Chapter 36
Callie looked at Wyatt, the man who had protected her from the Reeds for over fifteen years. The man who was bruised and nearly broken because of his mother’s murder. The man who risked his life to save innocents.
The man she loved.
There was no denying it now. Not ever again. What an utter and complete fool she’d been.
“Callie, I—”
“I have something to say, and I don’t want you to interrupt me,” she said over him.
The words came in a rush because there was so much she needed him to know. And now was as good a time as any. She carefully lowered herself to her knees to see him better.
His eyes grew wide when he noticed the blood. “Your stitches.”
“Can wait,” she stated. “I have something to say, and besides . . . not only is Kate seeing to Orrin, but you’re bleeding from, well . . . everywhere.”
He remained silent, his gold eyes watching her curiously. She had the insane urge to brush back a lock of hair that fell against his temple.
“I can’t hide the way I feel about you anymore. I’ve done it for too long, and I no longer want to,” she said, swallowing. “I love you.”
If she thought he might respond, she was disappointed. Then again, it was Wyatt. He kept his emotions close to the vest to protect himself.
She licked her lips. “For years, I kept recreating a world in my mind with you. Then I pretended I didn’t love you anymore. I knew it for the lie that it was when you returned home. I have no resistance when it comes to you.”
Her gaze lowered to the ground for a moment. “I know the life you lead. I know the expectations you place on yourself and the constant danger you’re in. But I can’t live without you. I don’t want to.
“I know what you did for me with my family. Orrin also just told me it was you who found me in the woods that day. All these years, I thought I didn’t matter to you, but you always looked out for me.
” She paused and swallowed. “I never had the courage to tell you that I loved you before you left the first time, but I do now. I don’t know if you want me or not, and I understand that you have a life away from here.
But I don’t want anyone else. I only want you. ”
He raised a brow when she quieted.
She put her fingers on his lips. “One more thing,” she said right before she leaned in and kissed him.
Joy erupted when his arms wrapped around her as he returned her kiss. But it was quickly wiped away when Cullen shouted for them.
With the kiss ended, she and Wyatt made their way down to the base. She feared that Orrin had died, but when she saw Cullen and Owen standing next to his bed smiling, she knew all was well.
Then Wyatt joined them. Orrin slept through the reunion of his sons, but there would be plenty of time for catching up later.
“It was close,” Kate said as she came to stand beside Callie. “We still need to keep an eye on Orrin, but he has something to fight for.”
Callie looked at the doctor. “You.”
“I’d like to think so,” Kate said with a smile. “Really, it’s his sons, you, Mia, and Natalie. You’re his family.”
“Just so you know, we’re a crazy bunch.”
Kate chuckled. “I’ve come to realize that, and I quite like it.”
“I hope you stick around, Kate.”
She looked where Orrin lay in the medical room. “I think I just might. With the way all of you get wounded, you need someone. Now, let’s see to your wounds.”
Callie looked to Wyatt to find him watching her. Lev was with all three brothers to tend to their injuries. There would be no discussion now about what she had revealed to Wyatt, and with each minute that passed, her heart twisted in fear that she’d lost him.
She had no choice but to go with Kate, who had an iron grip on her arm. Callie was soon lying on a cot while Kate worked on her wound.
Her mind drifted as Kate began talking about the various wounds they all had and how impressed she was with the medical supplies and medicine Orrin had in the base.
Callie opened her eyes when she realized there was nothing but silence. She looked around and found herself alone. Furious at herself for falling asleep, she slowly sat up and stood. She followed the soft voices to find Kate and Natalie sitting with Orrin, who was still unconscious.
“Did we wake you?” Natalie asked when she spotted her.
Callie shook her head. “How long was I out?”
“Three hours,” Kate said.
Her heart fell to her feet. “Where is everyone?”
Natalie rose and walked to her. “Cleaning up everything. Mia is flying around the property in the chopper with Sergei and Lev to try and spot anyone who might be Andrew Smith.”
“The Delta team? Where are they?” she asked, praying they were still around.
There was a small frown on Kate’s brow. “They left about an hour ago.”
“But Wyatt’s still here,” Natalie hastily said.
Though Callie tried to keep the relief from her face, she knew she’d failed. “How’s Orrin?”
“Stabilized,” Kate said. “He should be fine.”
“Good. That’s real good.” Callie glanced at the stairs. She had to find Wyatt and get some kind of answer. The waiting was excruciating. “I’m going . . . to look around.”
Neither woman said anything as she walked away, and she was thankful for that. Callie reached the top step and looked at the barn that was in need of major repairs. The dead bodies were gone, and much of the debris had been cleaned.
She walked from the barn and saw Cullen and Owen on horseback, driving cattle back to their pastures.
Maks was with them, manning the gates, grinning as he teased the brothers about being cowboys.
It didn’t take her long to find Yuri, who was sitting on the porch in a rocking chair with a beer in his hand.
Yet no matter how hard she searched, she found no sign of Wyatt.
She wiped the disappointment from her face when Owen rode toward her. He rode as if he hadn’t been away for over a dozen years. Callie put a smile in place as he approached.
“It’s good to see you up again,” Owen said as he brought the horse to a halt. “Wyatt was fit to be tied that you didn’t stay inside the base.”
She shrugged. “Speaking of Wyatt. Where is he?”
“I’m not sure.” Owen’s smile dropped, and his gaze darted away.
