Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 97462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“Damn,” Hart muttered. “I have a feeling this is gonna be a mistake.”
“You’re very slick, Fox,” Free chuckled “But don’t you think Big Bull is going to get suspicious when you return with his father? His dad comes in to make a vandalism report and comes back with… you?”
“Let me worry about that, Free. I’m Fox. Being slick and suspicious is what I do.”
Bull rode faster as the cold air whipped against his heated face. The more he thought of the busted window in his living room and the repeated vandalism to his farm, the more furious he became. He clenched his thighs tighter and gave Mercy a firm nudge. “Come on, boy. Get!”
He and his red roan Appaloosa were connected in a way only they understood. Bull loosely held the reins as he closed his left leg and leaned in with his right shoulder. Mercy turned and galloped along the perimeter of his land, though Bull had no clue what he was looking for. And despite his father’s angry disapproval, Bull had saddled Mercy, tucked his rifle behind his seat, and took off into the dark morning.
He checked the fence for any obvious breaks but saw none. He rode farther along the west end of his property a few hundred yards from the back of his house and shined the large flashlight into the brush, but again, he saw nothing. They had to come from somewhere. Bull frowned. Maybe he wasn’t checking in the right places. He knew how to track animals and hunt for sport, but his vast skills didn’t include hunting humans. Bull brought Mercy to a slow trot before he stopped. He leaned forward in the saddle with a heavy sigh and pulled his black Stetson lower on his brow. Goddamnit. Like the last several times, he had zero clues.
Bull glanced towards his two-story home. Rays of light blue began to chase away the lingering darkness in the sky as a new day approached, along with his chores and farm duties. He could see the glow from the mud porch and kitchen, which meant Amelia was already at work. She was probably beside herself after being startled awake by that loud crash.
He’d called 911, but the sheriff’s office was full of lazy worthless stags who didn’t like to leave their desk to come out and do some real police work. It was his ranch; therefore, everyone’s safety was on him. What if his father or Amelia had been hit by one of those bricks hurled into his living room? What if the thugs tried again when they weren’t all asleep? Or god forbid, what if one of his innocent employees got caught in the crossfire?
“What the hell am I going to do, Mercy?” Bull asked his best friend. He patted Mercy’s neck, and he shook his head, leaning towards Bull’s touch. “Come on, boy. We better head back. The fellas’ll be gettin’ up soon.”
Bull saw his father’s old pickup coming down the short driveway that led to the rear of the house and urged Mercy into a gallop. Where had he been this early, and why had he left Amelia in the house alone? Bull had cleared the backyard when he saw his dad amble out of the driver’s seat.
“Where have you been, Pop? I told you to stay inside with—” The passenger door to his father’s truck swung open, and the man who’d been Bull’s jerk-off material for months stepped out. He tensed and gripped Mercy’s reins as if they were lifelines. His horse sidestepped, probably unsure what had made Bull’s mood go from angry to unmanageable arousal in seconds.
“I went to get us some help,” his father said, leaning hard on his cane.
Bull clenched his jaw. Pop, you can’t be serious.
His old man had let Bull know exactly how he felt about Fox the one time he’d come to the ranch. It had been after their team had once again made the news for saving lives, and his father had called Fox a hero, considering it an honor for him to have visited. Amelia had called him a stud, then husband material. Which might be why Bull kept having stupid dreams… vivid, wonderful fairy-tale dreams. But that was where he wanted Fox to stay.
“Long time no see, cowboy,” Fox said so smoothly it felt like a direct caress to Bull’s nuts.
“He-how-ello.” Bull frowned. For fuck’s sake. He couldn’t decide if he was going to say hey, howdy, or hello and ended up doing a ridiculous combination of all three. He cleared away the nothing that was in his throat and muttered, “What are you doing here?”
“I heard you’re having some problems.” Fox’s smooth lips curved into a cunning grin. “I’m here to solve ’em for you.”
Bull glared at his father. “You went to Ivan Hart’s station in the city?”