Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

Carter

H e had never been as relieved as when he pulled into the ranch and saw the familiar home in front of him. The lights were on, and he hoped someone had put fresh sheets on a bed for Ashley.

If the new team was already here to help him, Carter’s only plan for the night was to get some rest, in a bed, alone. Not that he didn’t want her near him, but he needed a restful night of sleep.

“Is this it?” she asked.

Carter tensed. Did she hate it? He didn’t think of how he’d feel if she did, assuming it wouldn’t be an issue with her being comfortable in the cabin, which was a lot less than his home. “Yep.”

“It’s pretty. Does the porch go all the way around?”

It was hard to see in the dark, so he figured it wasn’t easy to tell if you didn’t know what it looked like already. “It goes around one side but stops. There’s a separate deck out back.

“I can’t wait to see it in the daylight.” She took her seatbelt off and turned to him. “Not to rush you, but can we get out? I need to use the bathroom and just not be in the car.”

He was happy she couldn’t see him as he smiled into the dark, happy she liked what little she saw. “Yeah, let me come around and get the door.”

As he got it, he scanned the house for movement, not seeing any yet. He helped her out and led her inside. There was no way Julian would have beat them here without flying, which was unlikely with a gunshot wound.

The two men that Christian had sent greeted them on the porch before they made it inside.

“I see you made it,” Carter said by way of greeting.

“Your foreman, Jace, let us in,” one of the men said. “He said you told him to.”

He hadn’t. Would be just like Jace to say he had, though.

“I’m Christian.” He stuck out his hand for Carter to shake.

“Carter.” He shook Christian’s hand.

The other one, the one that Ashley had called cute or whatever, offered his hand next. “Nate.”

He shook that man’s hand.

They both turned to Ashley, who introduced herself. “I’m Ashley and the problem.”

Nate gave her a grin. Carter instantly hated him as Ashley blushed.

“I think everyone knows each other, so let’s get inside.” He needed to get her settled and then debrief with Christian and Nate. “Ashley, I’ll show you to the room you can use.”

“Okay.” She waved at the other men and followed him.

Carter would need to talk to them and remind them this was a job and she was off-limits. He led her upstairs and put her in the room next to his.

“This is you. I’m right here”—he pointed to the next door—” if you need anything.

She nodded quietly.

“Let me make sure someone cleaned up in here, but I’m positive Jace had it prepared since he already let guests in.”

“You don’t like them?” she asked.

“That’s nothing for you to worry about. We will all work together to make sure you’re safe here. Remember, they’re working and not here to entertain you.” Damn his foolish mouth. As soon as the words were out, he wanted to take them back.

“Guess the truce is off now?”

“That’s not what?—”

She cut him off. “It is what you meant. Don’t pretend otherwise. Just go.”

He checked the room, happy to note there wasn’t dust on anything and that it smelled like fresh laundry before turning to her. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“It’s late, I won’t.” She dismissed him.

Carter wanted to apologize again but left instead. She wouldn’t want to hear it, and he needed to go set rules with the guys downstairs.

“Long ride?” Christian asked when he made it to the dining room.

“Something like that,” Carter muttered. “Any news on Julian?”

Nate turned the laptop to face Carter. “He held a veterinarian hostage and forced her to stitch him up. He tied her up and left her there when he was good to go. No one found her until a few hours ago. Got him on surveillance coming in and leaving.”

“Shit.” He’s been right, but really didn’t want to be. “So he’s in the wind?”

Nate nodded. “Working to track him down again.”

“How’s the vet?” He hoped she wasn’t hurt since it was kind of his fault that Julian was injured and desperate.

“Shaken up but otherwise seems good. Matt sent someone out there to protect her, just in case, until we get Julian.” Christian tilted his head at the screen. “That’s where Liam is.”

“Good.” He’d wondered why Liam wasn’t here since he already knew Ashley. Not that he wanted him here since Ashley and him got along so much better than they did. “Anything else?”

