Page 10 of Cowboy’s Last Stand (His to Protect #1)

J ason leaped to his feet so fast his chair clattered to the floor behind him.

He knew what had caused the commotion before he reached the kitchen.

He could recognize almost every type of firearm and explosive by sound.

Even though the threat was minimal, instinct had him rushing to Natalie’s aid.

Marcus followed close behind him. She was crouched down by the oven like she was dodging bullets.

Jason glanced through the front window, but the perpetrator was already gone.

“It was firecrackers,” Jason said.

Natalie sank to a seated position on the floor, still holding the pie. She took a few deep breaths to collect herself. “Firecrackers? You’re sure?”

“M-16s. I’m sure.”

“Are you OK, Mama?” Marcus asked.

She gave him a wobbly smile. “I’m fine.”

Jason closed the oven door. He noted that the pie looked and smelled delicious. “You want me to take that off your hands?”

She shook her head.

“I’ll go check it out.”

“Wait,” she said, putting the pie on the table.

She rose from the ground and moved past him to turn on the porchlight.

Then she nodded her permission. She placed her hands on Marcus’s shoulders to prevent him from following Jason into the front yard.

They watched from the safety of the kitchen as he secured the scene.

There wasn’t much to do. All of the munitions were spent and now harmless. The only damage was to her mailbox. It had been separated from the post by brute force and lay smashed on the curb. Someone had done a drive-by mailbox bashing and tossed a few firecrackers on the lawn for emphasis.

Jason assumed Billy was the culprit. The damage was minor.

As intimidation tactics went, it was petty and immature—but effective.

He pictured Natalie’s face, frozen with fear, and curled his hands into fists.

He wouldn’t mind mixing it up with Billy again.

Jason still had the brass knuckles in his backpack.

He returned to the porch. She stood in the doorway with Marcus. “Did you see the vehicle?” he asked.

“No.”

“Your mailbox is toast.”

Her mouth tightened with anger. “That’s it. I’m calling Wade.”

“Who’s Wade?”

“He’s a police,” Marcus said.

“I’ll wait out here,” Jason said, sitting on the glider. He didn’t trust Billy not to come back for another round. He also preferred being outside in the open air.

He’d enjoyed the meal. She was a fantastic cook, and damned fine company, but he hadn’t felt comfortable in her dining room.

It wasn’t because of his indoor phobia. It was because of Mike’s presence.

Jason noticed the American flag folded into a neat triangle, along with a picture of Mike in his dress blues, looking young and proud and handsome.

Jason couldn’t meet his former friend’s eyes.

After making the call, Natalie plopped down next to him. She still seemed shaken by the incident, though she was doing her best to hide it. Marcus practiced karate kicks in the glow of the porchlight. He had a graceful way of moving, like his mother.

“Thank you for dinner,” Jason said.

“You’re welcome.”

“What kind of pie is it?”

“Apple. From the tree in the backyard.”

Jason had spent most of the past four months in complete solitude, and he hadn’t been a stellar conversationalist before that. He searched for a topic that would put her at ease. “Is the upstairs a separate apartment?”

Her brows rose. “Yes. It’s a two-story duplex.”

He’d noticed the stairs out back. “Do you own both stories?”

“My grandma does. The upper floor is empty.”

“Why is that?”

“My grandparents used to rent it out. Now it’s more of a storage space.” Her grandmother had become a bit of a hoarder. Natalie had been meaning to sort through the collection of items, but she hadn’t gotten around to it.

“Why don’t you rent it?”

“It needs repairs.”

“What kinds of repairs?”

“Why? Are you a handyman, as well as a mechanic?”

“I can fix anything,” he said honestly. Except himself.

She smiled as if she didn’t believe him. “For free?”

“For room and board.”

“You don’t need room and board. You like to sleep outdoors.”

“I’ll do it for some more of that fried chicken.”

Her laugh, full-bodied and genuine, told him she was more relaxed now. “I should warn you that Wade Hendricks is Billy’s brother.”

“Billy’s brother is a cop?”

“And his father is the sheriff.”

Jason remembered her saying that last night.

“Between the two, Wade might take this seriously.”

He understood her reluctance to file a report, given Billy’s family connections. She should be given special treatment as a military widow, but the world wasn’t always just.

Wade Hendricks arrived in a police-issued SUV a short time later.

Jason stood with Natalie, sizing up the officer.

Wade was bigger than his brother and much better looking.

