Endless Trails Page 8

  She opened the door wider. “Are you coming in, or do you need help with something?” What was he doing? Why wasn’t he inside yet? Maybe she was scaring him off.

  In seconds, there was a body pushing her back. After she reoriented herself and allowed herself to see past her irritation at Ryland, she realized Kevin had pushed his way through the front door and shoved her up against the wall.

  Holding her against the wall with one arm strong from ranching, he kicked the door shut behind him. He pushed closer to her. His alcohol-heavy breath blew hot on her face as he grunted. “Oh, don’t worry, darlin’, I’m comin’ in.”

  Panicked, Amy opened her mouth to scream, but Kevin slammed his hand over her mouth. “Nope, not this time. You’re not calling out for help from anyone.” He adjusted her on the wall so he could press his full body against her. He continued holding his hand over her mouth and immobilizing her head. “I like having your mouth closed.”

  He studied her while she searched the small foyer area for a way out. Kevin laughed. “Sounds like you have someone after you. You should’ve picked me and not that little prick. You would’ve been better off with me, but maybe you want Buck again. Right? He’s looking for you, isn’t he?”

  Amy stopped struggling at the mention of her ex’s name.

  The only way Kevin would know about Buck was if he’d met him. Terrified, she refused to show her fear. She learned that hard lesson with Buck. The secret to less pain was in the tactic of hiding her reaction to their intimidation.

  She had to act bored.

  Laughing against his hand, she almost convinced herself of her feigned indifference. Until he shifted his hand away from her mouth, her words were muffled, but still clear. “You’re boring compared to Buck. Good thing you’re turning me over. I’d hate to see how hard he’ll make you cry.”

  Kevin slid his hand down off her mouth and draped it around her neck.

  She wasn’t joking. If anything, Buck was the most extremely territorial man she’d ever met.

  Kevin shook his head softly back and forth, his forehead brushing her temple. His proximity made her gag, but she hid it.

  “I’m not scared of him. Come on.” He wrenched his hand up into the curls at the base of her skull and dragged her back through the living room and down the hall. Would she rather go with him or would he try to take her to Buck afterwards?

  What about Ryland? Where was he? What would happen when he got back? Because he would come back soon. He’d promised.

  Did she pray that he didn’t return until much later or did she pray for herself? As long as Cody was okay, she could handle whatever Kevin did to her.

  Buck was another story.

  Chapter 13

  Ryland

  Throbbing at the back of his head clanged to get him awake. He came to, his face next to a large black mass he didn’t recognize until he reached out and touched the textured surface. The dirty rubber of his rear tire wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been.

  Groaning, Ryland pushed himself to his feet. No one was around as he scanned the area. Evening had fallen in the short time he’d been out. He climbed into his truck.

  If Kevin had been the one that attacked him, the man hadn’t been smart enough to disable Ryland’s truck. He should’ve. Because now Ryland’s anger was going to boil over that the man had the audacity to attack him and not ensure he wouldn’t be followed.

  The arrogance was insulting.

  Ryland’s headlights bounced along the road as he drove quickly through the dark. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been out and lying on the ground. Any amount of time was too long.

  The sun had set, leaving behind a cooler evening. Frost would be there soon, if not that night, and Ryland hoped he got the chance to walk in the warm sun at least once with Amy.

  Buck was ominous. He had an aura about him that promised punishment. Ryland couldn’t let her go to him. No matter what.

  His headlights illuminated Kevin’s truck tucked to the side under the trees by the cabin. Alarm stung along the backs of his legs and pricked his neck.

  He barely put the truck in park before he jumped from the rig to run up the steps.

  At the door, he pushed the panel open and paused, waiting to hear something. Where would they be?

  Ryland couldn’t call out for Amy in case something was happening or in case Kevin didn’t know he was there. Surprise had to be on his side.

  Sounds of a struggle from the back room drew his attention. Amy cried out, the words muffled.

  Ryland rushed toward the back rooms, working to be quiet but also trying to get there fast. There didn’t look to be any signs of a struggle. Where was Cody?

