The Rancher's Return

Clearly not believing her, he didn’t speak again, so she collected her purse and turned to go. Head up, shoulders back, hoping like hell she projected an attitude that was different from how broken and defeated she felt inside.

She got half the distance to the door before he stopped her. “Wait.”

Though she knew she should have kept moving, she froze. “Yes?”

“All right. I’m still listening. Tell me more, make me believe you. Why would a man as rich and powerful as Alex Ramirez do such a thing? What was he even doing with my brother?”

Exhaustion made her sag, though the instant she realized this she straightened her shoulders. “Politics isn’t the only thing Alex is involved with. He runs a huge drug operation in central Texas. Apparently Tim was working for him.”

He knew, she saw. The emotion passing over his face might have been fleeting, but she realized he understood that this at least was the truth.

“You’re telling me that you witnessed a politician kill my brother and he let you live.”

“Yes. As his prisoner.”

“Why? Tell me why he’d do that?”

She looked him in the eye and gave him the truth. “Because he’s a sociopath.”

Silence while he digested this. Then he asked, “Do you have proof? Something besides your word that this man killed my brother and kept you prisoner?”

“No.” She swallowed. “Only my word against his. And I had no idea that he’d framed you and had you sent to prison. You’ve got to believe me. I just found out the other night when he got drunk and started bragging.”

“I’m having trouble with the entire story. If you were his prisoner, how’d you escape now?”

Cheeks burning, she told him her shame. “After three years, he’d loosened his hold on me. I wasn’t always kept locked up. I really think he believed I wouldn’t go.”

“Did he treat you well, then?” He asked the question with deceptive calmness.

“Well? I wouldn’t call it that.”

Hazel eyes burning, he tilted his head. “Then what would you call it?”

“Reed, he beat and raped me. I was a possession to him, a toy to do with as he wanted.” She tried to sound matter-of-fact, even though saying the truth out loud felt both mortifying and painful. “He enjoyed hurting and humiliating me. In the early months, I tried to escape and he blackened my eyes and broke my ribs. If I hadn’t figured out a way to get away now, I have no doubt once he got tired of me, he would have eventually killed me.”

“Forgive me, but I can’t bring myself to feel sorry for you. Your story is far-fetched and bizarre.”

“I know.” She resisted the urge to hang her head. “Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.”

His features hardened. “I see. Let me ask you something, and I need you to tell me the truth, for once. Even though you claim Alex Ramirez did it, I have to ask. Was it you, all along? Did you kill my brother?”

Stunned, at first she couldn’t speak, couldn’t respond. She should have expected this. In fact, she probably would have wondered the same thing had their places been reversed.

Finally, she found her voice. “No. I did not.”

“Excuse me if I don’t take your word for it.”

Finally defeated, she straightened her spine and nodded. “I understand. Believe me. I’ll leave and let you go back to your life.”

“Wait.” This time, he stopped her before she turned. “Give me something to help me believe, to make me understand. You’ve come here with this story, which you have to admit is way out there. You claim you not only witnessed my brother’s murder, but you’ve been kept a prisoner by the killer, who just happens to be the lieutenant governor of Texas, a guy who’s considered a front-runner for governor next election. Does that about cover it?”

“Yes.”

“Kaitlyn, I want to believe you....”

“But you just can’t. I understand.”

“Then give me something.” The fierceness in his voice made her blink. “You’ve got to have something, some sort of proof, no matter how small, that would help me accept what you say as truth.”

Swallowing, she realized she did. Turning slowly, she lifted her shirt and showed him her back, with its jagged and horrible crisscross web of scars.

Chapter 2 (#ulink_1feb190c-430f-553e-9b9b-288fb2e1fc27)

Stunned, Reed couldn’t speak. He could only stare. Once upon a time, he’d explored every inch of Kaitlyn’s perfect body. He moved forward, reaching out his hand, withdrawing it at the last moment. Some of the red, raised welts were recent, while others bore the whitish appearance of old scars.

“He did this?” he asked, his voice sounding as if he’d swallowed gravel.

“Yes.” Dropping her shirt, she turned. Her perfect face appeared expressionless. Except for her eyes. The shadows in them reminded him of prison. “He likes whips. And chains. And other instruments of torture.” She shuddered. “And I was his own personal plaything. That’s all the proof I have.”

“It’s enough.” Stomach twisting, he tried to find the right words, finally settling on two. “I’m sorry.”

“So am I.” She dipped her chin, acknowledging the sentiment, though he knew—like her apology—it had come too late. She turned, giving him one last lingering glance. Not imploring. More like resolute. “And now, I’ve got to go. Once Alex realizes I’ve escaped, he’ll stop at nothing to find me.”

He didn’t care, he shouldn’t have cared, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. “Where are you going?”

One delicate shoulder lifted in a shrug. “I don’t know. I’ve got to keep moving. Otherwise, I’m dead.”

He thought of his ranch, of the secluded frame house a few hours away, where he’d taken to spending more and more of his time. “I have land my uncle left me about southwest of Mineral Wells,” he said. “It’s a small, working cattle ranch. I’ve got livestock there, with hired hands looking after the place. It’s really remote and accessible only by a dirt road. It isn’t much, but there’s running water and electricity. If you don’t mind the isolation, you can stay there.”

Watching him warily, she nodded. “Thanks. If you want to give me directions, I’ll head that way now.”

He wasn’t sure he wanted her to go alone. “Give me a minute. I need to think.”

She seemed to practically vibrate with impatience. “Please don’t take too long. I don’t have a lot of time. Alex is a powerful man and very successful at getting rid of people. I can’t tell you how many times he’s bragged about the people he’s made disappear. I know too much, therefore I’m a liability he’ll need to eliminate. He has people working everywhere. If someone sees my car and reports back to him...”

Refusing to let her rush him, he continued to consider. If he was jumping into this mess, he needed to study all angles.

Finally, he glanced out the window, at the low-slung, glossy car. “That Jaguar won’t do well there. Plus, it’ll stick out like a sore thumb. Is it his?”

For maybe a second, she looked abashed. “Yes. It’s one of many. He’ll want it back.”

Right then, he decided. “We need to move it. Leave it in a parking lot downtown.”

“Then how will I get to your place?”

He hoped he wouldn’t regret what he was about to say. “I’ll drive you. It’s about time for me to run out there and check on things. I can stay out there a little while. And I’ve got a four-wheel drive pickup that makes the trip perfectly.”

After snatching his keys off the counter, he grabbed his laptop and motioned for her to go ahead. Instead, she stood frozen, staring at him.