Chapter Sixteen

A s soon as the nurse left them alone for a few minutes, he leaned over Demi, forehead pressed against hers.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, woman."

She chuckled, which caused her to cough several more times. He'd heard men whose lungs were ruined from chemicals or explosions. Even though hers didn't sound that way, he still called for the doctor.

She waved a hand. "I'm okay, Ledger. I don't need help."

He gave her a penetrating look to let her know that he was taking charge in this matter. He wasn't taking any chances with her or their child.

When the doctor entered, the older woman greeted them both. "I heard you had a difficult night. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better." Behind the oxygen mask, her voice was muffled.

Ledger caressed her hand.

The doctor smiled at him. "This is your husband?"

Demi slanted a look his way. "No."

"Boyfriend?"

"No."

Looking awkward from the responses, the doctor patted her other arm. "We're going to do a scan soon to check out the baby, but you're going to be fine. You're suffering from smoke inhalation, but your oxygen levels are steadily climbing to normal range."

"Will I be able to go home tonight?"

"We'll stop the oxygen soon, and as long as your numbers hold steady, then you should be able to go home tonight."

A rumble of protest vibrated up Ledger's throat. "Is that a wise move?"

When Demi looked at him, her eyes were soft with understanding. She understood what he was thinking. What he was feeling. She knew him like few people did.

His brothers-in-arms related to what he'd gone through, the things he struggled with. But he'd only ever let Demi see this more vulnerable side of him.

As soon as the doctor left the cubicle, he gripped Demi's hand. "I'm not your husband or your boyfriend."

She blinked up at him. "Umm…"

"Label me, goddammit. From now on, everyone we come in contact with will know that we're together."

"Well, boyfriend sounds so juvenile."

"I agree."

"Significant other?"

He gave a hard nod. "That'll do. For now."

Her smile spread under the plastic mask. "Thank you for coming to my rescue. My knight in cowboy boots."

His throat tightened around a knot of emotion. "What else was I supposed to do? Let the woman I love go it alone? That's not how I operate, baby."

Leaning in, he brushed his lips gently over her brow. She issued a soft sigh and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they glowed with love.

"We've got more conversations in our future."

He nodded. "Plenty of them. Like when it's the best time to buy Ledger Jr. a dirt bike."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Not that conversation. And it might not be a boy."

They fell quiet, the silence broken only by the low beeping of her heartbeat on the monitor.

After a bit, she said, "I hope Jeff is all right. He breathed the same air I did. He probably needs oxygen too."

"His wife will make sure he gets what he needs. What really shocked me was seeing those tractor headlights through the smoke."

Her eyes flared wider with excitement. "Mr. Gracey was our real savior. Without him, we wouldn't have gotten out of there, let alone saved the animals."

Ledger dropped his forehead to her hand resting on the bed. "I can't believe you took off to pull a calf, Demi."

She shifted her hand to curl her fingertips around his jaw. "It's my job. I had to help. I thought I had more time, but then the wind shifted."

At the thought of what could have happened, he inwardly shuddered but kept his body from reacting the same way. He was only willing to show her so much weakness.

"Mr. Gracey deserves some notoriety. Praise too. After his heart bypass surgery, he still isn't strong. That took courage to come after you."

"How did he find me?"

"I guess he overheard Meadow when she called to tell me you were in danger."

She nodded, humbled by the heroic act. "Whatever he's done in the past, I'd say that act redeemed him. Wouldn't you?"

"I do. We'll share the story with Meadow and Ivy tomorrow. There's a lot I need to talk to the guys about too."

She searched his face. "Like what?"

He compressed his lips. She'd been through too much for one night. Telling her that someone had set that fire that almost took her life—and their baby's—would cause her more unneeded stress.

She sighed. "I can see you don't want to tell me. But as my significant other, it's important for you to know that you need to tell me something when I ask you."

The effect of his groan was totally cancelled out by his grin. "You're already pulling that card? I see how this relationship is going to work."

Cupping his jaw, she drew him down. He pressed a kiss over her mask where her mouth would be, and she giggled.

After a moment, she sobered. "No, really. What aren't you telling me about that fire?"

Seeing that he wasn't getting out of this easy, he selected his words carefully. "We know everything going on at the Gracey and the neighboring ranches is interconnected. An investor has plans to build a big resort on all their combined land. Tonight I got more evidence of that."

She started to speak, but he cut across her.

"You deserve to know, and I'll tell you—tomorrow. You've had enough excitement for one day. And while I know you're a strong, independent woman with a career and a home and the ability to do it all…will you just let me take care of you, Demi? For one night?"

Her answer was the best he could ask for. She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into her embrace.

* * * * *

Demi had never been part of a SEAL team, but she imagined that this was how many decisions were made.

The men sat around the Graceys' big dining room table, looking stern. Next to them, the women they loved waited patiently for the discussion about the events of the previous night to start. And Sean Gracey sat at the head of the table, finally taking his position as head of the family and the Gracey Ranch once again.

Colton gave Sean a nod.

The older man spread his hands across the table and began to speak. "I'm finished sitting back and letting things happen to my ranch and my family." He looked around the table, including all of those who sat here in that family.

Several of them bowed their heads. A few sat up straighter and listened harder.

"When I heard Meadow on the phone, saying that our veterinarian was in danger, I knew I had to stop sitting around waiting for life to fix itself. I got in that tractor and went after her. I did what I should have been doing all along."

Silence followed his statement.

