Page 24 of Dust and Desire (Sagebrush Cowboys #5)

Alex

I woke up a few minutes before my alarm, the tiny house still dark in the hours before dawn. Outside the window the very edges of the horizon were just starting to show the first signs of gray. I flexed my arms, pulling Dustin tight against me for both warmth and because… well, I fucking loved him.

Somehow, he’d managed to say it first. And honestly, I’d been dying to say it for days now.

Still, I couldn’t believe I’d actually gotten up the courage to say it back.

Usually I was the kind of guy that ran when people started getting attached.

The only time that hadn’t happened was with Nico.

But even with Keith… I pulled away. I was glad I did with him though, the crazy bastard.

But with Dustin… things were different. He didn’t make me feel anxious or like it was too fast or like he was going to tie me down.

Really, I wanted to stay with him. And I doubted Logan or Caroline would be upset about me staying on for another year if I wanted to.

They had nothing but good things to say about me and I liked Sagebrush.

Of course, I didn’t expect to settle down when I took the job, but the more I thought about it, the more I didn’t mind .

The minutes ticked by slowly and eventually I had to pull away from Dustin. I missed his warmth and the sweet smell of his skin immediately. But I didn’t want my alarm to wake him either. He deserved to sleep in after taking my dick so well the night before. And he got me dinner.

How did I get so damn lucky? To think, a wandering cowboy like me ending up with some big-shot city lawyer. I never would’ve guessed. Then again, nothing in my life had really turned out like I expected.

I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could manage, grabbing my jeans from the floor and pulling them on.

Dustin stirred slightly but didn’t wake, his dark hair messy against the pillow.

God, he was beautiful. Even in sleep, there was something about the sharp angles of his face that made my chest tight with want.

The floorboards creaked softly under my bare feet as I made my way to the kitchen.

The coffee maker gurgled to life, filling the small space with that familiar morning sound.

I leaned against the counter, watching the sunrise paint the Texas sky in shades of pink and gold through the window.

Everything felt right in a way I’d never experienced before.

Like maybe, for the first time in my life, I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

The coffee finished brewing and I poured myself a cup, inhaling the rich aroma. I figured I’d sit on the porch for a while, enjoy the morning air before the day got too hot. Maybe Dustin would join me if he woke up before I had to work.

I pushed open the screen door and stepped outside, cup in hand. The morning was perfect. There was a cool breeze, birds singing somewhere in the distance, the smell of grass and earth. Then I saw it.

A small bird lay crumpled on the porch boards near my feet. A sparrow, its neck twisted at an unnatural angle. Fresh blood pooled beneath its tiny body, still wet and dark red. My stomach lurched.

Beside it sat a postcard, the kind you’d find in any gas station tourist rack. The image showed a generic Texas sunset. I bent down, careful not to disturb the bird, and picked up the card with shaking fingers.

Two words were scrawled across the back in familiar handwriting.

“I’m watching.”

My blood turned to ice.

Keith.

I looked around frantically, scanning the horizon, the trees, anywhere he might be hiding. But there was nothing. Just the endless Texas prairie and the sound of my own ragged breathing.

But it was Keith. I knew it was. Because this was his sign.

I crumpled the postcard in my fist, trying to steady my breathing.

This wasn’t the first time Keith had left me presents .

When I’d first tried to break things off after those wild nights in New Orleans, there had been flowers on my doorstep. Then notes. Then dead things.

I thought I’d lost him when I took this job. Sagebrush was supposed to be my fresh start, my escape from the suffocating feeling of being watched. It was so far away from anywhere else I’d ever been. How the hell did he find me?

“Fuck,” I whispered, glancing back at the tiny house where Dustin still slept peacefully. I couldn’t let him see this. I couldn’t drag him into this nightmare.

I set my coffee down and quickly gathered the dead bird in an old rag, tossing it and the postcard into the trash bin at the side of the house. My hands shook as I rinsed them under the outdoor spigot, watching the pinkish water spiral down into the dirt.

After scrubbing the blood from the porch boards with water and an old brush, I stood up and surveyed the area again. The perfect morning was ruined, tainted by Keith’s presence. How had he found me here? How long had he been watching?

I needed to tell someone, but not Dustin. Not yet. This thing with us was too new, too precious. The last thing I wanted was to see fear in those blue eyes when he looked at me.

I finished my coffee in quick gulps, no longer tasting it. By the time I’d showered and dressed, Dustin was still asleep, his face peaceful in the growing morning light. I pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

“I’ll see you tonight,” I whispered, though he couldn’t hear me. Then, I locked the front door tight behind me.

Instead of heading straight to the stables, I drove my truck into town. Sheriff Marcus would be at his office by now, drinking his morning coffee and probably reading the paper before the day got started. I’m sure he didn’t have much to worry about in this dusty little town. Until now.

The sheriff’s station was a small brick building just off Main Street. A bell jingled when I pushed open the door, and Sheriff Marcus looked up from behind his desk, his handsome face breaking into a smile.

“Morning, Alex. What brings you by so early?” Sheriff Marcus set down his paper, his green eyes assessing me with casual interest that quickly shifted to concern. “Everything alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I closed the door behind me, glancing around to make sure we were alone. The office was empty except for us, the coffee pot in the corner gurgling quietly.

“I need to talk to you about something,” I said, my voice lower than I intended. “Something private.”

Marcus nodded, gesturing to the chair across from his desk. “Have a seat.”

I sank into the chair, suddenly unsure how to begin.

He already knew I had a past, I’d explained that much to him when my apartment got broken into.

But after he’d checked up on us, nothing seemed to happen again.

