Chapter Twelve
Bryar glanced over at Puma, who was focused on the road ahead with a rigid jawline. Disappointment was a dark cloud hanging thick in the cab of the truck. They’d just dropped Crystal off at Crazy Shades. “I can’t believe Lane wouldn’t see any of us.”
“I’m not surprised. He’s stubborn and humiliated by what he’s done to his family. He deserves to carry the burden, though.”
“You would say that—”
“Stop right there, Bry. This isn’t about the bad blood between Lane and me. He made some mistakes, sure, but his poor choices have put his family in danger.”
She swallowed the bitterness rising in her throat. “You think he did steal Reno’s money, don’t you?”
Without hesitation, he replied, “I do. He spoke to me because he got word Reno wanted his money returned. He wants me to watch over you, and that’s probably why he can’t look at his family in the eye. “
“That’s one theory.”
“If he really wanted to make things right, he’d hand over the money. Men like Reno won’t stop until they get what they want. One way or another. That’s why we need to use Reno’s tactics against him. If we don’t have the money to give him, then our only choice is to find something to make him back off.”
“I gave him my mother’s wedding ring, worth thousands, and he took it. He still wants more than I can afford,” she said quietly.
Puma’s harsh glare landed on her. “When did you do that?”
“Recently. I went to his tattoo shop.”
“Bryar…”
“I know it was an impulsive decision. A mistake. I thought maybe he’d…I don’t know…find some modicum of understanding in his cold-blooded body. I was wrong.”
“Now you’re out a ring.”
“Nothing you can say will make me feel worse than I do already.”
“I’m not trying to make you feel bad, but promise me you won’t go see Reno again, alone or otherwise. He’s dangerous.”
“I won’t. I promise. Everyone in this town knows Reno has his dirty hands in all the social circles. We’d need something concrete on him in order to get it to stick. Something Reno can’t hire his attorney to get him out of.”
“Nobody is untouchable. Not even a man like Reno.”
Her phone buzzed, and she clicked “reject.” She laid it in the console and sighed. “Daddy must be getting a guilty conscience. He's called three times already today.”
“Do you think he knows where you are?”
She shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. Probably. But you know what? I’m done letting him oversee my life.” She caught Puma’s amused expression. “You don’t believe me?”
“Those are some bold statements, but are you ready to stand by them?” His eyes met hers, encouraging.
“I’m not weak.”
“I believe you. But Rory is tough to push back against, especially regarding his kids.”
Taking a deep breath, she replied, “Right now, I really need my own space from him. It’s time for me to focus on what makes me happy.”
“More power to you. I hate to mention this, but your father is a kitten compared to Reno.”
“I feel like there’s something right under our noses—”
“What the hell?” he muttered.
“What?” She looked at his profile and realized he was focused on something in the distance. She followed his target and saw plumes of smoke rising in the sky. “Is that Storm Pass?”
“Fuck!” he bit out. “Hang on.” He pressed the gas, and the truck’s engine revved. The tires kicked up rocks and dirt from the country road.
Time seemed to slow and when they arrived at the scene, they could see thicker smoke swirling up into the air and flames dancing across most of the roof of the newly built barn. The hands were frantically trying to extinguish the fire with hoses and buckets. Puma quickly parked the truck near the barn and glanced at Bryar with urgency she’d never seen before. “Stay clear of the fire,” he instructed before jumping out to lend a hand.
Bryar hopped out of the truck, watching the flames spread faster than the men could manage. They were committed to battling the blaze, but it seemed like they were on the losing end. The smoke transformed the sky into a hazy gray, and the sharp smell of burning wood filled the air.
Through the men’s yells, she heard a high-pitched whinny that made her heart race. She hoped there weren’t any horses still in the barn.
Smoke billowed into the neighboring barn, and she realized a horse was trapped inside. With all the activity, the hands must not have known that the one horse didn’t get out like the rest. The others were in the pasture, keeping their distance.
Frantically, she raced over to Puma, eager to get his attention, but he shot her a stern look. “I need you to stay back,” he told her.
Bryar stepped back, knowing she had to find a way to help. She wasn’t about to let that horse suffer in the smoke. She felt a surge of bravery.
Racing to the barn, she ran inside. The mare kicked the gate from inside her stall. The wood creaked, and part of it splintered, but not enough to offer an escape. Smoke surrounded the horse, making her shake her head back and forth.
