’t necessary.” He squeezed her hands, tugging her forward at the same time. The man was forward if nothing else.

She could have dug in her heels and held her ground without making things overly awkward, but she stepped forward instead as though to keep her balance. Her body gently bumped his, but it was enough to light a fire deep inside her. She reminded herself of Elle’s caution and worked to steel her heart.

He trapped her gaze with his intense green eyes as a slow smile crossed his lips. Without warning, he wrapped his arms around her, crushing her against his solid chest. “Don’t worry, my love. He won’t bother you again while I’m around.”

Before she knew it, the hug was over, and he stepped away.

“My love?” was all she could manage to say.

“Yeah,” he said with a cocky grin. “I think that will be the nickname I give my sexy, loving fiancée.”

With that, he turned and headed toward the house, leaving her standing dumbfounded in the yard.

When she finally got her head back on straight, she caught sight of Bill watching her from just inside the barn doorway.

Had he caught the entire exchange? If so, why hadn’t he come to her rescue? He knew Franklin’s tendency toward bullying, and he should have never left her in the first place.

She turned from Bill and walked toward the house. She had one guy teasing her heart and the other hating her for it. As much as their actions stressed her, it would all be worth it in the end when she had the title to her beloved Blackwater.

Rachel slept in an extra hour Sunday morning. The sun had made a weak appearance by the time Rachel stepped into the kitchen and flipped on the lights. She made it as far as the fridge when a heavy-fisted pounding commenced on the other side of the back door. She startled from the force of it and hurried to see who’d caused the commotion.

Bill stood outside hunched into his heaviest coat. He hadn’t shown up for breakfast for the past few days, but she refused to acknowledge his childish behavior.

“Why did you knock?” she asked as she stepped back. “Why didn’t you just come in?”

His gaze was as cold as the morning air. “Didn’t want to intrude on the happy couple.”

She withheld the annoyed retort that hovered on her tongue. “You’re always welcome here, Bill. You know that.” They’d been good friends forever, and never in a million years had she imagined her one decision would affect their relationship so profoundly.

“We don’t have time for breakfast this morning.” He tightened his jaw. “Wolves took down three yearlings last night. Left a bloody mess on the hillside.”

Heartbreak turned her stomach. “No.” She could forgive the wild animals for following their baser instincts, but that didn’t mean she didn’t feel bad when a life was lost. Any life. Wolf or cattle.

“I told you. We need to get rid of them.” His pointed look was harsh and accusing.

Still, he knew her thoughts on the matter. She wouldn’t argue her point again. “Let me grab my boots and coat.”

At the top of the stairs, she nearly ran into Caleb as he exited his bedroom.

“Good morning.” The deep timbre of his voice teased her senses, but she didn’t have time for that nonsense right now.

“Morning, maybe, but definitely not good.” She brushed past him and headed into her room.

“What’s the matter?” He followed her and stood against the doorframe surveying her with concerned eyes.

She slipped her foot into one boot and worked the laces. “Wolves. Three dead yearlings this morning. We moved the cattle a few weeks ago to an area far from the places we’ve spotted the wolves. There’s plenty of deer in the hills, and I’d hoped they wouldn’t travel that far to bother my herd.” She stuffed her foot into the other, laced it and then stood.

“Easy pickings?”

She widened her eyes in disbelief. “Have you ever watched a wolf make a kill? They don’t need easy pickings. The easiest thing for a healthy wolf would be to take down a deer in the woods rather than travel miles to my herds.”

She approached where he stood in the doorway, expecting him to move, but he didn’t. She shifted her gaze upward toward his face, annoyed that she’d followed the outline of his chest beneath his green Henley as she did so.

“Mind if I come along?” he asked. “Maybe I can help.”

Oh, hell. Bill would
love
that, but she wasn’t about to tell Caleb no. “Only if you hurry.”

“No problem.” He stepped aside to allow her to leave. “Give me two minutes.”

Rachel descended the stairs, her anxiety growing with each step. She dreaded telling Bill about Caleb almost as much as she’d hate to look upon the carnage left by the wolves. But she wouldn’t ignore state law and put her ranch in jeopardy by allowing her men to kill those wolves.

“Ready?” Bill asked when she returned to the kitchen.

“Not quite.”

He looked her up and down. “What do you need?”

She fortified her feelings. “Caleb wants to ride along.”

He rolled his eyes. “
Why
?”

“I’ve already explained that this place is important to his future. He’d like to be there, so we’ll wait for him. Should only be a minute.”

“You can wait for him, but I’m not.” Bill strode out the door before she had a chance to argue.

A few seconds later, Caleb walked into the kitchen.

“Bill’s going to meet us there.”

“Yeah, I heard. It’s probably for the best.”

“Sorry.” She lifted her keys from the hook by the back door. Bill needed to calm down in a serious way.

“I’ll drive if you’d like,” Caleb offered. “My truck has four-wheel drive.”

“Okay, sure.” His vehicle was much newer than hers and would be a nicer ride. One thing was for sure, as soon as she’d secured her future with the ranch, she’d take part of her inheritance and buy a new, fancy truck. Until then, she feared she’d better save every cent just in case she was left without a home or a job.

Rachel was used to Bill opening her door for her, but when Caleb headed to the passenger side of his truck to help her inside, a tiny thrill skittered through her.

