Page 8 of Captured by the Billionaire Cowboy (The Secret Billionaires #7)
R owan narrowed his eyes.
Quinn’s smile only widened. “What do you say, brother?”
What could he say? Admit he’d raced here the moment he discovered Ciara’s return? Share he was already imagining things he had no right imagining? Reveal this was indeed the woman who inspired his first vacation in over a decade?
His brothers may frustrate him, but their arrival was timely.
They provided a reminder of who he was, the responsibilities he bore and what he had become.
He played the role his father once held, caretaker of the business, the ranch, Davey, and to a smaller extent Quinn and Spencer.
To accomplish that, he had to become his father.
It was why he would never be one in real life.
It was why he’d purposely destroyed the relationship that could have meant everything.
Why a woman like Ciara, crafted of joy, kindness and pure sunshine, could never be his.
And why he’d broken her heart, made her believe he didn’t love her when she was the single light in his darkness.
Making her hate him was the only way to stop her from loving him.
As for his emotions… they must remain in the darkness.
Ciara deserved a fairy tale life, with a doting husband and perfect family.
As a child, she shared dreams of the future she envisioned, yet even back then, he couldn’t be that person.
No one deserved a husband or father made of stone, a man who couldn’t show his emotions, a man who didn’t have time to eat dinner with his wife or teach his son to drive, to watch his baseball games or tuck him in at night.
To say, even once, that he loved him.
Because like his father, he was incapable of it.
“I’m glad you’re here.” Rowan folded his arms across his chest. “I have some manure that needs shoveling.”
Quinn whistled. “Such challenging words from the stoic Rowan Byrne. What happened to the unflappable commander?”
Ciara happened to him. She’d returned to his life mere hours ago, yet she’d already unbalanced his carefully scripted world.
She’d always had that effect on him. “Ciara, these are my brothers: Quinn, Spencer and Davey. They help me run the family ranches and breeding programs. Spencer also works with computers.”
Ciara smiled warmly at Quinn and Spencer, before turning to Davey.
Familiar tension rose, as it always did whenever a stranger met his youngest sibling.
People didn’t realize how much a funny look or a simple stare could hurt the sensitive man.
His disability didn’t mean he lacked emotion, and it definitely didn’t mean he misunderstood when people treated him differently.
Yet as Ciara gazed at Davey, her smile only grew. “Rowan didn’t tell me he had such a handsome brother. You must be the popular one.”
Davey flushed with pleasure. “It’s nice to meet you,” he said politely.
“The pleasure is mine.” She gave him her full attention. “I look forward to spending time with you.” She looked to the rest of his brothers. “With all of you. How long are you planning to stay?”
“For a while.” Quinn tipped his hat. “We’re here to help.”
“Although I don’t want to shovel manure!” Davey wrinkled his nose. “Pee-ew.”
Before Rowan could assure him he’d been joking, Ciara spoke first, “Don’t worry, Davey.” She winked. “Rowan already said that was his favorite job.”
His brothers snickered. A horse neighed. Ciara laughed. “But we’re going to need some help washing the horses.” She pointed to a pile of soft cloths and brushes in the corner. “You’re welcome to help if you’d like.”
Davey brightened and turned to Rowan, who gave a quick nod. “That would be awesome.”
“Awesome.” Ciara gave a thumbs up to the youngest sibling. The she turned to Spencer, and her gaze turned speculative. “You may deserve to shovel manure.”
He chuckled, drawled in smooth tones, “I’m happy to help in any way I can.”
Then Ciara smiled at his brother. Which was annoying.
And he smiled back. Which was really, really annoying.
The fact that it was annoying was also... well, annoying.
“Why did you claim Rowan doesn’t take vacations?” She lifted a hand. “He said he took one last week.”
Uh-oh.
Spencer frowned, then his lips curved up. “Are you counting the double root canal?”
Darn. “It wasn’t work.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“It counts.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Agree to disagree.”
Ciara laughed. It was soft, melodic, and all-too-addicting. “Sitting back in a chair and relaxing with the special air?”
“Exactly.” He had to regain control of the situation. “I came to help Ciara’s horses. They were hours away from slaughter.”
His brothers instantly sobered, their expressions varying shades of disgust, sorrow and fury. “That’s horrific,” Quinn bit out. “I can’t believe that still happens in modern times.”
