Breathless Temptation [Texas Stallions 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (11 page)

Hovering over Sophia, he reached around her, gripped hold of Delilah’s arms, and pushed the dark-haired, older woman to the ground. “I told you you’re not taking her anywhere!” he yelled. “You fucking hick bitch.”

“Take your hands off of her!” Clay’s voice growled with warning.

“She belongs with me,” he said, shrugging off the now-forceful grasp of the sheriff. “I’m her brother. She belongs with me.”

Sherriff Garrett’s fingers now dug deep into the flesh of his neck. “I don’t care who you are. I told you to remove your hands form her now!”

“Go fuck yourself!” Warren spat.

Clay stepped up to pull Warren away from Delilah. Before Sherriff Garrett could sever the connection, he drew back his elbow and launched a fierce blow to the sheriff’s chest. To his surprise, it was he who ended up flat on his back, staring up at the menacing brute, dazed and confused.

“Perhaps you could use a night in jail for assaulting an officer. Once we get a confirmed statement from Ms. Devero, we’ll have enough to hold you even longer.”

Reading him his Miranda Rights, Clay tossed him into the back of a patrol car. The sheriff was really starting to piss him off. Maybe it was time to start showing the sheriff of this shithole town what happened to those who fucked with him. Grinning broadly, he began plotting his next steps and what he would do to the sheriff and to his little bitch Delilah.

* * * *

Clay cradled Delilah into his arms, furious with Hunter for allowing her to leave his side. No matter that she’d been in Sophia’s trusted care, Hunter never should have left her alone. He said he could handle it, the little prick. He was going to kick the shit out of Hunter the next time he saw him.

Holding her close, he whispered in her ear, “I’ve got you. He can’t hurt you now.”

Her trembling hands came up to his chest. Whimpering, she told him, “He could’ve killed me, Clay. He said he would hurt my father. He hinted that my father would come to harm if I didn’t go back to California with him.” Her eyes were illuminated in pain, and the sight practically tore him apart. “I was so scared.”

Stiffening his spine, he promised, “I won’t allow him to hurt you again. My deputy is taking him to jail. I want you to tell me what happened. I need you to press charges against him, Delilah, so I can hold him on two counts of assault.”

She pressed her forehead to his chest and began to sob. Trembling, she told him, “I can’t do it, Clay. He’ll hurt me and maybe even try to kill my father. I can’t risk that he’ll do something horrible to what family I have left.”

He wrapped a secure arm around her and, with his other hand, caressed the side of her bruised face. A sight he had seen before from her accident. A sight he never wanted to see repeated. “Delilah, if we don’t stop him now, he’ll forever be after you. You must be strong.”

“How can I be strong? He has done everything in his power to make me run from the life I once had. He won’t let me live my life in peace. He’s constantly after me, behind every door, and lurking within the shadows of my thoughts. He’s everywhere. I can’t escape him.”

He stroked her cheek with his thumb, his fingers weaving within the soft strands of her hair. His voice softened as he told her, “That’s exactly why you need to let me help you. I can be the wall of strength you need when you don’t feel like you can handle any more. I know this is hard for you, but Warren cannot be allowed to hurt you again, and if you walk away from him now, he’ll go free. Once he’s out of my custody, you know that’s exactly what he’s going to do. He’ll be after you again. No matter where you go, or what you do, he’ll track you down and terrorize you as he did today.” His heart squeezed in his chest, knowing he was probably frightening her again. The truth hurt, but the truth could also save her life.

Damn, how I want to keep you safe. Please let me.

He gently brushed away her fallen tears and waited for her to speak to him again. Her body shook as the sobs overtook her. She trembled as if she hadn’t released all her frustrations and fears in forever. He’d let her cry. He wouldn’t do anything but be there for her, now and for as long as she would allow him to be.

“All right, Clay, I’ll go to the station with you and file charges against Warren. If you really think that’s what’s best.”

