He stood at the window, his broad back blocking the view of the winter wonderland beyond the panes. “Julia’s already out and about. Looks like she’s heading over to the windbreaks.”

“That’s what I pay her for.” I pull on first one boot, then another.

“Where you going?” He sank into the side chair and put his foot up on the coffee table.

“I need to grab some more firewood from the lean-to, for starters, then head out to the barn and put out more hay where needed, refill the troughs, and check on everything.”

He put his right leg down like he was going to get up again.

“Don’t even think about it. Just rest. I’ve been running this ranch long enough to know how to do all this on my own. Not to mention, Julia’s a big help. So stay put.”

“I can get the firewood.” His gruff voice bristled with pride.

With my hat snugged on my head, I pulled open the door and shot him what I hoped was a hard look. “Keep your nice ass settled until I get back.” Did I just tell him he had a nice ass?

Apparently, I had, because he didn’t have a retort, just a ridiculously adorable surprised look that turned into a smoldering smile on his angular face as I closed the door and crunched into the snow on the porch.

My breath plumed out in front of me as the icy air slapped my cheeks. The snow dazzled, the clouds cleared for the moment, and the sun rained down on the crisp white landscape. The barn looked like something out of a postcard, the roof covered in a blanket of fluffy flakes. But I didn’t stop to take a photograph. I was more worried about the roof collapsing under the weight and the animals we’d left out in the snow with no protection other than some windbreaks.

I made quick work of bringing firewood and making a small stack next to the front door to take in later. After a difficult trudge to the barn, I muscled the door open, rolling it back to reveal the ranch’s top animals. Cows lowed and a few horses nickered in greeting. A sliver of daylight shone through the door at the opposite end of the barn. Odd. Julia wouldn’t have left the barn door cracked on such a cold night. I worked my way through the barn, setting out feed, adding water to the troughs, and making sure the animals weren’t suffering from the close confines. Julia and I would have to muck the stalls later. I wanted it all clean and ready for the next snowstorm. The first one was just a love tap, and the strange warm spell expected this afternoon would only prime the atmosphere for heavier snow. The next snow cover would last for weeks, especially with the temperature plunging into the negative digits.

When I reached the back of the barn, four of the stalls were empty, including the large specialty stall reserved for my bull, Nelly’s Bruiser. I stood, disbelief and anger warring inside me, and stared at the empty stalls. There was absolutely no way the animals could’ve gotten out on their own. I turned to the back barn door and pulled it the rest of the way open. No tracks, just snow as far as I could see.

But there was one thing amiss. The fence line that ran about 50 yards behind the barn had a break in it. One large enough to run livestock through. But there were no tracks. So, whoever had done this—and I knew it had to be the Pipers—had taken advantage of the storm and raided the barn, likely sometime when the snow began to fall.

I yanked my gloves off, folded them together, and threw them to the ground. “Fuck you!” I yelled at the top of my lungs to the empty snowscape. Without those animals, this ranch was as good as dead. There was no way I could afford another bull of the same quality as Nelly’s Bruiser.

The radio at my side hummed to life, and Julia’s voice crackled through. “Boss, we have a problem.”

“No shit. What’s going on out there?” I would tell her about the barn, but she’d take the hit to the gut just like I had, and I was still trying to process it. Julia loved this ranch just as much as I did.

“The windbreaks. Someone came out here and set several of them on fire. The rest have been hacked to pieces on the supports and pushed over.”

I swallowed my dread, and asked what needed to be asked. “The cattle?”

“They’re alive. Your idea of feeding them late kept their body heat higher, so the temperatures didn’t get them last night. But they won’t make it through another snow without the windbreaks.”

“Maybe we can rebuild some of them. We have two days before the snow.”

The radio was silent for far too long, Julia knowing the answer just as well as I did. “Boss, we don’t have the time for that, the manpower for that, and I suspect we don’t have the money for that either.”

She was right on all counts. I wish that I could turn to Pop and ask him what to do. He would know. He’d have a solution worked up in no time. But he wasn’t here, and I was at a loss.

“We, ah, have some trouble in the barn, too. But I’ll tell you when you get back. There’s nothing you can do out there now. The weather is warming, so the stock will be fine for the time being. Head to the house.”

“What about the barn?” The sharp note of alarm in her voice cut me to the bone.

