Texas-Sized Trouble. Barb Han

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      He didn’t need her moving any closer. Not with the way his pulse pounded already, reminding him of the strength of the attraction he’d once held. So much had changed in the past couple of months, including him. The sobering reality that came with learning his parents had been murdered had made Ryder a different man. After hearing the news, he’d taken leave from the successful transportation company he’d started and returned home to Bluff, Texas. Running tourists back and forth from the airport to various ski resorts in the Denver area was a big change from his life in Texas, and he was ready to take his rightful place alongside his brothers running the family cattle ranch and rifleman’s club, nicknamed the Cattlemen Crime Club. The best perk of running his company had been that he’d spent many days pushing his own limits on the mountain. Coming home had been the right thing to do but didn’t offer the adrenaline rushes he craved. Dating Faith on the side had most likely been an attempt to reclaim some of his renegade ways and blow off steam, he tried to convince himself again. The thought of real feelings developing between an O’Brien and a McCabe had the word avalanche written all over it. That’s exactly what it would be—out of control and devastating to everything it touched.

      Hence, the thrill, a little voice in his head reminded.

      “Sounds like a bad situation all around,” he said, not wanting to let anything she had to say twist his emotions. Faith had a way of getting under his skin, and he had no intention of giving her permission to use him again. “Call child welfare and report her.”

      “They’ll just take him away, throw him in the system, and I’ll lose track of him. At least now I can watch over him.” She took a tentative step forward and then rubbed her arms like she was trying to stave off the chill. She needed a coat, but it wasn’t Ryder’s place to tell her.

      “Whoa. Not so fast.” He held up his hands to stop her from coming any closer in case she decided to play on his weakness for her again. It wouldn’t work. Burn him once, shame on her. Burn him twice, and he deserved everything he got. Ryder knew better than to touch a hot stove twice, and he’d been taught both sayings as a kid. He’d be damned if she threw flames his way a second time. “Tell me why this concerns me, Faith.”

      “It doesn’t. Not directly.” She straightened her back and folded her arms across her chest. “He’s a good kid, well, teenager, and he doesn’t deserve the life he was given.”

      “Why come to me? Why not ask Trouble for help?” It was a low blow bringing up one of her exes, and Ryder felt the same sensation as a physical punch at thinking about her together with Trouble. Again, Ryder reminded himself that Faith couldn’t be trusted. She’d proved that to him and everyone else in town when she’d shown up with Timmy “Trouble” Hague a week after cutting ties with Ryder and claiming the two were in a relationship. There was nothing worse to Ryder than having his nose rubbed in a breakup. She didn’t stop with Trouble. She’d dated several others like him within a monthlong span. She hadn’t needed to convince Ryder to walk away by parading a new man in front of him every week. The Post-it had done the trick.

      “Hear me out, please,” she pleaded, and he was having a difficult time ignoring the fact that her teeth were chattering. He didn’t want to care.

      “Step aside. I have plans tonight,” Ryder said, unmoved. Or, at least that was the vibe he was trying to give off. Internally, he was at war. Those residual feelings had a stronghold and he couldn’t afford to let them dig their heels in further, because they were tempting him to give in and agree to help her. He tried to convince himself that being a Texan would make him hardwired to help any woman in trouble and that the pull had nothing to do with the fact that it was Faith.

      “Can we go somewhere we can talk?” she asked, her gaze darting around. Was she afraid to be seen with him?

      Seriously? After running around with Trouble?

      “Like your bedroom?” Ryder scoffed. “Sorry, sweet cheeks. That ship has sailed.”

      Her hurt look made him almost wish he hadn’t said that. As far as he was concerned, she didn’t have the right to look pained. It wasn’t her heart that had been stomped all over.

      Even so, guilt nipped at him for the low blow, and he half expected her to give up and walk away. He was making sticking around as hard on her as he could without being a complete jerk.

      She didn’t budge. She just stood there shivering.

      “Spit it out. What do you want from me?” he demanded, not wanting to drag this conversation out more than necessary. He was tired and this was taking a toll. He had plans with a soft pillow. It was late, and work on the ranch started at 5:00 a.m. sharp.

      “I need your help finding Nicholas.” Her eyes pleaded.

      “You need a coat,” Ryder said.

      “What?” She seemed surprised.

      “You look cold.” Ryder motioned toward her arms.

      “Mine’s in the car,” she said. “And I’ll get it as soon as you agree to help.”

      “Can’t you microchip kids these days? Or, better yet, why not just call him and wait for him to get back to you like a normal person?” He put his hand up between them. “Oh, wait, I forgot. You’re not a normal person. I should’ve known a McCabe wouldn’t have time for common sense or following the rules.”

      Faith sucked in a burst of air. That comment scored a direct hit. Ryder should feel a sense of satisfaction. He didn’t.

      “He’s somewhere hurt or he’s been taken and I’m worried,” she said, recovering. Her gaze locked onto his.

      “Take out an ad or check his social media pages. Kids love to broadcast their locations for the world to see.” Besides, Ryder had other, more pressing things to focus on, like bringing justice to the person who’d murdered his parents.

      “He’s not that kind of kid and I already checked—” her tone rose in panic before she seemed able to recover and reel it in “—or I wouldn’t be here.” She had that no-other-choice quality to her tone. Again, Ryder had to ask himself why she thought it was a good idea to come to him. He didn’t figure she’d give an honest response. So, she was genuinely concerned about her half brother. Good for her. Maybe it proved she had half a heart in that chest of hers after all. That was about as far as Ryder was willing to go.

      “I’m sorry about your family being messed up, but being in the perfect one isn’t as easy as it looks. Everyone’s got problems,” Ryder snapped, needing to keep emotional distance between them. In truth, he loved his brothers. They were a close-knit bunch and about as perfect as a genuine family could be. Sure, they had issues from time to time, but they always managed to work out their differences. He and his twin brother, Joshua, were especially close. “And I’m done here.”

      “I have to find him and I’m not giving up. It will put me in danger if I go alone but I don’t have a choice, Ryder. I have to do it,” she said, standing her ground yet again. The sound of his name rolling off her tongue had always stirred his chest in a way he couldn’t afford to allow. This time was no different. All his warning bells sounded.

      “Sounds like you’re making a big mistake.” He shrugged. “Free country.”

      “Do you really hate me that much?” she asked, and the desperation in her tone struck a chord. “You’d allow an innocent kid to be hurt just to prove a point?”

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