Captured by Cowboys (Doms of Destiny, Colorado 1)

“It might be a good start, Sergei,” the sheriff said. “What do you do for a living?”

“This is ridiculous,” the guy stated. “Fine. I’ll jump for you. I’m an accountant. Boring, right? Maybe you don’t understand why I want my van back, but money matters to me.”

“And me? Do I matter to you, Sergei?” Calling him by name felt oddly familiar on her lips. Still no memory shot over the wall.

“Kathy, of course you do. We’ve been together almost three years now.”

“Sergei, can’t you understand why I’m hesitating to accept what you’re saying? These guys have protected me ever since they found me. You might think they are being overly cautious, but I don’t.” They were heroes in her mind.

Mr. White nodded and his shoulders sagged slightly. “Of course, I understand. I’m just frustrated, Kathy. That’s all. Wait. I did bring another picture with me. It’s you and me together. I’m not sure I should show it to you or not. It might jog your memory too hard. Has she been seen by a doctor, Sheriff?”

Emmett’s eyes narrowed. “We weren’t able to come down from the mountain with her until now. The doctor just checked her out. She’s fine. He called it retrograde amnesia. He says her memory could return at any time.”

A thin smile spread across Sergei’s unremarkable face. “I’m out of line here. You took care of my girl when she needed help. I should be thanking you two.”

The man’s sudden change of demeanor eased Amber’s misgivings about him, but only a little. “Please show me the picture you brought with you.”

“I will if you promise to at least eat dinner with me. I’m in a suite at the hotel. We could dine alone and talk everything out.”

Before either Bryant or Emmett could decline his request, the sheriff held up his hand. “Wait, guys. I think these two do need to have some private time, but Mr. White, I think I have an idea that will satisfy all of us.” Jason looked at her. “Amber, would you be open to having a meal with Sergei in a public place?”

“Yes.”

The sheriff nodded his approval. “We have three places to choose from. There’s Phong’s Wok, Lucy’s Burgers, or Blue’s Diner. They’re all located here in the square around Central Park.”

“Hold on, Jason. I don’t think this is a good idea.” Bryant’s hesitation was clearly shared by Emmett.

“Even if he is her husband as he states, that doesn’t mean the rest of his story is true. What if Amber was running away from him? What if he was a terrible husband? I’m not leaving her alone with him until I know more, Jason,” the older Stone brother added.

“I hear you both,” the sheriff said. “I’m asking Mr. White to take her to one of the local eateries, but I’m also asking he sit in a table or booth, depending on where they choose to go, that is right by the window. That way you two can keep an eye on him right outside, and White and Amber can be alone. Make sense?”

“Fuck no,” Bryant growled.

Amber grabbed his hand and then grabbed Emmett’s with her other hand. “It’s a good idea. I’ll be okay. I’m not a little girl.”

“Little girl or not, you’re not going. Understand?” Emmett’s throaty, forceful tone made her tremble—but not in the good way.

They were being overprotective, which she comprehended. Sergei was a stranger to them and to her, but he also could be telling the truth. What reason would he have for lying?

She needed them to trust her. “If anything goes wrong, I’ll scream bloody murder until you come in to rescue me once again.”

“Do we have a deal, guys, or not?” Mr. White stood.

“Let me see the picture you mentioned you’d brought with you first,” she demanded.

His lips tightened into a thin line. “All right, Kathy.”

Sergei reached into his coat opposite where he’d placed his cell. He extracted the photo and handed it to her.

She gazed at the image of her next to Sergei White. She was smiling and so was he.

“Do you remember anything about this?” Emmett asked, his anxious tone shaking her to the core.

The wall remained solid and foreboding, but a single thought shot over its crest and landed inside her head. “This was someone’s birthday party, yes?” She looked up at Sergei, who was chewing on his lower lip.

He nodded. “Your twenty-fifth birthday, Kathy. Six months ago.”

She closed her eyes, trying to pull more from the other side of the blockage. Nothing came. She opened her eyes and stared back at the photo she held in her hands. The image of the smile on her face slackened her apprehension about Sergei some.