He continued, "We haven't had it easy in this family. Some of that is my doing. I messed up and put the ranch in the line of fire." He swung his gaze to Meadow, then to Ivy seated across from her. "I got my daughters hurt, and for that I can never forgive myself."

Meadow's eyes filled with emotion. "Oh, Dad."

"We forgive you, Dad," Ivy added.

He nodded, acknowledging their words before going on. "The loan shark that I owed money to is out of the picture. But as some of you know, he sold the debt to someone else. Someone worse."

At Demi's side, Ledger went still. She didn't see the hardening of his spine as much as felt the shift in him.

Colton cleared his throat. "Eli Feldman."

Sean Gracey nodded. "That's right. He's ruthless. A business mogul who will stop at nothing to earn a buck."

"A lot of people have been hurt by Feldman. He's known for committing crimes to drive people off their land so he can take it and build it up. Now that's what he's trying to do with the Gracey and the ranches around us."

Toward the end of the table, Webb slashed a hand through the air, drawing all their attention to him. "Mr. Vale lost his life."

"Demi could have too. She was luckier." Ledger's cold tone sent a shiver through her.

Colton picked up the thread. "The WEST Protection team uncovered more information yesterday. Feldman is friends with someone who runs a wolf sanctuary."

Demi gasped, gripping her hands together, prepared to hear what she already had feared since they first learned about the wolves.

"Some went missing from that sanctuary recently. And it seems that the ones that we tranquilized and transported to the ranger station to be examined are already microchipped and registered to that sanctuary."

"Oh my god," Livia breathed from her position next to Carver. "They stole wolves from a sanctuary and released them here, and they attacked our local cattle."

Carver nodded. "The authorities have been alerted, and the rangers are all out in full force, trying to trap the rest of the missing wolves."

Everyone silenced, thinking of the one ranger who wasn't in on that roundup—because she was planning her father's funeral.

After a moment of silence, Sean Gracey spoke again. "We aren't going to stand for this. We're going to fight. This ranch has enough acreage that I can easily sell some off and earn the money I owe Feldman. I'll settle the debt, and we'll run what's left of the ranch."

Meadow spread her hands over the table in a similar gesture that her father just made. "I've made a decision too. I'm going to sell Lonesome Rose after she's healed."

Colton didn't look at all surprised by the news. Of course the pair had already discussed it.

"No, Meadow. You've already lost your horse Jewel a little while back. There's no need—" her father began.

"I want to. It will help pay the debt. There are plenty more horses to raise and train. I want to do this. It means we won't need to sell so much of the land."

Sean ran through some numbers, spouting off figures. "I think it's still in our best interest to sell the upper fifty acres."

"I'll buy it." Zach's gruff statement surprised all of them. "It adjoins the Springvale."

Demi's insides warmed at the thought of the man who'd been looking out for Opal since her father's death owning a piece of land so close to her family's ranch. With a deeper interest in it, he'd have even more reason to watch out for the woman who was such a good friend to Demi. Opal deserved to rest, heal and find happiness with her daughter.

Ledger spoke up. "It sounds like your plans are solid. We pull together and do whatever it takes to stop Feldman. I have news too."

A ripple ran around the table, and zapped up and down Demi's spine. She didn't know what Ledger was about to say yet. He hadn't shared it with her. But she knew it must be heavy.

"When I arrived at the Petersons to find Demi last night, a man was standing along the lane, filming the fire."

A collective gasp sounded around the table.

"My god." She covered her belly with her palm, instinctively shielding their child.

He sat back, eyeing his men, arms folded. "If I find the guy, I'm going to need backup."

"We're there for you. Any time." Colton's declaration was echoed by Hunter next. Carver nodded.

And Zach, seated closest to Ledger, held out a fist to him in a show of camaraderie. Ledger met his eye for a heartbeat, then he made a fist and bumped knuckles with Zach.

The display of a new brotherhood seemed to lighten the mood. The thick air lifted, and Demi was able to breathe easier.

Ledger slid his chair back first, ending the meeting. He took Demi by the hand and pulled her to her feet.

"I'll talk to you guys in a while. I'm going to take my significant other home."

Unable to stop herself, she grinned up at him. Then she threw a wave to the group and they left the ranch.

In the SUV on the way to her house, Ledger held her hand, stroking his thumb across hers in a soft caress that sent tingles of love to her heart.

"There's still so much to do to end this trouble." She turned her face to the sun streaming through the passenger window.

He squeezed her fingers. "That's true, but having a plan is most important. We know our course now. We'll get the conflict resolved."

She looked at him. His rugged features, handsome profile. He swung his head to meet her gaze. "What happens after that?"

His lips quirked at one side in that bad-boy smile that had ensnared her from the minute he walked up to her table at Badlands, holding a lager in each hand. "We make our own plans. A future."

Still holding her hand, he moved it so both their hands cradled their unborn child.

Tears filled her eyes, and she swiped one away before it fell. "I guess I'm officially in the teary stage of pregnancy."

He issued a low chuckle. "It's all right. I'm here for you through every minute of it. Especially the sexy times."

"Mmm. Let's go home and explore that more. Can you drive faster?"

He slid his hand lower, between her legs and pulled a moan from her. "Driving is the only thing I plan to do fast, baby. Once I get you in bed, I'm going to take my time with you."

Her breath hitched, and it had nothing to do with her ordeal the night before. Her heart was so full of love for Ledger, their baby and her new big SEAL family.