Chapter Fourteen

 

The terrified screams of horses woke him. Jumping out of bed, his heart racing, he ran to the window. For a moment, he couldn’t even comprehend what he was seeing. Then his brain kicked into gear, and he sprinted back to where he’d left his clothes the night before, pulling them on hastily.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Savannah asked, climbing out of bed and moving to the window. “Oh, my God, the barn’s on fire. The stables!”

The barn was alight, black smoke filling the air. It was only a matter of time before the fire reached the stables next door.

“I’ve got to get the horses out,” he said urgently. “Call 911.” He raced out the door. “And stay inside!”

It wasn’t until he was outside and racing towards the stables that he realized those last three words were completely unnecessary.

Well, at least he didn’t have to worry about Savannah getting hurt. She’d remain inside. Nice and safe.

 

Savannah got dressed quickly, her heart racing. The poor horses. Maybe she should try to help Logan. But just the thought of going outside made her skin crawl and a cold sweat break out on her skin.

No, the best thing she could do was call for help. She ran down the stairs and into the office, picking up the phone.

“Put the phone down.”

Savannah screeched and turned, dropping the phone. Heart racing, she stared into the corner of the room. “Who’s there?”

A slim-built, older woman stepped out of the shadows of the room and walked towards her. Savannah stared in complete disbelief, a shiver of fear working its way through her body.

“W-who are you?” she asked, her gaze locked on the gun the woman held in her hand. The gun was pointed straight at Savannah.

“You can’t guess? Well, I am disappointed. Although I didn’t really hold much hope for your intellect. Or your taste.” The woman stared around the office with a sneer.

Was she fucking kidding? She’d broken in, was holding a gun on Savannah, and she was seriously insulting her interior design skills? What was going on here?

“I wasn’t exactly expecting a visitor. You’ll have to forgive me for being unprepared.” Although how one prepared to have a gun held on them, she had no idea.

“I’m not here for a visit. I’m here for revenge. Still, don’t know who I am?”

Savannah swallowed heavily. She was starting to get an idea.

“I’m Alicia Michaels. Richard Stanton’s girlfriend.”

Oh, my God. “What are you doing here?”

“You ruined my life,” the other woman hissed. “You had to wreck everything, didn’t you? I had it all. Money, an influential partner, power. Now, I have nothing. I had no claim to Richard’s money. If there is anything left after his lawyer bills will go to his idiot son. Our so-called friends won’t accept my calls. Everyone has turned their back on me and I have nothing.”

“I’m really sorry but I had nothing to do with any of that. Your boyfriend kidnapped me.”

“Yes, that was a mistake. I don’t know why he took you. You look nothing like his precious Laken. Not like all those other girls did. Sluts.”

“Wait. Do you mean you knew what he was doing?”

“Of course, I knew. Who do you think helped him find all those girls? We were made for each other. He had needs I could help him fulfil and, in turn, he took care of me. And you took him from me.”

“He kidnapped and terrorized me, and it’s my fault?” The bitch was delusional.

“And you’re going to pay,” she continued as if she hadn’t heard Savannah at all. “Come, we’re leaving.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Savannah stated.

“Yes, you are.” She waved the gun.

Savannah’s mouth went dry as she stared at the other woman. A horse cried out.

“I need to call for help, the horses—”

The other woman smiled. It wasn’t a pretty smile.

“You set the fire?” Savannah whispered. Maybe if she kept the other woman talking, Logan would eventually come back inside. Except he had his hands full with the horses.

Sweet Jesus, help me.

“Of course I set the fire, I had to get rid of that big ape of yours. While he’s busy in front, we’re going out the back.”

Her breath came in fast pants. “I can’t go outside.”

“You’ll go outside, or I’ll shoot you.”

Savannah spun, her hand connecting with some papers on the desk, sending them flying.

“Get. Moving.” The other woman stepped forward and pushed the barrel of the gun between her shoulder blades.

Oh, God. Oh, God.

As they got closer to the back door, her heartrate increased, sweat beaded on her forehead, and she went hot then cold.

“Open the door. Open it.”

The other woman’s voice barely penetrated the haze of panic surrounding her. She watched, almost as though she were separated from her own body, as her hand reached out and opened the door. Blackness circled her vision. She couldn’t catch her breath. She couldn’t . . . she couldn’t . . .

 

Max yawned as he drove down the dirt road leading home. He probably should have spent the night at one of the airport motels and headed home in the morning. Then he could have had someone pick him up rather than renting a car, but he was too eager to get home and see Savannah. Damn, he missed her.

Travis had offered him another job already, but he’d turned it down, telling the other man he wouldn’t be taking any more.

As he turned into the long driveway, he frowned as he saw a car pulled over, nearly in the ditch. What the hell was someone doing parked out here? He pulled over and got out, and that’s when he smelled it. Smoke. He quickly checked the car. It was locked with no one inside. Jumping back into his car he raced towards the house.

