Chapter 47

Without missing a beat, Dakota sends for more guns and supplies. He starts barking orders immediately, letting our ranch know that we’re at a higher risk now. I don’t know why I assumed they couldn’t mess with us out here. Maybe the cattle drive mood has lulled me into this false sense of security? Either way, there’ll be no more blissfully going along without a care. That’s gone now.

Dakota moves our camp further away from the road and makes sure that I’m protected in my tent behind the side-by-side. No one can get a good view of me from the road, not unless I’m standing out in the open. Which Dakota tells me I need to be more careful about now.

Which brings us to the next issue. Being on a horse lifts me up higher in the sky and makes it easier to spot me. So I’m now stuck on the side-by-side with Levi permanently and we’re on the left side of the herd, always away from the road.

“What’s with all the guns?” one of the other ranchers asks, laughing. “You expect to fight a battalion of bears out here?”

Wiley meets his eyes without laughing. “Something like that.”

The rancher’s face falls, his laughter disappearing. “Shit, you know something I don’t, wrangler?”

Wiley shrugs. “It’s best to be prepared. Ain’t you heard about the mountain lion rumors going around?”

The rancher’s eyes widen. “Good point.” He pats his gun at his hip. “Good thing we’re prepared. Though judging by the amount of guns y’all are carrying, maybe we should send for some more.”

Wiley nods. “Mountain lions are fucking savage.”

The rancher rushes away to tell his other people about what Wiley said and I glance at Wiley. “Why go through all the trouble?”

Wiley shrugs. “He’ll tell the others and they’ll all carry extra weapons now at the reminder of the feisty mountain lions we’ve had this year. They won’t think us paranoid. They’ll be on guard now.”

I blink in surprise. “That’s a good point.”

Wiley grins and winks at me. “I know.”

No one shows up all day. Nothing bad happens. No more threats appear and the wildlife doesn’t even give us hell. The clouds even make it so the sun isn’t so hot, so it makes it feel like something is waiting around every corner. When will the message be delivered? How quickly will they react?

“You think it’s like two to three business days?” I muse despite my fear. Not knowing how they’ll appear is more nerve wracking than an actual threat.

“It was probably a bluff,” Wiley comments as we settle down for the night.

We’re far enough away from the road that we should be fine. My tent is protected on two sides and no one on the road will be able to see me. Sitting by the fire has my nerve on edge though. I feel exposed.

I shake my head at Wiley. “No. They don’t really bluff. I’ve heard of some crazy shit they did. They shot a senator out in the open because he voted against what they wanted.” I grimace. “Allegedly.”

“Fuck,” Wiley murmurs. “So they’re bad, bad then?”

“That’s what I’ve been saying,” I groan, putting my head in my hands. “You should have let me go when I wanted to.”

“Not gonna happen,” Dakota comments, taking a seat next to me. “So we find a different option.”

“I just don’t understand why I’m so important,” I groan. “This makes no sense.”

“Sometimes, it’s just an obsession,” Levi points out. “You got away. That’s a blow to the leader’s ego. Capturing you is a game now.”

“I don’t want to play the game, though,” I lament.

“Too late,” he shrugs. “You’re in it.”

Scowling at his dismissal and clear unconcern about the situation, I cross my arms and stare at them. “I need to find a way to get them to leave me alone.”

“No one’s gonna hurt you, Kate,” Dakota muses, his eyes reflecting the fire and giving him an eerie look. Like a demon.

“You’re just three people,” I spit. “Against an entire mafia.”

He levels his gaze on me, his expression unchanging. “Nothing is going to hurt you,” he repeats. “No matter what.”

I stare at him, at the confidence he exudes, and am again reminded there are secrets I don’t know, and I don’t like it. I’m starting to wonder if I’ve truly made a mistake coming out here. I should have kept running.

Sighing, I run my hand through my wet hair. “I’m going to sleep, I guess. My ass is killing me and I’m starting to feel exhausted.”

Wiley wiggles his eyebrows. “Want me to kiss it and make it better?”

“My ass?” I laugh.

“Among other things,” he grins.

I pause. “Tempting, but I suspect I do actually need the sleep.” I wave to them all and pick up Fuzz where he’s sleeping in the messenger bag. I’ve been hanging it in my tent so he feels at home, but the tiny thing is nocturnal so he’s often wandering around in the tent and keeping me awake. The troublemaker. “Good night,” I say.

And then I leave them to their campfire and their confidence. I sure don’t have any.