The Dangerous Gift (16 page)

“Should we tell the sheriff?” Jennie wouldn’t argue. Jared was right, she wasn’t a professional and she should stay out of it and let them do their job, but she wouldn’t. She wanted to solve the mystery. If only she could get Ryder to confess. Jennie pulled away from Jared. “You should call Dan, Jared. I’m going to shower and change.”

“Yes, I’ll call him and tell him what you’ve found. He can meet us at the Mexican restaurant if he needs to talk to us again.” Jared followed her upstairs.

***

Jennie stood under the tepid water and wondered why she didn’t just change her clothes rather than showering again. Being in love with Jared fuddled her mental faculties. Her teenage crush was now her lover. She loved their new closeness, and her fears that he didn’t want her seemed groundless now. Jared showed no signs of regret about the change in their relationship. Instead, he touched her at every opportunity and looked genuinely disappointed when she’d barred him from her room a few minutes earlier.

Yet uncertainty cast an unwanted shadow over her rose-colored world. Was Ryder the murderer? She needed to know. She needed to think rationally if she was going head-to-head with Ryder. Jennie shivered and her body tensed under the cold water. A face-to-face confrontation was the only way to find out if Ryder was guilty.

“Jen, the table is booked. You have twenty minutes.” Jared’s voice drifted through the en suite door and forced her to make a decision.

“I’m out of the shower. I won’t be long.” Jennie turned off the water, pulled a fluffy towel off the rail, and wrapped it round her. She waited for Jared’s footsteps to fade away before opening the en suite door. Cool air mixed with the steamy heat from the bathroom as she walked into her bedroom. She needed to see Ryder before the sheriff did. As soon as Ryder knew they suspected him, he would disappear. She couldn’t let that happen. She owed it to Annie, Ralf, and Harry to make sure he paid for their murders if he was guilty.

Jennie dropped the towel and dressed quickly. Jeans, long-sleeved tee, socks, and cowboy boots and she was good to go.

Chapter 15

The moon glinted in the cloudless sky as Jennie stepped through the open doors onto her bedroom’s balcony. Unfortunately, her room was above the office where Jared waited. However she could climb down the side of the balcony, which was covered with roses, unseen, as there weren’t any office windows on that side of the balcony. The climb didn’t worry her. She’d regularly escaped from her room when she was a grounded teenager. Though several years older now, she was just as fit and not scared of heights. It would be a breeze.

Jennie swung her legs over the balcony rail and climbed down using the gaps in the lattice, which supported the golden climbing roses, as footholds. Minutes later, she jumped the last few inches and landed on the turf with a soft thud. She waited, but there was no movement at the office window. Part of her wished Jared would hear and stop her. When he didn’t, Jennie pushed her fears to the back of her mind and headed for the stables.

Springtime whickered in the darkness. She stood quietly whilst Jennie tacked her up and mounted using a convenient upturned bucket. Springtime’s hooves echoed in the darkness as she walked across the yard. The sound merged with the cacophony of noises made by the cattle and horses moving in the paddocks, and no one noticed the lone rider leave the ranch yard.

***

Ryder

A silhouette of a woman and horse caught Ryder’s attention as he stared at the shadowed stable block from the shelter of the paddocks adjacent to the Unicorn’s ranch yard. At this hour, it was devoid of ranch hands, and the only sounds came from the cattle and horses in the adjoining paddocks and stalls. The buzz of a mosquito was cut short as he caught it between his fingers and extinguished its life force. The clatter of a horse’s hooves against the firm ground caused his heart to race. Soon she would be his. Ryder vaulted onto his horse and galloped towards the Pegasus, hardly able to contain his excitement.

When his pinto thundered past the Pegasus Ranch sign, Ryder veered his horse sharply to the right and disappeared into the cover of the trees. He dismounted and took the bridle and saddle from his horse. Stowed behind the thick trunk of an adjacent tree, they were barely visible. The horse whickered and trotted away to the pasture behind the trees without further encouragement.

Ryder scanned the darkening horizon searching for her…Jennie. Nagging doubts clouded his euphoria. What if she’d seen him leave the Unicorn? She didn’t like him watching her. Maybe she’d changed her mind? A thin film of sweat covered his face, blurring his vision. What if
he
had stopped her?

Ryder thumped his fist against the unforgiving bark of the old tree. The pain barely registered amidst the red haze that colored his thoughts. He wouldn’t let Jared interfere with his plan. He wiped the blood droplets off on his jeans and waited, hardly daring to breathe.

