The Rancher's Redemption

Just as they reached the front door leading to the stairs, there was a crash of breaking glass and the creaking sound of wood as the downstairs door was kicked in. Bella started forward, and Billy held her back.

“Wait,” he whispered close to her ear. “I’m betting that’s not a pig. How about we set up a trap?”

Bella nodded. He reached over her shoulder and unlatched the front door, leaving it slightly ajar. Taking her hand, he set off back toward her office where the safe was still open and on display in the moonlight.

“Let’s leave it like that. Now, where can we hide, and make sure this particular pig can’t get away?”

Chapter Six

Bella directed Billy behind her desk and they crouched down together. She could clearly hear someone coming up the stairs, and it definitely wasn’t Jay. Her teeth were chattering so hard she wondered why Billy didn’t say something. He was busy texting while she laid the gun on the floor, making sure the safety was still on.

The stumbling footsteps grew louder and were accompanied by a litany of grunts and curses that Bella remembered only too well. She tensed as her former employee, Axel Jordan, swayed against the doorframe, the smell of alcohol coming off him in waves.

“Stupid bitch,” he muttered. “Can’t even shut the safe properly. Thinks she’s so safe with that disabled vet protecting her?”

Beside Bella, Billy’s arm was rigid, his whole attention on Axel, and his normal expression obscured by an icy calmness that reminded her of Jay.

Axel stumbled against the desk, knocking piles of paper to the floor, and then leaned down to look into the safe, where the strongbox was clearly visible.

“I’ll just take it all.” Axel chuckled. “Bastards.”

It took Bella a terrified second to notice Billy was on the move. He crawled around the other side of the desk, gathered himself, and leapt on Axel’s back, bringing the younger man crashing to the ground.

Bella shot to her feet as Axel attempted to break free, his flailing fist connecting with the side of Billy’s head making him jerk backward. With a whoop, Axel attempted to shake Billy off, but Bella wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Stay right where you are,” she yelled as she pointed the gun at Axel, and took up a two-handed shooting stance.

“Like you know how to fire that.” Axel gasped as Billy recaptured one of his hands and wrenched it up against his spine.

“You don’t think Jay taught me to defend myself?” Bella asked. “Try me.”

Billy shoved Axel’s head down to the floor again with some force, and he went quiet.

“Do you have any rope?” Billy asked.

“I have panty hose!” Bella laid the gun down on the desk and ran to her bedroom. Her hands were shaking so hard, it was almost impossible to get the darn panty hose out of the packet. Not that she needed to worry about accidentally snagging them . . .

When she got back, Axel was still out of it and Billy had grabbed hold of his other wrist.

“Thanks.” He took the black, silky hose. “What a waste.”

Bella’s knees gave way, and she sank down beside him. “I hardly wear them anymore. I prefer stay-up stockings or Spanx.”

Billy chuckled. “Good to know.”

“How can you be so cheerful?” Bella demanded.

“Because we won.” Billy turned to look at her properly. “Are you okay?”

She reached out and cupped his cheek, her voice trembling. “I thought he was going to kill you, and then I thought that would be the second man I’ve loved taken away from me too quickly.”

Billy placed his hand over hers. “You’ve had a terrible shock—”

“Yes, I have, and maybe I’m speaking the truth because there isn’t anything left to hide behind when this kind of thing happens,” Bella said. “I’d hate to be the kind of person who ignores a wake-up call.”

Billy’s cell buzzed, making them both jump. He took it out of his pocket and held Bella’s gaze.

“It’s Nate. I’m going to call him, okay?”

He pressed the screen and put the sheriff on speaker. “Hey, can you come on over to the Red Dragon? I’ve got Axel Jordan drunk and tied up in Bella’s apartment.”