Page 27 of Rancher’s Strength (Flying Diamond 5, #4)

Chapter Twenty-Three

RYDER

M y phone buzzed, and I smiled when I saw Lexie’s name. Upon opening the text, my blood ran cold when I read the message.

It was the code that the five of us used whenever we needed to gather quickly. I had never kept secrets from Lexie, so she knew everything, including the codes. She had been the only woman around back then, and I hated lying to her. She also needed to know in case she ever had to bail us out.

And judging from the pings as replies came in, I wasn't the only one who received the text.

Kipp: I’m here.

Griff: On the way.

Linc: Give me five, and I’m there.

Lexie: I’m just leaving town.

Ryder: WTF Lex?

Lexie: I’ll explain when we’re together.

Walking into the large log house that had been my sanctuary after she left me, I kicked off my boots and headed to the kitchen, where the commotion was coming from.

“Anyone know what this is about?” I asked, grabbing a cookie off the plate Nora had set in the middle of the island, and all the guys shook their heads.

Minutes ticked by, and I wanted to hurl the large clock out the door. We were all a little on edge. These kinds of moments were becoming a bit too frequent again. The shrill ring of my phone sliced through the silence. Grabbing it from my pocket, I answered.

“Ryder, I’m being followed.” Lexie’s panicked voice sent ice through my veins, and my mind went completely blank.

“What do you mean?” I stuttered.

“I don’t know, Ryder, how many ways can a person be followed?” Her fear had turned to sarcasm, and I couldn’t help but smile. There she was—the woman I was married to wasn’t someone to cower in fear; she faced it head-on.

“Your sass isn’t helping, sweetheart.” She groaned, and the guys shook their heads. “Any idea who it is?”

“It’s a red sports car, not from around here. I can’t see the plates but it’s impractical for these roads. It doesn’t fit—doesn’t make sense.” Her voice trailed off like she was trying to work through her thoughts.

“We’re on our way,” I said quickly.

“Hurry,” she whispered, and my heart shattered. If anything happened to her, anyone involved wouldn’t have a safe place. I waited for her to say more, but the line was quiet. Fuck, she must be in the dead zone between here and town. At least that gave me a location for her, and she wasn’t far.

“Someone’s following Lex,” I said as I bolted out of the kitchen to my truck.

Each of us climbed into one of the black trucks and tore out of the ranch.

We didn’t have to talk. We knew what needed to be done.

Slamming my foot into the accelerator, my tires screeched, and gravel flew as I turned onto the highway.

When her vehicle came into view, Kipp and Nash each slowed down and pulled off to the side. In the rearview mirror, I saw both trucks turn and wait for her to get closer. I pulled off and turned my truck so I could drive beside her while Griff and Linc followed behind.

Lexie slowed as she pulled up alongside me. The fear in her eyes made me want to rip out the throat of whoever was following her. I pointed ahead, and she nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek.

“Call Lex,” I said into the air, and I watched her frown when her phone started ringing. She hit the button on the steering wheel to answer.

“Hey sexy, what’s happening?” My voice was much lighter than my soul felt as I watched her crack a smile.

“Oh, you know, just out taking a leisurely drive.” She kept her eyes focused on the road.

“We’ve got you.”

“Never doubted it.” She turned and smiled tightly at me.

“Want me to stay on the phone with you?”

There was no way in hell I was hanging up this phone.

“Yes,” she whispered. We drove side by side in silence. I slowed to let her fall in line behind Nash as we turned into the ranch. I hadn’t looked behind to see if the red car was still there; my eyes were locked on the woman ahead of me.

Pulling to a stop, I flung the truck door open and reached Lexie’s car before she had even opened her door. I reached in, pulled her out of the car, and wrapped her in my arms. “Are you okay?” I whispered.

“I’m fine, thanks to you. I think it was Tucker.” She buried her head in my neck and relaxed against me.

“It was,” Linc said as he walked past us.

“Let’s go talk.” Letting her go, I slid my hand around hers and smiled when she didn’t seem to care that she was walking into the lion’s den holding my hand. She just held on to me tighter.

“So, what caused all that?” Kipp asked as he took a seat.

“When I opened this morning, Desmond Tucker walked into the office.” She told us about interaction, and I wanted him dead even more than I had when he was just following her.

“I’m going to agree to the cameras. I can’t have Faith living and working there with this psychopath out there wandering around. ”

“I’ll come in and do it tomorrow,” I said as I stared at her while she nodded.

