Capturing Our Lady's Heart [Commando Cowboys and Renegade Texans Unite 1] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Polyromance) (6 page)

“No problem. I can do that for you.”

When she started writing down his information, Lann raised his head from the form he was filling out. “By the way, I thought I saw Bliss Meades living the bank. I called to her, but she didn’t hear me. She looked upset.”

Sherry leaned closer to her open window. “The boss will can me if he hears me gossiping, but her brother is up to his ears in debt. I heard she needed a loan for the shop she wants to open, but the bank wouldn’t give her one. Poor thing, she’s been dreaming of having that business for a long time. And the women in this town have been looking forward to it. We wouldn’t have to drive fifty miles to get lovely feminine garments.” She gave Lann and Bern an extra big smile.

“That is a shame. Her brother doesn’t sound very reliable,” Lann commented.

“I couldn’t stand him in school. He made snide remarks to some of us. I’m surprised Addie fell for him, and they got married. But she was such an innocent, and he wooed her good.

“I’d better finish your form, Mr. Aznar. The manager is looking in my direction.” She soon handed him his money and took Lann’s form to check it.

“Follow me. We’ll go to the room where we have the safety deposit boxes.”

When they came out of the bank, Bliss’s car was gone. “Do you think she’s headed home?” Lann asked.

“We’ll check the shop first. If she’s not there, we’ll head out to the ranch. I’m not at all comfortable with how her brother will react when she confronts him.”

“I agree. We need to be close. We’ll park a distance away, and walk to the rear of the house near the kitchen. If the door is open, I can hear through the screen into the house quite far,” Lann said.

“One of your superpowers.” Bern grinned. “Wish I had some about now.”

“There’s her car. The shop is closed. She’s probably checking the upstairs.” Bern drove up the street and parked. “When we see her leave, I’ll follow her at a distance.”

“Here she comes, duck down.” Bern slid lower in his seat. Lann did as he said. Then Bern peeked over the steering wheel. “Okay, we can move out.” He started the truck and followed several cars behind.

Once they were in the country, he fell further back. “She’s so upset she’ll never notice us.” Bern drove slow until he saw her make the turn for the ranch. “I know a dirt road just up a bit that will bring us to the spot where we want to park.”

The rutted road was bumpy, but shortly Bern parked to the side and got out. “We walk from here.”

Nothing was moving in the yard around the house. A chicken cackled and a cow mooed, but otherwise the place looked desolate and empty.

“I doubt her brother will be back from the fields for several more hours. She’s probably going to be packing.”

“Bern, why don’t you drive on back to your ranch. No need in both of us waiting out here. When he returns, I’ll send you a text.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. I’m texting my foreman now to let him know I won’t be back ’til this evening.”

“Don’t forget me,” Bern said. He walked back toward where he’d parked the truck.

Lann found a spot under a shady tree and watched for Alan Meades to arrive home. He kept his eyes on the upstairs windows and got rewarded when he saw Bliss look out. Luckily, he was sitting under the outspread limbs of a large tree, and she didn’t see him.

It looked like she was talking on the phone. But she kept staring off into the distance. It couldn’t be easy for her to leave the home she grew up in. If he managed to buy the farm and win the lady, he’d give her back the ranch house and land immediately around it.

Things were moving quickly after years of waiting to have his dreams come true. He understood how excited and also, for her, how frightened she must be about taking this step. Lann had plenty of money. That was one worry he didn’t have. But if she continued with her plans, and he suspected she would, then the risk of her not succeeding became much higher. He and Bern didn’t plan to see her fail.

Damn, how did I get so tangled up with a woman in such a short time?
She grabbed my heart and had me when she faced me in the barn.
After seeing her in the light and especially seeing her light-purple eyes, he was a goner for sure. Thank goodness she was the same woman Bern had his eye on, too. They’d planned to find a woman to fit their needs, and Bliss filled the bill very well.

