Chapter Twenty

C olton, Hunter and Ledger stood back, arms folded and legs braced.

"He's all yours, Wolfe." Hunter tilted his jaw toward the wimp of a man tied to the metal chair in the Graceys' barn with the Graceys' rope.

Carver studied the man who was behind all of the attacks on the family, who'd given the order to his thugs to torch three structures in one night.

When his team went on a manhunt, they got what they were looking for.

"Smythe." He dragged the name out through his locked jaw.

The man looked about to piss his pants. In fact, Carver didn't doubt his shorts were wet right now.

He bent over him. "You dirty motherfucker. You attack women. You burned our bunkhouse and my woman's property. You're going to fucking pay."

Fear mingled with defiance on Smythe's face.

Carver cocked his fist and drove it right into his teeth. The pain of hitting something hard didn't affect him at all, but blood spurted from Smythe's mouth and teeth shattered under the force of his fist.

The men didn't move to stop Carver. They would let him deliver his justice without interference. After he made his way back from the hell of that camp where he'd been kept as a prisoner for weeks, tortured until he almost lost his mind, his SEAL team had rounded up his attackers and let him deliver justice to them too.

Somehow, he was getting more satisfaction out of scarring Smythe for life than putting bullets in every last one of his captors.

He reared his foot back and kicked him in the crotch.

Smythe folded in half, howling in pain and gasping from his smashed balls.

"I think that means he wants more." Ledger's drawl was the only sound in the room besides Smythe's whimper.

"Stop. Please. I'm out of it now. It's not my business anymore."

Carver leveled him in his gaze. "What does that mean?"

"I-I sold the loan to someone else."

Carver threw a look at the guys. They appeared to be just as shocked by his statement as he felt.

"Who?"

"Some businessman. He's the CEO of Montana Investment Corporation."

Colton already had his phone out and was punching the information into a search.

"I'm out of it. Let me go and you'll never hear from me again." Blood dripped from Smythe's ruined mouth, and the one front tooth he had remaining wobbled loosely.

"Give us a name." Carver's gritty tone made him pale more.

"Eli Feldman."

"Got him." Colton looked up from his phone into Carver's eyes.

He nodded. "I'll finish him off before I hand him over to the sheriff. You guys can go. I got this."

Smythe issued a whine that got louder in a plea as the three men filed out, leaving Carver alone to make damn sure that he knew that not only would he be spending the rest of his days behind bars but that Carver's face would haunt his every dream.

He circled the man's chair and popped his knuckles. "You're lucky that my buddies left it up to me to take care of you. You hurt their women too." He leaned over to stare deep into Smythe's eyes and laughed. "Or maybe you're not lucky."

"W-why…why is that?"

He chuckled. "Because I'm a bigger son of a bitch."

* * * * *

Under the Graceys' long dining room table, Carver placed his big, warm hand on Livia's thigh. The heat of his touch chased away some of the chill lingering inside her. After listening to the men's plans for securing the ranch, and her property too, she just wanted to climb between the covers of her own bed and hide.

Between talk about better cameras, more weapons and bringing in one of the top security agencies in the country, more than a little unease rippled through her.

Colton, who had taken charge of the meeting, directed his attention to the computer tablet where a hot guy wearing a white Stetson was on a video call. "We appreciate your insights, Ross."

Ross Wynton. Head of WEST Protection. The company was famous in Montana for how fast it had grown.

"I'll send over two more men like I promised. I think you could use the extra patrol on the Gracey."

Colton nodded. "We'll look for them at the end of the week. We're still digging into the missing equipment from the ranch."

"I have my team searching as well." Ross was all business but when a high-pitched voice projected across the speakers, he paused. His face bobbed out of the frame and the next second, a child appeared on his lap.

"I can type, Daddy?"

"Not yet, buddy. I'm almost finished with my call, then we'll go out and ride your pony. Okay?"

"Yeah!"

Livia couldn't help but smile at the fatherly display, so different from the topic of discussion.

Ross directed his focus to her. "And Livia, good job digging up that information on the investor. We've got a search in our database going on right now on Eli Feldman. We know he's buying up all the land he can get. That's enough of a reason to look harder."

