Raising the Stakes

“That’s what I said, yeah. Come on. Get rid of the knife and let go of her. She knows we can stop her anytime we want, don’t you, sweetheart?”

Dawn flashed him a look that almost killed him but it didn’t matter. Saving her was all that counted. Harman’s mouth tightened but he sheathed his knife and thrust Dawn aside. She stumbled against Gray, who caught her wrist. She lifted her eyes to his and he thought his heart would break. She was pale, except for two bright spots of color on her cheeks. Tears clung to her lashes.

“You son of a bitch,” she said, and spat into his face.

“Remember what I told you once?” he said softly. “This scene belongs to us. We get to write it any way we want.”

“What scene?” Harman demanded. “What’re you talking about?”

“I’m just reminding the lady of what I expect. The last thing a man wants to deal with is Wonder Woman.”

“Wonder What?”

“Wonder Woman,” Gray said softly.

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” Harman said sharply.

Gray waited, hardly breathing, his fingers hard on Dawn’s wrist. Slowly he saw something changing in the blue depths of her eyes.

“Gray?” she whispered, and he smiled, just for her.

“Yes, baby,” he said softly, and he pushed her aside and launched himself at her husband.

Harman stumbled back. The men fell to the ground, rolling over and over, grunting as they exchanged blows. Harman was bigger and heavier but Gray had the advantage of surprise and a hot, deadly rage. He pounded his fists into the other man’s gut, into his face. Still, gradually, Harman’s size began to tell. He shoved Gray down on his back, knelt astride him and pulled out his knife. Dawn screamed and flew toward the men. She beat her fists on her husband’s shoulders but he brushed her away as if she were a fly.

“I’ll deal with you next,” he panted, “after I finish off this son of a—” A horn blared. Harman jerked around. An SUV was racing toward them, clouds of dust billowing out behind it. He looked back at Gray. “Plenty of time to do what I’ve dreamed of doin’,” he said, his lips peeled back in a thin smile as he lifted the knife, but now the scream of police sirens rose above the sound of the horn.

Harman looked over his shoulder again. Cars were speeding toward them, fanned out across the desert sand. “Son of a bitch,” he yelled. He turned back to Gray and brought the knife down, but Gray had taken advantage of the moment and as Harman struck, as Dawn’s shrill cry rose into the air, he rolled to his side.

The blade bit into the sand. Harman cursed, jumped up, ran to his truck and took off with the vehicles in hot pursuit.

“Gray,” Dawn sobbed. “Oh, Gray—”

Gray scrambled to his feet and opened his arms to the woman he loved. She flew into them, as she had the first night they’d made love.

“Did he hurt you? Are you—”

Gray hugged her to his heart. “I’m fine.”

“Oh God, I thought he was going to kill you!”

“Sweetheart. You have to know I didn’t mean what I said to Harman. I’ll explain every—” She kissed him, and he could taste her tears and maybe even his own. “I love you,” he said, clasping her face in his hands. “Dawn? Do you hear me? I love you. I’ll always—”

A booming crash shook the earth. Dawn and Gray swung around. In the distance, they could see Dan Coyle’s men and the police piling out of their cars. They’d stopped at the rim of the mesa that ran behind Rocking Horse Ranch. Another sound rocked the ground beneath their feet. Flames shot up from the canyon.

“Gray?” Dawn said. She looked from the mesa to him, and he knew the instant she realized what had happened. “Oh God! Harman drove over the edge…”

Gray cupped her head and brought it to his shoulder. She wept as he held her. Gradually her sobs died away and he drew back, just enough so he could tilt her face to his.

“It’s over,” he said softly.

She nodded, though tears still glittered in her eyes. “I’m not crying for him. Is that wrong? I just can’t. I know I should but—”

“The hell you should,” Gray said fiercely. “He doesn’t deserve anybody’s tears, sweetheart, certainly not yours.”

“I’m crying for—I guess for the years lost. For the terrible waste.”

Gray took out his handkerchief, gently wiped Dawn’s eyes. “Don’t think about that. Think about what’s ahead. You. Me.” He smiled. “And a kid named Tommy. I think it’s time I met him.”