  Stopping in the doorway to her bedroom, Ryland squatted into a half-crouch, prepared to pounce onto Kevin as he lay on top of Amy. With his arm pressed against her throat, he straddled her with a knee on either side of her hips.

  Cody’s crib was on the far side of the room, and the baby began to cry.

  As if flipping a switch, Cody’s cries triggered Amy’s vulnerability. “Cody, it’s okay, honey. Mommy’s here.”

  Kevin flipped Amy to the side. “Shut up, Cody. I’m going to make Mommy wish she wasn’t here.”

  Opening her eyes, Amy’s gaze landed on Ryland and she gasped in relief. Her jagged crying ripped through him. “Ryland, get Cody. Get him out of here.” She looked toward Cody as much as she could.

  Snapping his startled gaze toward Ryland, Kevin gathered his surprise and sneered. “Yes, Ryland. Don’t save her. Save the baby.” He rolled his eyes. “Now, you understand where I’m coming from with sending the brat to foster care.”

  Ryland stepped forward, his shoulders tense and his breath short.

  “You can only save one. You can either have her and I’ll take the baby to his dad. Or you can take the kid and I’ll take her. Let’s be honest. I don’t like kids. I’m not sure I won’t drop him a few times.” An evil slant to Kevin’s smile curdled Ryland’s gut.

  Amy’s fractured whisper reached Ryland in the sudden silence. “Please, he’s my son. Please.” She begged him with her brown eyes more than her tone.

  Ryland didn’t think any more about his decision. If he thought too much he would try to save them both. But he couldn’t go after Amy without leaving Cody vulnerable and he couldn’t go after Cody without leaving Amy vulnerable.

  He had to go for the weaker of the two. Ryland grabbed the black diaper bag and scooped up Cody in his arms. “Amy... I...” He promised her with his own eyes that he’d find her.

  Hopefully, she read his as clearly as he’d read hers.

  Every step he ran from that room with Cody in his arms tore Ryland apart. All he could think to do was get the boy to safety.

  Then he’d go after Amy.

  Jumping in his truck, Ryland didn’t put Cody down. The small boy whimpered in his arms and Ryland drove as fast as he could the couple hundred yards to the main house. He couldn’t take the time to cross hundreds of feet by foot.

  Only one light was on in the house but Ryland didn’t stop. He parked the truck and carrying Cody and the diaper bag, he jumped from the seat. Rushing to the front door, he pounded on the metal knocker.

  Glancing over his shoulder, he tried to see the cabin from the stoop, but it was just out of sight. “Please be up. Please be up.” He slammed the knocker down twice, three times, four times.

  Ryland didn’t stop knocking until the door swung open and the knocker was swung from his hand.

  A shotgun in hand, Dean stared out at Ryland as if he’d lost his mind. And maybe he had. “Goodness, what’s going on, son? It’s getting late.”

  Ryland glanced past Dean at Mary lurking in the hall, just out of range of danger but there in case her husband needed her. Ryland’s plea cut past Dean’s question. “Can you take him, please? Amy’s ex is here in town and Kevin is taking her to him. I had to pick her or the baby.” He tried not to sob with worry, hiccupping as her shot another look over his shoulder.


  The lights from Kevin’s truck pulled out down the drive. Amy was on her way to Buck.

  Ryland glanced back at the Besses, focusing on Mary. “Please. I have to save her.” He jerked his gaze between Mary and Dean. In desperation, he thrust the baby towards Mary.

  She claimed the child and nodded hurriedly, taking the diaper bag. “I’m going to call the police. Dean, grab the men and go. Save that girl.”

  “One step ahead of you, Mother.” Dean snapped his suspenders into place, and yanked on his boots. “Let’s go, son.”

  Ryland held out his hand. He didn’t have a gun, at least on him. He kept his pistol in the glove compartment. “I can’t let you do that. I can’t ask you to put yourself in danger. I don’t want to do that to you.” He needed the help but putting Mr. Bess in harm’s way wouldn’t help Amy or Cody in the long run.

