Wild River Daddy (Wild River Ranch #1)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

D read and relief crept closer as the sky around him blazed. They breathed down the back of his neck, pricking his anticipation. Boone Daniels settled a muscled arm on his saddle horn, leaning forward and rubbing his horse's neck. Boone Daniels leaned on his saddle horn and rubbed his horse's neck. He’d been up for hours, feeding the animals and making sure they had hay and water. Once he had finished, he’d headed for the eastern pasture so he could watch the sunrise.

Dollar whinnied and stomped the snow. “I know, boy. But this is worth braving the frozen ground. Just look.” Settling back in his saddle, he watched as the rising sun painted the sky with deep purples and burnt oranges like fire.

Adjusting the collar of his jacket to keep out the wind, he thanked the good Lord, not for the first time, for the warmth of thick wool linings. As the brilliant colors faded, the deep blue skies wisped clouds across the neverending sky. Boone turned Dollar toward home.

Halfway there, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Grinning at the name displayed, he took the call, only surprised was it had taken this long. Chance had most likely been up as long as Boone.

Boone took the call and got in the first words. It was his right as the oldest. “Mornin’ Chance. I’m headed back in. Tell me there’s some of Ruby’s biscuits left.”

“Oh, no can do, buckaroo,” Chance said, sharing a joke they’d kept going since childhood. He couldn’t even remember how it had started, but it always made him smile. “I tried to save you one, but you know how Tanner and Trace are. When I reached for the last one, they tried to jab me with their forks.”

“You tell Mr. Boone I saved him three biscuits in the kitchen. He can come get them whenever he gets back,” Ruby called from what sounded like the other side of the room.

That she’d saved him some biscuits didn’t surprise him. Ruby had been taking care of the house and the cooking for as long as he could remember. She had always been part of the family, and he’d always be grateful for the way she had stepped up as a mother to Kenzie when they lost their parents seven years ago.

“I saw you took care of the animals. Where’d you go after that?”

“Sightseeing,” he said. “I wanted to watch the sun come up.”

“It does that every day, brother. What made you want to watch this one?”

Boone wasn’t getting into that over the phone. “Nothing in particular. Like I said, I’m headed back to the house now.”

Disconnecting the call, his thoughts turned to the place he’d called home for thirty-six years. If only he were headed back to start helping everyone get ready for the holiday season. Thanksgiving was a huge deal on the Wild River Ranch. They got the homestead all decked with twinkling lights and sparkly decorations. Everyone looked forward to it.

As far as he was concerned, Thanksgiving Day was the best day of the year. His family all worked together to cook a feast for everyone who worked on the ranch. It took a lot of people to run a dude ranch, and the work was far from easy. The annual Thanksgiving celebration was one of the ways they showed their appreciation; just a small way to show how thankful they were for their friends.

Lord knew Boone gave thanks for that and so much more. No one understood the blessings of their home more than him. It was a legacy he and his brothers and sister shared. As joint owners of the family ranch, they stepped in behind their forefathers as the fifth generation of Daniels to own Wild River Ranch.

As one of the oldest working dude ranches in the country, it did well enough to support them all. Especially now that they’d added Wilder Security.

The private security company was his domain. He hired mostly veterans, many of whom he knew and had served with personally.

“We’ve seen a lot, haven’t we, Dollar?”

He and Dollar had been together for sixteen years. He was going to miss his horse almost as much as he’d miss his brothers. When he’d left the service, Dollar had kept him sane.

If everyone had a horse and the wide open range, the therapy business would take a hit. He knew his siblings loved him and would do anything they could to help him. All he had to do was ask. But he’d seen things he didn’t want to share with them. But he could talk to Dollar. He didn’t have to watch his words.

Closer to the ranch house, the Grand Tetons on the horizon arrested his gaze. He’d seen the same vista almost every day he’d spent on the ranch, yet it never failed to take his breath away. They were as majestic this morning as every other time he’d seen them. He’d have to make it to the west pasture this evening to watch the sunset behind the mountains. It was the only thing in nature that beat the sunrise.

“You’re gonna have to keep up your climbing skills,” he called to Dollar. “If I make it back from this trip, we’ll be headed that way as soon as I get my bag unpacked.”

If was the important word in that sentence. Chances were better than not that he wouldn’t be coming back. Of course, no one knew that but Dollar. No sense worrying everybody over things they couldn’t change.

