She tore up the long road to her ranch, and for the first time in my life I began to feel a little car sick—more so when she took icy curves with more speed than I’d ever dared.

“Why are you acting like the devil’s on our tails?” I tugged on her chest strap, making sure her seatbelt was good and tight.

“It’s not what’s behind us. It’s what’s ahead.”

“What do you mean?”

She gassed it up a sunny hill, the tires grabbing the wet pavement. “The lighter. It was planted, right?”

“Yeah.” It was hard to believe, but Trey had made a good case. The fact that Molly’s livestock was nowhere to be found on his property cemented it—he wasn’t guilty of rustling.

“I think maybe someone planted it and wanted us to go out to the Piper property. Wanted to get us out of the way.”

“What for?”

She slapped the wheel. “I don’t know. But it can’t be good.”

“Look.” I put what I hoped was a calming hand on her arm. “We’ll check on Julia when we get to your place, then I’ll call Zane and make sure everything’s okay on my end. Then we’ll start moving your cattle over to my place. Everything will be fine.”

“I hope so.” She chewed her lip the rest of the way.

Her worry slowly drained to me as I began to try and figure who had it in for Molly that they’d destroy her livelihood.

“Got any enemies?”

“What? No.”

“Someone’s clearly out to get you, and it isn’t Trey Piper.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Before yesterday, I would have said the only one around here who hadn’t taken a liking to me was you.”

“Good point.” I breathed a sigh of relief as she turned up her drive, the end to the bumpy ride close at hand.

“Is that smoke?” She pointed.

A dark wisp twirled up, the first evidence of fire.

“That’s got to be the house or the barn.” Her knuckles turned white on the wheel and she floored it up the small rise leading to her place.

When we crested the hill, the smoke increased. The front of the barn was on fire, flames licking up the doors.

“Jesus!” She stared in disbelief. “Who’s that?”

I squinted against the sun and made out a figure. “Zane.”

He dragged the watering hose from around the side of the barn as we skidded to a stop and jumped from the truck.

“Boss!” He aimed the water at the barn as the cows lowed and horses whinnied inside. They were trapped. “Door’s chained.”

Molly took off, streaking toward the back of the barn as I limped after her.

“Be careful, Molly!” I made it to Zane and yanked more of the hose free as the flames grew, rising to lick at the loft door. If the fire made it to the hay-rich loft, the whole place would be gone in a blink, the animals with it.

“Aim higher.” I pointed, and Zane trained the thick spray on the top flames, the water trailing down the side of the barn and hampering the blaze from rising. “I’ve got to go help Molly.”

I hurried around the side of the barn, grabbing a second hose as I went. The back door was open, and Molly was inside the smoky barn shooing the animals out into the pasture. Flames shot up the center beams as smoke poured through the loft and obscured my view of Molly.

Pulling the hose around, I sprayed the flames. But it was like fighting Goliath with a toothpick. The hose barely made a dent.

“Molly, get out of there!” Horses dashed past, their manes flying as they escaped. Cows followed, the entire herd getting in gear and rushing out in a flood. I had to flatten myself against the barn wall to avoid getting trampled as the animals rushed past.

The smoke grew thicker, and the blaze spread up, lighting the hay on fire and creating an inferno above us.

“Molly!” I dropped the hose and pulled my arm up to my nose. My eyes watered as I hurried into the empty barn, the choking smoke making it nearly impossible to see a damn thing. I yelled her name again, the scorching air ripping down my throat.

I crouched and crawled along the floor where the air was a little clearer. Halfway into the barn, I found her, her body limp.

“Molly!” I shook her, but she didn’t move. “Fuck!” My eyes were watering so much I could barely see, but I grabbed her in my arms and turned to run.

A beam crashed to the floor, and bits of flaming hay followed, creating a rain of fire ahead of us. Trapped. I backpedaled and made for the other side of the barn. My lungs burned and the smell of burning wood mixed with singed hair. Clutching her close, I made it to the barn door and kicked it. “Zane!”

“Boss!”

“Get us out of here!” More burning hay fell, igniting the remnants left on the barn floor. There wasn’t enough air.

“I can’t break the chain!” Panic coated his voice.

I dropped to my knees, hugging Molly’s limp form. “I’ve got you.” My voice was hoarse, barely my own. “I’ve got you, Molly.” Darkness took us both.