“I know you’ve all been at a loss regarding what to do with Maggie’s land.

She’ll never sell, but she’s going to be in danger.

I’m not sure even Kane will be able to keep her safe.

” Lexie’s eyes darted around the table. She and Maggie had gone to school together, and before life happened, they’d been best friends.

“So, what are we going to do?” Nash asked as he leaned back in his chair.

“Well, your dad helped me with that. What if you make a subsidiary company to buy out Maggie and Kane but make them part of the company.”

“You want us to go from five to six?” I asked, staring at her.

“Just for Maggie’s place. It will tie up the loose end and give her and Kane the backing and safety of you.

” She pointed at us as a group. I looked to my business partners, and nobody looked appalled by the idea.

Still, we’d need to approach it strategically.

Kane had helped us plenty since he arrived, and bringing him into the circle made sense.

“It’s not something we’ve ever thought of, but it makes sense,” Kipp said as he shifted his gaze from Nora to Lexie. “Would we have to actually buy her out, or could we do everything without money changing hands?” He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

“I don’t think money would have to change hands. She’d be brought into the company, and her assets alone would be enough.” Lexie never broke eye contact with Kipp. It was like a showdown, and whoever looked away first would be the weaker one.

“Let’s do it. Can you draw up the paperwork? We’ll go talk to Kane and Maggie tomorrow.” Kipp turned to us, and I didn’t miss the slight smirk on Lexie’s face that indicated he broke first.

“Well, I’m going home,” Lexie said as she stood up from the table.

“I’ve got some things here that need to be finished up. Will you be okay at home alone?” I followed her back out to her vehicle.

“I’ll be just fine.” She gently placed her hand on my cheek. “Thanks for coming to get me.”

“Always.” I smiled before leaning down and kissing her.

Walking up the stairs hurt, breathing hurt, actually. Pulling open the screen door, I kicked off my boots, and dirt fell out of them. I should have done that before getting in the house, I thought to myself.

“Uncle Ryder, you look awful,” Sawyer said as he glanced at me.

“Thanks, bud.”

“What happened?” Lexie asked as she walked into the living room from the kitchen.

“Got thrown.”

“Doc?” she asked in a panic. Of course, she’d be worried about her horse first—not about me standing there in crippling pain. Okay, maybe not crippling pain, but I sure wasn’t about to do a jig tonight.

“No, a new one we’re trying to break.”

“You don’t get thrown, what really happened?”

“Started thinking about the sexy woman at my house,” I whispered as I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She whipped me with the towel in her hand before going back to the kitchen.

Grabbing the blanket off the back of the couch, I placed it over the cushions and flopped down. “What’s the movie for tonight?” I asked, and that started off the argument of the century. I didn’t even care, I let my head fall back onto the sofa cushion and listened to the kids.

“Okay, did we pick one?” Lexie asked as she brought in the plates for the kids. She set them on the coffee table, left, and returned with ours.

“You don’t have to wait on me but thank you.” I took my plate, and she sat next to me.

“If we waited for you to hobble to the kitchen we’d be eating cold pizza.” Her smirk was everything in that moment.

With the movie over, the kitchen cleaned, and the kids in bed, I walked to the bathroom and found Lexie sitting on the edge of the tub in her robe as it filled. She grabbed the lavender bath salts and some bubble bath and dumped them in, and the small space filled with the calming floral scent.

“What are you doing?”

“Take your clothes off.” She smiled.

“You first,” I replied. She arched her brow, and I knew there was no use arguing.

I pulled my shirt open, shrugged it off, and watched as she frowned.

I kept my eyes on her; I didn’t need to know what I looked like.

The fall was bad, and I was pretty sure I was lovely shades of black and purple.

Dropping my jeans, I quickly discarded my underwear and socks.

“Get in,” she said before walking out of the bathroom.

Hot water scalded my skin as I lowered myself into the tub.

Christ, this woman was trying to burn me alive.

Steam rose around me, and I let myself relax back against the inflatable pillow.

The soft closing of doors in the hallway made me smile.

She was fierce and determined when she needed to be, but there was no stopping her once Lexie slipped into caring-for-everyone mode.

You'd have whatever she thought you needed—probably before you even realized it yourself.

“How’s the water?” Lexie’s soft voice from behind me calmed the thoughts in my mind.

“Scalding.”