This was one mission that was worth the cost. Not that it was a mission in the strictest sense of the word. He’d been out of the Pararescue Jumpers for three years. As a leader in one of the elite teams who went in when US military personnel were trapped or held behind enemy lines, they did whatever it took to bring everyone home alive.

“But that’s not always enough, is it, boy?” Dollar had nothing to say.

It hadn’t been enough three years ago. But he’d be setting that right soon, even if it was the last thing he did. He gave Dollar his head, and, as usual, Dollar broke into a gallop and headed home.

“What the hell do you mean you’re leaving?” Chance’s voice shook with emotion. “I thought we were all sitting down next week and going over the ranch’s books, then planning out next year. We have to start planning projects now if we want to have any hope of finishing them by tourist season.”

Boone might be the oldest by three years, but Chance was the one who ran the ranch. They all pitched in, but his brother was in charge. Boone had his hands full running the security business.

“As much as I hate to miss that,” Boone said, trying and failing to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, “I have to do something important. The timing wasn’t my call.”

“Does that mean you’ll miss Thanksgiving?” Kenzie asked. “You can’t miss Thanksgiving. You promised when you got home from the military, you wouldn’t miss another holiday. You promised.”

He hated disappointing his sister. She was the family’s touchstone. When their parents were killed, Kenzie stepped right into the role of woman of the house at the age of eighteen. Even with Ruby’s help, their mom had left big shoes to fill.

“I know I did, sweetie. I’m sorry, but this is something I have to do.” He had to steel his heart against her trembling lip. Damn, she was killing him.

“When are you leaving?” Chance asked.

Before he could answer, Tanner broke in to ask, “What the hell is so important that you have to leave now?”

That was Tanner, the older of his twin brothers. You never had to wonder what he was thinking because if it popped into his head, it came out of his mouth. Leave it to Tanner to ask the one question Boone didn’t want to answer.

But he’d never lied to his family before. His dad had taught all his children the value of honesty. In his dad’s book, that’s what a man did. If Boone did something, he owned it because his dad had been right. Honesty took courage. It’s what proved he was a man.

“I wouldn’t have laid it out like that,” Trace, the younger of the twins, said, “but I was wondering the same thing. What’s the emergency? I thought you were going to help me with making sure we didn’t have any unvaccinated newborn calves in the far pastures next week.”

Yeah, this trip wasn’t convenient for anyone, including him and the two men he was taking with him from Wilder Security. Grif and Dutch had served with him in the PJs. They’d served in the same unit and were together on the Midnight fiasco. They wanted, no, they needed to do this almost as much as he did. Boone had been the PJ leader on that retrieval. No one needed this more than Boone.

The chatter of questions and objections mushroomed. He couldn’t get a word in.

Standing, he announced, “I got the call.”

Instantly, the room went silent. Everyone knew what he meant. They’d all been there when he’d come home three years ago. He’d told them enough of what happened for them to understand some of what he was going through. They knew he’d been planning a trip like this for three years. And now it was here.

“Well, shit, Boone. How long will you be gone?” Chance asked. “What can we do to help?”

His muscles relaxed as warmth spread through his chest. That was his family. They knew who he was going after. They understood what it meant to him. “Probably around a month. I’ll do my damnedest to be back before Christmas.”

Sniffling, Kenzie asked, “You might not be back for Christmas either? You can’t be alone for Christmas. Is anyone going with you?” Her voice cracked, but she added, “You aren’t doing this by yourself, are you?”

Her tears were more than he could take. He was supposed to make her life better, not make her cry. He held out his arms to her. “Come here, Tiger,” he said, calling her the nickname he and his brothers all used.

She flew across the room and jumped into his arms. He kissed the top of her head before setting her on her feet. Gently gripping the back of her neck with his hand, he said, “I’m going to be fine.” And blasted his no lying rule dead out of the water. “Grif and Dutch are going with me.”

“Wait, I thought they were going on vacation in Japan,” Chance said. He grimaced. “I knew that sounded weird. I can’t believe I didn’t ask more questions.”

“I never said vacation. I said they were headed to Japan.” Maybe it had been a lie of omission, but he’d had every intention of having this very conversation with them before he left. He just hadn’t wanted to upset everyone until the last minute.

“What’s the Cosa Nostra doing in Japan?” Tanner’s question was a good one.

“The Kuril Islands, actually.” Boone didn’t hesitate. It was time they knew. “We’re flying out tomorrow. It should take a few days to get where we’re going and about a week to carry out the mission. Then another three weeks to get home.”