Panic filled him, his heart racing as he saw the smoke billowing up in the sky. As he drew closer, he could see the barn and stables were both on fire. He parked and jumped out.

“Logan! Savannah!” He raced towards the stables as a terrified horse raced out. Logan stumbled out behind the horse.

“Logan!” Max ran to his brother as Logan leaned over, coughing. “Are you okay? Where’s the fire department?”

“Damned if I know.” Logan glanced up then ran his hand over his streaming eyes. His face was covered with soot.

“Fuck! Your hands! They’re burned.” Max reached for Logan’s wrists, turning his hands over.

“It’s nothing. I’ve got to try and contain this fire. Savannah’s calling 911, can you go check on her?”

Max gave his hands one more look. He thought they seemed pretty bad, but he turned and ran into the house. “Savannah! Savannah!”

No answer. That was strange.

He quickly ran into the study and immediately spotted the papers strewn about. And the phone that was off its cradle. It didn’t have to mean anything, but when he called 911, they told him they had no record of a call from this address. Shit. He hung up and raced out of the office.

“Savannah! Savannah, answer me now!” He ran into the kitchen, then the living room before heading towards the stairs. The back door was open. There could be all sorts of reasons it was open, but some instinct tugged at him, and he raced outside, staring around.

Someone screamed. A woman. In the distance, he saw two people fighting. A gun fired. Then one of them hit the other and one dropped to the ground.

Fuck.

“Savannah! Savannah!”

The person still standing didn’t move. They just stood over the person slumped on the ground. As he grew closer, they turned.

“Max, you’re home,” Savannah said before she fell into his arms in a faint.

***

Savannah groaned. Who was making all that noise? She rolled over, trying to go back to sleep. Just a few more hours.

“Savannah? Savannah, wake up, honey.”

Now she was dreaming she could hear Max’s voice. That was nice.

“It’s not a dream, love. I’m here. Wake up now.” Warm hands grasped her shoulders and shook her.

Not a dream. What did that mean?

She shot up with a scream. Her body protested the quick movement. She stared around her, disorientated for a moment. Where was she? This looked like the living room, why was she in the living room? Max!

“Max!” She threw herself against him, her arms tangling in the blanket she was wrapped in.

“Whoa!” He grabbed her, holding her tightly against him. “Don’t move so fast. You just woke up.”

“Max, you’re here! When did you get home? Oh, I’m so happy to see you!”

“Is she awake? Is she all right? Damn it, I don’t need checking over, my hands are fine.”

She looked up as Logan stepped into the room, a man in a paramedic uniform trailing him. Logan looked terrible. His clothes were dirty, his face covered in soot.

“Sir, you’ve suffered severe burns on your hands. I need to tend to them.”

Logan waved the man off as he stormed towards the couch, a scowl on his face. “Is she all right?”

“I’m fine. Logan, what’s happened?” She heard a horse neigh, and she gasped as it all came back to her. “The fire. Are the horses all right? Are you?”

She pushed at the blanket, wanting to go to Logan.

“Lie still,” he grumbled at her. “I’m fine. So are the horses. I’m more worried about you.”

“Sir,” the paramedic said.

“I said I’ll be with you soon,” Logan snapped back.

“You need to get those hands looked at, Logan,” Max said mildly.

She blanched as she saw Logan’s hands. They were red and blistered. “Oh, God, those look so sore.”

“They’re fine,” he snapped. “Are you okay? Did that bitch hurt you?”

Hurt her? How could she have gotten hurt? She was in here the whole time, asleep. “Oh, fuck! Alicia! What happened to Alicia?”

“Is that the woman you were fighting with?” Logan asked.

She nodded. “She’s Stanton’s girlfriend. When I came down to the office to call 911, she was there waiting. She had a gun. She blamed me for everything.” She swallowed heavily.

“Blamed you?” a calm voice asked, and she jumped, staring over at the doorway where Jake stood.

She placed her hand on her chest.

Logan turned to Jake. “Don’t frighten her.”

“Sorry, Savannah. I thought you knew I was here. What did she say to you?”

She licked her dry lips. “She said she was here for revenge. That I ruined her life. That everyone has turned their back on her, and she blamed me!” That still amazed her. “She knew what he was doing, that she even helped him find his victims.”

She looked up at Logan, his face was filled with thunder. “She set the fire, Logan. To get you out of the house. Then she must have figured I’d come downstairs. She tried to force me out the back door. I told her I couldn’t leave, but she said she’d shoot me if I didn’t. But when I tried to open the door, I started to have a panic attack. She kept prodding me with that gun. I stumbled outside, I didn’t think I could, but I made myself move. And then, I just got so angry. How dare she do this to me? How could she set that fire? Before I could even think about it, I turned on her and grabbed for the gun.”

“Fuck, she could have shot you!” Logan growled.

