Wild Nevada Ride (21 page)

“Then what?”

“She took a hit while she flew a mission. Her plane is down over enemy territory. They haven’t found her yet.”

He dropped his head and tears sprang to his eyes.
Oh, my God! She could be dead, and I never told her I love her. I shouldn’t have let her leave without telling her.

“Justin—we need to go. I need to get back.”

Squaring his shoulders, he looked at Mark and said, “Yeah. We’re loaded anyway. Let’s ride.”

The cowboys waved from the rear, indicating they had the gate locked and loaded with the cattle safely tucked inside. Gravel flew when Justin hit the gas and pulled out of the grounds headed back for his house.

The ride home was made in complete silence. Justin knew Mark wondered the same thing he did. Would they find her alive?

When they reached his house, Mark made his way to his SUV, but Justin stopped him from shutting the door. “Where are you headed?”

“I’m not sure. Either her dad’s or Gram’s.”

“Let me know. I need to be there, too.”

“I’ll call you when I know where we’re meeting.”

Justin watched as Mark pulled down the driveway before he headed into the house and started pacing and praying. He wanted a drink, but he knew he couldn’t while he waited for Mark to call. He wasn’t about to drive after he had been drinking, especially in Vegas.

Several hours later, the phone rang, and he sprinted across the living room to reach it. “Hello?”

“Hey.”

“Do you know anything, Mark? Anything at all?”

“No. They haven’t contacted her dad. He’s used all his connections to find out what is going on.”

“Are you at her grandmother’s or her dad’s?”

“We’re at Gram’s. You are welcome if you want to come. I’ve already told Gram, and she just smiled and winked.”

He had to chuckle. It sounded just like Katrina’s grandmother. “I’ll be there shortly.”

“I’ll see you then.”

“Oh, and Mark?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. I know how much you care about her even if she doesn’t.”

Within the hour, he pulled into the stately house he remembered from the barbeque several months ago. You wouldn’t know it by the foliage in Vegas, but winter now knocked on their door as September rolled in with a bang.
Has it really been that long since Kat and I met?

He knocked on the front door only to be met by Katrina’s mother, Annabel.

“Come in, Justin. Mark said you would be coming over.”

“Thanks.” He wiped his feet and stepped into the foyer as his gaze took in the staggering amount of people gathered in the front living room. There had to be at least fifty people there.

“Justin. Come here, young man,” Katrina’s grandmother called from her chair off to the side of the thrall of people.

He smiled and made his way to her side before he bent down to kiss her on the cheek. “How are you, lovely lady?”

“Oh, go on with you. You are such a charmer.” She waved to a chair nearby, motioning for him to bring it closer so he could sit next to her. “Come and sit with me a bit.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Mark told me you were coming. I have to say, I’m very happy to see you.”

“I wasn’t sure I would be welcome.”

“Of course, you are welcome here. This is my house, and you are always welcome in my home.”

“Thank you.”

“Besides, I want the dirt on you and Katrina. So spill it.”

He laughed and shook his head. This spitfire of a woman had him wrapped around her little finger, just like her granddaughter, and there wasn’t a damned thing he could do about it, even if he wanted to.

His eyes scanned the room for a moment while he noticed the people within. Katrina’s father stood against one wall with a phone to his ear as he barked into it, assumably trying to get information on her whereabouts, while a pretty brunette stood on the other side doing the same thing. He knew a frown must have marred his face when Katrina’s grandmother tapped him on the arm.

“That is Katrina’s mother, General Patricia Langston.”

“But I thought…”

“Annabel isn’t her mother. It’s a long story, and one I think Katrina is aware of, but she obviously hasn’t shared it with you. Alan and Patricia knew each other in flight school. She got pregnant with Kat, but chose the military over her child. She gave Alan custody so he raised Katrina. He met Annabel when Kat was still small.”

“Holy cow,” he mumbled when his gaze settled on Patricia. “Kat looks just like her.”

“I know. I haven’t talked to Katrina since she found out, so I’m not sure how she feels about the whole thing. I understand she’s had a conversation or two with her mother since then though.”

“I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that one.” His gaze returned to her grandmother.

“Me, too.”

He chuckled, and she patted his arm.

Patricia’s raised voice boomed over the entire crowd, and all eyes turned to her. “I don’t give a flying fuck, Sergeant. This is General Patricia Langston, and I want to talk to whoever is in charge in that hellhole immediately.”

Justin’s gaze met Patricia’s across the room, and she cocked a questioning eyebrow in his direction before her focus returned to the phone in her hand.

“Yes, I’ll hold.” She paced back and forth in front of the window, and he could tell exactly where Katrina got her spunk.

