Whatever It Takes
Authors: C.M. Steele
Whatever It Takes
The Cline Brothers of Colorado
C.M. Steele
Copyrighted © 2016 C.M. Steele
All rights reserved. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
I felt the wind cut at my face, burning the skin on contact as I stepped out of my truck. Winter and ski season were definitely here. I lifted my collar and adjusted my hat, nodding to some of the new, young faces walking past me as I made my way to Cullen’s Pub. The streets of River Cove were just beginning to fill with the tourists. It was always that way this time of the year. Aspen being nearby caused an overflow of visitors, so the small town took the leftovers.
Thankfully, I didn't live in town. My ranch was fifteen miles out. I came to do some business with another rancher, Luke Redgrave. He was looking for a bull to sire some young heifers, and I had just what he was looking for. It was a good deal for both us and also the only reason I would take time out away from my extremely busy ranch.
My ranch had over four hundred acres of land with several hundred cattle. The main house was large, but it mostly was for show. It came with the property. The bunkhouse was where my ranch hands stayed, and that held all twelve of my men. There was still plenty of room when we had the warm season and needed some extra help. Once spring came, I’d have a larger staff and would need to be on the property all the time.
“Hello, William,” Mrs. Calvert called out as she walked past me on my way to my destination.
“Good day, ma’am,” I responded but kept my head mostly down to stop the sudden biting wind that had hit my face again.
The sun was still shining despite the cold, brisk air causing my eyes to narrow into little slits. I was just about to walk into the bar where Redgrave and I had agreed to meet when I spotted a scene in front of me that raised my hackles. Very little about people’s personal lives bothered me. I had my own problems; I didn’t need to borrow trouble. The way I figured it was if it didn’t affect me, then it was none of my business. This, however, wasn’t something I cared for. Frankly, it pissed me off.
A well-dressed couple stepped out of a blacked out SUV. The woman immediately caught my attention because she was fucking stunning. Her dark hair stuck out of her puffy coat that only went to her waist. She didn’t have sunglasses on despite the sun, so I got a perfect view of her flawless face. Extremely beautiful was all I could think of. Hell, the prettiest thing I ever saw. But it was the men around her that caught my attention and pissed me off. The man that exited with her held the woman roughly by the arm, and the look on his face said that he wasn’t above killing her. They both wore wedding bands so I knew they had to be married, but it didn’t make it right. She actually looked terrified. The men around them were clearly his guards. When I looked at the husband, I wanted to bury him. He disgusted me on sight. Everything about him screamed worthless. He was definitely a criminal and a loser.
I moved to step to them but saw the slight shake of her head. It was a warning sign. She was telling me it would be worse for her if I said a word, but I couldn’t stand by and just let the physical terror I could see in her eyes go. They needed to know someone was on to them and that this town was made of real men willing to end this guy and his lackeys.
“Excuse me, y’all are in my way,” I said looking pointedly past the bastard that had his paws dug into that girl’s arm.
“Calm down, cowboy. Don’t look at her, she isn’t for the taking. She’s my wife,” he warned me when it was clear that I was staring at her.
“Well, from what it looks like, you’re a piece of shit, and she could do a hell of a lot better, but I’m not interested anyway. Now, I asked you politely to get the fuck out of my way, but it seems you don’t like civility, city boy.”
One of his guards pulled open his jacket and showed me the gun he had strapped to his waist. Fucking pussy weapon. I opened my coat and let him take a look at my peacemaker. “Now, boy, you’re in the wild west. Don’t start no shit you can’t finish. I’ll put a hole in ya faster than Wyatt Earp. And just so ya know, he’s the fastest shooter of his day.”
“Cowboy, we’re not looking for trouble,” the husband raised his hand that wasn’t attached to her in a motion of surrender.
“No? Then why the fuck aren’t you getting out of my way? I’ve got shit to do. Fuck, I hate tourists. Haven’t y’all seen snow?” I wanted to take the pressure off of her. Making it known that I was more annoyed with their presence than interested in her.
“Excuse us.” He nodded to his men and they stepped away from the sidewalk, and I was able to move along. I was going to call the police about them. Something about him told me the sheriff would spot them soon. I hoped to fuck they weren’t here to buy up property. We didn’t need that kind of people in the area.
Well, the girl could stay.
After the meeting with Redgrave, I called the sheriff. “Sheriff White. This is William Cline.”