He heard the sound of a horse’s hooves. In a minute, he saw Alan riding into the yard and headed to the barn. Lann punched in Bern’s number.

“He’s come home early and is in the barn,” Lann texted. If Alan took care of his horse properly, it would be time enough for Bern to get back here.

But he must not have taken much time to rub the horse down. Soon, he came striding across the dirt and to the screen door leading to the kitchen. Lann ran to the side of the house, and then crept closer to the door. He heard a soda or beer being popped open. Then light footsteps entered the kitchen.

“Where are the children?” Alan’s voice sounded grumpy.

“Mrs. Turner just came and picked them up. She’s taking them to a party at the church.”

Lann detected the slight quiver in Bliss’s voice. He wondered if she was lying about where the children were.

“You know I like them home on a school day. That’s the rule.”

“They’ll be back early. We need to talk. Let me get a soda, and I’ll join you at the table.”

The refrigerator opened and closed, and then a chair scraped back. Lann’s hands clenched, waiting to hear what Bliss would say and what reaction her brother would have.

“I went to town today and talked with Mr. Crowdy. He gave me a very reasonable fee to rent the store and the apartment above it.”

“You aren’t really leaving. If you do, you’ll never get anything out the ranch. I can arrange to keep all the money, if we ever sell.”

“The second place I went was to the bank for a loan. It seems neither of us will get any money for the ranch. You’ve borrowed against all we own.”

“It’s none of your business,” Alan shouted and shoved back his chair.

Lann wanted to race inside, but decided to use caution. He didn’t like interfering without Bliss’s permission, unless her brother started to hit her. Footsteps stomped across the floor. He must have been getting close to Bliss.

“I won’t let you leave. I need you. It’s your job to take care of the children.”

Lann moved closer to a window and raised his head just enough to see inside.

Alan stood over Bliss. She pushed back her chair and put space between them.

“Don’t tower over me. I’m your sister. Thank goodness I’m not your wife. Mrs. Turner has agreed to be a nanny to the children and to cook the evening meals for all of you. She’ll be here at breakfast to get the children off, and she’ll take Clara to her house, after prekindergarten and until she comes to the ranch to cook dinner. It’s all set.”

“I can’t afford a nanny. You found out I haven’t got any money. Are you going to pay her?”

“You are. I’m sure you have some hidden from me and the bank.”

Alan moved suddenly. He put his hands around Bliss neck and shoved her against the wall. All the time, he screamed, “You will do as I say.”

Lann exploded through the door and had Alan’s hands off of Bliss in seconds. He swung his fist, and Alan flew across the room. Then he walked to Alan and pulled him up by his shirt collar. He smacked him in the face one more time.

“Please, Lann, don’t hit him anymore.” Bliss’s soft, tearful voice got through the red rage he felt for the weakling in front of him. He dropped his arm to his side and took a step backward. Then he leaned close to Alan’s bloody face.

“If you ever raise your hand to her again, I’ll beat you to a pulp.”

Bern came running into the room. He took one look and gathered Bliss in his arms. “It’s all right, baby.” He smoothed her hair.

Alan had slid to the floor. Lann stood over him, breathing hard. It was difficult to calm himself and come down from his peak once his warrior mode was aroused. He nodded to Bern and left.

Outside, he started to run as fast and as far as he could until his muscles relaxed and breathing became more normal. Finally, he turned back and ran slower on his return.

He walked casually into the kitchen. Alan had a frozen bag of peas on his face. Bern sat across the table from him.

“Bliss is getting her bags and overnight clothes for the children. She called Mrs. Turner. Mrs. Turner will keep them overnight with her, and she’ll get them off to school. The sheriff ought to be here any moment to get Alan and take him to jail.”

Alan raised his head. “Damn it, she knows if she presses charges, I’ll lose custody of the children completely.”

“Good, next you’d be hitting them. You need to learn anger control, and not to hit women and children,” Lann said.

