Fox, Morgan - Discovering Temptation [Texas Stallions 1] (Siren Publishing Allure) (6 page)

As the horse came to a stop alongside the perimeter fence, Tyler gazed up and locked eyes with her. Instantly, his expression shifted. “What’s wrong?”

Hunter explained what happened when they reached the barn. Tyler and Cooper immediately tossed their tools and supplies back into the truck.

“Hunter, take Abby back up to the house. We’re going to check out the barn.”

“Wait, why do—” Tyler’s cold stare had her biting her lip.

“Abby? Are you really going to tell me you want to see all that again?”

No, she didn’t want to see all that, but it didn’t change that she hated the fact that Tyler was rescuing her again. She chewed the inside of her mouth and glanced away. Seething frustration churned in her gut.

Tyler and Cooper drove off in the direction of the barn and Hunter took her back up to her house. She stormed up the steps and slammed the door shut behind her.

“Abby,” Hunter softly called out as he opened the door. His tone was both concerned and bordering on lecturing.

She forced her hands to her hips. “Don’t Abby me. You don’t know me well enough yet,” she spat, and then ran her hands through her hair. “I want to know why these things keep happening to me. I want to know why I was attacked the other night at the market, and why someone would want to hurt Jared and those beautiful animals. Why, damn it, why?” Tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

Hunter stepped in front of her, his hands gripping her shoulders. “Abby, I don’t know why, but you can’t fall apart over this. For all we know, it’s a random incident. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you.”

“That’s easier said than done.” Her heart shattered as soon as she spoke those words. Not only was she completely terrified that this was not a random act, but now she was sure that someone was out to hurt her. Whether physically or emotionally, someone was out to ruin everything she wanted out of a new life. The tears she fought to contain erupted, and she collapsed into Hunter’s arms.

* * * *

“Holy shit,” Cooper breathed. “Who would’ve done something like this?”

Tyler grimaced, balling his fists. His mind darted back to the night he saved Abby from an attacker. Had that bastard followed her home? It was too much of a coincidence that the day after her attack this happened. The sudden urge to protect her was all consuming. She wasn’t going to like it, but he wasn’t letting her leave the house alone. Ever.

His jaw ticked. “Cooper, put a call out to the sheriff. This needs to be reported, as well as the attack on Abby last night.”

Cooper’s eyes rounded. “Abby was attacked?”

Tyler sighed and said, “Yes, I’ll explain later, but right now we need to handle this so we can get the animals disposed of.”

Cooper nodded.

Stepping outside of the barn, he told his brother, “Let’s get back up to the house. We’re done for tonight.”

Tyler wanted to get back for one main reason. To make sure Abby was all right. He knew what she’d gone through the night before, and seeing Jared injured and those mutilated animals couldn’t have helped ease her mind. Surely, she was already putting the pieces together that this could’ve been done by the same man who attacked her.

He parked his truck in front of the house, and he and Cooper walked inside. Hunter was sitting next to Abby on the brown leather sofa, his arm draped over her shoulder. Her face buried in his chest. Tyler’s gut knotted. He didn’t know why, but seeing her comforted by another man truly bothered him.

“I’m going to make that call to the sheriff,” Cooper said, stepping into the kitchen.

Tyler couldn’t take his eyes off of Abby. He stepped around the coffee table and knelt in front of her. “Abby, are you all right?”

She gazed up at him, her eyes red and swollen from tears. She sniffled. “No, I’m not all right. I’m freaking out,” she whimpered and then covered her face in her hands.

Tyler glanced over at Hunter and with a stiff nudge of his chin, he told his brother to move. He did, leaving the room in the direction of Cooper. Tyler gently pulled at her fingers so he could see her face. The fear he saw flickering in her eyes made him want to kill the bastard who’d hurt her. Again. He didn’t quite understand the emotions that compelled him to protect her, but he didn’t ignore them. Instead, he embraced them.

“Abby, I need you to be honest with me. Who was that man who attacked you?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

Sighing, he knew for some reason she wasn’t being truthful. “Is there anyone who would want to hurt you?”

Her lower lip quivered, and she wouldn’t speak. She was breaking. Not that he wanted to push her, but if he didn’t, he’d never know who was after her. Watching her expression told him that she knew exactly who would want to hurt her. He could see her fear doing somersaults behind her eyes.

Gently caressing her face, he couldn’t resist touching her. “Who is it, Abby? I can tell that you have an idea who it might be. Please tell me.”

In a shuddering breath, she told him, “Jackson. Jackson Cole.”

Tyler frowned. “Who is he?”

Finally, she looked up and met his gaze head-on. “My ex.”

Great, a stalker ex-boyfriend who can’t let go.
“Is he the only one it could be?”

She bit her lower lip and nodded.

Tyler stiffened his spine and demanded, “Abby, you are not to leave this house alone. Until we find out who is doing this, it’s safer for you if you have an escort around the property.”

He waited for a moment, silently bracing himself for her objections, but they never came. He was relieved he didn’t have to turn into a giant asshole to make her understand what sort of danger she was in, but he almost wished she had argued with him instead of what she did. She sobbed. He pulled her up into his arms and held her. The way she fit against him had him closing his eyes and pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

“Don’t cry, Abby. Please don’t cry. We’ll find this guy, and then you can go back to living the life you want here at Paradise Ranch.”