“It’s okay, girl.” Bryar tried soothing the mare while stepping closer slowly. The inside of the barn was already full of smoke, and Bryar, too, had difficulty breathing. She lifted her shirt over her face for some barrier. “I’m going to help you.”
Sirens in the distance made a discordant symphony with the crackling and creaking of the old barn’s wood. Flames had reached the corner of the roof, and the horse was now stomping frantically. She had to get her out before the roof collapsed on them. The old wood would go up like a tinderbox.
She opened the gate. “Come on, girl.”
The mare stayed rooted. Her eyes were large, brown orbs brimming with fear.
More smoke filled the small space, and Bryar’s lungs burned with pain. She coughed and sputtered but found no relief. She couldn’t seem to draw in enough breath.
Unable to see clearly, she knew she needed to find a rope. Feeling around the barn's wall, she found what she searched for. “Okay, don’t give me a problem.” She looped the rope into a makeshift harness. “I’m going to put this around your neck.”
The mare took a backward step. She whinnied and clawed at the straw on the floor. Fire had now made its way to the stack of bales of straw against the wall.
Moving as slow as possible, Bryar placed the rope around the horse’s neck. At first, she rejected the lead, but when a loud pop sounded above them, she got spooked and jolted. Bryar’s hand was caught in the rope, and as the mare ran, Bryar fell flat onto her stomach, dragged through the barn and through the fire that had spread. The horse continued to drag her through the open double doors. Bryar was tossed around, feeling the rope cut into her palm and rocks hitting her.
Somehow, the rope finally slipped from her hand, and while the frightened horse kept running, Bryar was left in a heap. She spat out a mouthful of dirt and then inhaled fresh air. Her entire body felt as if it were on fire from striking the ground repeatedly.
She felt dizzy. Had she inhaled too much smoke? Or had she been seriously hurt?
She gave in to the feeling and relaxed on the dirt, staring up into the hazy sky.
Boots pounding the ground grew louder. Puma’s voice was near. Instantly, he was beside her, comforting hands on her body. Looking up at him, she saw his concern, which touched her.
“Damn, Bryar!” he muttered then he scooped her up into his arms. Her head was pressed against his chest and she could hear the rapid pumping of his heart. Through blurred vision, she saw lights from a firetruck feathering across the trees. Muffled voices filled the air as uniformed men surrounded the barns, pulling with them long water hoses.
“Is the horse safe?” she asked.
“The horse will be just fine. It’s you I’m worried about. Leo, I’m taking her to the house,” Puma called out. “You don’t know how to listen, do you?” he said to her.
“If I would listen that horse would have been dead.” She coughed, but her lungs felt much better.
“Do you need to get checked out by the paramedics?”
“No. I’ll be fine. Bruised and sore but fine.”
His low growl vibrated his chest.
She heard someone say, “Is she okay? Does she need to be checked out?”
“No. I’ve got her,” Puma answered gruffly. “Do you hear that, Bry? I’ve got you.”
She cupped his cheek, needing his comfort, absorbing his warmth. Why was it so cold?
She looked up into the sky and the first snowflakes of the season were falling, wetting her face. “It’s snowing.”
“And freezing,” he said in a more stable voice.
“I think I can walk now,” she told him.
“Like hell.”
She realized they were going toward the house. “Shouldn’t you stay here?”
“I’m not leaving you until I know you’re okay. The fire department will do its job.”
His strength cradled her. He’d once held her this same way after the doctor had told them their son didn’t make it. Tears filled her eyes, but they didn’t fall. She’d cried herself dry over the years.
They reached the farmhouse, and he took the porch steps in one leap. Once they were inside, he laid her down on the sofa. He stared down at her and said sternly, “Don’t move.”
“Literally? Like don’t even move a muscle?” She mostly teased but couldn’t muster even a smile. Her neck hurt, along with her hand. She looked down and saw the smear of blood and cut across her palm where the rope had been.
Puma returned with a damp washcloth and a first aid kit. He sat next to her hip, and she had to scoot over a bit to give him room. “I don’t know if I should be angry with you or grateful that you saved Bacon.”
“Bacon?” She looked up at him. The stress lines around his eyes and mouth had faded somewhat, but in his eyes a storm was still swirling.
“Bacon was the mare you saved. That was her name from the previous owner.”