As far as I knew, nobody had seen the red truck again either. Everything was fine until…

“I found something on Dustin’s porch this morning,” I finally said, meeting Marcus’s steady gaze. “A dead bird. Fresh kill. And a postcard that said I’m watching . ”

Marcus’s expression didn’t change, but I noticed his posture straighten. “It’s from your ex, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” I ran a hand through my hair, still damp from my shower. “He’s done this before. Other places. It usually started with flowers and got worse. But this time… well, he’s going straight to dead animals.”

“You told me about you and him back in Louisiana,” he nodded. “I haven’t had any reports of his truck anywhere in town.”

“He’s here,” I replied, my voice shaking. “I’m sure of it now. And I don’t… I don’t want anything to happen to Dustin because of me.”

Marcus leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled in front of him. “Tell me about this ex of yours. Everything you can remember.”

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to organize my thoughts.

“His name is Keith Bordeaux. From Louisiana originally. We met at Mardi Gras a few years back, spent some time together out on a farm. I thought it was just a summer fling, but he...” I paused, searching for the right words.

“He got obsessed. When I tried to leave, he wouldn’t let it go. ”

“What kind of obsessed?” Marcus’s voice was calm, professional, but I could see the concern in his green eyes.

“At first it was romantic stuff. Flowers, love letters, expensive gifts showing up wherever I was working. But when I kept rejecting him, it escalated. Dead roses, threatening notes, and yeah... dead animals left where I’d find them.

” I swallowed hard. “He has this way of making it seem like coincidence, like he’s not actually threatening me directly. But the message is clear.”

Marcus pulled out a notepad, jotting down notes. “How long has this been going on?”

“Three years, give or take. I’ve been running from ranch to ranch, never staying anywhere longer than a year. I thought I’d finally lost him when I came here.” I laughed bitterly. “Should’ve known better.”

“And you’re certain it’s him?”

“The handwriting on the postcard, the dead bird... it’s his signature. He always signs his work.” I felt sick saying it out loud. “Sheriff, I can’t have him around Dustin. He’s dangerous when he doesn’t get what he wants. And he won’t want to share me. Not with anyone.”

Marcus set down his pen, studying me carefully. “Alex, I need you to be completely honest with me. Has this Keith ever physically hurt you or anyone else?”

My throat tightened. “Not directly. But he’s... intense. Possessive. And he comes from old money, the kind of family that’s used to getting what they want. He’s charming when he needs to be, but underneath...” I shook my head. “There’s something broken in him.”

“Have you ever filed a restraining order?”

“Hard to do when he’s never technically threatened me directly. And he’s smart, covers his tracks. Plus, I’ve been moving around so much, it seemed easier to just run.” I looked down at my hands. “But I can’t run anymore. Not when I’ve found a reason to stay…”

Marcus nodded slowly. “I’m going to need you to write down everything you can remember about Keith. Full name, physical description, last known address, anything that might help us track him down. And I want you to document every incident you can recall.”

“You think you can stop him?”

“I think we’re going to try our damndest.” Marcus’s voice was firm. “In the meantime, I want you to be extra careful. Don’t go anywhere alone if you can help it. And Alex?” He leaned forward, his expression serious. “You need to tell Dustin. He deserves to know what he might be walking into.”

My stomach dropped. “I can’t. Not yet. We just... we just told each other we love each other last night. I can’t dump this on him now.”

“Alex.” Marcus’s voice was gentle but firm. “I understand you want to protect him, but keeping him in the dark puts him in more danger, not less. If Keith is escalating, Dustin needs to know what signs to look for.”

I stared at the floor, my hands clenched in my lap. Everything Marcus was saying made sense, but the thought of seeing fear replace the trust in Dustin’s eyes made my chest ache.

“What if he runs?” I asked quietly. “What if he decides I’m not worth the trouble?”

“Then he’s not the man you think he is.” Marcus stood, moving around the desk to lean against the front of it. “But from what I’ve seen, Dustin Corvus isn’t the running type. He came here looking for a fresh start too, didn’t he? He knows something about facing down your past.”

I nodded reluctantly. Marcus was right, but that didn’t make it easier.

“I’ll increase patrols around the ranch,” Marcus continued. “And I want you to call me immediately if you see anything suspicious. A red truck, unfamiliar faces, anything that feels off.”

“Okay.” I stood, feeling suddenly exhausted despite the early hour. “I should get to work before Logan wonders where I am.”

“Alex.” Marcus’s hand landed on my shoulder. “You’re not alone in this. Whatever happens, you’ve got people here who care about you. Don’t forget that.”

The kindness in his voice nearly undid me. I’d spent so long running, so used to handling everything by myself, that I’d forgotten what it felt like to have someone in my corner.

“Thanks, Sheriff. Really.”

“It’s Marcus. And you’re welcome.” He squeezed my shoulder once before letting go. “Now get out of here before people start talking about why you’re visiting the sheriff’s office so early.”

I managed a weak smile. “Can’t have that. My reputation as a mysterious drifter would be ruined.”

“Something tells me your mysterious drifter days are numbered anyway,” Marcus said, his eyes twinkling. “Fallin’ in love has that effect on people. And Sagebrush… well, she likes to keep men like you and me around.”

My eyes widened for a moment with realization before I smiled. “Good to know I’ve got a friend like you in town. ”

“Always,” he nodded. “Drop off your statement when you can. I’ll get the boys to keep an eye out.”

Another nod and I was gone, heaviness settling into my chest. I was going to have to tell Dustin after all. And despite Marcus’s kind words, I wasn’t entirely convinced he was going to forgive me.