“Wait. Why days to get there and weeks to get home?” Trace asked.

No one would ever accuse Trace of being slow on the draw. “We can’t fly back out. It’s likely there will be people looking for us. So, we’re coming home on a private boat. I’ll call you when it’s done, and I’ll do everything I can to be back home in time to hang my stocking on the mantle.”

Kenzie thumped his chest. “You’d better be home, but I wouldn’t hang a stocking if I were you. Santa’s most likely to fill it full of switches if you do.”

He grinned down at her then pulled her in for a hug. Over her head, he lost the grin as he met Chance’s gaze head on. Chance didn’t buy his story. Boone hadn’t expected he would. But they both stayed silent for Kenzie’s sake.

After he’d had all the hugs and farewells he could stand from his family, Boone turned in for the night. He had a fifteen hour flight ahead of him, so he planned to leave for the airport around ten o’clock the next morning with Grif and Dutch. That way, he would be able to keep the promise he’d made to his family for one more round of goodbyes.

Upstairs, he packed up and got ready for bed, though he didn’t expect to get much sleep. He hadn’t slept worth a damn in three years. Not since his team had lost their Cara Bear.

He still pictured the events of that day every night as soon as he closed his eyes. Lifting the framed picture of Cara, he once again punished himself with the memory.

Three years earlier…

Boone and all the guys, plus Cara Bradshaw, crowded around the giant television in his postage stamp of a living room to watch the Arizona Cardinals game. They’d all come over to relax after returning from their latest rescue mission.

The rescue hadn’t gone according to plan. Nico Midnight, a leader in the American Cosa Nostra, tried to prevent them from rescuing the pilot his men had shot down in southeastern Asia. Tried being the operative word.

Boone and his elite team were trained to take out any and all obstacles. They’d eliminated the threat with no casualties, at least to his team, and rescued the pilot. Midnight had lost several men but had managed to escape.

At halftime, Boone headed out on a beer run. Before he even reached his car, Cara bopped onto the front porch. The way she stood, hands stuffed in the back pockets of her cutoff shorts and rocking back and forth, he knew she was in her Little headspace. She was adorable. Since all five men in his living room were also Daddies, it worked for all of them.

Showing off her bratty side, she wore a Seahawks jersey, knowing they were all pulling for the Cardinals. Where she’d gotten it, he had no idea. It practically swallowed her. She’d tied the extra length into a knot at the front, exposing plenty of skin. Even though it was an obvious ploy for attention, they’d all played along and given her a hard time.

“Where you goin’?” she sang out to him.

He had no hope of holding back a smile. “Just to the corner store for beer. What do you need? I have to hurry so I can get back before the second half starts.”

A mischievous smile danced across her lips. “I need a pack of tampons, Booney. You think you could pick some up for me?” Reaching into her front pocket, she held up some cash.

The open window made the guy’s hoots of laughter easy to hear.

Boone pretended to be irritated, growling, “Get back inside, Cara Bear.”

When on an op, she was as deadly as any of them. But once the retrieval was over, she was the Little sister to all the men in their group. She did so many things to let them know how special they were to her, always making cookies or crafting something for them. They all loved her.

At his order, she got serious. “Hold on a sec. If I give you some money, can you get me a couple of Dr. Peppers?” Nothing was more serious to their Cara Bear than her Dr. P, as she called it.

He didn’t miss a beat. “I don’t know. Have you been drinking your water today?”

Typical Little, she wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, but water sucks.”

He wagged a disapproving finger at her, repeating the crede of all Daddies. “Water’s good for you. And don’t say sucks. Yes, I can get you a couple of drinks. But you have to drink a bottle of water between each soda. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He headed for his truck.

She hopped off the porch. “Wait! You forgot my money.”

“You try to hand me any money, little girl, and I’ll tan your hide right out here in the front yard.”

She poked out her bottom lip. “But you bought rounds last night at Dirty Pete’s, and I need to pay you back.”

He leveled her with the look . The one that made all Littles squirm and cover their bottoms with their hands. It worked like a charm.

Hands in the air in mock surrender, she laughed. “Okay, okay.”

Current Day…

He could remember everything like it was happening right in front of him.

That was his Cara Bear. She had always been smiling and laughing. She’d had more joy in her little finger than all the rest of them put together. A damn site more than they’d had for the past three years.

