Page 32 of Dust and Desire (Sagebrush Cowboys #5)

Alex

I wished I could’ve stayed in bed. Dustin was so warm wrapped up in my arms and with my dick nestled perfectly between his butt cheeks, I was in heaven.

But my alarm went off the same as it did every day.

I switched it off before it woke him and held him for a few more minutes, not wanting to let go.

This was where I belonged. My place was with this beautiful man, snuggling him in his bed.

But eventually I had to move. I slipped out from under the covers, carefully untangling myself from Dustin’s warm body.

He stirred slightly, mumbling something incoherent before burying his face deeper into the pillow.

God, he was gorgeous in the dim morning light, his dark hair tousled from sleep, his face peaceful in a way it rarely was when he was awake.

I dressed quietly, pulling on my jeans and work shirt, slipping on my boots with practiced movements.

My muscles were pleasantly sore from last night’s activities, a reminder I carried with me as I moved through the tiny house.

In the kitchen, I started the coffee maker before heading to the bathroom to splash some cold water on my face.

The mirror reflected a man I barely recognized sometimes. He was content, someone with purpose. The circles under my eyes that had been a permanent fixture for years had faded. I looked... happy. The thought still surprised me.

Coffee in hand, I stepped out onto the porch, breathing in the crisp morning air. The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold. It was going to be another hot day, but for now, the world was cool and quiet.

Something felt off. I scanned the property, my eyes narrowing as I took in the empty driveway, the still-dewy grass.

Nothing seemed out of place, but the hairs on the back of my neck stood up, anyway.

Keith’s little gift from earlier in the week was still fresh in my mind, making me jumpy at shadows.

I should tell Dustin. The thought came unbidden, persistent.

He deserved to know what kind of danger might be lurking.

But the idea of watching his face change when I explained Keith’s obsession, the way his eyes might fill with worry or realize that I hadn’t been honest with him… the thought was overwhelming.

“Just a few more days,” I murmured to myself. “Let him have this time with Ali without worrying.”

It was a weak excuse, and I knew it. Every day I didn’t tell him was another day I was lying to him. Another day I was putting him at risk.

I finished my coffee and set the mug on the porch railing, taking one last look at the peaceful property before heading down the steps.

I’d talk to Marcus again today, see if there had been any sightings of Keith or his truck and take in my statement.

Maybe they’d already run him out of town, and I was worrying for nothing.

The walk to the main ranch buildings gave me time to clear my head, to push down the anxiety that had been my constant companion since seeing that red truck. By the time I reached the arena, I’d almost convinced myself everything would be fine.

Almost.

But the moment I came around the backside of the arena, I saw him. A tall figure leaned against the building, his lithe silhouette recognizable almost immediately. I saw that long dark hair pulled back and those cold green eyes staring at me as I came to a stop. A smile spread over his face.

“Hey baby,” Keith said, his voice anything but warm or inviting. “I’ve missed you.”

My blood froze in my veins. Keith stood there like he belonged, dressed in expensive clothes that somehow looked perfectly at home despite the rural setting. His smile didn’t reach his eyes. It never did.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I kept my voice low, glancing around to make sure no one else was within earshot. The last thing I needed was for someone to see us together, to start asking questions.

Keith pushed off from the wall, his movements fluid and predatory. “Now, that’s hardly the warm welcome I was expectin’ after all this time apart.” His Louisiana drawl seemed thicker than I remembered, deliberate in a way that used to charm me but now sent chills down my spine.

“You need to leave.” I stood my ground even as every instinct screamed at me to run, to get as far away from him as possible. “I don’t want you here.”

“That’s a shame,” he replied, taking a step closer. “Because I’ve gone to an awful lot of trouble to find you, darlin’. Did you like my little gifts? The bird was a nice touch, don’t you think? Symbolic-like.”

My hands clenched into fists at my sides. “Is that what this is to you? Some kind of game?”

Keith’s smile widened, showing perfect white teeth. “Life’s a game, Alex. And I always win.” He glanced toward the direction of Dustin’s tiny house. “He’s quite handsome, your lawyer. Though I must say, not at all what I expected from you. A bit... soft around the edges, isn’t he?”