“Thank you.” She slid onto his leather seat.
Nice
, she thought as she looked around while waiting for him to enter the opposite side.

“Cold?” he asked as he started the engine.

“A little.” She gave him a small smile, which he returned magnified.

“Don’t worry. We’ll get you warmed up.”

She was sure he could. She considered tempting fate and firing off those very words, but she managed to hold her tongue. Thoughts of him pulling her into his arms and giving her a heated kiss were enough to raise her temperature.

Rachel directed him over the dirt roads until they spotted two trucks stopped ahead. Caleb parked behind them, and this time, Rachel didn’t wait for him to open her door. She jumped out, pulled up her hood to fight against the chilly air and strode up a small incline. From there, she could see her men down a hundred feet on the opposite gentle slope. Mickey had moved farther down toward another cow while Bill directed his flashlight beam on the corpse that lay at his feet.

She traversed through the frozen grass, her gaze locked on the bloody mess. Revulsion rolled through her over what the wolves had done. The poor animal’s head had been nearly torn off.

“Jesus,” she whispered as Caleb took hold of her elbow. She knew nature could be brutal, but knowing it and seeing it firsthand were two different things.

“You don’t need to see this,” Caleb said softly.

“She’s not a newborn lamb for hell’s sake,” Bill retorted. “She’s seen it all before.”

“It’s okay.” She lifted her gaze to Caleb, grateful to have him there, but knowing his presence made things even more difficult, too. “Bill’s right. This is a common scene these days living on a cattle ranch in Wyoming.”

Caleb nodded in acknowledgement.

“Where are the others?” she asked Bill.

“Farther back. You passed them on your way here.” Bill lifted his chin. “You need to listen to me and take care of this before it becomes a bigger problem, Rachel.”

“It’s illegal to kill them, Bill, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“Shoot ‘em, shovel ‘em and shut up. Who would know?” He jerked his head toward the surrounding area.

“I would know.” She was aware that others in town had used Bill’s solution, but she couldn’t bring herself to kill the beautiful animals or break the law.

Rachel thought she caught something shining in the shadows several hundred feet away and squinted in that direction. The wolves were out there somewhere close by, probably angry that someone had disturbed their breakfast.

Bill shoved his flashlight into his coat pocket. “That’s a damn stupid decision, Rachel. You’re going to continue to lose hundreds of dollars if you don’t do something.”

“Your uncle wouldn’t have hesitated,” Mickey added.

“When did you ever see my uncle shoot one?”
Never
.

Mickey closed the distance and joined the circle. “Just because you didn’t know about it didn’t mean it didn’t happen.”

She stared at him, trying to assess his motivation. She’d never completely trusted Mickey even though her uncle had. Still, the thought that Uncle Walt might have said what he’d said to placate her had a ring of truth to it now that she knew what else her uncle was capable of. “We’re not shooting them.”

“Yo,” Joe said as he emerged from a copse of evergreens. “Better come take a look.”

“Joe?” She glanced at Bill with a question.

“What ya got, Joe?” he said instead of answering her. Bill’s gait was quick as he took off across the hillside. The rest of the group followed.

Rachel knew what Joe had stumbled upon before she could see it. Labored breathing punctuated by rasping pain colored the quiet morning. “Shit,” she hissed under her breath and ran the last few steps.

She dropped to her knees on the cold, hard ground next to the wounded animal. “Oh, baby,” she crooned, knowing from the amount of blood matted in its fur that it had suffered a vicious attack. It was lucky to be alive. “Help me get her back to the truck.”

“Rachel,” Joe said in a quiet voice. “She’s not going to live. She’s hurt too bad.”

“How do you know?” She twisted her head to look at him. “You can’t make that kind of assessment out here in this light.”

Bill stepped next to her. “Listen to it. The wolves have damaged its air supply. If there wasn’t so damn much blood, I could tell you if it was its neck or lungs. But either way, it won’t last more than a few hours at best.”

“Did you bring your pistol?” Mickey asked her.

“I didn’t drive.” She looked to Bill with raised brows.

“You want me to do it? Why don’t you ask your fiancé instead?”

Heated anger flared inside her. “I didn’t ask you to shoot it. I want to know if you have your gun with you.”

“I’ll get mine.” Without waiting for an agreement from anyone, Caleb strode off toward the trucks.

The second he was out of hearing range, Rachel rounded on Bill. “Why are you being such an ass?”

“Why are you being such an idiot? Here you got some jackass you met on the internet sleeping in your bed, ready to give him half of everything you got when you marry him. He must have a mighty big dick.”

Mickey and Joe both sucked in surprised breaths.

The hatred in his words dredged so much anguish inside her that she couldn’t respond. She stared at him in the dim morning light, tears in her eyes as rage burned on his face. How could he be so hateful after they’d been close friends? She was only trying to save her land. If nothing else, he should be able to understand that.

At the sound of Caleb returning to the hillside, she turned and met him halfway, glancing toward the revolver in his hand. “I’ll take that if you don’t mind.”

“Rachel,” he said with a soft voice. “Let me do this for you.”

“No.” She swallowed her angst. “It’s my cow. I’ll do it.”

He didn’t question, but held out the gun instead. She took it and marched back to the suffering animal.

“Rachel,” Joe said as she aimed the gun.

She answered with a pull of the trigger. The explosion of the bullet ripped through the early dawn and echoed off the surrounding hills. The rasping sounds ceased.