The Texan's Twins

From the corner of his eye, he glanced at the porch. She scanned the area with short jerky movements. Taking a step closer to him, she twisted and lowered her head, trying to make eye contact with him. He gave in and stared right at her.

The connection didn’t last long. Danica quickly looked away. “You’ve been in prison? I don’t understand. Why are you here now? After all this time?” She bit her lip and straightened. Back stiff and arms crossed, she looked off to the surrounding hills.

Reid had always loved the way she showed her emotions around him, not afraid or ashamed. But now he could see her fighting back the tears, fighting to be stoic with each blink. Her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth. Instinct told him to hold her, to reassure her.

Stalling for time, he cleared his throat and prayed for the right words. Fully aware there weren’t any. “Baby, I know sorry is not good enough for what I did to you, but it’s all I have.”

No explanation was good enough. He shrugged. “I didn’t mean to show up on your doorstep unannounced this way. I didn’t know he was bringing me to you.” His throat was still dry, but he had so many words he needed to say to her. “He just told me a wildlife rescue program needed a vet tech.”

When his mentor had showed him a list of jobs needing his skills, he couldn’t believe there was a ranch close to her hometown. Wanting to see her so badly, he thought maybe it was God giving him an opportunity to make it right. Now he realized it could have been his pride. “If me being here is a mistake, let me know and I’ll leave.”

An annoyed sound came from her beautiful lips. “What did you hope to achieve? I’ve moved on. You told me you had decided to go home. That our marriage was a mistake and you wouldn’t be back. One phone call and you left me without a way to get in touch. You just left.” Her breathing was short and hard.

The numbness that encased his heart a couple of years ago slipped a bit, and he stood before her with fresh wounds. He rubbed his face and focused on the hills. He didn’t have the strength to be near her and not want to be in her life. She had been his until he’d destroyed their future. He knew right then that without her forgiveness, he was still in prison.

“Danica, our marriage was a mistake. My family tradition is failure, prison and violence. I thought I had escaped, but it followed me. I’m not asking to be part of your life, but I’m here with the skills you need. Let me help until you get someone else.” He clenched his jaw and looked over her shoulder at the building behind her. Chipped paint revealed years of neglect.

His own father had destroyed his beautiful Creole mother. Now the promises he’d made Danica lay shattered on the ground. To keep his hands out of trouble, he stuffed them in his pockets. His gaze was not as easy to control. Tall and lean, she was so much stronger than his mother.

At least he hadn’t brought children into this mess.

Without a word, she stared at him. Guilt and shame were heavy burdens to carry. Lowering his head, he took deep breaths. In prison, he’d learned really quickly to avoid eye contact, and it was hard to change the habit.

Officer Bolton joined them. “Call just came across the radio. During a drug bust on the edge of the county, they got a surprise in the basement. They found a caged bear and an old black jaguar. The cat has a bad leg. There was talk of putting the animals down. I told them I was with you, and we could transport the animals here. I already called Dr. Ortiz to meet us there.” He smiled at Reid. “Initiation by fire. It looks like you’re jumping into the deep end today.”

Reid looked at his wife. No, he couldn’t think of her in those terms. It was too dangerous to get wrapped up in what could have been. Her hard glare felt like heat burning his skin, starting at his neck and traveling down.

Bolton slapped him on the back, causing him to jerk around. The officer laughed. “You go in the truck with Danica. She’ll update you. I’ll wait for you to gather your things, and you can follow me.” With a big smile, he headed to his patrol car. “Welcome to the world of rescue.”

“Come on, Mr. McAllister.” She didn’t wait for him. “I need to get the supplies. Have you moved large sedated animals before?”

He followed. “A few times, Mrs. McAllister.”

She stopped in front of him, and he bumped into her back. His hands went to her arms to prevent her from falling forward. He shouldn’t have been so close. In that instant, he reacted as if she was still his. He closed his eyes and inhaled her scent, savoring the shape of her arms under his hands.

With a twist, she was out of his reach. Her breathing made her shoulders rise and fall in quick succession. “I never changed my name. I’m a Bergmann, and we don’t forget. And we sure don’t forgive easily. So, you will call me Ms. Bergmann. No one knows I married you, and it will stay that way.”

With the precision of a general, she turned and marched to the small house. He followed. He had a feeling he would follow her to his death if she let him.