Relief settled over his weary heart. “Yes, I do. I also won’t let you out of my sight again.” He cupped her face in his hands. “No matter what arguments you might have for me, Delilah, you’re staying by my side until I feel you’re safe. Do you understand?”

Nodding, she murmured, “Yes, I understand. Honestly, I can’t think of any other place I’d want to be right now.” She wiped her damp cheeks with the back of her hand. “Once we finish at the station, will you take me home, Clay?”

“Yes.”

He wanted nothing except to hold her in his arms, comfort her, and take away the pain, but right now, he had other pressing matters. Like putting that sick fuck, Warren Michaels, behind bars and finding a way to keep him away from the woman he was beginning to care for above all others. His thoughts were clear and focused. His agenda was placed out in front of him like a road map.

Stop Warren Michaels by whatever means necessary.

In his gut he knew that Delilah belonged with him. He could feel that she knew it, too. It was the only way to protect her. The only way he could show her what his mind and heart were desperate to reveal.

Strangely, the beautiful blonde had done more than arrive in his town, turning his world upside down. She pretty much blasted her way into his once-guarded heart with the force of a wrecking ball. Tensing, he realized for the first time that somehow she had gone and made him fall in love with her. The alarming feeling had his fist clenching tightly at his side and the need to guard her even more demanding.

Glaring after the patrol car that sped away with Warren Michaels inside, he knew in an instant that he would personally destroy the man if he even saw him within a mile of Delilah. His mind full of fury, he could easily put an end to Warren Michaels without regret or hesitation. He might just have to.

Hunter’s heart pounded, slamming against his ribs as if preparing to launch from his body. Grinding his teeth, he studied Clay through the corner of his office window as he comforted Delilah, holding her in his arms and brushing away the tears that sprung from her eyes. He should’ve been the one tending to her, not Clay Garrett.

From what Hunter gathered from his mother and the local town gossip, Delilah had been attacked by her stepbrother at the diner, and he’d almost stolen her away from him. The thought of that bastard abducting and hurting her had his gut twisting into knots and his fists clenching tight at his sides.

Hunter blamed himself for the fact that she’d been hurt. Had he not pushed her into spending the afternoon with him in the barn and then stupidly shoved his foot into his mouth by bringing up the man now caressing her, she would’ve been safe and sound at Paradise Ranch with him.

I don’t want to lose this woman like I did Abby.

Watching Clay’s endearing actions with Delilah was like experiencing d
éjà vu
. He and his brothers had all desired Abby, but she only loved Tyler, and Hunter found himself without the loving arms of a woman he hungered for. Now, he stared at Delilah, a woman he felt even stronger about, and the crushing blow of losing her to another man consumed him.

What the fuck’s wrong with me? Why does this keep happening?

With the force of a hurricane, Hunter opened the door to the sheriff’s office and nearly knocked the door off its hinges.

Delilah gasped with her hand over her heart as he stood there, hovering in the doorway. His chest rose and fell vigorously as he tried to regain what composure he could. He wasn’t succeeding.

“Hunter?” Delilah whispered. Her red, swollen eyes blinked back the tears she’d been crying.

Rounding his desk, Clay stood with his knuckles digging into the hardwood and glared back at him. “Seriously, that’s how you make an entrance?” The words might have sounded sarcastic, but the expression on his face said something more to the fact that he’d enjoy nothing more than beating the hell out of him for storming into his office. “Do you think that perhaps Delilah has had enough men startling her today, and she doesn’t need your crazed ass doing it, too?”

Hunter compressed his jaw tightly, and the muscles flexed and twitched under the strain. He had once been a suave man that women flocked to. With eye-popping good looks, he was supposed to be the most charming of his brothers, but right now all he could claim was being an emotional derelict. “Okay, so maybe I’ve not been acting like the most sensitive person these last few days.” He shrugged. “I can’t help but feel a little angered by the unfolding events surrounding Delilah.”

I also can’t help but feel a lot of guilt for what I caused.