The casual mention of Dustin made my stomach lurch. “Stay away from him.”

“Or what?” Keith stepped closer, close enough that I could smell his cologne, expensive and cloying. “You gonna tell your little sheriff friend about me again? That didn’t work out so well last time, did it?”

I fought to keep my expression neutral, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear. “Marcus already knows you’re here. He’s watching for you.”

Keith laughed, the sound like broken glass. “Small town law enforcement. How quaint.” His eyes hardened suddenly, all pretense of amusement vanishing. “Walk with me.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

His hand shot out, gripping my forearm with bruising force. “That wasn’t a request, Alex .” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “Walk with me now, or I pay a visit to your sleeping beauty back at the house. You know, the one you haven’t told about me? Your choice.”

The threat hung in the air between us, and I knew it wasn’t empty. Keith had always been capable of anything when he didn’t get his way.

“Fine,” I conceded, jerking my arm free. “Five minutes.”

Keith gestured toward a path that led away from the main buildings, into the open pasture where we wouldn’t be seen.

I walked stiffly, acutely aware of him just behind me, close enough that I could hear his breathing.

The morning sun felt suddenly harsh against my skin, and I realized my hands were shaking.

“You know,” Keith said conversationally as we walked, “I have to admit, I’m impressed. Three years you managed to stay ahead of me. That takes real dedication.” He paused, and I could feel his eyes boring into my back. “But all good things must come to an end.”

We stopped near a fence line, far enough from the buildings that no one would hear us if I shouted. The isolation made my skin crawl.

“What do you want?” I turned to face him, keeping my distance.

Keith’s expression shifted, becoming almost wistful. “I want what I’ve always wanted, Alex. You. Home with me in Louisiana where you belong.” His voice took on that honeyed quality I remembered from our first nights together. “We were good together, you and I. Better than good.”

“That was three years ago. And barely a handful of nights. It’s over.”

“Is it?” He tilted his head, studying me like I was a puzzle to solve. “Because from where I stand, you’re still runnin’. Still hidin’ from what we could have together.” His eyes flicked toward the ranch buildings. “And now you’re draggin’ some innocent lawyer into your mess.”

The way he said innocent made my blood run cold. “Dustin has nothing to do with this.”

“Doesn’t he?” Keith’s smile returned, sharp and predatory. “Sweet little thing, isn’t he? All soft edges and kind eyes. The type who trusts easily, loves deeply.” He took a step closer. “The type who breaks real easy when he finds out the man he’s been sharin’ his bed with has been lyin’ to him.”

“I haven’t lied about anything important.”

Keith laughed, the sound cutting through the morning air.

“Oh, darlin’. You haven’t told him about me at all, have you?

About what we had, about why you keep movin’ from place to place.

” His eyes gleamed with malicious satisfaction.

“What do you think he’d say if he knew the real reason you came to Sagebrush?

That you’re not the mysterious cowboy he thinks you are, just a scared little boy runnin’ from his past? ”

Each word hit like a physical blow. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I?” Keith circled me slowly, like a predator sizing up prey.

“I know you, Alex. Better than anyone ever has or ever will. I know that underneath all that tough cowboy act, you’re still that frightened kid who got kicked out of his parents’ house for bein’ different.

Still lookin’ for someone to love you unconditionally.

” He stopped directly in front of me. “I’m the only one who ever could. ”

“You’re insane.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged, the gesture casual and terrifying. “But I’m also persistent. And patient. And right now, I’m offerin’ you a choice.”

My jaw clenched. “What kind of choice?”

Keith’s green eyes glittered with satisfaction, like he’d been waiting for this moment.

“Simple, really. You come back to Louisiana with me, willingly, and your pretty little lawyer gets to keep livin’ his quiet life here in paradise.

No harm comes to him, no ugly truths get revealed.

” His voice dropped to barely above a whisper.

“Or you keep playin’ house with him, and I make sure he learns exactly what kind of man he’s been spreadin’ his legs for. ”

The blood drained from my face. “You wouldn’t.”

“Wouldn’t I?” Keith pulled out his phone, swiping through what looked like photos.