He had dark blond hair, a handsome face, and a strong physique.

Maybe this guy was the reason Billy was so pissed off. In the genetic lottery, Billy had lost.

Marcus greeted the officer first. They exchanged a series of playful punches that indicated a friendly relationship. Then Wade’s attention settled on Natalie. He glanced from her to Jason, his brow furrowed.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” Wade said.

Natalie made the introductions. Jason shook the deputy’s hand without enthusiasm. He was glad Captain America didn’t try to crush his bones into dust because his knuckles were still sore from the fight.

“Do you want coffee?” she asked. “I can make you a cup.”

“No, thanks,” Wade said. “I’m at the end of my shift.”

Jason relaxed his stance, relieved by the refusal. If Wade had accepted a cup of coffee, she’d probably invite him inside, and then she’d have to offer him a slice of pie. Jason didn’t want her to share that pie.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “So, about my mailbox.”

“What happened?”

“Somebody smashed it and threw firecrackers on my lawn. Almost gave me a heart attack.”

Wade made a sound of disapproval. “Did you see who did it?”

“No.”

“You think it was kids?”

“I think it was your brother.”

He frowned. “Why do you think that?”

She sent Marcus inside to play video games before she started the story. “Billy was at the bar last night, causing trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“The usual. He was rude and drunk. My car died on the way home, so I got out and started walking.”

“You should have called me for a ride,” Wade said.

She made a noncommittal sound. “I was passing by the park when I spotted Billy and the Stoddard brothers. They were harassing Jason.”

Wade studied Jason. “Why were you there?”

“Is that relevant?” Natalie asked. “The bottom line is they attacked him. Your brother had a pair of brass knuckles, and Stan was holding Jason’s arms behind his back. It wasn’t a fair fight on any level.”

Wade put his hands on his hips and swore under his breath. Jason got the impression that Billy was a recurring problem for Wade, one that didn’t have an easy solution. “Why didn’t you call 911?”

“Because nothing would come of it. Jason wasn’t seriously hurt. Your brother and his friends left with bloody noses. I thought it was over. Then Billy drove by this afternoon. He saw Jason in my front yard, fixing my car.”

“Did he say anything?”

“No.”

“And you didn’t see his vehicle tonight?”

“No.”

“I’ll file a report for the property damage,” Wade said. “Normally, I’d have to make a report for the physical altercation as well. Because I wasn’t called out for that, I can only move forward if you want to press charges.”

Natalie glanced at Jason, contemplative. “Will it make a difference?”

“Just between us, my dad will probably bury it. Or Billy will lie and say he was acting in self-defense.”

“The physical altercation was minor,” Jason said. “The real problem was his intent.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think Billy’s target was Natalie, not me. I was in her neighborhood.”

“Maybe they followed you.”

“No. They left before me.”

“Has he threatened you?” Wade asked Natalie.

She shrugged, uncomfortable with the idea.

“Billy said they were going to show her a good time as soon as they got done with me,” Jason said.

To his credit, Wade appeared furious at his brother’s actions. His eyes narrowed, but his voice stayed calm. “I can definitely file a report for that,” he said. “I can help you petition for a restraining order too.”

Natalie paused to consider this option. Her mouth made a thin line, and she shook her head, sighing. “I’d rather not waste my time.”

Wade didn’t argue. This was the real world, where the son of a sheriff could get away with a number of crimes, and a woman like Natalie could lose her job or face additional harassment for reporting one.

“I’ll talk to him,” Wade said. “If he bothers you again, call me. Anytime, day or night. I’ll come out and give him the business end of my baton.”

“All right,” Natalie said.

“Can we speak privately?” Wade asked her.

Jason bristled at the request.

Natalie nodded as if she’d expected this reaction from Wade and turned to Jason. “Would you sit with Marcus for a bit?”

“Sure,” he muttered and went inside. He figured that Wade was going to ask her what the hell she was doing with a male stranger in her house—even though he should be worrying about his creep brother instead.

Marcus was in the living room playing video games. He set the controller aside and looked up at Jason. “Is Wade going to catch the bad guys?”

I doubt it , Jason thought. “He’s working on it,” Jason said generously.

“What’s Mom doing?”

“Talking.”

“I have an idea.”

“Tell me.”

“I’ll get some firecrackers and hide under the porch. If the bad guys come again, I’ll light the firecrackers and scare them away.”

Jason smiled. “I have an idea too.”

“What?”

“Let’s do the dishes for your mother.”