Page 32 of Rancher’s Strength (Flying Diamond 5, #4)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

LEXIE

“ W here are Ruby and Sawyer?” I yelled as I ran back to the fire, the sun peeking above the mountains around us.

“They were just in the tent,” Kipp said as he stood brushing the dirt off his pants.

“Well, they’re not there. Oh god. I’ve lost them.

We haven’t even had them for a month, and they’re gone.

We had to fake this marriage just to get them, and now they’re missing.

And even though it was supposed to be fake, I’m completely in love with my husband, and all I want to do is tell him, but I’m afraid, and oh my god, why am I still talking? ” I rambled as I collapsed on my knees.

Kipp knelt down beside me and put his heavy hand on my back. “They can’t have gone too far; we’ll find them.” He helped me stand and turned me to face him, bending over so he could look me in the eyes. “As far as the marriage goes, you have to tell him how you feel.”

“You don’t even like me.”

“This you, I like. The honest you and the one that has figured out that he’s worth it no matter what you think life should look like.”

“Kipp, I’m so scared.” He hugged me tightly.

“Let’s go find the kids,” he said softly as we turned toward the tent they should have been sleeping in.

“What’s wrong?” Ryder asked as he rode back into camp and saw Kipp and I saddling our horses.

“Ruby and Sawyer. They’re gone.” I looked up at him and watched his face morph from worried to terrified.

Kipp, go wake up the others. Someone needs to stay here with the other kids, but we need to fan out.” He threw his leg over the saddle and hopped off his horse. Ryder grabbed me and held me tightly as I cried into his chest. “We’ll find them.”

His words should have calmed me, but they didn’t. How did we even start looking for them in this huge area? They could be anywhere. “I can’t lose them Ry.”

“I know, sweetheart, we’ll find them.”

Kipp came back with Nash, Griff, and Linc all in various states of undress, but they went straight to their horses and got ready to ride.

“Elle will stay behind with the kids,” Griff said as he looked over his shoulder at his pregnant wife.

It was probably smarter for her to stay rather than ride into god knows what.

Even though she was great on a horse, this might end up too dangerous.

“We’re ready,” Nora and Fallon said as they put their hats on their heads and mounted their horses that the guys had gotten ready.

“Stay with Elle. Fire two shots if they come back, so we know to turn around. The sound will echo through this valley, and we’ll hear it,” Ryder said as he cupped my face between his hands.

“No, I want to come with you.”

“I need you here in case they just wander back, and Elle needs someone with her.” I glanced over at the woman who’d become one of my best friends and nodded.

“I love you,” I said quietly.

“God, sweetheart, your timing could have been better with that one. I love you with all my heart.” He leaned down and kissed me. It was far too quick and felt like hours all at the same time.

“Bring our kids home.”

“I will.” He took one last, slow, lingering kiss before mounting his horse again, and the eight of them rode away. I stood there watching them until they were mere specks on the horizon, wrapping my arms around myself.

“Come on, all we can do is wait. Do you know that they had to find Parker when he was taken?” I turned to Elle and shook my head.

“Want to know why the Hays brothers aren’t a problem around town anymore?

” She smirked, and I nodded. That family had caused my father more grey hair over the years, with people wanting to press charges and then retracting them.

They hadn’t been missed, and in all actuality, I’d almost forgotten about them.

Arm in arm, we walked back to the fire and sat down in the camping chairs we’d brought along.

Elle chatted away about how Griff had found Parker, and she had no doubt the crew would find wherever Ruby and Sawyer had wandered off to. A branch cracked behind me, and I turned and peered into the bush, but I couldn’t see anything, so I returned my attention to Elle.

“How did you justify what The Five did while being a lawyer?” Elle asked as she handed me a cup of coffee.

“Mostly, I tried not to think about it. It helped that I wasn’t in criminal law, even though I would have been the first one to step up to defend them.

” Letting my head lull against the back of the chair, I looked over at the woman who had accepted me without hesitation.

“They never went after good people, so I told myself one more scumbag gone didn’t matter.

Saying it out loud now, it sounds like a pretty weak excuse—but at the time, it’s how I justified looking the other way”

“Were you ever scared?”

“Only every time they went out for a job.” I took a sip of coffee and thought back to all the times Ryder left a note on the pillow or woke me up with a kiss to say he was leaving.

During our first marriage, we spent so much time apart.

Now I found myself wondering how it would work with him home all the time.

“Ryder was good at checking in with me, so I didn’t worry as much.

It’s funny, but I think I worried less about him when he was out doing the security stuff than him being up in the mountains checking cattle.

“I call it super spy shit.” Elle laughed, and I joined in. “Griff wound up in my bedroom without me even hearing him when we first got together. Scared the crap out of me.” She shook her head and took a drink of coffee.

“That’s a good name for it,” I agreed.

“Too bad you two cackling hens didn’t pay more attention to those men of yours.” A man’s voice spoke up from behind me. Launching myself out of my chair, the chair toppled over, and immediately, Elle stood by my side.

“I’m sure the Montana State Bar will be more than delighted to hear you allowed your husband to conduct illegal activity. Or I guess I should say your fake husband since your marriage is a sham.”

“What’s he talking about, Lexie?” Elle whispered, and I shook my head. Now was not the time to get into it.

“Nothing about my marriage is a lie. Ryder and I are happily married.” My voice didn’t waver, and while we might have gotten married to satisfy Hank and Anita’s will, it was just the push we needed to get back together.

I think Anita knew we were both too stubborn to admit we’d made a mistake and forced us to see it.

“That’s not what I overheard you tell the boss man earlier. And it’s not what those kids said when we asked them.” My blood ran cold at the mention of the kids.

“Where are they?”

