Some Cowboys Fight for Love (Keagans of Copper Creek #11)

Chapter 1

1

Daniel Keagan

W here was that shirt he’d pulled from the dryer? Daniel could have sworn he’d put it on the bed next to his duffle. The piece of luggage was nearly fully packed with a week’s worth of clothing so he wouldn’t have to bother coming home to run some laundry.

He dropped to his knees and looked beneath the bed, but the only thing there were boots, the odd sock, and boxes that contained some of his favorite books.

Frowning, he sat on the floor. He’d had the shirt a moment ago. It was his favorite—not because it made his eyes seem bluer and not because it fit him perfectly, but because it had been the first one Wade had bought for him after their parents split. It was old and probably needed to be thrown out. But if Daniel was going to be sentimental about anything, it was that shirt.

Daniel groaned, ready to tear the room apart if he had to. It couldn’t have gone far. He jumped to his feet and shifted to pull the bedding apart when a hint of blue caught his eye from beneath the duffle bag.

His chest immediately relaxed. He heaved a sigh before yanking out the shirt and shoving it into the duffle bag. In a swift movement, he swung the duffle over his shoulder and headed out of his bedroom.

He wasn’t as close to the Palmers as Caleb was, but he liked Mateo enough to help out. Mateo and Sophia were slated to head across the country for at least a week, and they didn’t trust the ranch in the hands of their younger siblings.

Daniel had scoffed at the notion. Had Wade needed someone to look after their growing business, he wouldn’t have batted an eye at one of the younger Keagans running the show. Perhaps it was because they’d been parentless for so long that they knew how to take care of themselves from a very young age. Along with that maturity came the ability to think ahead and see problems before they arose.

He headed down the stairs of his childhood home—a home that had once been practically falling apart due to disrepair. They had always known how to take care of themselves, even if it meant they needed to steal scraps from dumpsters or even from the country store in town. When the roof had leaked, they’d figured out a way to stop it.

Now, the home felt new again, thanks to Wade’s wife.

Brielle came from money—though it wasn’t her money that saved them. He’d lost track of how many people had helped his family throughout recent years. So many people had seen the potential of the family of misfits. And he’d always be grateful for it.

The only lingering disappointment seemed to be Daniel himself.

He was the tallest, the bulkiest. For all intents and purposes, he was the beast of the Keagan brothers—in looks only.

Children used to trip over themselves to get out of his way in grade school. No one dared wrong anyone in his family because they feared him. It was ironic, actually. Daniel had never been interested in hurting anyone.

Except for Ash.

The man had it coming, though. He should have known better than to fall for a girl six years younger than he was—and Daniel’s baby sister, to boot.

Daniel heaved a sigh, adjusting the duffle as he made a beeline for the living room. He needed one more thing before he headed out. Charlie sat curled up on a chair in the corner, a book in her lap. She’d definitely grown up in the past year. Only in recent months had he noticed she was no longer someone who needed to be protected.

She had Ash for that, now—not that she’d allow him to do much if she wanted to fend for herself. The woman was as stubborn as the rest of the Keagans.

Her head lifted when he entered, her eyes following him as he stopped at the coffee table to grab his book on historical architecture and how it influenced modern design. The way her gaze lingered on the book, he knew she was going to speak before the words spilled from her lips. “Why didn’t you ever go to college to become an architect? You know Wade would have been okay if you didn’t want to help out on the ranch, right?”

He snorted, tucking the book beneath his arm. “And where would we have gotten the money for such a dream?”

A softness filled her eyes and her lips quirked upward to one side. If he didn’t know her any better, he would have assumed she was pitying him.

“Don’t,” he muttered before she could say something nice. “I’m fine. I don’t need to go to college to learn about what interests me.”

“But you do have to go if you want to make it a career.”

“A career ?” The sputtered question filled the room with a tinge of bitterness. “I’m in my thirties. It’s a little late to be changing careers.”

She sighed, shaking her head. “It’s never too late to do what you love. I’m sure Wade would?—”

“I’m happy with things the way they are. Besides, now that everyone is married, engaged, or starting a family, I’m not about to ask Wade to allocate extra funds to something that won’t help out the ranch. He knows what he’s doing.”

Charlie pressed her lips together. It was clear she didn’t agree with his sentiment. That was too bad. Even if she went to Wade herself and got their oldest brother to agree to give him college tuition, Daniel would turn him down. If there was one thing that had been ingrained in their family, it was the fierce sense of family duty that coursed through their blood. He’d live and die on this ranch, building an empire for the children who would come after them—children who would have the most loving family that the world could offer.

“I’m going to be at the Palmers for the next week. Might be more based on a few things I’ve heard Caleb mention. So if you need anything, you’ll know where I am.”

She smirked. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

He leveled her with a stare. “I’m still willing to fulfill my promise. If Ash hurts?—”

This time she let out a hefty laugh. “Ash is more protective over me than you are if that’s possible. I’ll be fine. You need to worry about yourself. Just because Mateo and Sophia are gone doesn’t mean you won’t have to contend with their younger siblings. Isabelle can be a handful when she wants to be. And she said Aria is sticking around for the undetermined future. They’re both loud and outgoing when they want to be.”