“I don’t hit my children.”

“We’re not going to take a chance on you doing it in the future.” Bern glanced at the door. A pale Bliss walked in.

“I’m ready, and the sheriff is coming down the drive.”

She looked at her brother. “I’m having second thoughts about taking out charges against you.”

“Don’t weaken, Bliss. This is the second time he hit you, and if we hadn’t intervened he might have strangled you,” Lann said.

She bit the edge of her lip, sending hot desire rushing along Lann’s body. When the sheriff knocked, she hurried to the front door.

Lann looked over Alan’s head at Bern and noted his tense muscles. He and his friend were in trouble. They’d fallen for a woman who for good reasons didn’t want a man or men in her life. They’d have to do some fast talking and fancy steps to woo her into their lives.

Bliss came back to the kitchen followed by a tall, lean man with black hair and gray at the temples. A sheriff’s badge was fastened to his shirt. He put out his hand to Lann.

“Hello, I’m Sheriff Devon.”

“I’m Lann Quinlain, owner of the ranch next to Bern’s.”

“I’m sorry to have to meet you in such circumstances. Bliss told me on the phone what happened.” He walked to Alan and got into his space. “What the hell is the matter with you? You hit your sister, and I’d bet that’s why Addie ran away. I never could stand a woman beater.”

“I was upset. She…”

“Enough! There aren’t any excuses for what you did. Damn, man, Bliss gave you two years to get straightened out and this is how you thank her?”

Alan scowled and looked at the floor. The sheriff put handcuffs on him. “I’ll take him to jail. Bliss, you can come in tomorrow morning. We’ll write up your complaint then. He can’t bail out until he sees the judge later tomorrow afternoon.”

The sheriff walked to the kitchen door with Alan. He looked at Lann and Bern. “I’m glad you two were around. You’ll have to tell me how you arranged to arrive at just the right time.” He grinned and pushed Alan on out the door.

“How did you get here so fast?” Bliss asked.

“We were worried about you. We believed he’d strike out at you when you told him you were leaving. So I watched the house and called Bern when Alan came home. Then I sneaked around and peeked in the kitchen window.” Lann shrugged his shoulders. “What can I say? You needed protection.”

“And you and Bern decided you were the ones to keep me safe?”

“Who else?” Bern said. “We knew about the situation, others didn’t.”

“You could say thank you.” Lann raised his eyebrow at her.

“I do appreciate you two intervening this time. But I don’t want you meddling in my business any more than you have. Understand?”

“Then you won’t want the loan we were going to offer you for your shop?” Lann watched her expression closely. Her eyes widened, and a spark of hope flashed in her beautiful purple eyes. But then she realized what his offer entailed.

“You talked to someone at the bank.”

“We did.” Bern stepped closer. “The teller who’s the most talkative.”

“That has to be Sherry. I suppose she told you the bank manager refused my loan.”

“She did.” Lann reached out to pull her close, but she moved back.

“I can’t accept your offer. Keep out of my business. I’ll manage. Alan has been trying to control me, and now you two want to step in his shoes, so to speak. No, no, no. I’m a strong woman who can manage on her own.” She whirled around, grabbed her bags, and charged out the door.

The front door slammed shut. Lann glanced at Bern. “We have a lot of work to do to show her the difference between caring and controlling.”

“As you said”—Bern gave Lann a wry smile—“it wouldn’t be any fun if it was too easy.”

“Did I make such a ridiculous statement?”

“Yes.”

“Well, there’s difficult and hard. She’s going to be really hard to convince.”

As they turned to leave, Bern hit Lann’s shoulder. “Life’s gotten much more interesting since you’ve arrived. I can hardly wait for tomorrow.”

Lann punched in the lock on the door as they went out. He followed Bern to the truck and got in. “I’m not giving up. We’ll find a way to help her, whether she likes it or not. If she gets into trouble with her shop, we’re not going to let her lose it.”