Page 18 of Brave Horizons (Barrington Billionaires #19)

TOPEKA

The truck pulled up to the farm, the gravel crunching beneath the tires as they came to a stop.

Topeka stepped out, her body aching from the long hours spent cramped in the vehicle.

She stretched, trying to work out the kinks in her muscles, the exhaustion from their restless night weighing heavily on her.

Alex looked nervous and uncomfortable, his usual confidence shaken.

Topeka realized that maybe they wouldn’t be as welcome here as he had made it sound.

Her eyes darted around the open space, taking in the large farmhouse and the surrounding fields.

The place seemed serene, but there was an underlying tension in the air.

“Everything okay?” Topeka asked, her voice gentle.

Russ helped Hillary out of the truck and they stretched too. It was a relief for all of them to be there, but Alex didn’t look relieved.

Topeka’s eyes met Alex’s, and she gave him a small, reassuring smile, even though her own doubts were growing.

Before anyone could say more, the front door of the farmhouse opened, and a woman stepped out onto the porch.

She was dressed in a flowing white linen dress, her long dark hair blowing gently in the wind.

For a moment, she looked like a scene from a movie—a wife waiting for her soldier husband to come home.

One hand was propped on her hip, and her expression was mysterious, unreadable.

Topeka couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy. The woman looked so composed, so at ease in her surroundings. It was a stark contrast to how Topeka felt inside—frazzled, uncertain, and on edge.

“Alex,” the woman called out, her voice carrying across the yard.

“Miranda,” Alex replied, stepping forward. “I know this is unexpected. I’m sorry to just show up.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Miranda asked, the harshness in her voice rattling Topeka. “You can’t just show up like this.”

Alex looked apologetic, struggling to find the right words. “We need a place to stay, only for a few days. We’re in a lot of trouble and I’ve got no other options.”

Miranda’s eyes narrowed as she studied the group. “You’re always in trouble, Alex. Always dragging your messes into my life. I don’t hear from you for years, and you think I’m going to open my door to you and a bunch of strangers?”

Topeka felt a surge of defensiveness for Alex but kept quiet, knowing it wasn’t her place to speak up yet. She glanced at Russ and Hillary, who looked equally uneasy.

“Miranda, please,” Alex pleaded. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t serious. We’re out of options.”

“I have a life here,” Miranda pleaded. “I run a business here. Whatever this is, I’m not interested in getting involved. Those days are over.”

“I’m not asking for anything but a place to lie low for a few days.

Maybe even less. We’ve lost contact with the people who can help us, but I know it won’t be long before we connect again.

Then there will be no shortage of options for us to be safe and on our way.

Miranda, this went sideways and I’ve got to make sure nothing happens to them. ”

“Right,” Miranda sighed. “Why are you always in a position to be the last line of defense? Doesn’t that strike you as odd, Alex? Everyone else bails and you stay. But only when it comes to your life being on the line. Otherwise you’re great at running.”

It became suddenly clear to Topeka that Miranda was likely one of the women who’d had a list of reasons and personal experience with why Alex was hard to love.

Miranda glanced at Topeka, her expression softening slightly. "You all look exhausted. Come inside. You can stay, but keep your heads down and don’t cause any trouble."

“Thank you,” Alex said, relief evident in his voice. “We won’t be any trouble. I promise.”

Topeka winced at his words. He was in no position to make that kind of promise. Not with how much trouble they were all in at this point. It felt disingenuous to tell Miranda it would all work out when none of them knew that to be true.

Miranda turned and walked back into the house, leaving the door open behind her.

Topeka followed Alex up the steps, her nerves on high alert.

She could feel the tension between Alex and Miranda, and it only added to her own unease.

What kind of history did Alex have with this woman?

And would it affect their chances of staying safe there?

The interior of the farmhouse was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the tension outside. Wooden floors, rustic furniture, and the smell of something cooking in the kitchen gave the place a homey feel. All Topeka could hope was that they’d leave this place as perfect as they found it.

“Come in,” Miranda said, her voice firm but not unkind.

“I’ll let you stay but there are rules. So let’s get a few things straight.

No guns in the house. If you’re carrying, leave them outside.

Lock them up and put them away. The back side of this farm is where I run my business.

There are kids coming and going all day for riding lessons and horse camp.

I won’t have them coming in contact with weapons. ”

Alex nodded. “I’ll make sure all weapons are secure in my truck once we get settled in here.”

“No bringing trouble to my doorstep,” Miranda continued, her eyes locking with Alex’s. “If you intend to communicate with whoever you need to, it can't be on my property. I’m not looking to get into whatever fight you’re in. Nothing tracks back here. ”

Topeka felt a surge of gratitude for Miranda’s straightforwardness. Despite her obvious reservations, she was giving them a place to stay. “Thank you,” Topeka said quietly. “We appreciate you taking us in.”

Miranda’s eyes finally landed on Topeka, and she seemed to take a closer look. Her expression shifted from guarded to shocked. “Wait a minute. You’re the girl from the news. The one they’ve been looking for. Did you kidnap this girl?” She turned to Alex and scrutinized his response.

