The Private Stable [Iron Spur Ranch 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (20 page)

“I’ll be at the river.” Rachel yanked her reins back, glared at Jesse, and then bound off into a full gallop.

The wind was strong, stealing her breath as she rode against it. It burned her skin, the chill growing by the minute. She felt a few drops, proof that there would be rain, probably a storm. If they couldn’t wrangle the horses before it hit, they could scatter even farther, spooked by any thunder and lightning.

When she spotted one of the missing horses taking a drink by the river, she sighed in relief. It was a picturesque sight, the dark gelding against the backdrop of weeping willows dotting the riverbank. It was a treacherous descent into the valley, so she cautioned her horse to take the hill slowly.

She tried to approach the animal on horseback, but her mare was being feisty, probably sensing the approaching weather change. So she dismounted and tied her horse to a tree. Rachel hated approaching strange horses when they were free. She swore it would be the death of her one day. But she braved up and took measured steps to the riverbank, remembering when Ethan asked her to retrieve the stubborn Appaloosa. Hopefully this horse was more accommodating.

“Come on now. It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.” She cooed, holding her hand out as a peace offering. The horse peered at her from the corner of its eye. It could either bolt or perhaps believe she had a treat, which she didn’t.

“Well, will you look at that. A regular cowgirl.”

Rachel turned toward a small grove of trees. She hadn’t heard anyone, but she could now see a horse tethered in the underbrush and a cowboy made his way into the open. There was something familiar about his voice.

“J–Jason? Is that you?”

She barely recognized him in this world. He didn’t belong here. Why was he here?

“You thought you could just walk away and never look back, didn’t you? You thought I was a sucker and wouldn’t be able to find you.”

Rachel froze in place. It was odd how one man could hold such power over her. Her chest clamped down around her heart and her breathing picked up. Terror held her captive, the same kind she knew well.

“Well, I did.” He stepped toward her wearing jeans, chaps, and a cowboy hat. It didn’t suit him. He must have been one of the new trainees. How had he found her? She’d never be safe from him, even at the Iron Spur Ranch, which seemed to teeter on the end of the earth. “And look what I find…”

The usual look of disgust darkened his features as he sized her up. She’d become Rachel the fearless, confident, happy, and optimistic. Now she was transported back in time. She was once again a scared young girl with no self-esteem.

She took a step back, his proximity making adrenaline surge through her veins.

“A whore. A fat, nasty whore.” He shook his head and curled his lips. “All along you were thinking about fucking other men. I don’t think I knew you at all.”

Rachel didn’t bother to retort. All the years she’d spent with him, she’d been loyal and faithful. It was only after breaking free that she finally discovered herself. It was as if no time had passed, no healing had occurred. She felt smaller than a pebble against Jason.

“I wonder if these idiots know the real you. If you think they give two shits about you, you’re more deluded than I thought. Nobody could ever want a fat ass like you. But instead of giving me thanks, you run off and make me a laughingstock.”

She wanted to defend herself. Her throat was swollen with emotion, her eyes burning with unshed tears. She hated herself for falling victim to her abuser all over again. Where had the new Rachel disappeared to?

“You’re coming home with me where you belong. Your little stunt is over right now.”

“You set the horses loose.” It was all coming together now. She wasn’t sure how he’d found her, but she knew he wouldn’t stop until he had her back. Part of her knew she’d follow him obediently, so programmed to obey him. But she couldn’t. Whether he believed it or not, she’d found love, real love, and she wouldn’t leave that behind.

“It’s the only way I could get you alone.”

She took a deep breath. “I’m not going back, Jason.”

He laughed. “Let me guess, they said they loved you? All men say that to get what they want, every last one. I’ve been here for two days. You should hear how they talk about you and your boy toys. You’re a fucking joke.”

“No.”

“Yes. Your place is with me.”

He reached for her, but she backed away, nearly tripping over her own feet.

“Stop embarrassing yourself,” he said, his face contorting in anger. She thought she’d spontaneously combust for the fear pumping through her system.