“Just come back.” I clicked off the radio, not ready to give voice to how bad the situation truly was. I finished up in the barn, moving like a zombie as my brain did all sorts of acrobatics to try and find a remedy for the situation. Nothing sparked to life.

When I returned to the house, all the firewood was gone from the front porch.

I walked in, kicked off my boots, and hung my coat and hat by the door.

Ingram looked up from his spot on the couch. “What the hell happened?” He focused on my face, his eyes widening in alarm.

“Oh, nothing. Just my prize bull is gone, several heifers with him, and someone trashed all of my windbreaks overnight.” I sank down into the side chair and cradled my head in my hands.

“Fucking Pipers,” he snarled. A furious Ingram was a sight to behold, a fire in his eyes to match the one roaring in his belly. But there was nothing to be done.

I couldn’t rebuild windbreaks by promising to pay with a wink and a smile. And I couldn’t hope to have a calving season without a bull. “Trey told me he wanted to buy this land. He said he’d get it one way or another. I suppose this is the way he chose.”

“Fuck this shit.” He labored to his feet and limped to the door.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to head over to the Pipers and get your animals back.” He snatched his hat off the peg and pressed it on his dark head.

He was right. I couldn’t sit here and fall into despair. That’s not what Pop would’ve done. Pop would’ve marched right over to the Pipers and demanded they return what they stole. The ranch had been by no means easy, but this would be my first real test. Did I truly belong out here? Did I have the metal to make my home on the range and run a successful operation? This was the way to find out.

I stood and walked to the hall closet. “I’m coming with you.”

Ingram shook his head. “These are dangerous people, Molly. I’d rather you let me handle it.”

“This is my ranch. I won’t let the Pipers take it, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone else fight my battles for me.” I grabbed Pop’s double-barreled shotgun from the top of the closet along with a box of shells.

“Hang on.” He hurried down the hall and picked up the phone while I dressed at the door. He hung up and joined me.

“Who was that?”

“Checking in with Zane. Arranging some backup if we need it.”

When I met his eyes, a slight quirk turned the corner of his lips.

Suddenly self-conscious, I asked, “What?”

“You just look badass is all. Pop would be proud.”

Warmth poured through me at his praise, but I tried to play it off by opening the door. “Let’s hope we can get to the Pipers’ property.”

Water dripped steadily from the eaves, and a wide chunk of snow fell from the barn roof with a whoosh and a thunk. The sun was doing its work, melting off the snow as the temperature warmed up.

Julia appeared, laboring toward us in snowshoes and making good time despite her leg injury. “Where are you headed?” she called from a distance.

“Going to see a man about some cattle.” I held the shotgun close to my leg and hoped she wouldn’t notice it. “We’ll be back in a bit. Keep an eye on things for me.”

“Like hell I will!” She picked up her pace, the limp getting more pronounced with each step.

“Ingram and I have this under control. I need you to stay here and make sure nothing else happens.” We walked down the steps and met her as she huffed her way to us.

Her eyes narrowed. “What happened in the barn?”

“Someone came in the night. Took the bull and some heifers.”

“No.” She shook her head, her eyes hard with denial. “No. I would’ve heard. I would’ve done something.”

“Did you take a painkiller for the knee at bedtime?” I kept my tone as gentle as possible.

Her face blanched, the tanned skin going almost translucent in the harsh daylight. “Oh my God. This is all my fault.”

“No, it’s not,” Ingram said before I could, and put a hand on her shoulder. “It was the Pipers. They’re after the ranch.”

“But I should have been on watch. It’s my job to keep this ranch going.” She turned to me, tears brimming in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Molly.”

I leaned the shotgun against Ingram, and he took it silently, then pulled Julia into my arms. “Don’t be sorry. We’re in this together. I couldn’t have gotten this far without you. It’s not your fault. And I know how you are, and that you’ll beat yourself up about this. But I promise you I don’t blame you and it’s not your fault.” I squeezed her for emphasis. Though I never admitted it out loud, mainly because I didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, Julia was the closest thing I had to a mom ever since my own mother had passed. She was the beating heart of this ranch. Ingram seemed to understand that too, because he patted her on the back and reassured Julia right along with me.

She sniffed and pulled back, her strength on display after the momentary tears. “What can I do to help?”