She felt heat climb into her cheeks. "Ivy made most of the finds on the man."

Ivy offered her a smile of appreciation for the nod to her skills. At the end of the table, Sean Gracey sat listening to the entire conversation, but he had very little to add. He reached out a hand and touched his daughter's arm, and Ivy smiled at him, love and admiration back in her eyes toward the parent that she had lost hope in for a spell.

Meadow looked at both of her family members, her heart in her eyes too.

Livia was warmed by how the three Graceys had grown closer over the past week since they learned who would come to collect their money now. Smythe was behind bars, and this Eli Feldman was on their radar.

They were so much closer to putting an end to the attacks.

That didn't help Livia's distillery business, but after long thought, she wasn't too upset about losing it. Ever since her discussion with Carver about the rum business, she had been thinking hard about her own hopes and dreams. Maybe it was a blessing she lost the distillery.

Livia squeezed Carver's hand where it rested on her thigh. "If we're finished here, Carver and I have someplace to be."

He turned his head to stare at her. "We do?"

She nodded.

"You guys are good to go. We know where to find you."

When Livia stood, she tugged on Carver's hand. Meadow and Ivy threw her little waves of farewell and knowing grins.

As Livia led Carver out of the room, she paused next to Sean Gracey and gave him a pat on the shoulder. He lifted his hand and squeezed hers.

Once she and Carver made it to the front porch, he pulled her to a halt. "What is going on?"

"I'll show you once we get to Badlands."

His arched brow told her he wasn't happy about not getting immediate answers.

She patted him on the chest to soothe the beast. "C'mon."

His low growl brought a smile to her lips. Just to make him a little happier, she tossed him the keys. "You can drive."

He gave her a flat look. "Now I'm even more worried. You always want to drive."

Shooting him a smile, she bounced over to the passenger side and climbed in.

The drive to Eden was a scenic one with pretty fields and the pale blue sky dotted with wisps of white clouds. She let out a contented sigh.

"All right, Livvie. Tell me what's going on." He gripped the wheel tighter.

"Who said anything is going on?"

"I haven't seen you smile like this. Ever."

"Now that's unfair. I smiled before my distillery burned down and my house almost did."

He fixed her in his gaze. "You sound almost cheerful. What the hell is going on?"

She settled a hand on his arm, caressing the hard sinew. "The house fire was put out before it damaged the structure. The repairs will be finished soon and we can move back in."

That brought a quirk to his lips. "Damn right we will."

"And to be completely honest…I'm not too upset about the distillery."

"You'll get an insurance payout."

"Right, and it will pay the loan I took for start-up costs. I'm thinking about what we talked about." When he didn't respond, she squeezed his hand. "I've been thinking about a brewery."

His expression rippled with surprise. "Really?"

"Yes. I already know how to market alcohol. It would take some time for me to figure out recipes for beers, but I already have ideas."

"I'm not surprised. You can do anything you set your mind to."

"Plus…I don't have to chase my father's love anymore. I can do what I choose. And if you are willing, I'd love you to be my partner and work with me to build it from the ground up."

"Darlin', I can't think of anything I'd love more. Besides taking you to bed."

They shared a grin. Satisfaction spread through her chest. When they reached Badlands, she knew that satisfaction would only shoot higher and higher.

Her insides coiled in anticipation of her surprise.

After they got in the building, Carver made his usual sweep of the building, checking every corner and all the doors and windows.

While he was in the stockroom, she poked her head in. "Do you mind staying in here for a minute or two?"

He whipped toward her. "What for?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're no good at surprises, are you?"

Understanding dawned on his rugged features. "Oh."

"Thanks, Wolfe." Before he could protest at her use of his last name, she hurried into the front of the bar.

She already had everything prepared for her surprise. First, she pulled a red and white picnic blanket from under the counter and spread it over the wood top. Then she bustled to the cooler and quickly arranged food on the blanket.

Finally, she hurried to the jukebox and started a playlist of romantic songs.

When she returned to the stockroom, Carver was standing right behind the door, arms folded.