She pressed her palms against his chest. “Oh, Tyler, what if I’ve made a mistake? What if I’m not cut out to do this?”

“Now, that is exactly what I bet this bastard stalking you wants you to feel. He’s got an agenda, Abby, and he wants you to cave.” His hands cupped her cheeks forcing her to look up at him. Sternly, he told her, “Don’t let the fear he’s causing you lead you astray. I won’t let you give up. Do you hear me?”

He couldn’t help himself. As he gazed upon her face, he found himself looking at her full, red lips, desperately wanting to kiss her. To kiss away her pain and worry.

A yearning unlike anything he’d ever felt urged him to brush his lips over hers, tasting her tears along with her mouth. Her crying suddenly stopped, and he locked gazes with her. He watched as her eyes mimicked his own. She stared at his mouth hungrily. Her eyes were full of curiosity and desire.

Slowly, he leaned closer to her, his hands still cupping her cheeks. The soft heat from her flesh warmed him straight to his soul. Her soft breath teased his lips as he drew near.

The front door opened, startling Tyler. His eyes darted to see who had come in. Abby had retreated to the backside of the sofa as if using the piece of furniture as a shield. She was spooked.

Sophia entered the room.

“How’s Jared?” Tyler asked, tossing a quick glance at Abby and then back to Sophia.

“I took him to Doctor Webber’s house. He’s going to stay there overnight. He had a pretty nasty bump on the head and a few defensive wounds that needed stitches, but he’ll pull through.”

“Oh, thank God,” Abby said, covering her mouth.

Sophia crossed the room and gave Abby a big hug. “Everything’s going to be all right. Let me take you to your room so you can get cleaned up.”

Sophia turned and looked at Tyler, and he knew his expression betrayed him. Sophia was an observant woman and would comprehend that he wasn’t thrilled to have Abby removed from his sight. He didn’t have a claim to Abby, so he couldn’t treat her like he did. Even though, out of everyone in this house, he was the one who would save her from this terror. He’d be sure of it.

Chapter Four

Dexter eyed the alluring blonde dancing provocatively on the dance floor in front of him and licked his lips. Her tight jean shorts rode high up her thighs and split her pussy, leaving nothing to the imagination. Full, perky tits pushed out from a skintight tank top. His mouth watered in anticipation.

The pads of his fingers danced around the ice-cold glass of amber liquor. Taking a sip, the savory taste of bourbon swirled around his tongue like the naughty thoughts teasing his mind and cock.

The sweet young thing eyed him, swaying her hips to the country music the band played on stage, and he knew he had her hook, line, and sinker. When he turned on the charm, women couldn’t resist him. They were attracted to him like bees to honey.

He grinned, knowing that the night would end just as he planned. Once his hot little number had her fill of dancing and drinking, she’d slide her cute little ass next to his and he’d work his magic on her, making her think she was the most precious thing on earth. His cock jerked against his jeans as he considered all the naughty little things he wished to do to her, hoping his nefarious desires would make her scream and beg for him to stop.

Chuckling to himself, he knew that was the idea. He loved it when a woman showed resistance as his cock was lodged inside her cunt, struggling against him as if her feeble attempts would do much of anything but turn him on even more.

Before he could fully enjoy the rough and exhilarating fuck, he’d amuse himself a little, enjoying the night. Abby Blake might be playing hard to get, hiding behind her cowboy dickheads, but this little vixen would offer him a chance to practice his craft. It had been nearly a week since he’d touched the flesh of a woman and took pleasure in it. He liked the power of sliding in between her legs, watching as the passion and lust he evoked turned into full-fledged terror.

Yes, tonight he would have almost as much fun as when he finally got what he came to Temptation for. Soon, he’d have Abby, and he would pretend she was her until he wrung the life from her body.

* * * *

Abby stood in the middle of her bedroom, staring out the opened window. The silence that overwhelmed her was so absolute that all she could hear was the blood rushing past her eardrums in heavy, drumbeat gushes. The pounding of her heart was deafening. The approaching darkness crept inside her room like the dreaded feelings taking up residency in her mind.

She wanted more than anything to hear Tyler’s words of encouragement and strength and be able to accept them. She didn’t want these events to scare her into quitting, and more than anything else, she hated that she’d said those very words aloud to Hunter. Giving up was not an option. Living with the consequences of that choice would only leave her miserable and trapped.

Mother would be so pleased.

For whatever reason, she trusted Tyler, and would allow him to help her figure this out. She wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her shoulders as if she were freezing, but she wasn’t cold. She was just the opposite, thanks to her tall, sexy cowboy.

How could something as basic as having Tyler near her cause her body to react the way it did? The tumbling of excitement, pleasure, and arousal sank to the pit of her stomach each time she saw him. The same thing happened when she thought about the life she could have at Paradise Ranch. Now, with Tyler and his brothers present, her wildest dreams were coming true.

No, there was no way in hell she was going to quit.
If it were easy, everyone would do it
. If Jackson was responsible for these horrific things, the authorities would track him down and put a stop to it.