Sometimes when something was broken, fixing it wasn’t an option. The best a person could do was throw it away and move on. God, is this where You wanted me, or am I being a stubborn fool?

Chapter Two (#u621185ce-64f6-5df7-8615-4880a3441ad0)

The patrol car slowed down in what looked to be the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing. Perfect place for activities that needed to be hidden from the law. Except they found this one.

“Is it safe for you to be out here?” He didn’t like the idea of her being around these kinds of lowlifes, the kind that made up his family.

With a quick glare, she gave him his answer loud and clear. It left a bitter burn in his gut to see the hostility coming from eyes that used to look on him with love.

They followed the county car down a narrow, overgrown dirt road. It was another five or six miles deep into the wooded ranch before they came up to a fortress-like structure. Who would want a home that looked like a prison on the outside?

Once through the gate, a building that looked more like a Malibu beach house appeared before them. Several different types of law enforcement were coming in and out of the house. Boxes and computers were being loaded into vans.

Cold sweat broke out over Reid’s entire body, and his skin shrunk around his bones. Three breaths in and one long exhale helped a little. They were not here for him. They weren’t taking him back to the small windowless concrete cell. He was free and not doing anything that would put him back there.

“Reid? Are you okay?” Hearing her voice calmed him better than all his coping techniques and self-induced pep talks.

Trying to give her a reassuring smile, he nodded. “Just a few too many uniforms with weapons for my peace of mind.”

Officer Bolton tapped her window and waited for her to roll it down. “Dr. Ortiz is right behind us. I’ll find out the location of the animals so you can park the trailer close.”

She opened the door. “I’ll come with you. I have a couple of questions before we enter the area with the jaguar and bear.” Over her shoulder, she talked to Reid. “Wait here. When I get the information, can you move the trailer up to the area we’ll be exiting with the animals?”

With a nod, he got out of the truck and moved to the driver’s side. A few of the officers glanced at him. He kept his head down and counted his breaths.

The ex-con label would be attached to him until the day he died and beyond. He gritted his teeth. It would be part of his life forever now, so he’d better get used to it.

Nothing new. Every male in his family carried the stigma. Being the only one to finish high school hadn’t saved him from his family tradition. He popped his knuckles. Could they tell by looking at him?

Before he hid inside the cab, a large white truck with several compartments in the back pulled up next to him. A tall Hispanic woman stepped out. She came straight to Reid with an inviting grin and her hand out. Reid had to wonder if she bleached her teeth or if they were naturally so white and perfect.

“Hi, I’m Sandra Ortiz. I’m Danica’s on-call veterinarian. Since I’ve never met you, I’m hoping she finally found a vet tech with an animal husbandry degree.”

“Reid McAllister. Yes, I’m her new vet tech. For now.”

The woman’s smile went bigger as they shook hands. “Good, good. I told her not to worry. God would provide.”

Reid wasn’t sure if it was God or his selfish desire, but he didn’t say anything.

“Hey, Sandy.” Danica returned and gave the other woman a quick hug. “Seems we have a full-grown male jaguar and a very young bear cub in the basement.”

With quick, efficient motions, the vet started pulling equipment from the back of her truck. “Congratulations on the new vet tech. I’ll call Gloria and let her know to close the search.”

“Oh, no. Don’t do that. Reid is one of James’s parolees. He’s here temporarily, so the faster I can get someone in full-time the better.”

Reid saw it. The friendliness turned to suspicion the second the doctor learned she was talking with a convicted criminal. He needed to get used to it.

Every time he started over, people would know, and he’d be an ex-con for the rest of his life. An ex-con without a home or family.

* * *

Danica loaded the rifle with the dart Dr. Ortiz had prepared, taking careful aim at the black jaguar as it paced and growled in the small enclosure. There were white patches of hair sprinkled over his coat, indications of old wounds and injuries.

They would have to move fast once she shot him. Anger welled up at the humans who had caged this beautiful wild animal and removed his front claws. His fangs were coated with gold, and a gaudy diamond collar was too snug around his neck. One of his hind legs was not bearing weight.

They’d already removed the young bear cub. She was small enough for Reid to carry her to the large crate secured in the trailer. He now hung back from the other men. Backed into a dark corner, much like the young bear they’d found huddled in her cage.

“Is she going to shoot the cat through the bars of the cage?” She couldn’t see who Reid asked, but her husband’s low voice caressed her skin.