"I'm ready now." She held out a hand for him to take. As soon as he slipped his hand into hers, she felt him relax a measure. With each step they took toward the bar, her nerves ratcheted higher.

She hadn't done anything like this before. Ever. Pleasing men had never been on her to-do list. A date consisted of dinner or a movie. But she wanted something special for Carver.

She waved a hand at the bar.

His stare moved over what she'd done. "You thought of everything, darlin'."

"I thought we could sit up on the bar and have our picnic."

His teeth flashed in a grin. "I can't think of anything better, love." He planted his hands on her waist and lifted her.

She laughed as her backside landed on the surface and he hitched himself up beside her.

Seated cross-legged across from each other, she started serving them each food.

"Is that cornbread?"

"You know it."

"This looks amazing, Livia." His dark eyes sparkled as he accepted his plate of food.

She picked up a drumstick of fried chicken from her plate and sank her teeth into it. Carver did the same, groaning at the flavors of the chicken she was damn good at cooking, if she said so herself.

As they dug in, he brought up the brewery again, and they spent several pleasant minutes brainstorming ideas.

He picked up a strawberry from the container. His big fingers cradled it gently as he dipped it in some whipped cream…and brought it to her lips.

Holding his gaze, she leaned in and opened her mouth. Snaking out her tongue, she swiped the whipped cream away from the tip.

He groaned. "Do that again and I'll lay you out on this bar and have my way with you."

"Remember, WEST Protection is monitoring the video footage now."

"Let them watch." He cupped her face in his hand and kissed her, long and deep. Liquid heat sank low in her core and twisted her up in knots of desire.

When they withdrew, they were both breathing hard. Then his chest heaved.

Looking at him in concern, her brows pinched. "Carver?"

He grabbed her hand, holding it a little too tight. When he slipped a ring onto her finger, shock ripped through her.

"What? Oh my god. Carver, what did you just do?"

Still clasping her hand, he brought her fingers to his lips. The soft brush of his mouth sent a spike of need through her. Over her hand, his eyes glowed.

"Livia. I have loved you since the moment I set eyes on you. Will you be my wife?"

She gaped at him. "You're serious."

"Totally. I don't want to live another day without you. Not another hour or minute either."

Her heart leaped in her chest. Love flooded in, and tears stung her eyes. To have someone in her life who would never leave her side was something she never, ever expected to have.

She was going to grab that love with both hands and hold on tight.

She lunged at him. As she hit his chest, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight.

"I love you so much, Carver. Yes, I will marry you!"

When she kissed him, she put all the love she felt into the caress. Their tongues tangled, and she felt his cock swell against her.

Breaking apart, they shared a long, heated look.

He ran his finger over the ring he'd just placed on her hand. "Whatever happens, we have each other."

A lump rose in her throat. "We have forever."

He ducked his head, overcome by emotion. When he pierced her in his stare again, she saw the truth of both their statements.

"I've lost a lot. But I've gained more," she rasped.

He nodded. "So have I. I have my men—Colton, Hunter, Ledger."

"And I have Meadow and Ivy. They are going to be thrilled to be bridesmaids!"

He laughed at her exclamation, then grew serious. He reached out and brushed a tendril of her hair off her face. "You're going to make the most stunning bride. I can't wait to claim you."

"Why wait? Let's start practicing for the wedding night now." She ran her palm down his hard, muscled chest, to the bulge in his jeans.

"What do you say we move this to our motel room?"

She giggled at how many noise complaints they got from the people who visited the motel that was their temporary home while hers was undergoing repairs after the fire.

"I can't wait to get out of that place."

"Neither can I. But right now, I can't wait to get inside you."

Somehow, they climbed off the bar. He kissed her up against it—then against the wall on the way to the door.

Threading her fingers in Carver's hair, she studied his handsome face. "I can't wait for forever. I love you."

He pressed his hand into her lower back, rocking his hard cock against her. "I'm going to spend every day making you happy."

She went on tiptoe, capturing her lover's lips in a dizzying kiss, sealing the promise.

KEEP READING LEDGER AND DEMI'S STORY IN

BAD BOY RANCH BOOK 4

FIERCE PROTECTOR

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