Montana Desire

Morning didn’t bring any clarity

Thankfully, the work that I’d done on myself hadn’t put me into one of my worst pain days. It was bad, but it was bearable. I’d do it again, too, for the ease with which I fell asleep.

Even with that, the bed still smelled like Cori. The blankets felt empty, the bed cold. When I forced myself up and to the window, Cori’s truck was already gone.

I had to do something. Every instinctual part of me said that something wasn’t right. Hopefully the guys wouldn’t think I was overstepping my bounds. But every passing minute was a minute that I was fighting panic.

Showering quickly, I hopped in the truck and went to the ranch. Jude was in the kitchen making coffee. Perfect. He leaned against the counter.

“I’m sorry.”

Jude inclined his head. “You already seem better.”

“Not really.”

Pouring the coffee, he grabbed another cup and poured one for me. “Care to talk now?”

Of all the guys, Jude was probably the best one to tell it to. Not out of any kind of miraculous sensitivity, but because he was the quietest and least likely to spread the word quickly. This was already going to be hard without that.

I sat at the table and painted the broad strokes for him. “I don’t have the actual words to explain it, man. But this isn’t coming from her. Something happened, and she felt like she had to do it.”

“And you’re absolutely sure you didn’t do something to piss her off?” He said it with a teasing smile, but his eyes were hard. I couldn’t get mad at the question—it was the same one I’d be asking.

“I swear,” I said. “I said goodbye to her in the morning, and I didn’t see or talk to her again until she walked in for the surprise party. And when we said goodbye? Everything was fine.”

He nodded slowly. “Let’s talk to Daniel. I’m not going to dig into Cori’s life without giving him a heads-up and letting him weigh in. But that does sound off. And I trust your gut.”

Daniel was upstairs in the office, and the conversation was much the same. I told him what had happened and explained. He sat back in his chair and looked at me. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing. That’s all.”

He raised his eyebrows and waited. There was a reason he was good at what he did. Interrogation had been one of his specialties.

I sighed. “I love her.”

“Is that a surprise?” Jude asked.

“No,” Daniel admitted. “But I have to ask the question about whether you’re just more invested than she is.” He held up a hand before I could protest. “I’m not doubting you. You know I have to ask.”

“I know.” I crossed my arms. “And I know how this looks. But I can’t help the feeling that something is really wrong.”

Daniel looked at Jude and nodded. “Do it. After everything that’s happened, I’m not going to take chances. Cori is family now, regardless of whether or not she’s with you, Grant. We need to make sure she’s okay. But if she is—” he pinned me with a stare “—you need to back off.”

“I’m disappointed that you think I wouldn’t.”

“I know you would. Still have to say it.”

I sighed again. “Yeah.”

Jude clapped me on the arm. “Let’s go.”

We went down to the security office. I felt weird about doing this—Cori’s privacy was hers. But if she was in trouble, it would be worth it.

“How long will it take?”

“Give me a few minutes. I’ll pull up what I can. Is there anything you can think of that would put her in danger?”

I thought through everything. Of course the Pearsons and the horses came to mind, but I didn’t want to assume anything. Not until we knew more.

While he ran his searches, I dropped my head into my hands. I’d slept, but I wasn’t rested.

“Her family is impressive.”

“I know they’re wealthy. The whole family are doctors. They’re actively trying to force Cori into going back to medical school—for humans—even though she doesn’t want to.”

Jude paused. “How are they forcing her?”

“Money. She has a trust that she was supposed to receive at thirty. Told me she wants to use it for the clinic. But they don’t approve of her being a vet.”

“How far do you think they would go? Did you get the impression that they’d force her with more than money?”

I shrugged. “I’ve never met them. But no. My gut says that’s not it. She was bothered by it, but more bothered by the fact that they weren’t respecting her choices. When we talked, she wasn’t afraid of it.”

Turning, Jude looked at me. “Okay. I have to ask you something, and I’m not asking for details. Try not to be offended. The…preferences that you and I share. Any chance that scared her off?”

He was the only other Resting Warrior who had any interest in kink. And from what I knew, he was deeper into it than I would ever be. Though, he hadn’t been with anyone in years. It was a logical question, given what he knew.

“No. I promise.” I shook my head. “For obvious reasons, I’m not going to say more than that. But that wasn’t the reason.”

“Anything else?”

“She was looking into a client. The father of her ex. One of his horses was sick, and he was really cagey about it. I went with her to take a blood sample from the first horse, and it was gone. The second time, she got it, but she didn’t tell me the results.”

Jude’s face went hard. “This is the same ex who nearly hit her while dumping her?”

“You heard about that?”

He nodded. “Doesn’t exactly give me warm and fuzzies. What kind of horses?”

“Huge stable out there. I didn’t ask, but seeing those horses? They’re racers.”

“I’d bet a lot of money that’s where the problem is,” he said, turning back to the computer.

I sat with it. My instincts didn’t say it was nothing. “It’s worth looking into. But why would that have to do with me?”

“I don’t know yet,” he said.

Pacing back and forth, I winced. My back was starting to feel worse. It had been stupid of me to push myself like that last night. No point in beating myself up about it now. It was done. But it wasn’t the best decision I’d ever made. Lesson learned. I was paying the price.

“Holy shit,” Jude said under his breath.

“What?”

He waved me over. “Graham Pearson is a piece of work,” he said. “Never convicted of anything but connected with a bunch of shady people and implicated in a lot of crimes. Especially around racing. He’s on top of his game in that world, basically a legend.”

“Okay. That’s a good start.”

“His list of known associates is about as long as my arm.”

I sat, groaning. “Anyone we know?”

“Looking. And there’s a shit ton here about his son Joel too—all of it bad news. Guy put two separate boys in the hospital when he lost his temper and attacked them in high school. Parents paid them off. Was also accused of sexually assaulting a woman while he was in college. That charge mysteriously went away.”

“Fuck.” Cori had been lucky to get out of their relationship without physical violence. “Keep looking on Graham Pearson.”

There had to be something. My gut had never failed me, and I didn’t want this to be the first time. If I was wrong, I would swallow my pride, but I knew I wasn’t. There would be something, and we would find it.

Jude went still, staring at the screen.

“Find something?”

He cleared his throat. “What did you say the name of the surgeon was? The one you saw?”

“Keyes. Amanda Keyes. Why?”

“Because,” he said, pointing at the screen, “she’s on the list. Amanda Keyes is a known associate of Graham Pearson.”

My stomach plummeted through the floor. There was the connection, and it was worse than I ever imagined.