Which meant that he didn’t want to tell Callie anything. And that could only mean that Wyatt was gone. Again. She shoved down her pain and looked around. “We’ve got quite a mess to clean up. It’ll be slow going for some of us.”
“We’re all injured in some way,” he said, his smile letting her know he was grateful for the change of subject.
She nodded, her heart breaking. “We’re lucky to have Kate and Lev.”
“Kate will stick around, but Lev will stay by Sergei’s side. I doubt they’ll stay long.” Owen glanced over his shoulder. “Take things easy, Callie. I’ve got to get back to it.”
After he had ridden away, she looked toward the house where Yuri was watching her. She gave him a wave before turning in a circle to figure out what she should do. But her mind was in neutral as she fought to keep herself together.
Then her gaze landed on one of the trucks. She had to get away for a while. Just until she could get her emotions under control and not cry every time someone mentioned Wyatt.
She walked to the truck and climbed inside before looking in the center console for the keys. Within seconds, she was driving away to her house.
Callie blinked away the tears. The drive to the old bunkhouse she’d converted into a house didn’t take long. Once there, she hurried inside, stripping out of her dirty and bloodied clothes once more.
She cleaned herself up and then curled up on the couch to stare out the window. When the tears came, they came in a flood. She’d honestly thought that Wyatt loved her. Why then had he left without a word?
It was too much for her already bruised heart. She cried rivers until, blessedly, thankfully, they dried up. Her itchy eyes hurt to keep them open, so she closed them and let sleep claim her.
She didn’t know what woke her. Her eyes snapped open, and she sat up, looking around. That’s when she spotted the pink and white rose lying on the kitchen table.
Callie got to her feet carefully so as not to jar her wound and walked toward the table. Halfway there, she saw the rose petals on the floor. Curious, she followed them to the door. She hesitated only a moment before she opened it and found more petals on the porch and down the steps.
Then her gaze landed on a palomino horse tied to her railing. He softly nickered at seeing her. There was a saddle on him, and another rose tied in with the reins.
The gelding looked familiar, as if she should know it. Then it hit her. He was the horse Wyatt had put her on after they had killed the Saints.
“How did you get here?” she asked as she walked to the gelding and ran her hand up his velvety nose.
“I thought you’d sleep forever.”
Her head jerked to the side to find Wyatt leaning a shoulder against the house. He had showered and now wore a pair of jeans, boots, and a button-down. He pushed away and walked down the steps to her.
“I thought you left,” she said.
He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I did. I went to get him,” he said and nodded to the palomino. “He saved our lives.”
“So did you,” she said, continuing to pet the gelding.
Wyatt walked to the horse and took off the saddle before setting it on the side of the truck. Then he removed the halter and gave the palomino a pat on the rump. The horse took off at a run, tail up.
With nothing to do, Callie had no choice but to face Wyatt. He held out his hand to her, and she took it. He led her into the house to where she had overlooked a bucket of ice and the bottle of champagne it held.
Roses? Champagne? Who was this man?
Not that Callie was complaining. She quite liked it, but she wasn’t sure how to act.
“Our conversation was interrupted earlier,” Wyatt said as he stopped and faced her.
She noticed how he wouldn’t let go of her hand. “Yes, it was.”
“I didn’t get a chance to speak.”
When he remained silent, she swallowed and said, “What’s holding you back now?”
“You.”
“Me?” she asked in shock.
He nodded slowly. “From the moment you arrived on the ranch all those years ago, you captured my attention. You became like a sister to my brothers, and a daughter to Orrin. But my emotions ran in another direction.
“I found you after your family beat you. I can’t describe the rage that came over me when I discovered you.
I brought you to the house, and while Dad and Uncle Virgil tended to you, I went to your family.
They never deserved you, Callie. You were everything good and whole, and the Reeds tried to destroy you.
“I tried to think of you as a sister, to deny the pull toward you. Then I gave in. Those were the best two months of my life. You made me want to be the man that I saw in your eyes when you looked at me, but I knew I wasn’t.”
She gripped his hand tightly. “So you left.”
“I had to. Everywhere I looked on the ranch was a reminder that my mother had been viciously taken from us and that Dad wasn’t doing anything. For my own sanity, I had to leave.
“I thought I was better on my own, far from you and the love I craved. Until I was forced to return. Then I saw you, and I knew, whatever courage allowed me to leave the first time, deserted me now. I paired up with you because I had to be with you in whatever capacity I could.”
She shook her head, dismayed. “I never knew. Why didn’t you tell me?”
His lips twisted ruefully. “I couldn’t. Words have never come easily for me, but after everything you said after the battle, you deserve the truth.”
“What are you saying?” Could all her dreams really be coming true? Could she finally have the love of her life? The hope was there, dangling right in front of her.
Wyatt gave her a crooked smile. “Isn’t it obvious? I only want you. I love you, baby girl.”
Her heart was going to burst she was so happy. She threw her arms around him, both of them then wincing at their wounds. They laughed as they looked into each other’s eyes.
“There’s some pink champagne waiting for us.”
Her eyes widened. “You remembered.”
“When it comes to you, I forget nothing.”
She took a step back and grabbed his hand before leading him to the bedroom. There was no telling how long of a reprieve they had, and she was going to take advantage of it.
“The champagne,” Wyatt said.
She shrugged and dropped his hand to remove her shirt. “Can wait until later.”
“And your wound?”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
There was a groan that rumbled from his chest before he claimed her mouth in a savage kiss filled with passion and the promise of tomorrow.