“Hey, Will, how’s it going?”
“I’m just curious. Did you see those out-of-towners in suits?”
“Yes, they’re supposedly on vacation. I just spoke with the husband. He told me that he didn’t like the people here.”
“Yeah, well just so you know, I confronted him earlier. They were blocking the sidewalk and in my opinion, holding his wife’s arm in anger. One of his men showed me their gun, but I showed him mine, and they moved along.”
“Do you want me to have them arrested?”
“Would that cause more trouble than it’s worth? I’m worried that they’ll make people pay here for that.”
“Yeah. You’re right. As much as I can arrest them for intimidation with a weapon, I’m sure they could wiggle their way out of it in a minute.”
“It’s probably best that we watch and see.”
“Yep, I’ll pretend that this conversation hasn’t happened.”
“Okay. Let me know if you need any help.” I hung up with him and headed back to the ranch. I had some paperwork to deal with and needed an assistant badly, but I didn’t trust others with my financials on account of the stories you always hear about people getting taken by their accountants. That shit wasn’t going down with me. Which meant I had to do a lot of the bookwork myself. It sucked, but I knew where my money was. That’s why I had such a large crew.
Later that evening, right before dinner, something about the situation earlier bothered me too much to forget. I didn't know if it was because of the obvious fear in the woman’s eyes or the instant desire I felt just from the eye contact, but I needed to know she was going to be okay. I called White, but he didn’t answer, so I hopped in my truck. As I exited my ranch, three sheriff’s vehicles sped down the road. A chill ran up my spine; I knew it had to do with her.
When I arrived in town, the bastard husband was standing there pretending to be upset.
No. He couldn't have.
I felt my heart sink. He killed her. I was too late. What the fuck was wrong with me. I shouldn’t have let her stay there with him, husband or not. It wasn’t my place, but now she was gone. The mysterious young beauty’s life was over.
I walked up to where that fucker was standing with the cops. Not giving a shit who he was, I wanted answers, but before I could deck the fucker, he said, "Maybe this bastard knows where my wife is.”
The sheriff looked at him like he was crazy and said, "Mr. Cline? I doubt that. He's rarely in town."
"Sheriff White, what is this criminal talking about?" I gritted. He gave me a glare that was supposed to get me pissing in my pants, but I wasn't scared. I carried two guns on me at all times, and I was a great shot. I've got a bull that was more intimidating than this little bitch.
"Mr. Santini's wife has disappeared. After an argument, she stormed off."
"I wouldn't blame her after what I saw earlier." He gave me a look again like I needed to shut the fuck up, but I wasn't going to back down.
"What happened, Will?" the sheriff asked curiously while giving this Santini character a suspicious glance. He needed to slap the cuffs on the fucker on the spot. Every part of me knew he did something to her. He reeked of sick fuck. I hated him, and I hate myself at the moment. That sweet little thing was probably buried somewhere.
I growled and broadened my shoulders. "This fuck and his men were getting out of the vehicle, and he was manhandling her. If I were you, I'd be looking at this more than a runaway wife. I wouldn’t be surprised if you found her buried in the snow somewhere."
"You don't know when to shut your fucking mouth, boy," he barked. The prick looked like he was itching to get dropped. That threat wouldn’t hold water when I put a bullet in his brain.
"Mr. Santini, if I were you, I'd refrain from insulting the richest man in town. I’ll have you locked up on charges so fast your head will spin. I know your type so I’m giving you a warning, don’t start a fight you can’t win. There isn’t a soul in town that wouldn’t stand by Mr. Cline."
He eyed me, and I could see the wheels turning in his head. "Really? So you run this shit. Then she must’ve run off with you. That lying bitch loves to go where the money is. She was nothing but a poor waitress when she climbed all over me pretending to be pregnant."
"Ya see what I'm talking about, White? He's got no respect for his wife. No love lost in that marriage.” I looked right at the fucker and said, “I don’t know where your wife is, but even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”
Looking back at Sheriff White, I added. “If you need help looking for her let me know. Some of my men can lend a hand. Excuse me, I was just about to sit down for a nice supper before the city folk brought their ruckus." I turned to address the thug one last time. "Just in case you get any funny ideas, I carry with me at all times, and my home has the best security money can buy—the best. I think I'll let Stanley out to roam the area tonight."