“I’ve been looking for reports of stolen cars, and Matt has an alert set to let us know if he tries to rent one or gets a ticket somewhere.”

“He shouldn’t know where we’re going unless he figured out who I am, but I can’t see that happening.” Carter paced the length of the long table and back.

“We called your friend that lent you the cabin, and he hasn’t heard anything. He declined any protection and said he’d let us know if he hears anything. I looked him up, seems like he can take care of himself.”

Carter snorted. Brody could definitely do that. “He would never accept help, so that’s expected.”

“Beyond that, there’s nothing new to report. Jace said he told all the hands to be on the lookout for anything suspicious or newcomers,” Nate said. “He told us that Ashley is here as your girlfriend and is running from a bad ex. Really seemed to rally the people we’ve met so far.”

Carter relaxed a bit. He’d have to let Ashley know she was back to playing his girlfriend, but keeping the ruse up should keep Nate from getting too close to her.

“Ashley’s not happy to be under so much protection and feeling a little guilty over the potential for people to get hurt because of her. I should also let you know that she mentioned earlier that she was prepared to be bait to draw Julian out, and I plan to do everything I can to make that not happen.”

Both men nodded.

“She will want to go outside when she gets up in the morning. I’d like to wait until I have time to talk to everyone first. I also want to make sure I give her a tour and she knows where everything is in case something happens.”

“Heard,” Nate said.

Christian looked down at his own computer and then back up at Carter. “Do you have any security measures we should be aware of?”

“Jace already talked to you about the alarm and cameras?”

Christian nodded.

“There’s a fence that runs the whole perimeter that’s checked at least daily. We should know if anyone tries to come on the property that way.” That was all he could think of off the top of his head. He was exhausted.

“I wanted to talk to you about that,” Nate started. “I think you should see if that could be checked twice a day and change up the times. We don’t want him to get here and know the habits easily.”

That was valid, but he hated that it had come from Nate. “We can talk to Jace about it in the morning.”

“That’s all I can think of,” Nate said.

“Great. I’m going to try to get some sleep for the first time in weeks. Who’s pulling night watch?” He needed to talk to Ashley again, too.

“We are both up for now, but I’m overnight.” Nate stood.

That made him feel better. He’d have less contact with Ashley if he was pulling night duty because she wasn’t a night owl.

“If she gets up, don’t let her leave the house.” Carter turned from the room and left them sitting there.

Ashley wasn’t going to be thrilled about the relationship they were now in whenever they left the house. He had screwed up with her so much.

Knocking lightly on the door, he called for her.

She opened it wide and backed away. “What?”

“We have a small problem. Well, I don’t think it’s a problem, but you might.” He was rambling.

She sighed. “Can’t wait to hear it.”

“Jace, my foreman, told all the staff that you’re my girlfriend here and a crazy ex is after you.”

Her jaw fell open.

“I didn’t know until just now, I swear.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said as she recovered. “Whatever they need to think. You and I are overdue the conversation we need to have.”

“Now?” He just wanted to sleep and hoped he’d wake up with a clear head.

“Preferably not. I know we spent all day in the car, but I’m drained.”

“Same. Nate is on night watch, so you can rest easy. Just get some rest and we will figure things out tomorrow.”

“Yep.”

“Do you need anything before I go to bed?”

“No. This is fine.”

Carter left her room and closed the door behind him. She was right, they needed to talk, but he didn’t know how with the other guys here. He also didn’t know what to even say to her anymore.

One thing was becoming more and more clear: he wasn’t sure he’d be able to stay away from her or let her go when this ended. It was the right thing to do, but that didn’t mean he could do it.

Nate being here had sparked a jealousy like he’d never known, and he knew it would be a problem. Somehow, he needed to keep Ashley from telling them what had happened between him and her, all the while wanting it to happen again.

She did, too. Ashley had made it clear that she was upset he had stopped things between them. He still worried she was only interested in him because he’d saved her before. The only problem was he still wanted to see where it would go anyway.

He was screwed.