“On their way back to the woman who should rightfully have them. Anita’s sweet mother will pick them up shortly.” He glanced at his watch, and I saw something move in the bushes this time. Ruby’s pink hoodie. They weren’t gone. I needed to get word to the five, but how could I do that?

My gun was tucked into the holster at my side, and he obviously hadn’t noticed it. Pulling it out, I raised it in the air and fired two quick shots before pointing my weapon at Desmond Tucker.

“Sweet mother, my ass. She’s a tyrant. I’ll ask you again: where are my kids?” There was a hitch in my voice, and I hated that he caught. His eyebrow shot up, and a slimy grin spread across his face.

“You caused a lot of trouble for me showing up here, you know. I had everything in my grasp, one stupid rancher to buy out and I’d be well on my way to making this entire place a tourist town.”

“Guess it’s a good thing I came home,” I said, snarkiness filling my words.

Desmond fumbled as he tried to retrieve his gun from wherever he was keeping it, but I never lowered mine.

If he wanted to go out this way, I’d be the one pulling the trigger first. I might have been a city girl for the last three years, but I’d been trained by the five; there wasn’t anything I couldn’t hit.

“Rufus, bring them out,” he barked, and a man stood up from the bushes, pushing Ruby and Sawyer ahead of him.

“Auntie,” Ruby cried when she saw me.

“Hey, my girl, everything is fine. We’ve got it under control.

” I looked around Tucker and saw Sawyer clinging to Ruby.

Off in the distance, I could hear thunder, not from a storm, but from seven riders galloping full speed back to camp, who would rain down terror if I could hold this man off long enough.

As the seconds ticked by, I stood in a showdown with the man who’d caused more problems for a lifetime around this county.

“Ruby, Sawyer, please go and stand with Elle.” I said, keeping my voice eerily calm. When the guys rode back in, I didn’t need them anywhere near Tucker or his man.

Tucker moved his weapon in their direction. “I don’t think they should move.” Blinding rage flowed through me as I took a step closer to the man, and for a split second, I saw the fear in his eyes.

“Kids, do as I say.” My voice didn’t sound like mine, and they both ran toward Elle, who pulled them over to the tent where the other kids slept. I took more steps toward the man who’d terrified my kids until the barrel of my gun was pressed against his forehead.

“Give me one reason I shouldn’t put you down right now like the sack of shit you are?”

“He’ll kill you before you can get to him.” Tucker gestured to Rufus behind him.

“Don’t count on it.” Elle’s song-like voice came from behind me as she loaded her rifle and pointed it at the other man, who was suddenly taking steps backward.

This was obviously not what he had expected.

“Kids are in the tent with Parker. He’ll keep them in there until we tell him to come out.

” The calmness of her voice should have terrified me, but it only made me more determined to end this nightmare.

Shouts broke out all around us, and I saw a flash of silver before searing pain ripped through my arm and my side. Stumbling back, I lowered my gun for a brief moment. Tucker seized the opportunity to press his gun to my head.

I was in trouble.

At that moment, a large gray horse sped by, and a man leaped off, tackling Tucker and sending his weapon flying. As I sank to the ground, Nora was behind me, breaking my fall.

“Fallon, get the kit,” Elle yelled as she ripped my shirt open. “I need to lay you down, Lexie.” Gently, she lowered me to the ground and pulled open the snaps of my shirt while pressing her hand against my ribs.

Fallon skidded to her knees beside me and opened a red bag. The men shouted, and someone lifted my head and set it in their lap. “I knew you’d hear it.” My words were weak, and I thought I smiled, but I wasn’t sure.

“Sweetheart, you have to fight. Ruby, Sawyer, and I need you. We’ve finally got a family. This isn’t the time to leave us, understand?”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’m just in so much pain.” Grimacing as Fallon pressed on my shoulder, I let out a groan when Elle pressed on my side.

“Medevac is its way. ETA fifteen minutes," someone shouted.

“Nora, I need you to grab that bag of saline, spike it, and run it through the tubing. Make sure there are no air bubbles, and hold the bag higher than the end of the line.” When I opened my eyes, I watched Elle rip open a package with her teeth and put another gauze pad on my side.

How lucky this group was to have a nurse now, I thought as I gazed up at the blue sky.

Ryder ran his hand over my hair, gentle like he was petting me, and the world fell silent around us. I could hear the murmurs of people talking, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.

“Lexie, for the love of god, stay with me. I can’t handle another person on this ranch needing CPR.” Elle’s voice was clear, and I looked up at Ryder, whose eyes were filled with fear and tears.

“I’m not going anywhere. I told you that already.” Ryder leaned over and kissed my forehead. “I don’t think it’s that bad.” I tried to sit up, but he gently pressed a hand to my good shoulder, guiding me down against him.

“Pretty sure your law degree doesn’t override my nursing one,” Elle said without stopping what she was doing.

“Are you saying it’s bad? Guess we should have asked Jake to come with us.

” I glanced over at Elle. “Since he’s a doctor and his degree would override yours and mine.

” I smiled when that made her stop whatever she was doing and glare up at me.

A rough chuckle escaped me, and even though it hurt, I got Elle to crack a smile.

“You got lucky, and I think you’re just in shock, but I really don’t want you moving around until the medevac gets here, okay?”

“Told you it wasn’t bad.” I looked up at Ryder and smiled.

“But if it’s okay with all of you, I’m going to pass out shortly.

” The adrenaline in my body was waning, and I was acutely aware of the pain along my left side.

There was a buzzing in my ears, and I could hear people talking around me, but it was muffled.

As I looked up at Ryder, the rest of the world faded to black except for his face.

I relaxed back into Ryder, and the world went quiet.