Think, Rachel!
If she ran to her horse, he’d catch her before she untied her and mounted. If she ran up the incline and out of the valley, he’d easily beat her. They were off the beaten path, likely far out of earshot should she scream for help.

“Please, just leave me alone. We’re no good for each other.” She was trying to be rational with a mad man. Over the years she’d become an expert at appeasing his beast. She didn’t want to be that woman anymore. Rachel was sick and tired of tiptoeing around Jason’s moods. She wanted to live. To love. To act without thinking twice.

“You don’t know what you’re saying. They’ve brainwashed you, turned you into their live-in whore.”

She shook her head, her tears starting to spill over.

“I’ve heard all the gossip around the bonfire. One of your so-called lovers is a fucking murderer. He killed a man in cold blood.”

Hadn’t Jason killed a piece of her each day. She was paper thin by the time she arrived at the Iron Spur Ranch.

Was there any truth in what Jason said about Ethan? She’d heard rumors about a murder but decided to judge his character herself. He’d passed with flying colors.

“I’ve missed nearly a week of work because of you! I’m not leaving here alone!”

She nearly pissed her pants. Spittle came out of his mouth as he yelled, and she knew from experience things were about to get physical.

Rachel bit the inside of her lip so hard the blood pooled in her mouth. She needed the pain to ground her, to keep her from falling apart completely. It used to remind her of her mother, but now it also transported her to the private stable with Wyatt and Ethan.

She began to remember the things they said. They weren’t bad men like Jason made them out to be, and she was worthy of their affections. A surge of strength built up inside her along with her turbulent emotions.

“I’ll never leave here with you,” she said. “I’ll die first.” And part of her felt she would. She once thought she loved him, but most of their time together was based on a cycle of abuse, not love. Jason had gone to the extreme of scouting out her location and travelling miles to retrieve her. He was volatile enough to kill her. And she knew it would be preferable to living her life with him. She fought her fear, reminding herself it had no power over her. It was all in her mind, a perception she could change.

“You ungrateful little bitch.”

He lunged forward, toppling them both to the ground. He pulled his fist back, but she fought him, kicking and holding back his arms.

A gunshot went off, startling them both. Jason rolled off her and got up to his knees to scout the area. She didn’t move, still trying to catch her breath. Above them, looking down into the valley was Damien. She recognized his dark features and the black stallion he rode.

“Get your horse, Ms. Price.”

She got to her feet, thanking God he’d shown up when he did. Would he fire her? Did he realize the magnitude of the drama taking place? He began to navigate the hill, coming down into the valley.

“Don’t even think about it, Rachel. If you so much as listen to him, I’ll make you sorry. You and your cowboys,” he whispered harshly.

* * * *

When Wyatt found out Rachel was going on the trail ride and Jesse was the tour guide, he thought it would be wise to give his crewman a little warning. He wanted his woman treated like a princess, not a greenhorn in training. Damien had pulled Jesse off his regular duties without so much as a word to Wyatt. He wondered if his job as foreman was at risk for mixing business and pleasure on the ranch. Damien always said what happens in the private stable, stays in the private stable. But Wyatt wanted Rachel for keeps.

He used his two-way radio to contact Jesse, only to find out there were big problems, the horses running amuck. He’d sent Rachel to the valley in search of some runaways.

“She better not be fucking hurt,” he warned.

He stopped by the holding paddock to get Ethan, and together they rode out to the valley to help with the horses and check on Rachel.

“I can’t believe Damien pulled Jesse off duty without telling you,” said Ethan as they rode the open fields.

“It could be the start of the end,” he said. They slowed down when they neared the embankment.

“What do you mean?”

Wyatt stopped his horse, his face stoic. “How much you willing to sacrifice for that girl?”

“Everything.”

“Your job, Ethan? Your home?”

“Damien would never throw us off the ranch.”

His friend needed to understand life wasn’t always rainbows and daisies. Sometimes things happened whether they liked it or not. Just like the charges that were slapped on Ethan once upon a time.

“Listen to me. If Damien forbade you from seeing Rachel, would you listen?” He already knew the answer but wanted Ethan to understand the point he was making.

