Fox, Morgan - Discovering Temptation [Texas Stallions 1] (Siren Publishing Allure) (18 page)

“What about my animals…did we lose them in the fire?” Her voice shook as she thought about the horrific image of her precious animals.

“No, Hunter evacuated them pretty quickly.”

“Oh, thank God.” She wrapped her arms around Tyler and held him close. She felt like everything had been a dream, a terrifying nightmare.

“What do you want to do with him?” Cooper asked, kicking the other side of his ribs.

“Hunter, do you have any rope handy?”

“Are you kidding?” He grinned and walked into the front room, opened up his bag, and pulled out enough rope to tie Dex up.

“Excellent. Strap his murdering ass to a chair, and when the sheriff gets here, we can hand him over and get him the fuck out of our home.”

Sophia moved closer. She held a kitchen butcher knife in her hand. “Not if we haven’t already killed him.”

“Easy, Sophia,” Tyler said as he reached out to take the knife from her. “He’ll get what’s coming to him.”

Tyler arched a brow as he glanced up to see the flashing lights of Sheriff Garrett and several of his deputies arrive to take Dexter Ragland into custody. Sophia simply shrugged. “I called from Abby’s cell, but it doesn’t mean we still can’t kill him before the sheriff walks in the house.”

Abby knew exactly how Sophia felt. The bastard had held a knife to her throat and implied that he had every intention of murdering and raping her. Chills surged through her body as she realized just how close she’d come to ending up like that young woman he’d sexually assaulted and stabbed, eventually ending her life.

Dexter Ragland hadn’t stirred an inch since Abby landed a fierce blow to the back of his head, and that relieved her greatly. Not for one more second did she want to see the vileness within his eyes staring at her as if mentally trying to peel away the flesh from her bones. The emotional emptiness she’d witnessed within the depths of his soul hadn’t been hard to comprehend, but seeing it firsthand, feeling it as he touched her, startled her more than she would’ve liked.

Just as the emotions settled over her, her mind began to ponder all the “what-ifs.” What if her father hadn’t placed that gun under the table? What if Dexter had stopped her before she’d been able to reach it? What if Tyler and his brothers hadn’t escaped the barn in time? The questions were endless.

Sheriff Garrett entered the house, his body looming like a man determined to save the day. His eyes immediately found Dexter. Within a few long strides, he was standing in front of the unconscious man, cutting the rope that held him to the chair, hauling him to his feet, and dragging him to the ground. Placing his knee on his back, he wrapped Dexter’s arms behind him and quickly placed the metal cuffs on his wrists. Two other deputies entered and lifted the now-stirring Dexter to his feet and dragged him off toward the squad cars.

Sheriff Garrett turned to face Abby, his eyes softening as he gazed at her. “Did he hurt you?” His eyes swept the room. “Any of you?”

Abby shook her head. “No, we’re all good, just a little rattled.”

“I can’t even begin to tell you how lucky you are, little lady.” The sheriff placed his hands on his hips, looking very authoritative and dangerous in his own right. “Dexter Ragland has a long history of assaulting women. When he was a teenager, he was brought up on charges for brutally killing his mother, but the case was dropped due to a technicality.”

Abby’s throat felt tight. She didn’t want that to happen again. What if he came back for her? What if he finished what he started?

The sheriff must’ve read her thoughts. “We’re doing everything by the book here. We need each of you to come down to the station in the morning. We want to know each of your accounts of what happened. My deputies are reading Mr. Ragland his rights and taking him to the station.”

Abby spoke up. “Dexter also told me and Sophia that Jackson Cole was the person who paid him to come after me to begin with. I want to see Jackson brought up on charges as well.”

“We actually made the connection between Dexter and Jackson a few hours ago. We checked Jackson’s phone records since he was under suspicion and we had a court order to do so. Dexter Ragland’s cell number appeared over a dozen times over the last two months.”

Abby nodded with a smile, squeezing her arm around Tyler’s waist, using him as an anchor for all the things she knew she’d fought for.

“We’ll be there in the morning, Sheriff,” Tyler said.

Sheriff Clay Garrett turned toward the door, but before he twisted the knob, he cocked his head to glance back at everyone. “By the way, Doc was called, and he’ll be out here soon to check on each of you. Don’t hesitate to call should you need anything.” He closed the door behind him and joined his deputies outside.

Abby felt the weight of the day slide away from her shoulders the moment Dexter had been removed from her house. All the evil he harbored inside dissipated like the rain storm outside. She didn’t have to be afraid of anything anymore. She prayed.

The front door flung open as if a hearty gust of wind had blown it open. All eyes settled on the one person Abby had no desire to see, especially not now.

“Where the hell is my daughter?” Cybil Burnett called out as if she owned the place.

The strong scent of her designer perfume filled the room, and Abby rolled her eyes and sighed. She stepped around Tyler as if he were trying to shield her form the Wicked Witch of the West.

“Hello, Mother,” Abby said without any inflection in her voice.

“Oh my God, Abby,” she wailed, her hands digging into her hips. “What the hell is going on around here? Why are there police here? Why did you come back to this god-awful place?”

“This is my home, and I have every right to be here.”

Cybil stalked into the room, her three-inch heels slapping against the hardwood flooring. Her red silk dress swished against her stocking-covered legs. “Why would you want to be in the middle of nowhere when you could live in the city and have everything you’ve ever wanted?”