“So?” he said with a grunt. “I’m not there to babysit. I’m there strictly to take care of the horses. Roman is taking care of the dog training side of things, and I’m sure he can keep his sister and cousin reined in as needed.”

Charlie shrugged. “Yeah, probably. You seem to like your peace and quiet, is all.”

“Mateo gave me access to his hunting cabin near the wooded area of their property. I’ll have my space.”

She nodded, half her attention already turned back to the book in her lap. “Have fun, Daniel.”

He turned and headed for the door, tossing one more look toward his sister before he slipped out.

The smell of wet leaves on the ground, the bare branches of the trees in the backdrop of the cabin, and the chill in the air reminded Daniel that he far preferred the spring and summer months to fall. The cold didn’t bother him nearly as much as the darkness. He hated the shorter days. He couldn’t explain why, but he simply got into more of a mood when the leaves started changing colors.

He pulled his truck up the muddied road that would lead to the cabin, already knowing it was going to be the perfect place for him to stay while he took care of the horses. The main house and barns were a few football fields away.

When he turned the bend and the cabin came into view, he slowed. Then he blinked and his eyes narrowed.

There was a light on inside the building. Beside the cabin was a small lean-to where a couple of horses could be kept. He already planned on getting a couple from the main house to keep here so he could exercise them on his many trips to the barn. Smoke rose from the chimney. There was definitely someone in the cabin.

Daniel stopped his truck completely and pulled out his phone. The last text Mateo had sent made it clear that the cabin was up for grabs.

He whipped his head up and stared at the silhouette of the building. Yep, there was definitely someone living here. Did Mateo know?

His finger hovered over his phone as if deciding already that he needed to call Mateo and inform him that someone was squatting. And yet, he hesitated. Mateo was already worried about other issues out of state. He didn’t need Daniel to call him every few days to ask questions. They’d gone over everything he needed to know.

Putting his foot on the gas, he slowly approached the house and then shut off the engine.

Whoever was inside would get a rude awakening when he entered and pulled them from the building by the scruff of their neck.

He frowned and reached for the hunting rifle he kept on a rack on the back window. It was meant for wild animals whenever they encroached on Keagan land, but he wasn’t against using it against people who were clearly trespassing.

With a jerk of his arm, he loaded the weapon. Then he pressed the butt against his shoulder and moved toward the door as stealthily as he could. He’d always been told he was too quiet on his feet for his size. Today he couldn’t have been more grateful for it.

His hand wrapped around the knob. A voice could be heard, muffled from inside. The knob wouldn’t turn.

Locked.

Daniel glanced around for the fake rock by the edge of the patio and lifted it. Beneath the rock was the key Mateo promised he’d find.

Soundlessly, he slipped the key into the knob and turned. The click was quiet enough not to create suspicion of someone entering the building. Daniel shoved the key into his pocket and then turned the knob.

The door swung open on silent hinges, and the voice he’d heard before grew clearer.

“I don’t care what he says. It’s a lie! You and I both know it. I have pictures to prove it. What happened to those?” The woman’s raven hair was pulled up into a messy bun atop her head. Whisps of hair fell from the bun, teasing the nape of her neck and likely framing her face. She paced in front of the fire, one hand waving erratically as she spoke on the phone. “This should be illegal. They can’t let him?—”

She cut herself off and stilled before whirling around. Her eyes snapped to Daniel, dropped to the gun he held, then jumped back to his face. All at once her haggard appearance shifted and a broad smile filled her face.

The transformation was eerie.

“I gotta go, Soph. I’ll talk to you soon.” She hung up the phone and crossed her arms, her body language at odds with the smile she wore. Then again, didn’t predators smile? Hers could be considered just as sinister as those. “What are you doing here?” There wasn’t a hint of fear. “Daniel, right?”

He’d only met this woman twice before—though not officially. Aria. This woman was a cousin to the Palmer family.

“Would you mind lowering your weapon? I’m not interested in getting shot tonight.” For a moment, that tired tone returned to her voice.

Daniel did as he was told, lowering the rifle so it pointed to the ground. “I could ask you the same thing. Mateo said that I could use this cabin while he and Sophia went out of town.”

Realization flooded her countenance. She palmed her forehead and groaned. “You’re totally right. I completely forgot.” A pretty flush highlighted her bronzed cheeks. “I’m so sorry. I’ll get my things ready and head out. Sophia told me to take her room.” She scurried toward a bedroom door.

He leaned the gun against the wall and followed. “If you need some help?—”

She glanced toward him as she threw some of her things haphazardly into a suitcase she’d already placed on the bed. “No, it’s fine. I’ve got it.”

“I didn’t see a car out front. Don’t tell me you plan on walking.” He stepped even closer.

Aria flashed him another smile, but it was strained. “I’ve got two legs, don’t I?”

He shook his head. “I’m not going to let you walk all that way in the dark.”

She stiffened, but the irritation in her eyes fled just as quickly as it had come. “Whatever. Do what you want.”