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Chapter Twenty-Two

One text to Webb had the ranch workers catching a ride with a neighbor and returning to the Gracey Ranch. One text to his friend Ross had a man on the way.

Colton’s chest pounded with the adrenaline racing through his system. Some sixth sense he was thankful he was born with—one that had kept him out of the line of fire so many times—had seen him walking out of Badlands and jumping in the truck.

The urge to return to the ranch, to be with Meadow, overpowered him.

Now he knew why. But it offered no comfort.

A strange man lay dead in the barn, his neck broken from being hurled into the wall. Colton hadn’t even meant to cause such damage—in fact, he wished he were alive so he could do worse. The bastard deserved far worse than a quick death.

If he’d been even a minute later, who knew what he would have walked into that barn, to find.

Meadow stood in a ring of headlights from police vehicles, a blanket draped over her narrow shoulders, recounting her story to them.

He hung out at the entrance of the barn, battling the need to destroy, maim and kill.

The cops and the coroner surrounded the body. Overhead, the bright bulbs of the ceiling lights sent an unnatural glare through the space that usually seemed so warm and homey for the horses.

Now death and despair hung in the barn.

Someone stepped up beside him. Colton turned his head to look at Webb.

“Jesus Christ, Nox.” The man scuffed his knuckles over his short beard.

“It’s not over. Far from it.”

“You’re right. Dude’s missing.”

Shock tore through him. Fuck—in his worry over Meadow, he hadn’t even given the ranch hand a thought.

A twist of pain in his stomach told him of another sixth sense—that the man he’d trusted with Meadow’s safety…was dead.

Another life on his conscience. If he’d stayed behind instead of going to the bar looking for answers, he would have prevented all of this.

“Fuck,” he muttered.

“That doesn’t begin to describe this fucking mess, but I get what you’re saying.”

“We have to start looking for him.”

“The guys are already out searching the outbuildings. I’m riding out in a minute to help in the search. I only came in here to suggest that you stay with Meadow.”

He twisted to look out the door at Meadow standing in the wreath of headlights, her face stark white and the blanket hanging around her like a shroud.

“I’ll never let her out of my sight again.”

“Good. It looks like the best man won.” Webb walked off before Colton could fully process his words.

The cops were still involved with the body, and Colton was no longer questioned for the moment.

Meadow needed him now.

As he approached her, she looked up, eyes wide and fixed until she seemed to realize she was staring at him. She broke away from the officer.

Colton rushed toward her, his arms already opening to receive her as she hurried to him.

As soon as he tucked her against his body, he was able to take a deep breath. But it didn’t stop the pounding agony of what might have happened if he hadn’t left the bar when he did.