Clay’s arms folded over his barrel chest. “That brings up a good point, Hunter. How exactly did she end up without you, since you were supposed to be keeping her safe? You did have experience with this, after all.” The reminder of his own words being thrown back into his face left him wanting to jump across the room and knock the snarling expression right off the sheriff’s face, but he couldn’t. What Clay had said was correct.

How could I have let this happen to her?

Hunter’s eyes darted to meet Delilah’s, but she quickly glanced away the moment their eyes locked. Guilt choked him even more. “I…” his voice trailed off, unable to explain that he’d been an insensitive, jealous jackass and had been unable to keep his emotions in check.

Clay’s gaze deepened, bouncing from Hunter’s to Delilah’s and back again. For a long moment he studied them and then abruptly said, “Never mind, I don’t want to know. I’ve got everything under control. You can return to Paradise Ranch, Hunter. You’re not needed here.”

He licked his dry lips. “Before I leave, I want to speak with Delilah. Alone.”

“She’s been through enough.” Clay spit the words out as if they had been laced with poison. “She most likely doesn’t want to talk with you.”

Hunter’s chest puffed out as he felt his belly swirl with a need to defend her honor. “Do you speak for her now, Clay Garrett?”

“Maybe I do!” he growled.

“Clay,” Delilah whispered, her watery gaze finding his. “It’s okay, really. I’ll talk with Hunter.”

The vein in Clay’s neck pulsed, and his eyes filled with an unsettling anger. His tone softened slightly as he told Delilah, “I’ll be just outside if you need me.” Rounding his desk, he shouldered past Hunter, who held his position, glancing down as Clay walked past him. He didn’t want to have a physical confrontation with the sheriff. Well, that’s not exactly true. He did, but Delilah wouldn’t like it.

Besides, Clay had every right to be angry with him. Hunter was angry and disappointed with himself for not keeping Delilah safe. He’d not only failed her, but he’d failed himself.

Delilah rose from the chair she’d been sitting in and faced him. Her arms hung loosely at her sides. “Hunter, you should know that I haven’t changed my mind about wanting to leave Temptation. This is just a temporary setback. Once I get everything handled with my stepbrother, I’m leaving.”

He took a large step forward, desperate to wrap his arms around her just as he’d seen Clay doing earlier. “I’m sorry, Delilah. I never meant for any of this to happen. I…”

Sometimes finding the right words didn’t come easy for him, but this only happened with Delilah. Never had he struggled to say what he felt with any other women. Generally, the things he said were silly and witty. Maybe the reason he’d lost his finesse with Delilah was that for the first time in his life he was actually falling in love.

He knew it seemed crazy to love a woman he’d just met, but he couldn’t help what was in his heart. His brothers would revoke his man card if they heard the thoughts bouncing around in his head. Delilah was special, beyond anything he’d ever dreamed. Now, thanks to his stupidity, she was planning on leaving him.

Twisting her hands together as if wringing out a towel, she reminded him, “Like I explained earlier, what we had was one nice afternoon, and I’ll be forever grateful that you found me the night of my car accident. You are a warm and caring person, Hunter Boyd, and I’ll never forget what you did for me.”

“I don’t want you to leave, Delilah.”

She shook her head and turned away from him. Running the tip of her finger over the edge of Clay’s desk, she skimmed the stacks of papers beside her. “I’m sorry, but I really don’t have a choice.”

What? She has a choice. She just has to stop acting like a scared little girl and stand on her own.
“Yes, you do. You could stay with me. You could settle here in Temptation. Secure that dream ranch you’ve always wanted.” He stepped closer to her, closing the distance slowly as he said, “Let me help you.”

She inclined her head in his direction. “That was only a dream. Nothing more. Besides, how could I settle down here when Warren knows where I am? I have nothing keeping me here but the memory of my mother.”

“You have me,” he told her solemnly. “I care about you. More than I ever imagined possible.”

She shook her head more vigorously. “It’s just another dream, Hunter. You have your own life and ranch. You won’t have time for me. Right now everything seems so clear to you, but for me nothing is clear. I don’t have the family you have. It’s just me. I’m all alone.”