  Dean straightened to his full height and thrust his face into Ryland’s. “She’s my friend, too. You’re not the only one who’s come to care for her. And, that pain, Kevin is my problem, not yours. You’re new here and you’re welcome here, but this is my town. Godfrey is my home. This will not be tolerated here. Seems I have more right than you do to fix this problem. Let’s grab the guys.” Dean didn’t wait, and patted Ryland on the shoulder as he passed.

  Dean climbed into the passenger of Ryland’s truck and waited for Ryland to join him. Ryland didn’t waste time and drove down to the barn.

  Offering up the horses and extra arms, Dean led with a commanding voice. “Everyone grab a ride. We’ll go at this old school. Instead of taking the road, we’ll cut cross country. That will get us caught up faster.”

  It was almost like Ryland walked with his cousins, and rode with them to save someone. He could handle that. He could handle the support of a family, even if it wasn’t his own.

  Chapter 14

  Amy

  Kevin had dragged Amy into the cab of his truck. He'd snarled his fingers in Amy's hair, angry that he hadn’t had time to hurt her. He'd dragged her with her hands clamped around his wrist down the steps and into the rig. For such a weasel, he was surprisingly strong.

  The more she struggled, the harder he held. She tried to kick free and he drew back and backhanded her across the upper cheekbone. She stopped fighting, dazed.

  Amy hadn’t been hit hard enough to knock her out. When Buck had hit her, he’d always struck her below the neck. He'd always been very careful about leaving marks people could see.

  Kevin drove them through the small town. Most of the lights off along the street, the lights in the bar were neon and bright.

  For a second, Amy thought maybe he was driving back to Dillon as they drove through and then pulled onto the highway. Before they could turn onto the interstate, Kevin pulled into a parking lot with a house-sized safety cone with doors and windows at the end.

  Three trucks flanked the strange building and a light glowed from inside the cone.

  A sign hung crookedly from a hook above the front door, declaring the cone as the historical mining office. The building was seemingly abandoned with its cracked windows and screen door hanging slanted from its hinges.

  When they turned to park, Kevin's headlights lit up Buck's truck. Two other trucks on the far side show that Buck wasn't alone, he’d brought along a good number of his drinking buddies - the ones that encouraged his bully mentality.

  Just the sight of his truck made Amy's knees go weak, and not in a romantic way.

  Buck was waiting. The skin on her back prickled and she wanted to cry. At least Cody wasn’t there. At least he was safe. She would hold onto that. She had to keep it together or Buck would feed off her fear.

  Kevin climbed down from his seat and rounded her side quickly, as if she would try to get out before he got there. He had a hard time getting her in the truck, and now she was fighting to stay in the truck.

  Reaching in, Kevin grabbed her forearm, gripping so tight she swore her bones ground together.

  She forced him to drag her inside. She resisted every step of the way.

  Using his backside, Kevin pushed through the doors and hauled Amy through. He tossed her to the ground, where she sprawled, scraping her elbows on the glass and wood strewn floor. She sat up slowly, pushing her hair out of her face.

  Buck lounged in a chair that had been left when the building had been abandoned. His dark eyebrows drew together and he swung himself on the chair, watching Kevin bring her in.

  His chuckle could’ve been made of acid. “I bet you thought you'd never see me again. Or maybe you hoped for that, aye there, girl?”

  Amy pushed herself to her feet, a little unsteady after all the solid hit to the head. Buck's friend turned the lantern to face Amy.

  Buck’s smile faded when he saw the marks on Amy's face. He dropped his legs from the table and thrust himself to his feet. Rounding the desk, he approached Amy cautiously and gently took Amy's face in his hand. He inspected her skin, speaking to Kevin. “Did you do this, boy?”

  “I brought her to you.” Kevin put his hand on his hips like he'd brought the king's ransom.

  “Where's the kid?” Buck didn't look away from Amy's face. He searched her skin as if something in her expression would tell him what he needed to know. It took everything in her not to flinch when Buck mentioned Cody.

  “Ryland took him, but I brought her. I can go with you guys now, right?” Kevin’s eagerness belied the toughness in his tone.

