Force of the Falcon

Sonya searched her memory for details, for some way to explain, but she’d only glimpsed the shadow of a creature. She’d been too busy trying to fend off the attack.

“I’m not sure,” she said in a strained voice. “Some kind of animal, maybe.”

Cohen jammed his lips together. “I’m calling in someone from the state,” he said. “They’ll track down those damn birds and destroy them.” He turned to Brack. “And if I find out that you and your brothers are raising some mutant attack birds or that you’re responsible for these vicious attacks, I’ll lock you up for attempted murder.”

He turned back to Sonya. “If I were you, Ms. Silverstein, I’d stay away from this man, and keep your daughter away from him, too.”

“I tolds you it was a m-monster,” Katie cried. “He wooked wike that picture!”

Sheriff Cohen’s laugh boomeranged through the room as he cut his eyes over Katie, then Sonya. “Honey, that creature is part animal, part man, just like the Falcon men. They don’t belong in this town.” He fisted his hands on his hips. “Now heed my warning, or I have a feeling next time you won’t be so lucky.”

Sonya clutched the sheet between her fingers again, the sheriff’s cold tone sending a shiver through her. Brack stiffened and started to release Katie’s hand, but she gripped him tighter as she watched Sheriff Cohen stalk from the room.

Brack cleared his throat, his voice gruff when he spoke. “I’ll leave if you want, Sonya.”

The way his deep voice rumbled out her name made a tingle travel down her spine. His stiff posture suggested that he would understand if she said yes. That he was aware of his bad reputation.

Yet her daughter was smitten with Brack and afraid of the sheriff. Fatigue clawed at her again. She couldn’t keep her eyes open. And she didn’t want Katie to be alone while she waited on Margaret to arrive.

Still, Brack was big and tough, so intense that he exuded power. And with power came danger.

She should tell him to leave. She and Katie didn’t need anyone but each other.

But Katie had been through so much already tonight. And she looked so small and vulnerable beside him….

“Please stay with Katie until Ms. Margie gets here,” she whispered.

He shifted on the balls of his feet, looking uncomfortable for a moment. Then he gave a curt nod.

Uneasiness speared through her. She didn’t want to trust him, didn’t want him in her life.

And if she was wrong about him and he hurt her daughter in any way, she’d help the sheriff run him out of town and not think twice about it.

BRACK GRIMACED as Sonya slipped back into sleep. Dammit, she was in pain. And it bothered him on a level he didn’t want to explore. Cohen’s intimidation tactics disturbed him even more. Not because he was afraid of the man, but because Cohen had tried to scare the kid with them.

He might not want a family, but he wasn’t a monster, either. And he sure as hell didn’t make it a practice to go around terrifying children.

Katie clung to his hand, and he glanced down to see her yawn. The poor little girl had been through hell tonight and needed some rest. And that babysitter might not be able to drive through the storm for a while.

Dammit. He needed to get going. Itched to hike into the woods and hunt down the creature who’d attacked Sonya. But he’d promised Sonya he wouldn’t leave Katie alone.

Katie’s head lolled to the side against the chair arm, and he scooped her up, wrapped the blanket around her, then sat down and cradled her in his lap. Katie snuggled into his chest and fell asleep instantly. She was so teeny she barely weighed anything at all. So frail that the urge to protect her and slay all her demons hit him.

But he didn’t need any complications right now. He wasn’t Katie’s father and refused to get involved with her or Sonya.

Sonya whimpered then and rolled to her side, her dark hair falling across her bruised cheek, and he fought his baser instincts. Then, hell, he lost and brushed her hair from her cheek, trying to soothe her. She moaned and jerked her eyes open as if she’d been in the throes of a nightmare, and their gazes locked. She had been reliving the attack—he saw the terror in her expression.

Then she looked down at her daughter curled against him, and her expression softened. “Thank you for being so kind to Katie tonight,” she whispered.

“How could anyone not be kind to her?” he asked gruffly.

Pain tightened her features. “The kids…they tease her, can be mean.” Her voice broke. “And others…they don’t understand.”

His jaw went rigid, his body taut as tension vibrated between them. It was none of his business, but he had to ask. “Where’s her father?”

A long second passed, and a chill swept through the room, as if a ghost had passed through. “He’s not a part of our lives,” she said quietly.

He wanted to ask more but bit back the temptation, and Sonya clamped her lips together as if she’d already said too much.

Better they left it that way. He didn’t need to know personal information. Only that something had attacked her tonight, and he’d find out what it was.

Still, as she stared at him, the sadness in her eyes tore at him.

Her husband must have abandoned her and Katie. Bastard.

His gaze fell to her lips. They were so ripe and pink he wondered what they would feel like under his mouth. Would she taste as sweet as she looked?

Suddenly he wanted to soothe away her pain. Make her smile and forget about the man who’d hurt her.

But he barely knew her, or Katie. He didn’t belong in their lives and could not replace the jerk who’d forsaken them.

Hell, his own family had been torn apart when he was small so it was natural that he’d feel compassion for her and her child. After all, he wasn’t a monster.

But he wasn’t a man who wanted a relationship with a woman now, either.

Tomorrow Sonya would go home. And he would return to Falcon Ridge. He’d hunt down her attacker, take care of his birds, and keep Cohen away from them.

And he’d live alone, just as he always intended.

SONYA SLEPT fitfully, waking every so often to search the darkness for her daughter. The nurse had called Margaret again to see what was keeping her. Margaret’s husband had to clear the entrance to their drive before they could maneuver into town to get Katie, but she was finally on the way.

Brack had dozed off himself, but his body was so big he looked uncomfortable sleeping in the chair. Dark beard stubble dotted his wide, strong jaw and his scraggly, shoulder-length hair brushed his collar, looking unkempt. He looked rugged and wild, as if he belonged out in the woods with the animals.

Yet with his head tilted sideways, his arm curved protectively around Katie, he also looked vulnerable. Tears pushed at the backs of her eyelids again, her chest hurting from the pressure. But she blinked back the moisture. The pain and medication were making her sappy. Making her read things that weren’t there.

Brack Falcon was not a vulnerable man.

But God knows, she’d been terrified when she’d been attacked. More so for Katie than for herself, but still…the memory of that creature tearing into her flesh would haunt her forever. If Brack hadn’t come along when he did, she might have died. And so might have her daughter.

Would Stan raise Katie if something happened to her?

A tremor rippled through her. Would he eventually accept her disability and love her unconditionally?

If not, would her mother want Katie?

Sonya choked back more tears at the thought of the chasm between her and her mother. Evelyn Simpson didn’t even know she had a grandchild….

Not that that was entirely her mother’s fault. No, her own stubborn pride and guilt had kept her from turning to her mother after the divorce.