Jennie’s slim form and flowing hair made her instantly recognizable. He’d studied her like a specimen in a laboratory experiment and knew every curve, body tell, and facial expression. As she neared the entrance to the Pegasus Ranch, anxiety and indecision marred the classic beauty of her face. She scanned the track, her gaze darting all around until it settled on his hiding place.

Ryder stepped back into the cover of the trees. The fading light should make him undetectable. Jennie slowed her horse to a sedate walk, apparently satisfied she was not in danger.

Ryder recognized the feisty palomino mare with the distinctive blonde mane that Jennie was so fond of. A pang of regret made him look away as he recalled the mare’s screams when the tacks he’d secured into her saddle had cut her and made her bolt as Jennie fought to stay in the saddle.

He wasn’t to blame for his actions. Jennie’s disregard of his earlier warnings to leave the ranch had forced him to up his game. The horse was unavoidable collateral damage. Jennie must relinquish her shares in the ranch and leave the Unicorn if the plan was to work. Secretly, Ryder wanted Jennie to stay, but he kept those thoughts hidden. The decision wasn’t his. He moaned low in his throat as he thought about the consequences of denying the voice always present in his head. If Jennie left the Unicorn and returned to her life in England, the pictures would be all he had of her.

That and tonight. He stroked his palm across the bulge in his jeans and felt his cock spring to attention. At last, he would make her his. The photos satisfied a short-term need, but if he had to give her up, Ryder needed her taste and touch before he lost her forever, something to get him through the empty void until he found someone to replace her.

***

Jennie

When she was through the gateway, Jennie pressed Springtime into a gallop, and the elegant mare’s strides ate up the distance. When she arrived at the tall trees that shadowed the Pegasus Ranch sign, she slowed the mare to a walk. Ryder could be out or refuse to see her, though if he was her stalker, that was unlikely.

Jennie shuddered, even though the night was warm. She was a fool. About to face a man who was almost certainly a stalker and a possible murderer without a gun. She should turn back. Deciding to leave, Jennie squeezed on the mare’s right rein. There must be another way.

Ryder stepped from the trees and put his hand on Springtime’s bridle, halting her progress.

“Jennie, what are you doing here?” Ryder sounded childlike, full of suppressed excitement. “I saw you from the ranch,” he said, as if anticipating her question. “I can’t believe you’re here. Get down. Let’s not waste any time.”

Ryder grabbed Jennie’s arm with enough force to make her let go of the reins. She freed her feet from the stirrups and let him help her from the horse to avoid being dragged down. On the ground, she leaned against Springtime to preserve the precious personal space between her body and Ryder’s. Ryder breached it as his mouth brushed against hers. She bit her lip to stop the scream that exploded from her larynx, desperate to break free.

“Ryder, what are you doing out here? And you too, Jennie, what a surprise.” Darleen’s voice dripped with innuendo. “Does Jared know you’re here?” The Amazon jumped down from the spotted horse and regarded them with a smug gaze, a slight smile on her lips. She swatted away a bat as it flew past her in search of food. “Let’s go back to the ranch house before we get bitten. I’m intrigued to hear what you’re both doing out here.”

Darleen remounted and steered her horse towards the ranch house’s dim lights. Ryder shrugged. “Better do as she says, or she’ll call Jared, and my nose still hurts from our last encounter.”

Jennie nodded, relieved. She didn’t want to be alone with Ryder, who lifted her effortlessly back into Springtime’s saddle and swung up behind her. His swift kick sent the horse forward with a series of bucks and a snort at his rough treatment.

Jennie clung on, keeping silent even though her mind was full of questions. What had she let herself in for? She leaned forward over the mare’s strong neck as Ryder pushed the horse into a gallop. His body was too close, and she welcomed the excuse to move away. As they neared the Pegasus ranch house, she noted the yard was pristine, a marked contrast to the Unicorn’s. She couldn’t shake the feeling that it was too neat; even with all the ranch hands at the Unicorn, the ranch’s yard never looked like this. Jennie swallowed the bile that crawled up her throat. Something was wrong.

Darleen walked into the house without a backwards glance. Ryder slowed Springtime, and Jennie released her strangled grip on the mare’s mane. She snatched a breath and straightened her back. At least she could put some space between her and Ryder as soon as they were off the horse.

***

Ryder

Ryder squirmed in the saddle as he recalled his brief taste of Jennie’s soft, lush mouth and how her breath had hitched as he pulled her closer. Why had Darleen interfered? This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. He didn’t need her help. This was between him and Jennie. Excitement quickened his heart rate when Jennie’s scent tinged with fear reached his nostrils. Jennie’s panic made him powerful. He hated his sister at that moment and would have shaken the life from her body had he been able to reach her. Darleen must have known because she kept her distance, expecting him to follow her lead like always.