“You know I wouldn’t.”

“Okay. Just remember that, because I have a feeling a shit storm is on the horizon.”

His two-way went off. It was Damien. Wyatt ignored the call as they carefully made their way down into the valley. The weather was fickle, and one minute the clouds appeared to be breaking up and the next the dark shadows would dominate the land.

Thunder cracked overhead.

The two-way continued to sound so he turned it off. Then they heard a gunshot.

Rachel watched in horror as Jason pulled out a switchblade from his back pocket. He used it to threaten Damien as he approached on horseback. However, the owner of the Iron Spur Ranch didn’t appear fazed in the slightest. He set his gun back in the holster on the side of his saddle.

“You plan to use that?” he asked.

“I don’t want trouble. I’m leaving here with Rachel, and that’ll be the end of it,” said Jason.

“Ms. Price is my employee. She’s under contract, so she won’t be going with you today.”

“And me? Am I expected to stay as an employee, too?” he goaded.

“No. Not you. You’ll be leaving.”

Rachel heard the threat in her boss’s voice loud and clear. She’d always been intimidated by him, but now he appeared to be on her side, which surprised her.

Other cowboys were finally catching up, appearing on the horizon above. They were likely scouting for the missing horses, but their presence was welcome in such a volatile time. She wasn’t sure how far Jason would go now that he was cornered.

“Not without her I’m not.” He pointed the knife at her, bringing her back to reality. She scrambled up to her feet and tried to put distance between them. “Get on my fucking horse, Rachel. If anyone gets hurt it’ll be your fault.”

Everything was always her fault back home. She lived in a constant state of guilt and shame. How would she feel if he hurt one of the horses, Damien, or the cowboys fast approaching? She’d brought her problems to this beautiful land, and it wasn’t fair to anyone.

“From what I hear, Ms. Price is taken—lock, stock, and barrel. And it appears her men are on their way to check on her. If you were wise, you’d be on your way.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

She knew Jason would never believe any man would be interested in her. She barely believed it herself thanks to his negativity. But it was true. And if the two riders were really Wyatt and Ethan, her entire future could be mapped out today.

Damien met eyes with her. He was a blank slate, impossible to read. “You okay?” he asked.

She shook her head. Her nerves were frazzled and her future up in the air.

“You will be.”

Rachel watched the two horses galloping along the riverbank. It was them, her two lovers, the men she wanted forever with. But now they’d confront her ex, and it was sure to sour them. Jason would likely think up anything to ensure they’d want nothing to do with her.

She took a breath, finally remembering to breathe.

“Rachel!” Ethan called out as they neared. He dismounted without stopping, landing firmly on two booted feet. The man must have been born in a saddle. He was so tall and commanding, a look of concern on his face.

Wyatt dismounted seconds later. “Why did I hear a gunshot?” he asked.

“It was a warning shot,” said Damien, nodding to Jason.

Both her men turned to look. “Who’s this?”

Rachel wanted to tell them. She didn’t want Jason telling them they were an item. “That’s my ex. The one I told you about.”

Wyatt cocked his head. “Really?”

“Why’s he here now?” asked Ethan.

“To get what’s mine.” Jason still had the knife in his hand, his arms down at his sides. She noted the moment Wyatt noticed the weapon, his eyes riveted to the gleam of the steel.

They positioned themselves in front of her, two unmovable mountains. Damien was still on horseback, watching the events unfold but not intervening. She grabbed Wyatt’s sleeve. “Please don’t do anything. You’ll get hurt,” she whispered.

He chuckled, a dark, masculine sound. “Don’t you worry about me, baby girl.”

“So you’re the reason she looked to the ground when she got here.” Ethan stepped closer to Jason, and her heart raced.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re a coward.”

“And you’re a murderer,” said Jason. Ethan turned his head back to look at her, a look of dismay in his eyes. She’d heard rumors but never took them to heart. If Ethan had been involved in something unsavory, it was the past, and she refused to dwell there. There was always more to a story than met the eye. He’d been good and kind and gentle, everything Jason was not.