“Yes. Colonel Young. General Langston.” The crowd waited in silence. “I want the status of one of my pilots.”

He could vaguely hear murmurs from the phone from where he sat next to Katrina’s grandmother. He knew the entire room held their breath, just like he did.

“I realize Major Jamieson is now under your command, Colonel, but she was mine before she became yours. I want her status, and I want it now.”

More murmurs.

“Yes, I’ll wait.” She threw up the hand not holding the phone as she sighed.

Several minutes ticked by and the silence in the room was almost deafening while they waited.

“Yes, Colonel?”

Justin could hear a deep voice mumbling on the other end.

She sighed and closed her eyes. “Thank, the Lord.” She paused. “What? What do you mean? Tell me the extent of her injuries.”

His heart shattered when he heard the last bit.
She’s hurt!

“Fine. I’ll be on the first plane to Walter Reed in the morning.” She hung up the phone, and everyone held their breath. “They found her.”

“Oh, thank God,” Alan said when he approached Patricia. “She’s hurt?”

“Yes, Alan, she’s hurt. They don’t know how badly yet, but she hasn’t regained consciousness. They are checking her over at the base and flying her back here later this afternoon, their time. She’ll be at Walter Reed by tomorrow evening.”

“I’m going with you,” Alan stated, standing in front of Patricia.

“I think you need to. She needs us there with her.”

Justin stood and approached the pair. “I’m coming too.”

Patricia frowned and shot him what he assumed to be her intimidating look. “Exactly who might you be?”

“Justin Wilder,” he answered.

Patricia physically bristled when he said his name. “Ah, yes, Mr. Wilder. The man Katrina chose to go back to Iraq to get away from.”

“That’s enough, Patricia,” Alan growled.

“I appreciate your sentiments, ma’am, but what’s between Katrina and me is between us.”

“How can you stand there and act like you are innocent in this whole thing! She chose to leave here, leave her family because of you.” Her green eyes snapped at him in her anger.

“That may very well be true, ma’am, but it is a situation I plan to rectify, which is why I plan to go to Washington, D.C. with you and Mr. Jamieson tomorrow.”

“What if she won’t listen to you?”

“Then I’ll make her listen.”

A very undignified, unladylike snort left her mouth at his words. “If you think that, Mr. Wilder, you don’t know my Katrina very well.”

Okay, I’ve had enough snarky comments from the woman who left her child at birth for her career.
“Your Katrina? My understanding of the situation, ma’am, is that you left her with her father at birth for your career. If you think you have any more knowledge of your daughter’s personality than I do, you are sadly mistaken. How much time have you spent with her over the last several months?” Her anger deflated and she dropped her gaze to the floor. “Well, let me tell you something. Katrina is about the most passionate woman I have ever met. When she cares, she cares deeply and underneath all of her tough bravado beats the heart of a very feminine woman. Did you know the walls of her townhouse are painted pale pastels?”

Patricia raised her eyes, and the shock shined brightly in her eyes. “No.”

“Did you know she has a wide variety of music in her collection? Everything from country music to heavy metal rock.”

“No.”

The crowd around them grew silent.

“Did you know she can ride a horse better than some cowboys I know? Did you know she likes red wine over any other kind of alcohol? Did you know she cries when she watches love stories at the movies?”

“No.”

“Well, General Langston, I do. Even if Katrina and I weren’t on the best of terms when she left, I think I know her pretty well. The one thing she doesn’t know is I love her, and it’s something I plan to rectify as soon as I see her.”

Alan Jamieson shot him a confused look.

“No, sir, Katrina and I weren’t engaged. She just told you that because she didn’t want you to give up after your stroke. She wanted to give you something to work for, like walking her down the aisle.”

Alan shook his head in amazement. “She would do something like that.”

“Now, if y’all will excuse me, I have flight plans to make.” Justin turned on his heel to leave, but before he did, he stopped at Katrina’s grandmother’s side and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll see you again soon.”

She gently touched his face and gave him the biggest smile he had ever seen. “You’ll be good for her, and I can’t wait to see the great-grandbabies you two make.”

He chuckled softly as he felt the heat of a blush curl up his neck to splash across his cheeks. “You are one smart lady.”

“Just remember that cowboy.”

He gave her his best dimpled smile and a soft chuckle before he rose and headed for the front door.

Chapter Seventeen

Her head felt like it wanted to explode. The pain shooting through her brain made her want to claw her eyes out and throw them across the room. She moaned softly and tried to pry her eyes open.

The asshole standing above her, pried open her eye and shined the bright light inside, sending sharp pain zinging through her head, and she groaned. She raised her hand to slap it away, but it fell back to the bed weakly.
What the hell is wrong with me?