“I thought I was rescuing one horse, but when I arrived I discovered a dozen animals. Any horse I didn’t immediately buy would be sent for slaughter.
” Ciara closed her eyes, blinked them open.
“I used the last of my savings to pay for the horses, but there wasn’t enough to board them.
My uncail said I could bring them here. I was going to leave right away, but Rowan offered to help find homes for them. ”
His brothers listened intently. “We’ll do whatever we can to help,” Spencer pledged.
“Even if it means shoveling manure.” This time, Quinn’s voice was sincere, his tone even.
A sliver of tension escaped from his muscles. His brothers may jest, but they loved horses as much as he did, and would happily do the dirty jobs to help them. Well, perhaps not happily, but they would do them. They truly were good men.
Of course, he would provide all the support Ciara needed, yet he could easily do so from afar, providing financial and logistical aid. This truly was the first vacation he’d taken in years, because even he knew dental work didn’t count.
He’d come to see Ciara.
She was a beauty in his memories, yet reality shattered expectations. She was vibrant and strong, a fighter dedicated to her causes. He shouldn’t let her affect him, couldn’t even consider more with a woman who gave her heart to everything and everyone.
His heart was far too damaged.
Of course, that didn’t mean he couldn’t help. After all these years, he deserved a vacation, and since he was cavity-free, this would have to be it.
In the meantime, he would enjoy a little more of Ciara’s sunshine.
“You’re safe,” Ciara whispered. “Everything will be all right.”
Jasmine snorted in alarm, stumbling back. Ciara blinked, wiping at the grief threatening to spill from her eyes . A near impossible endeavor, yet the horse needed as much positive energy as possible. “Relax, sweetheart,” she crooned.
Jasmine and the other horses were now clean.
Along with Davey and several hired workers, they’d given each horse a thorough yet gentle washing.
They’d been extremely careful of any wounds the animals carried, physically and mentally, as well as to keep their temperature steady.
The horses’ coats now shined, and they seemed happier, too.
Who knew when they had last been washed and groomed properly?
They also spent a lot of time in the paddock.
The ranch had several expansive paddocks, all with shade and interior areas to keep the horses cool, and places where they could socialize, exercise and relax.
Carefully crafted diets would help them regain their weight, muscle and strength, while personalized medications addressed specific conditions.
Workers were constantly on hand to care for the horses.
Rowan had excused himself to do some work.
Apparently, the man who considered dental work a vacation wouldn’t stop working because he was on, well, a vacation.
She’d caught him watching from the window, however, although he turned away as soon as he noticed her perusal.
He seemed different with his brothers, more reserved, with his mask firmly in place.
Not like before, when he’d shown a glimpse of the real Rowan.
She wanted more.
She shouldn’t, after what he had done. She’d been ensnared once and had paid for it with her heart. Yet time had changed him… and her. One thing hadn’t changed: the connection that sparked the moment they were near.
Do not fall again.
His brothers were good men. Of course, Davey was a sweetheart, and Quinn and Spencer were, too, in spite of their brotherly ribbing. Spencer even offered to set up the listings, which she gratefully accepted.
Voices sounded outside the stable, and she pivoted just as Rowan and Uncail Frank entered, accompanied by an older woman and a young girl.
Ciara wiped her hands on her worn jeans, spreading tiny clouds of dust that tickled her nose.
She didn’t have enough clothing to change, at least not until the reinforcements her sister sent arrived.
Rowan, however, had changed into an outfit that somehow made him even more attractive.
Deep blue jeans stretched against muscular legs, while an emerald green shirt outlined an expansive chest. His sapphire eyes sparkled in the dappled light, setting off chiseled patrician features.
His hair was ruffled, and her fingers twitched with the ridiculous urge to smooth it.
Ciara smiled at the woman, and then at the little girl, an adorable imp with a mop of red curls, liberally sprinkled freckles and a sunshine yellow dress. She peeked shyly from behind the woman.
The woman was dressed in a neat floral dress. She had short gray hair, a round build and a jolly smile. “Hi darling,” she said with a thick Irish drawl. “I’m Caleigh Levine, but everyone calls me Grandma Leigh. This is my granddaughter, Shannon. I run the diner in town.”