She then found it in herself to laugh, but it came out as a snort instead. “Well, Bacon certainly didn’t make saving her easy.”
“Bacon is a wild horse that I’m going to train. That’s why she was separated from the others. You’re lucky she didn’t trample you.”
She watched him take out bandages, ointment, and cotton balls. He used the washcloth to wipe away the grime from the wound on her hand. She winced in discomfort, and he continued working so tenderly that it almost made her cry.
“You seem pretty good at this,” she said, grateful for his help.
“Lots of practice.”
“What was it like over there? In dangerous countries.” She watched as he concentrated on cleaning her hand, so gentle for a tough man.
“I won’t lie. At first, I was as scared as a cat tossed into icy waters. No amount of training can prepare a person for what they’ll see. But after a few years, soldiers learn to block out what they see and hear. We learned to stay focused on the goal and nothing else. I guess you could say we were a bit like phantoms. The orders were typed up, and we performed and disappeared without anyone knowing we were there.”
She studied him closely. “I can’t tell if you liked it or despised your time in the military.”
He laid the washcloth onto the table. “Neither. I was indifferent. It became a way of life. A routine, like waking up every morning, brushing your teeth, putting on your clothes, and conquering the world. You don’t like or dislike it. It’s habit.”
“Why did you retire?” She wanted to keep him talking, which kept her attention off the sting of the rope burn as he cleaned it with antiseptic.
“I guess the routine became too much. After Pa passed away, I was in a tug of war within myself. Do I sell this place or return home and make my dreams come true? The latter became too much of a temptation to deny. So here I am. I’ll either sink or swim and by God, I will fight to make each day count.”
“That’s wonderful, Puma. I’m glad you are taking this place and making something of it again. That’s what Storm was hoping would happen. He wanted to make things right with you.”
“Too bad he didn’t have that same desire ten years ago.” Puma pushed through tight lips.
“He had good intentions. He and I became pretty close friends before…” She swallowed the last word. “I think at first, he was lonely and just needed someone. He taught me how to play chess, shoot a gun, and imitate a dove’s mating call. I doubt I’ll ever need that skill, but it was fun to learn.”
His gaze softened some. “He also taught me those things.” He tossed the stained cotton ball with the washcloth.
“He talked a lot about you, especially when you were little. He shared the story of buying you your first pair of cowboy boots. The two of you drove to the city to a shop where he’d been going to buy his boots since he was a kid. He said your eyes lit up when you walked inside. He led you to the boots section that would fit, but he said you stopped and pointed out a pair in the bigger kids’ section. He tried to persuade you to look at the selection of boots that would fit you, but you had your heart set on a specific pair.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I remember. I begged him to get them for me. Not only were they nearly three sizes too big for me, but they were also three times as expensive. Fortunately or unfortunately, he relented and bought those damn boots with a demand that if he bought them, I’d have to wear them.” He shook his head. “It took me nearly two years to grow into those suckers, wearing three or four pairs of socks and filling the toe gap with balled-up paper. Luckily, I grew fast. But when those boots fit me, and I’ll add that they were out of style by then, I still wore them with pride. Less than a year, I outgrew them.”
“Did you and he ever talk?”
He sighed. “I just couldn’t find it in myself to forgive him for how he treated Ma, and me. He made me feel like I was never good enough.”
She laid her hand on his. He looked at her. “Puma, he was proud of you—deeply proud of everything you’ve done. He was not technically savvy, but he made sure he followed your career path through the internet.”
He shrugged. “I won’t put the bandage on now because you’ll want to shower. You have dirt everywhere, even in your teeth.”
“I think I even swallowed some.”
“How is your breathing? Any lightheadedness?”
“I’m okay. I guess I better go get that shower.” She looked down at her clothing, which was crusted in dirt and straw.
He lifted his T-shirt and sniffed it. “Before I shower, I want to go outside and assess the damage to the barns, and then I’ll whip us up some dinner. Does that sound good?”
“I’m starving, so that sounds great. Can you make more than mac and cheese and hot dogs these days?” She was mostly teasing.
“My skills have expanded some. Can’t say I can knock your socks off, but I might be able to liven your tastebuds a bit.” He wagged his brows.
“I look forward to having my tastebuds hijacked by some good food.”
“Meet you in the kitchen, let’s say in an hour?”
“Perfect.”