  “What did you do to her? I've never seen her looking like such a mess.” Buck walked around her, inspecting everything like a horse at market.

  Amy stood there, her shoulders back and her chin up. He could treat her like a mare all he wanted. She wasn't his animal or his property and she’d never go back to feeling like she was.

  Screeching at Buck, Kevin motioned his hands in the general vicinity of Amy. “She fought me. She wouldn't stop fighting. I had to do what I did to get her under control.”

  Buck's surprised laughter bounced off the cracked plaster wall. “Amy doesn't fight back.” His mirth hardened with anger, the tell-tale sign of his judgment about to be handed out. “Take him out back boys. I’d say about five minutes. That should teach him.”

  Kevin's wail was louder than Buck's roar. “What? Teach me what?”

  Amy didn't look at Kevin. She trained her gaze on Buck. “You'll be beaten for five minutes.” She’d be lucky, if that's all she would get. If Buck was in a good mood...

  Buck nodded, approval in his slim smile. “That's right, sweetheart, but not for you. Nope. I promised you worse. I just need to wait for my son.”

  Amy’s stomach sank. She wouldn't cower, but worse was not going to be good.

  At least she would have the element of surprise. He didn't think she fought back. She could use that. She’d proven to herself she was strong enough to leave, she was strong enough to fight back.

  Chapter 15

  Ryland

  Dean motioned for Ryland to go into the bar. They pulled up their horses and waited, Dean holding the reins for Ryland's borrowed horse.

  There weren't any more people inside the bar when Ryland entered. He scanned the interior, looking for Buck or anyone that might have been in there when he'd been in there earlier. The only familiar face was the bartender’s.

  He rushed up to the counter, intense as he spoke. “That group of guys, the ones that were here earlier. Where did they go?”

  The bartender shook his head, wiping a cloth on the flat surface of the bar. “I heard them talk about heading towards the mining cone. It's on the other side of town. Whatever those guys have planned, it’s nothing good.” He shook his head. “I called the sheriff. We don’t allow that stuff in Godfrey.”

  Solid community was something Godfrey had in common with Clearwater. Ryland shook the man’s hand and returned out front.

  He reclaimed his horse and climbed in the saddle. “He said something about a mining cone. What is that?”

  Dean jerked his head east. “The abandoned
mining office. They did it as a cone because they used to think that it would help with storms and drifts. I’m not sure how it worked out. Let’s cut across the park. Follow me. Heeyaw.”

  They reached the abandoned lot with the large cone right in the middle of it in minutes after cutting through a small park and some front yards.

  Gravel and tamped down dirt made up the parking lot. Four trucks parked in front of what was supposed to be an abandoned building stood sentinel as they rode up.

  Ryland tucked his chin and glared from under the brim of his hat. They were in the right area.

  They pulled up, tying their horses to posts. Grunting and a cry from behind the building caught their attention. The voice wasn't that of a woman.

  Dean sent three of the seven men he’d brought along to go around back. He whispered to a second set of three, “Take out the valve stems of the tires. Make it so these jokers can't get too far.”

  He pulled the last one along with him as he followed Ryland to the boarded front door.

  Amy's scream reached through the broken glass of the window.

  Ryland kicked through the door, not waiting to see if it had been opened or not. He stepped inside, finding a room lit with a lantern and Amy lay on the ground. Buck stood above her, a belt in his hand.

  Buck looked over his shoulder, taunting. “Well, well, if it isn't the replacement. You can’t have her. She's mine.”

  Ryland didn't wait for him to finish. He rushed Buck, tackling him around the waist. Ryland wasn't as big as Amy’s ex, but he was faster, and he had the element of surprise. Buck wasn't the type of guy that men stood up to because of his sheer size.

  Somehow Ryland got off a punch to Buck’s midsection and then took one on his jaw. They fell to the ground, scrambling and stretching, trying to get a handhold of whatever way they could to gain the upper hand.

  Suddenly a shotgun went off. Drywall shot from the ceiling clattered to the floor.

  Buck and Ryland's breathing was the only sound as everyone froze.