“Of course I didn’t. She hasn’t been kidnapped. She’s on the run.” Alex closed his eyes and shook his head. “Do you really think I’d do something like that?”

Miranda’s back stiffened. “I know her dad, the guy who seems to have a whole army under his control back in Texas certainly keeps saying on the news that she’s been taken. He seems to believe it’s for ransom. There’s a huge reward for anyone who helps bring her home.”

“If I go home, my father will kill me. And that’s not hyperbole. He wants me dead. That army he seems to have under his control is something he’s taken years to build. It’s come at the cost of many lives and dirty secrets.”

“And you know where the bodies are buried, as they say?” Miranda raised a beautifully sculpted eyebrow knowingly.

“Yes.” Topeka’s stomach churned. “But I promise we won’t bring any trouble here. We need a safe place for a few days. We’ve lost contact with the people who are helping me. But it will be briefly.”

Miranda took a step back, crossing her arms over her chest. “This is a lot more than I bargained for, Alex. Someone could spot her here and call the police. You could bring all this trouble right here and ruin me.”

“That won’t happen,” Alex said, his voice calm but urgent. “She’ll stay out of sight. We’re desperate. Topeka’s in serious danger, and we have nowhere else to go.”

Miranda sighed, running a hand through her hair. “And these other two?” She looked at Russ and Hillary for a long moment. “I haven’t seen them on the news.”

Russ laughed. “Which is disappointing because I’m a reporter. My whole goal is for people to see me on the news.”

Miranda didn’t laugh. She only waited for Hillary to speak up. “I work for the people helping Topeka. I’m a lawyer.”

“So I’ve got a runaway. A reporter. A lawyer. And a...” She gave a long look to Alex. “I don’t have any proper words for you. Nothing I can say in this Christian house anyway. You’re putting me in a difficult position, you know that?”

“I do,” Alex replied. “But I wouldn’t be here if I had any other choice.”

Miranda looked at Topeka again, her expression softening slightly. “Fine. You can stay. But remember the rules. No guns, no trouble, and no communication from my property.”

“We understand,” Topeka said, nodding gratefully. “Thank you, Miranda. ”

“I’ve got a room my nieces usually stay in when they come for a week in the summer.”

As they followed Miranda through the farmhouse, Topeka couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. The woman had been generous to take them in, but the reality of their situation was pressing on her. They were far from safe, and every moment they spent here put Miranda at risk too.

Miranda led them to a small, cozy room with a couple of cots and a couch. “It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.”

“It’s perfect,” Topeka said, trying to sound more cheerful than she felt. “We’ll make it work.”

Miranda left them alone in the small room, closing the door behind her with a soft click. The room was silent for a moment, everyone processing the whirlwind of events that had brought them here.

Hillary broke the silence with a sigh. "Well, looks like we're all going to get to know each other a lot better. Before last night I've never shared a room with three strangers. I thought that possibility was behind me."

Russ chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"By the end of the week, we'll know each other better than most families do. Trust me, I’ve been embedded with the military, gone out on deployments as media with them. I've slept in the dirt next to twenty guys, sharing everything from stories to rations. It’s great for bonding.”

Topeka smiled weakly at Russ's attempt at humor. "I suppose we'll have to make the best of it. It's only temporary. "

Hillary rolled her eyes but couldn't help a small smile. "Easy for you to say. I'm an only child. I’ve never had to share anything, let alone a room with three other people. I wasn’t really looking for bonding. This was supposed to be a few hours of my life then I was going to be back home."

Russ raised an eyebrow. "An only child, huh? Well, consider this your crash course in sibling dynamics. It’s like summer camp, but with higher stakes."

Topeka sat down on one of the cots, feeling the exhaustion settle in. "Let’s just focus on staying safe and out of sight. We’ll be out of here soon enough. I feel terrible for what we’ve asked of Miranda. She was clearly not happy."

Alex, who had been silent, finally spoke up. "I’ll secure the weapons in the truck and make sure everything’s locked up tight. We’ll follow her rules and be out of here as soon as we can."

Hillary looked at him with skepticism. "You’re going to use the satellite phone though, right? Or try the burner? We can’t stay in complete radio silence forever.”

Alex shook his head. “Miranda took a big risk letting us in and I’m going to do what she’s asked. I’ll make a few runs a day off the property and way out of the way. Then I’ll try the satellite phone and if that doesn’t work in a couple days, the burner.”

Hillary looked frustrated but didn’t argue. Her curiosity seemed more pressing. “What’s the story with Miranda? You two have a history, don’t you?"

Alex hesitated, his gaze shifting to the floor. "We have some history, yes. She was... important to me once. But that was a long time ago. Right now, she’s our best option for a safe place."

Topeka felt a pang of jealousy but pushed it aside. This wasn’t the time or place to dwell on personal feelings. They needed to focus on survival not relationships. It was silly to even waste time on such things. What did it matter when around every corner could be a bullet with her name on it?