Colton's Lethal Reunion (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

He probably knew that the chief figured she’d be back up on that mountain, too. He didn’t try to stop her from doing what she had to do. Unless she made an official request that would force him to do so.

So, the promise request? That had just been for show?

“That’s why I’m going with you,” he told her. “I’m already in as far as anyone could get, I’ve not only been seen, but I’ve now beat someone unconscious. And I’m going to see this through, Kerry.”

He wasn’t going to let this go. Or leave her alone, either, until Tyler’s murder was solved. And truth was, she had a better chance at success with his help. As proven by his actions that afternoon. If he hadn’t come running as soon as he’d gotten her text...

She’d have lain there until the thug was gone and then gotten herself off the mountain. Or pretended to be dead until he got close enough for her to shoot him.

But it could have gone badly, too. She could have been dizzy. Missed her shot. And ended up in a gully just like her brother and the ranger.

“Okay,” she said softly.

“Okay? You’re not just saying that because you think it will get me off your back on this, are you?”

“No.” She looked him right in the eye. “I’m saying it because I want to find out who killed my brother. I can’t tell the chief what I’m doing and get official help, and I can’t afford to hire anyone to help.”

He nodded. Sat back. Gave her the first smile she’d seen on his grim face since he’d made love to her the night before.

And then, bringing his chair closer, he took her hand, his expression serious again. “I won’t let you down again, Kerry. I’ll always be here for you.”

Her heart slammed shut. “No, you won’t be,” she said, just as softly. “Please, Rafe, please don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“I...”

She shook her head twice, back and forth, in spite of the pain. “I mean it, Rafe. I need you to agree that there will be no promises between us. Because we both know that as soon as Payne gains consciousness, as soon as your life gets back to normal, our paths won’t be crossing again.”

She wanted him to deny her declaration. To give her some hope that there could be a possibility of a miracle in their future. Someday. That he’d leave his family and their wealth and come into town to live with her.

Because they both knew Payne would never accept her at the family dinner table at the RRR. Or in Rafe’s house, either.

When he said nothing, she had her answer.

* * *

Rafe went upstairs to see Payne while Kerry’s physician was in with her. He was her ride home; he knew she wouldn’t leave without him, but still, he was on edge leaving her.

Not good. Or healthy. And one of the reasons he left her. That, and because of his late shower followed by the board meeting and his need to get some other time sensitive things done in the office, he’d missed his morning visit with the older man.

Genevieve was sitting alone in the room and smiled when Rafe came in, accepting his invitation to be with Payne while she went to the cafeteria for a snack.

“How you doing?” he asked the elder Colton as he took a seat close to the bed. The doctor had told them there was every chance the comatose Payne could hear them talk, encouraging them to do so, and Rafe took the opportunity to tell his adoptive father how much it hurt him to lose his oldest friend in the world. He talked about what Kerry had meant to him as a five-year-old, and as a thirteen-year-old, too. He told Payne that he didn’t think it was any mistake that she’d been assigned to his case. He didn’t vent. Didn’t place blame. He just talked, stopping short of admitting to any current relationship with his ex-friend. He wasn’t ready to go there.

To put limits on it.

Or add a definition to it.

The talk wasn’t all that long; Genevieve returned quickly and Rafe had to get back downstairs to Kerry, not that he told his stepmother that he had any other purpose at the hospital. If she noticed the scrape on the side of his jaw, she didn’t mention it.

Nor did she ask why he was in jeans.

Because she didn’t notice enough about him to know the dress was unusual? Didn’t care? Or was just too upset about Payne to bother with anything else? He didn’t know.

She didn’t ask about the morning’s board meeting. Chances were Marlowe, who was her daughter, had already been to the hospital and filled her in.

Nothing had changed as he rode the elevator back down, but he felt better, nonetheless. Didn’t matter whether Payne heard the words or not; he’d needed to tell his father how he felt.

Kerry was fully dressed, disconnected from all hospital monitors and sitting in the chair he’d vacated, when he returned to her cubicle.