He turned the screen toward me, and my stomach dropped.

Pictures of Dustin and me together. At the diner.

Walking to his truck. Kissing on his porch.

“I’ve been watchin’ for days, Alex. I know his routines, where he goes, who he talks to.

That ex-wife of his is real pretty too. Be a shame if somethin’ happened to her while she’s visitin’. ”

My hands trembled with rage and fear. “If you touch either of them?—”

“You’ll what?” Keith’s smile turned cruel. “Face facts, darlin’. You don’t have any power here. I do.” He slipped the phone back into his pocket. “But I’m not unreasonable. I’m givin’ you a way out that keeps everyone safe.”

“You call abandoning the man I love keeping him safe?”

Something dark flickered across Keith’s features.

“Love?” He spat the word like it tasted foul.

“What you have with him isn’t love, Alex.

It’s fear. Fear of bein’ alone, fear of facin’ what you really are.

” He stepped closer, his voice turning silky.

“I know what you need. I always have. That pretty little lawyer might think he loves you, but he doesn’t know you like I do.

He doesn’t know about the darkness in you, the hunger. ”

“There is no darkness,” I said firmly, though my voice shook. “Dustin sees the real me.”

Keith laughed, the sound echoing across the empty pasture.

“The real you? Honey, you’ve been pretendin’ to be someone else for so long, I don’t think you even know who the real you is anymore.

” His expression softened into something that might have been pity if it wasn’t so twisted.

“But I remember. I remember the man who spent three days in my bed, talkin’ about things that would make your precious lawyer run screamin’. ”

Heat flooded my cheeks, but I forced myself to meet his gaze. “That was different. I was different.”

“Were you? Or were you just finally honest about what you wanted?” Keith reached out as if to touch my face, and I jerked back.

His hand dropped to his side, his smile never faltering.

“You have until tomorrow night to decide. Meet me at the old, abandoned barn on the north edge of the property at sunset. Come alone and come prepared to leave.” His eyes hardened.

“Or I start making phone calls. To Dustin. To his ex-wife. To the local paper. I have quite the story to tell about the mysterious cowboy with the violent past.”

“I don’t have a violent past,” I hissed, my hands clenching into fists.

“Don’t you?” Keith’s eyebrow arched elegantly. “I have lots of saved text messages from you with proof that would say otherwise. People believe what they want to believe, Alex. Especially about outsiders. It only takes a little nudge.”

My stomach twisted with nausea. This wasn’t just about me anymore.

Keith was threatening to destroy everything I’d built here, everyone I cared about.

The worst part was knowing he could do it.

Keith Bordeaux was the kind of man that could turn on the charm at any moment.

And when I’d met him, I was still angry.

I remembered what I’d said, and he was right, it was damning evidence even if I never acted on it.

“You’re bluffing,” I said, but the words sounded hollow even to my own ears.

“Am I?” Keith reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.

He flipped it open, revealing a silver ring set with a black stone.

“I had this made for you three years ago. Been carryin’ it ever since.

” He snapped the box shut and returned it to his pocket.

“I don’t bluff, darlin’. Not when it comes to things I want. ”

The morning sun suddenly felt too bright, too harsh. Birds sang in the distance, oblivious to the nightmare unfolding beneath them. I thought of Dustin, still sleeping peacefully in our bed, unaware that his world was about to be shattered one way or another.

“Sunset tomorrow,” Keith repeated, already turning to walk away.

“Don’t be late. And don’t try anything stupid like tellin’ your sheriff friend.

I have eyes everywhere in this little town.

” He paused, glancing back over his shoulder.

“Oh, and Alex? Don’t bother packin’ much.

I’ve already bought you a whole new wardrobe.

Somethin’ more befittin’ a Bordeaux since you’re gonna take my last name. ”

I watched him walk away, his confident stride carrying him across the pasture toward where I assumed he’d parked his truck. My legs felt leaden, rooted to the spot as the full weight of his ultimatum settled over me.

Leave with Keith or watch him destroy Dustin’s life… and possibly endanger him physically. The choice was impossible, yet brutally simple.

I had to protect Dustin. No matter what it cost me.