Guarding Forever

Hope read it again and again, looking for some reason, some rationale for it. Was this a mind fuck? She knew of the confrontation with Gage at Dax’s office and Cummings’s instigation. Did he do this to get at her? Had the old bastard lost his mind?

The sound of the front door swinging open startled her out of her seat. No one should be in here. She reached for the hidden gun, ready to fight. Soft footsteps crept closer to the door. Someone turned the handle slowly, opening it. She let out a squeal and kicked it closed.

“Hope, what the fuck? Who the fuck is in there with you?” Gage roared from the other side.

“Oh my God. Gage, I’m sorry.” She opened the door, still holding the revolver, but he didn’t see it because he was too busy scanning the room for his replacement. He looked around the room, feeling a tinge of jealousy.

He didn’t think she would do that to him, but with the problems on the ranch, he’d been neglecting her and Johnny more and more. He had too many damn ranch hands that would love to have a woman as wonderful as Hope.

When his gaze returned to her, he spotted the weapon in her hand. “Hope, what’s going on? Is there someone else in the house?”

“No. You startled me. I didn’t expect you to come back and your footsteps were so low.”

“I was trying to surprise you. Why are you so jumpy?”

She set the gun down on the desk and took a long pause before she said, “Gage…I received an email.”

“An email?”

Gage’s mind was still trying to process what she meant when she added, “From Cummings.”

“What?” he snarled out, walking around to the desk. She left the email open to the letter. He read it and nearly lost his mind. He whipped out his phone and rushed out of the office and to the front door, checking the locks. Then he went to get his son out of his play yard. The thought of someone coming after them sent a chill down his spine.

Dax finally answered on the last ring. “What’s up, Gage?”

“We’ve got a problem. That bastard contacted her today.”

“Where? When?”

“She got an email from him.” The rage in his voice actually sent chills up Dax’s spine and raised the hairs on his arms. He knew his friend was one step away from murder.

“When?” Gage walked back behind the desk, handing Johnny to Hope as she stood and watched with horror and fascination. Gage grabbed the gun and stored it back in the drawer before he checked the message.

Once he found the time stamp, he said, “About twenty-one minutes ago.”

“He didn’t send—”

Gage cut him off. “What the fuck do you mean he didn’t send it?” Everything in the letter screamed Cummings. It had his name written all over it. Fuming with indignation, he began to distrust his longtime friend. Gage knew it was only because Dax didn’t take Cummings as seriously as Gage did, but then again, Dax had his own wife to be fretting over.

“Look, I’m not saying he didn’t write it or have someone do it for him, but he didn’t actually send it. He’s in the hospital. There was an attack on his life this morning. He’s in the hospital sedated at the moment.”

“What?”

“I have to ask you where you were this morning.”

Gage jumped back out of his chair, pacing the room. “What the fuck? You’re turning out to be a piss-poor friend, Chambers.”

“Calm your ass down. I don’t think you did shit, but you’re one of the few people that would love to whoop his ass, and a half dozen people witnessed you nearly getting your hands on him outside my office.” Dax had a point, and Gage knew it. The police would look at him first.

“Fuck. I was here all day yesterday, and this morning I started working on the ranch at six, and I have my crew to prove it along with the surveillance cameras around the place, if needed.”

Dax released a harsh sigh. “Thank God. I knew you wouldn’t, but they will be coming to visit you.”

“So that fucker gets the police to help him when he deserves to rot in hell, but nothing can be done to protect my family.”

“You know that’s not the case. Everyone gets the same damn treatment even if we’d wished someone finished the job, but they’re not trying too hard.”

“It’s still fucking bullshit. I want the fucker to die. I know that’s the only way I’ll believe Hope is safe.”

“You might not want to go around shouting that shit out.”

“I know. I have to go. Are you going to look into it?”

“Of course I’m going to look into it. I’ll have the forensic team over there in the next two hours.”

“Good. I expect to get the same damn treatment as that fucker.”