Everything she’d ever wanted? Really? Did her ignorant mother never listen to her? Of course she didn’t. That’s why Abby could never talk to her. The woman simply only listened to herself and never anyone else. “Did it ever occur to you that this is really what I wanted? To live the life my father would’ve wanted for me had you not manipulated and weaseled your way into getting what you wanted. You were practically the cancer that killed him.”

Cybil gasped in an overexaggerated manner. Her hand rested over her chest as if appalled. “Don’t talk to me like that, Abby. I’m your mother.”

Abby wanted to burst into laughter. Cybil Burnett was only her mother in the sense that she’d carried her for nine months. Never had the woman showed any love and affection toward her and that had her feeling more like a possession rather than a beloved daughter. “I’ll talk to you however I damn well please. You’ve done nothing for me, but make me realize that I should’ve been with my father all along. You never should’ve kept him away from me.”

“Don’t do this, Abby. Don’t ruin what’s left of our family.”

“If anyone has ruined anything, it’s you. You trapped my father into getting you pregnant and then robbed him of his child. He loved me. I know that now.”

“Your father was never there for you. I was,” Cybil spat.

“No, Mother dear, you’re wrong.” She stepped closer, standing toe-to-toe with her mother. “He came for me, he wrote me letters, all of which you did your best to keep from me. He is the parent who should’ve raised me, and thanks to him, I now have a chance to live the life I should’ve always had the right to live.”

“Abigail Blake, you are being selfish. Now pack up your things this instant. I’m taking you home.” Cybil reached out and grabbed hold of Abby’s arm. She pulled away so quickly Cybil stumbled.

“You no longer have any say in what I do with my life. In fact, it would be best if you and I didn’t see or talk to one another for a while. I need time to live my life without your negative and selfish influences.” Abby narrowed her eyes. “You’re not welcome at Paradise Ranch until you can become the mother I need. A selfless, caring mother who doesn’t care more about material things, and understands that love and family are truly the most important part of life.” Tears stung Abby’s eyes. “It’s too bad my father had to die to teach me that lesson, because I sure would never have learned that from you.”

Abby spun on her heels and stood beside Tyler, their hands interlocking. The moment she touched him, she felt the strength she’d grown to love about him fill her heart. He was the one she would grow old with and the one she would always rely on. She believed deep within her heart that Tyler was the person she could count on to help battle the evils that could be found around the most insignificant corner.

Cybil’s eyes swelled. “Abby?” she whispered.

Tyler was the one who spoke. “It’s best if you leave, Mrs. Burnett. Abby’s already made her feelings known. It would be best if you did as she asked before I’m forced to escort you out.”

“You would never,” Cybil bit out.

Grinning broadly, Tyler said, “Oh, that’s where you’re wrong. It would be my greatest pleasure to toss you out on your bony little ass.” He took a step forward. “Now, do I really need to ask again?”

Cybil gasped, turned, and fled.

Abby suddenly felt a sense of relief that had eluded her for years. She’d stood up to the woman that had kept her down her entire life. All was finally as it should be. She was going to love being at Paradise Ranch, and she was going to love being with Tyler even more.

“Thank you, Tyler.” Abby pressed to her tiptoes, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him. “You never stop amazing me.”

Chapter Eleven

Time was flying by at Paradise Ranch and everything was changing for the better. Abby and Tyler spent every available moment together, making love and making things wonderful at the ranch. A tickle in her heart and belly had her smiling broadly. She had a surprise for Tyler, and she couldn’t wait to tell him. Never had she imagined being so happy, so fulfilled.

Abby showered and put on her bed clothes. As she returned to her room, Tyler was lying naked on the bed, a devilish grin spread across his face. She’d never get tired of seeing every glorious inch of him laid out like a banquet only she was privileged to sample.

“Did you finish early today?” she asked, her heart fluttering as she read the desire exploding in his eyes.

“I did, because I have a surprise for you.”

As giddy as a child, she hastened her steps toward the bed and prepared to crawl onto the mattress, but he quickly stopped her. “Wait,” he demanded, his eyes casting a warm glow over every place he looked along her body. “Take your clothes off first. I want to look at you.”

A strange but exhilarating feeling tumbled around in her belly, but without question, she did as he asked, slowly slipping out of her white tank top and blue cotton shorts.

“Now stand back, I want to see all of you.”

Again she did as he requested, feeling sexy and desired as his eyes filled with a passion she had never witnessed before.

“Now, come here and lay beside me.” He patted the bed, and as soon as she was nestled against him, he raised up over top of her. The muscles in his arms flexed as he supported the weight of his upper body and cradled in between her spread thighs. His cock brushed over her clit and had her shivering with need.

“I’ve made a decision about us, Abby.”

She bucked her hips, almost forcing his hard cock to slip inside her wet pussy. “What have you decided, Tyler?” She arched up and nipped at his chin.

“I’ve decided to make all your fantasies come true.” He kissed her and pulled back to look at her. Her belly rolled with newfound nerves and a thrill of excitement. What did her cowboy lover have in store for her?

“What fantasy are you referring to, Tyler?” She licked her dry lips, her body warming deliciously as she imagined the wicked things he had planned.