I tipped my hat and jumped back into my truck. I could hear the sheriff tell him, “That’s his massive bull. He’s uncontrollable.”
I smiled and made my way out of the parking spot. My phone buzzed just as I hit the main road back home. “What’s up, Ryder?”
“The Wilcox’s eldest boy was by Ender’s Pass today. Those city folks were there earlier. He said he hid before they could see them. His papa just called to let you know because he heard the man’s missus was missing.”
“Thanks, Ryder.”
Ryder and I have known each other all our lives. He was a total bad ass, but his leg was broken during a bull riding accident, so he couldn’t inspect the area himself. I slammed my fist into the steering wheel, pissed because I hadn’t acted sooner.
I called my ranch manager Mateo. “Mateo, I need you to meet me at Ender’s Pass. Use your horse so we don’t leave too many tire tracks. I think they did something with the woman I had mentioned earlier. Get the men ready for whatever’s about to happen. If she’s found alive, this is all hush hush. Understood?” I didn’t know what to expect or if I would need their help.
“On my way now, boss.”
My palms were sweating; hell, all of me was sweating in the dead of winter. I had to lower my windows to feel the night air hit me. It was winter, and our horses were made for the cold. With my heated blood, I understood how they could manage the weather. I drove with the cold air on my face, riding my truck down the steep side of the pass. I knew where there was access to a small river bed. Above it was a twenty-foot cliff, and sure enough, there was a body at the edge of the river.
Fear and dread hit me along with a shitload of guilt. I jumped out of my truck making sure to turn off all the lights so that no one could see me. Climbing down the short distance, it felt like an eternity. My brother and I always played down here, and it never felt this long before. The night wind was rough, and it made it look like she was moving, but I figured that was just my imagination.
I knelt down before her, and she was breathing. Her eyes widened. “My husband,” she sighed weakly, reaching towards my cheek. I didn’t know if she was telling me it was him or if she thought I was her husband in the dark of night. Her injuries were hard to observe, but the bone sticking out of her other arm indicated that it was obviously broken.
Mateo pulled up and hopped off his horse.
“She needs medical attention, but I don’t want to take her into town. If they know she’s been rescued, they’ll finish what it seems they started.” How could we manage it without them finding out?
“Yeah, that shiner isn’t from a fall,” he said. “I’ll lower the tailgate, and we can lay her in the bed. Then we’ll call Dr. Evans to the main house. He’ll keep it a secret and has worked on people with worse injuries in the field.”
“Okay, let’s get moving.” Mateo moved up the hill and undid the flatbed. I looked down on her and promised, “Sugar, I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
“Thank you, husband,” she whispered before closing her eyes. Fuck, I shouldn’t let that get to me, but it did. My heart was thumping hard.
When he came back, we gingerly loaded her onto the bed of the truck. “I’ll call the doc on the way to the house. Wipe any tracks as best as you can. Thanks, Mateo.”
Phoning the doctor, I said, “Doc Evans. I need you at my ranch. I have a woman beaten and broken, but this has to be kept a secret.”
“Is it the missing wife? I heard about her disappearance.” Nothing in town was a secret unless it was necessary.
“Yes, please hurry. She has a broken arm at the very least.”
“Walking out my door. I’ll be there in ten,” he said before hanging up.
I safely but quickly drove back home while Mateo followed behind on his horse Kelly. The whole way I prayed that they didn’t see us with her. I would have put her in the cab, but with her injuries, it wasn’t safe. I had no idea if anything was damaged inside her little body. We entered my gated ranch house, and my other men were waiting to help.
We brought her inside just as the doctor arrived. He went into the room with my housekeeper to tend to her. I didn’t want to hear him fixing her bones, so I took my boys back outside to get our shit together. There was no way I’d let Santini get a hold of her. Part of me wanted to hunt him down but going to prison wasn’t on my agenda, and I didn’t trust the government when it came to gangsters. They got away with entirely too much because they paid everyone off or killed those who talked. I had to make sure they believed she was dead. It was plausible that she had floated away with the debris.
“Boys, do me a favor. Stay on the perimeter. No one knows she’s here. Her husband and his goons tried to kill her, and I don’t want them to get a second chance.” There was a collective gasp followed by a room full of angry, stormy-faced men. It was just what I had hoped.
“We got this,” Davy, my one ranch hand who tapped his side piece, said.