Not this time. His head imploding with a mess of scarlet-colored thoughts, Ryder let his body dictate his actions.

***

Jennie

Jennie slammed back into Ryder’s hard body, and her legs shot forward as her bottom thumped painfully on the mare’s withers. Ryder spurred Springtime away from the ranch house and galloped across the open ground. Jennie closed her eyes against the blur of images that flew at her in the darkness. The air rushed by, stealing her breath.

Jennie reopened her eyes and focused. She wanted to work out where he was taking her. There was no sign of the ranch house’s lights now. She struggled to get away. Falling onto the hard ground, even at this speed, was preferable to whatever fate awaited her. There were no shouts behind them. Darleen was in the house and expected them to follow. How long would it take for her to realize they hadn’t? Too long, Jennie feared.

Ryder pulled her tightly against him. “Stop fighting, Jennie. We both know you want to be here.” His hot breath touched her face, and Jennie shivered, her body cold as shock shut it down.

“You’re wrong. I’m not going anywhere with you, creep.” Jennie turned her head and sank her teeth into the checked sleeve that covered her captor’s muscled arm.

Ryder’s hold on her slackened. “Bitch, that hurt.” He let go of Springtime’s reins and rubbed his arm.

Jennie leaned forward and whispered in the direction of her mare’s ears, “Spring, stop.”

When the mare slowed her pace, Jennie swung her leg over the horse’s neck and jumped. The contact with the hard ground jolted her ankle, but the adrenaline rush negated the expected pain. Jennie ran into the darkness, fueled by desperation. Her plight was hopeless, but she wouldn’t give in. Death from exposure was more attractive than Ryder’s hands on her.

She sensed his approach before hard hands grabbed her. One clamped across her mouth, and the other held her tight against him. Jennie gagged. His brutal hand bruised her lips as it forced them shut. He wouldn’t let her bite him again.

“Finally. Stop fighting me and I won’t hurt you.” Ryder’s snide tone irritated Jennie, but she didn’t resist as he half carried her back to where Springtime waited, shivering and prancing.

Ryder pushed Jennie onto the mare and let go long enough to vault up behind her. Jennie leaned over Springtime’s withers and squeezed her calves against the mare’s sensitive sides. “Go, baby, go.”

The mare sprang forward, and Ryder cursed as he lost his balance mid-vault. Springtime moved faster, spurred on by the dragging sensation until his weight left the horse. She was free.

Jennie flew backwards through the air; her last image was of a riderless Springtime galloping into the night.

***

Jared

“Jen, we need to go now. I’ve already put the table back an hour, and we’ll lose the reservation if you’re not down in five. What are you doing up there?”

Jared stood at the bottom of the stairs, reluctant to go up them. If he crossed the threshold into Jen’s room, they would never make it to the restaurant. His cock stiffened. The more he enjoyed Jen, the more he wanted her. He hadn’t hidden his disappointment when she refused his offer to join her in the shower. The memory of their previous shower hadn’t left his mind all day, and he was desperate to repeat the experience. Despite this, something kept nagging at him.

Her fixation on Ryder’s involvement in the ranch’s troubles concerned him. He admired her tenacity, but she must step back now and let the sheriff take over. He would use their dinner date to get her ideas for the dude ranch and focus her mind away from Ryder.

He glanced at his watch; ten minutes since he’d last called Jen, and there was still no sign of her. A shadow of doubt crossed his mind. She wouldn’t…

Damn straight, if she wasn’t in her room, when he got a hold of her, he would smack her pretty little butt until it was rosy. Jared ran upstairs and opened Jen’s bedroom door. The drapes swayed in the cool night breeze coming through the open balcony doors. He didn’t need to search her room; she wasn’t there.

He walked to the balcony and scanned the ranch area. No Jen. How had she left without his knowledge? The why was easier—she’d gone to confront Ryder.

Jared ran from the room, pushing the buttons on his mobile as he hurried down the stairs two at a time. “Dan, can you meet me at the Pegasus Ranch? I’m certain Jen’s headed there to confront Ryder.”

“That girl’s a firebrand. Isn’t it about time you tamed her, son?” Jared heard the weariness in the lawman’s voice.

“I’ve made a start, Dan, believe me, but I think it’s a lifetime’s work.” Jared ran through the door and into his truck. “I’m driving there now. Are you coming?”