“Yeah, well, I think I’ve changed my mind about learning to shoot. Not sure I ever want to touch another gun again.” She ran her hands up and down her arms, feeling chilled. “Where is she?”

“One of my deputies is taking her to the hospital,” Jake said. “I wanted to talk to you first.”

“Do you think she sent the letter and made those phone calls?”

“I’d say it’s possible,” Jake told her. “I need to go take care of a few things. I’ll let you know when I have any updates. Logan, come and get those hands looked at.”

Logan looked from her to Max. Max nodded in understanding. “I won’t take my gaze off her.”

She looked after Logan worriedly. “Do you think he’s okay?”

“He’ll be all right. He’s more upset over what happened to you.”

“I’m fine.” She placed her hands over her face. “I can’t believe I fainted, though.”

“After you fought her off and knocked her out cold. That’s pretty amazing.”

He sat on the couch and pulled her gently onto his lap.

“You’re home.”

“I am, baby. And I’m not ever leaving again.”

“I missed you so much. I love you.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I love you as well.”

“I was worried about you,” she admitted to him.

He kissed the top of her head. “You don’t have to worry; I’m not going anywhere again. You get into too much trouble when I’m not around.”

“Hey! This was not my fault.” She pulled back so she could see his face and he winked at her.

She snuggled into his chest. He ran his hand up and down her back and despite the turmoil and terror she’d just gone through, she felt almost complete. All she needed was Logan.

“Savannah?”

“Yeah?”

“What did Jake mean about phone calls and a letter?”

***

Max paced back and forth across the living room. “I cannot believe this! And Atkinson poisoned three of our calves? What’s Jake doing to find him?”

He could hardly believe what Savannah had told him. How could so much have happened in the short time he’d been away? A threat in the mail? Dead calves? Strange phone calls?

“I should never have left.” He should have been here, protecting his family.

“Atkinson paid one of his ranch hands to do it. Jake is trying to track him down.”

Max clenched his jaw tightly. He glanced over as Logan entered the room. “You okay?”

Logan nodded stiffly. “All good.”

Yeah, he looked all good. “Savannah’s just been filling me in on everything that’s happened since I’ve been gone.”

“How are your hands?” Savannah jumped up and moved over to his brother, whose hands were wrapped in white bandages.

“They’re fine,” he told her. “That damn paramedic is just pissed at me. I don’t need all these bandages.” He went to push them off, and Savannah grabbed his wrists.

“Leave them,” she said sternly. “I’m sure he didn’t bandage them any more than necessary.”

Max wasn’t so certain. Logan’s hands looked like two massive snowballs sticking out of the ends of his arms.

“Everyone has left. Colin and Trace are taking all the horses back to their place. They said they can stay as long as necessary. Gonna take a while to rebuild the barn, but half the stables aren’t in too bad of shape.”

Fuck.

Max ran his hand over his face. “I don’t see how we can rebuild.” It hurt him to say the words. Actually physically hurt. Christ, he’d left his family, left his wife when she was vulnerable and needed him, and put himself in a dangerous situation all for nothing. The money he’d earned was good, but it wasn’t enough to rebuild all they’d lost.

“But we have insurance,” Logan said.

“Yes, but the money could take a while to come through, what do we do with the horses until then? Where do we store everything? Then there’s the deductible. On top of all the bills, this could be beyond us.”

Max sat in an armchair, resting his elbows on his thighs, his head dropping forward.

“That bitch!”

He looked up in shock at Savannah’s angry words. His wife looked ready to kill. Her pale cheeks were flushed with red, her hands clenched into fists. “How dare she!”

Max had no doubt that if Alicia Michaels was in the room she’d find herself deeply regretting her actions.

“She did this to us. She and her bastard boyfriend. And then there’s Atkinson. They’ve fucked with our lives enough, you hear me?” She pointed at Max and then Logan.

“We hear you just fine, darlin’,” Logan said dryly.

She turned her glare on Max. “And I don’t want to hear how you should have been here. Enough. From now on, we do everything as a family, got it?”

He didn’t dare smile. He didn’t want her to think he was laughing at her when she was so serious. But she was damn gorgeous when she was all heated up like this.

“You’re a great provider, you give me everything I need. Your love, your protection, and your time. I don’t want to hear any more crap about how you’ve failed. Understood?”

He just raised his eyebrows and looked over at Logan who shrugged. “Bossy.”

That was for sure.

“We’ll figure this out,” she said.

Savannah moved over to him, and he pulled her onto his lap, needing her close.

“We should get some sleep.” Even though he was exhausted, he knew he wouldn’t sleep. But Savannah looked done in and so did Logan.

“I need a shower.” Logan wrinkled his nose.

“Same,” Max said with a sigh.

Savannah climbed off his lap and held out her hand. “I really am glad you’re home, Max.”

“Me too, love.”