“Yeah, we can blow them away if they try to get on this property,” Mateo added. I was sure that they wouldn’t say a word. My men knew that crossing me wasn’t cool, and they’d be canned really fucking quick. Besides, not one of my guys would tolerate domestic violence. I sent them on their way so I could check on her.
“Doc, how’s she doing?” I asked, running my hands through my hair.
“Well, I’ve managed to set her bones, but she’s going to need meds for the pain and the possible infection. I only have enough medicine with me to last a little while. Do you know if she’s pregnant?” Growling, the thought of her being pregnant with that monster’s baby pissed me off.
“No, I don’t know anything about her except her husband is a fucking thug. Hell, I don’t even know her name.”
“It’s Ana,” my housekeeper Laura said. She came out of the bedroom just after the doctor. Before she became a widow, she was a nurse but losing her husband had been too painful, and she couldn’t go back to the hospital anymore. Her experience had come in handy over the past two years, but I needed it the most tonight.
“How do you know? Did she say?” I asked hopefully. Maybe she’d been awake for some time.
“No, I was in town with Mateo earlier when she first went
missing
,” she said with bullshit air quotes.
“Well, do you think she’s going to make it?” Contemplating that she wouldn’t survive felt like a punch in the gut. We’d only shared a moment together, yet I knew her death would devastate me. My heart demanded she live.
“I believe so, but there’s a bunch of bruising, the broken arm, and multiple lacerations. Overall, I can’t find any internal bleeding which is remarkable considering most of her injuries weren’t from the fall. There was a shoe print on her waist.”
“That’s what I thought. He beat her,” I groused. I knew that from the start. I wished I could have pulled her from them when I saw her earlier in the day. If I had, she’d have been here safe instead of broken.
But what would have happened if I had? They would bring hell to town and to my family.
“I’ll be back in the morning to check on her. Just so you know, I’m here to check on you, Laura, should anyone ask. You’ve got a fever and flu developing.” We both nodded, and the doctor left with his bag and story in hand.
“You met him?” Laura asked. “Her bastard husband.”
“Yes, earlier. I was going to the meeting with Redgrave, and I saw them on Market Street. He was holding her a little too aggressively, so I gave him a hard time about being in my way, hoping he’d realize that I saw his behavior and chill with his hold on her. I would have taken her away if she didn’t have eight other guys surrounding her. I could’ve only taken out a few of them before the rest were all on me. I thought it was the right choice at the time. Now, I wish I had chosen differently.”
“It’s not your fault, Will. He was planning to hurt her one way or another. You weren’t the only one who saw the strained dynamics. I ran into the receptionist from the hotel they were staying at, and she said that you could cut the tension with a knife.”
“I don’t know. I feel like an ass. I should have knocked him out, then we would have both been arrested and she would be away from him.”
“Baby boy, your life has been blessed, and thankfully so, but domestic violence is something I know a lot about.”
I couldn’t believe that Laura’s husband would ever have beaten her, especially given the way she mentioned him so fondly. I gave her a look of surprise, but she shook her head.
“Oh no, Elvin never laid his hands on me. I was talking about working as a nurse. Many times, victims of abuse would come in with a million excuses as to how they got their injuries. From falls to “Oh, I made him do it.” What was worse was that if a victim tried to break free from her abuser, he would kill her. It happened so often that I couldn’t even understand why they stayed, but that man of Ana’s, as I hear it, is a known criminal in Texas. So, she probably couldn’t leave even if she tried.”
“But if I’d acted, she could have gotten away then.”
“William, it’s not that simple. He’s a mobster. The sheriff’s department might want to hold him, but people like him have way too many connections and can get away with a lot. If he did, she’d pay even more. She probably got off easy in comparison.”
“I don’t think so,” I grumbled. Her body had been abused beyond belief. I knew the pain had to be excruciating. When I was twenty-four, I got into a serious accident after riding a bull. I was speared in my lower region, losing most of my feeling in my cock. As a young guy, I wanted to die. For years, I’d gone without having sex. My girlfriend at the time took off running with the next bull rider. It wasn’t her abandonment that fucked with my head but the fact that no way was I ever going to have a family. Now four years later, I’m a super-wealthy cattle rancher because I had all the time in the world to devote to working. I had sensation in my cock, but never enough to keep it up long enough to fuck a girl.