Page 90 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

Mack took another step toward him. “Madison doesn’t love you anymore. She doesn’t belong to you. Sheneverdid.”

“She’s a weak woman who needs a man to take careofher.”

“Not from whatI’veseen.”

Ben sneered. “Then you’reafool.”

Mack balled his fists. “Get the hell out of here and don’tcomeback.”

As he advanced toward Ben, the wiry man scrambled to his feet and dashed into the kitchen. Mackchasedhim.

Ben flung anything he could reach onto the floor behind him. A wake of spatulas, pans, and mason jars filled with sugar and flour clattered onto thefloor.

When Ben rounded the corner, he grabbed for a knife out of the knife block. A glint of silver flashed a second before Ben disappeared into the dining room. Mack slowed his pace. He could win a knife fight, so he selected a long chef’s knife from theblock.

With his back pressed against the wall, he quickly looked around the corner in an attempt to find Ben. The dining room sat still. The table cloth and curtains hung straight. It was as if Ben had stalked through the room with such animosity that even the normally billowing curtains frozeinfear.

Mack narrowed his gaze and listened intently. Nothing moved. Wind whispered against the side of the house. The utter stillness grated on his nerves. He needed a clue as to Ben’slocation.

As Mack stepped into the dining room, a pop sounded. The center of the dining room table exploded in a storm of wood shards. Mack immediately dropped to the floor. He’d been expecting a knife, not a gun. Whatthehell?

“Come out here, bear-man,” Bentaunted.

Mack crawled across splinters of wood toward Ben’s voice. As he passed under the window, he considered slipping out to get his gun from the truck, but that would mean leaving Madison alone with Ben. That sure as hell wasn’t going to happen. He neededanotherplan.

Right now, Ben would be expecting him to come through the living room. If he circled around through the kitchen, he might have achance.

His bear roared with rage. The beast wanted to be unleashed, but Mack held him in. If he was in his bear form, he’d knock things over left and right, leading Ben right to him. He’d also only have his claws and teeth to use as weapons. He’d never be able to get close enough to attack because Ben would shoot him first. If he could somehow lure Ben out of the house, then he’d be able toshift.

Buoyed by the new plan, Mack crawled into the kitchen, then slowly stood. If he touched any of the obstacles in his way, the sound would give away his location. He picked a path through the various pots, pans, and kitchen utensils as he moved toward the foyer. If he could reach the door, he could draw Ben away fromMadison.

Two steps from the foyer, footsteps rushed out of the living room. Ben skidded into view and leveled a sleek black gun at him. “Goingsomewhere?”

Still semi-crouched, Mack rose to his full height. He wouldn’t let this pathetic excuse for a man intimidate him. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to let this maniac get his hands on Madison. He’d die before he saw her hurtagain.

Mack held up his hands. He needed to get the guy talking until he could find a way out of this. If Ben had intended to kill him, he would have done it already. Mack had no idea why Ben hadn’t shot him, but he could use that to his advantage. The man obviously wanted somethingfromhim.

“Madison won’t leave with you,”Macksaid.

“She will. She has no choice. I won’t let her make me look like a fool in front of societyagain.”

“You shouldn’t have cheatedonher.”

Ben waved the gun. “One dalliance and she loseshermind.”

“She had every right tobemad.”

“What do you know about it, cowboy? You have no idea what it’s like in a big city when everyone’s looking to you as their leader. Everything must be perfect. Everythingwasperfect until she left me. I saw them whispering. I saw them laughing at me behind my back.” Ben’s voice rose. “I’ll punish her for making me the laughingstock of Seattle. Hell, she should be lucky I still want her. Any other man would cast heraside.”

“Why don’t you just lethergo?”

“Never. She’s mine until death do us part. When I put that ring on her finger, I bound her to me. Even though we haven’t been officially married, she’s still my wife. Now andforever.”

Mack’s belly clenched. He wasn’t dealing with a rational person. The guy was completely delusional and Mack had no doubt that he’d hurt Madison if given thechance.

Ben continued, “Enough talk. I want you to turn into a bear again. I want to hang your head on my wall, a trophy made from the bear-man who almost took my wife awayfromme.”

“No.”