His phone alarm dinged, reminding him to take his sleeping pill. He needed them now for any semblance of rest. Shutting the memories down, he shook his head. As he continued to stare at the picture, his anger boiled.

Snapping the back off the photo frame, he took the picture out and put it in his duffle bag. She’d been there at the beginning. She deserved to be there at the end. He’d make sure she was the last person Midnight saw before he died.

He took his medication and crawled into bed. Usually, the meds took a while to kick in, if they worked at all. But at least he could be comfortable pretending to sleep. Tonight of all nights, he didn’t have much hope for the real thing.

A car engine revved down the street behind him. “Check it out!” a voice in his head screamed. “Look, for god’s sake!” He tried, but his body was frozen as he watched Cara come out of his front door.

The voice in his head screamed again, “Tell her to go back inside! Tell her now!” but his lips wouldn’t open. He tried to pull them apart with his hands, but they wouldn’t budge.

The screeching of tires sounded behind him as the smile slid from Cara’s face. Then, her eyes widened in shock.

“Run!” He attempted to warn her. “Get down!” Once again, his body failed him.

“Gun!” she screamed, reaching out to him. He reached for her, too, but the harder he tried to reach out, the farther away she got.

He tried to jump in front of her, but his feet were rooted to the ground like a Ponderosa pine. Then the bullets started flying, and one struck him in the center of his chest. Thank god, this time they shot him instead. But rather than taking him down, the bullet bounced off his chest and fell to the grass at his feet. Still unable to move, he reached for the gun holstered at his hip but it was stuck. He fought to get it out, even knowing he wouldn’t be in time.

The car maneuvered down the street in slow motion, a gun sticking out the window, and there was nothing he could do but watch.

Finally, his vocal cords relaxed, and he screamed for Cara to get down. But his words dragged out like a record playing at a speed much too slow to be understood.

Cara paid no attention to the car anyway. No, her stare was pinned on him. Eyes filled with betrayal, she kept repeating, “Why? Why didn’t you help me, Boone?” over and over.

“Cara!” He bellowed out her name. “CARA!”

And then she jerked backward as a red stain spread over her chest. As she crumpled to the ground, his feet released, and he ran to her side. Her eyes were closed, her face drained of color, her chest not moving.

“Call an ambulance,” he screamed. That is, he opened his mouth and formed words, but once again, he couldn’t make a sound.

He reached for her, but as he did, she shot straight up, grabbing his wrist before he could press his palm against the gunshot wound in her chest to slow the bleeding. Her eyes were open, the betrayal still there. “You didn’t save me,” she accused. “You let me die.”

“No,” he said. “No! I tried, Cara Bear, I tried. I TRIED!”

Boone jerked awake, still screaming, drenched with sweat. His chest squeezed his heart, and his stomach roiled. Throwing back the covers, he raced to the toilet and emptied his stomach.

When the heaving calmed, he shifted to sit on the floor and leaned against the side of the tub. His throat stung from the bile, and hot tears poured from his eyes. He ignored them.

He’d had one fucking job as a pararescuer. Protect his fellow brothers and sisters in arms. Failure was not an option. And yet when it mattered the most, that was exactly what he had done. Failed.

He’d made a vow to be prepared at all times to perform and place his duties before his personal desires and comforts so that others may live. Yet, he’d failed one of his own teammates, his Cara Bear. He’d been in charge. It was his responsibility. That’s why Grif and Dutch were going in as the retrieval part of this mission. Taking Midnight out was for Boone and Boone alone.

He reached for some toilet paper to clean up the mess of tears and snot and considered smashing his head against the porcelain tank of the toilet. But not yet. Not until he made Nico Midnight pay for what he’d stolen from them.

Maybe when he ended Midnight’s life, the nightmares plaguing him would end, and his life could regain some semblance of normal. Frankly, he didn’t hold out much hope. All he knew was killing Midnight was the only thing he’d lived for the past three years. And now it was time.

Clawing his way off the floor, he found his phone and called Grif. “Yeah?” Grif answered on the first ring.

“Get Dutch and get ready. We’re rolling out in twenty.”

The sleepy tone vanished when Grif said, “Right now? It’s three o'clock in the morning.”

“Is that a problem?” Boone growled.

“Fuck no,” Grif said. “See you in twenty.”

Boone ended the call and checked his bag again. Scrawling a quick note to his family, he apologized for leaving without that last round of goodbyes. He checked his watch and headed out to pick up Grif and Dutch.

He made it in ten.