Page 42 of Saddled in Secrets (Cloverleaf Meadows #2)

I must be hallucinating. It’s this awful fire crawling up my esophagus that’s causing me to see things. That’s the only explanation for why this guy—Walker—is pointing a gun at Colton. Spud’s growl snaps me from the ignorant illusion, revealing this is actually happening.

Colton lifts his open palms. “Put the gun down, Walker.”

The guy huffs a laugh. “Nice try, but you don’t get to tell me what to do.”

“Are you going to shoot me?”

Walker nods. “If I kill you, I’ll get promoted. You’re in my way and it’s up to me to remove you from the equation. Simple as that. It’s nothing personal.”

This can’t be real. My eyes are burning, but I’m too afraid to blink.

A lone tear leaks out as I listen to Colton try to reason with his cousin.

He lowered his guard after his father died.

The threat was eliminated. We’ve been driving across state lines without a care, feeling secure in our safety.

That’s why he’s unarmed and a defenseless target.

Even if he had a weapon, it’s three against one.

“Colton,” I whimper.

“It’s okay.” His voice is soft but firm. “Get away from here. Go to the trailer.”

“And leave you alone? No way.”

Walker’s menacing glare pins onto me. “That’s right, sweetheart. Stay where I can see you.”

“Don’t talk to her,” Colton snaps.

His cousin chuckles, but the tone is mean. “You’re not in the position to be giving orders, Colt. I’d shut the fuck up before I aim a little higher. That rich bitch behind you will be splattered in your brain matter.”

“You’re high and not thinking straight. Put the gun down. Let’s talk about this.”

“Quit telling me what to do.” Walker stabs the space between them with his pistol. “It’s time for me to take charge. Maybe I’ll earn myself a slice of expensive pussy pie.”

Nausea curdles in my belly. “Should I scream?”

“No,” Colton clips. “Just get to the trailer.”

“I’m not leaving you,” I reiterate.

“Dammit, Princess. Please.”

Walker tips his head back and howls. “The great Colton Keller is begging a woman to listen. How the mighty have fallen.”

“You don’t want to do this, cousin. We’re family.”

A disbelieving snort spits from him. “Is that why you left us all behind? It only got worse in your absence. Uncle James blamed us after you cut ties. You were playing house with Bianca Benson while we were getting tortured.”

“Nobody forced you to stay,” Colton tries.

“Nah, fuck that. I’d never abandon my family.” His hand holding the weapon shakes slightly. “That’s the worst part. The crew would welcome you back without hesitation.”

Walker does something to the gun that makes it click. Somebody must’ve heard that. I lick my dry lips and glance around. There are people nearby, but not close enough. Why did we park so far in the back? Fuck privacy. I need someone to walk past us.

That’s when a twig snaps. Spud lunges forward with animal instincts, barking loudly into the darkness.

In the next instant, a shot is fired. It’s loud and startling, filling the air with gunpowder.

The ringing in my ears doesn’t drown out Colton’s grunt.

I stare through watery eyes as he crumples to his knees.

My boots skid on the grass as I leap into action. The rawness hacking at my throat tells me that I’m screaming, but I can’t hear over the devastation of him collapsing. I’m there just in time to catch him folding onto the ground.

A feminine screech stabs into the carnage. “What the hell, Walker? You weren’t really supposed to shoot him!”

“Finger slipped. Let’s go.”

A woman shoulders past him, coming into view. “I’m not leaving him.”

“Traitor!” he roars. “I won’t forget this.”

If Walker and whoever else is involved disappear, I don’t notice. My focus is solely on Colton gasping for breath. I cradle his head in my lap and try to make him comfortable. Tears are streaming down my face, blurring my vision.

“T-tell me w-what to do.” My uneven exhales spew fog into the cooling night.

He just stares at me, blindly searching for my hand. “Love you, Bianca.”

“No,” I blubber. “Don’t start with that. It sounds like goodbye.”

“I’m hit,” he rasps. “Too much blood.”

My movements are frantic as I pat his shirt, hunting for the spot. The fabric covering the left side of his abdomen is completely saturated already. Warm and sticky and gushing out. I can tell my hands are coated.

“Shit, shit,” I chant. “Need to call someone.”

The woman from before kneels on Colton’s opposite side. “Ambulance is on the way. We need to put pressure on the wound.”

I lift my gaze to her, just long enough for recognition to strike. “You.”

The redhead villainess shrugs. “I’m not that bad.”

As if I can trust her. I don’t even know her name, but now isn’t the time for proper introductions. She rests both palms over Colton’s torso and he groans.

“You’re hurting him!” I yell.

“Saving him,” she corrects. “Keep him conscious. Just talk to him. It’ll help.”

Too many thoughts rush through my mind. I stare at this man who’s my everything, never feeling so helpless. His hat fell off in the fall, allowing me to rake my fingers through his hair. I’m caking the strands with blood, but I doubt he’ll care.

“Hey, Stalker. You’re going to be okay.”

His lashes flutter, staying closed for long seconds. When Colton’s eyes find mine again, they’re unfocused.

“Kiss me,” he breathes.

I lean forward to gently seal our lips together. The motion shoots a fresh burst of flames into my chest. My swallow is thick and useless against the onslaught. The foreign sensation seems cruel at a time like this. My heart is already burning without adding in acid reflux.

“Thank you for agreeing to be mine,” he murmurs. “Even if just for a little while.”

My palms shake as I cup his cheeks. “I love you so much, Colton. Please stay with me.”

He nuzzles into my touch, but doesn’t move otherwise. “Loving you has been my greatest honor.”

“There’s no quitting, right? I chose you and you’re stuck with me. Forever.”

His eyelids droop, barely open. “Don’t… worry about… me, baby girl. You’re gonna… be fine.”

“Fight,” I beg. “Just hold on.”

“Tryin’ my… best.” But his breathing is getting more shallow.

“Colton!” I wail. “You gave me your word. You can’t betray me.”

“We’re losing him,” the stranger on my right says.

“No, that’s not possible.” But I watch in horror as his eyes slide shut and remain that way. A broken sob rips from my throat. “Colton, wake up.”

“His pulse is weak,” she warns.

Another jab of heartburn blasts through me. I take a moment to consider the sudden onset. A faded memory clicks, one my mom used to share with us. It’s unlikely the cause for me. I haven’t experienced other symptoms. But if it gives him a reason to fight, I’ll use that to my advantage.

My hand grabs his to rest on my stomach. “I can’t do this without you. Please, Colton. Fight. For us. We need you.”

The woman across from me makes a strangled noise. “You’re pregnant?”

I don’t answer her. All of my concentration is centered on keeping Colton alive. “Wake up. Please, please. You can’t leave us. Don’t you dare try. We’re in this together. You’re saddled in secrets with me, Stalker.”

But he doesn’t hear me. His skin is clammy and cold when I check his temperature.

I try to snap the elastic band around his wrist, but the damn thing breaks.

As if that’s not some kind of omen. My chest is caving in.

There’s a cinch tightening around my ribs, pulling harder until I’m heaving. Fuck, I can’t breathe.

The wail of sirens cracks into the dismal outlook. Red and blue lights soon follow. A team of medical professionals spills onto the scene. I’m nudged away from Colton as they take control of the situation. Numbness spreads, leaving me empty. The life is draining out of me too.

Once he’d loaded onto a gurney and lifted into the back of the ambulance, a paramedic motions me forward. My mind is blank. All I can do is stare.

“Go,” the redhead tells me. “I’ll handle things here. You’ll owe me one.”

My head is bobbing robotically, willing to do whatever she says if it means going with him. No matter where that road leads.