‘That’d be tense.’
‘It is.And I’ve lived with that man for thirty-three years.We know how to read each other.And I’ve been honest with him, too, Finn.’
Finn’s jaw ticked.
‘I’ve told Red something is wrong at the yards, ever since Amara’s horse got stolen—that the whole town knows about.But Red also knows how much it upset me that someone would do that to us in the yards.It hurts me more to know he’s behind it.’The heartbreak of the situation weighed heavily on her shoulders.‘But I know my husband would never physically hurt me.’
‘But if he thinks he’s cornered…’ The prick would react like any other criminal.Finn had seen it plenty of times—when pushed too far, people often hurt the ones they loved.
He looked to Brodie.‘From here on out, we move carefully, yeah?No shortcuts or takinganyunnecessary risks.Just act normal, but keep your eyes and ears open, and call me if you need me.’
‘Got it, Boss.’Brodie nodded, wearing the cheesy grin of a fearless teenager.
Finn then faced Lydia.‘I’m sorry, Lydia, that you’re in this position.But we are going to get Red.I have to.We both know people’s livelihoods are on the line.The stockyard’s reputation is, too.It isn’t just a yard, it’s the beating heart of this town.’
Finn raked his nails through his hair.‘I know that stock comes from families who’ve battled drought, fires, floods, and skyrocketing interest rates—who have so little, yet give everything to keep their cattle alive.That includes the stockmen who chose this life.The men and women who’ll carry a newborn calf across their saddle, bottle-feed it through the night, to maybe fight off wild dogs and scrub bulls just to give it a chance.’He looked between the two of them.‘So, no—I’m not walking away from this.Not when it’sthatwork being stolen.’
Three
The office door creaked open, alerting Taryn to someone entering the Batcave.
‘You’re still here?’It was Finn’s deep gravelly drawl.
She lifted her heavy head like she was gracing the schmuck with her presence.‘Wow, great to see you too, Sergeant.You just missed a thrilling hour of me reading cattle transfer permits, dissecting fuel dockets, and decoding coffee-stained invoices from someone namedCowboy Craig.Real edge-of-your-seat stuff.’She nodded at the paperwork spread across the table that had taken hours to arrange into some sort of logical order.
‘Careful.That coffee-stained invoice probably saved a hundred head last month.’Finn stepped into the room with a presence of an unseen power.‘And here I thought you’d be halfway back to Canberra by now.’
‘Tempting.’And so were those tattooed forearms and how the office lights hit just right.‘But someone’s got to make sure this squad isn’t running on barbecue sauce and dodgy branding irons.’
He grunted, clearly amused.‘Come on.Pub’s waiting.You’re staying there, remember?’
‘Do I have a choice?’
‘Not unless you like sleeping in a cell.’
‘Fine.’Taryn slid her notebook and laptop into her workbag, then gathered her suitcase and her suit jacket.‘But if this is some hazing, just know that I’ve lived through basic drills and a Christmas lunch with six colonels and a rogue goat.’
Finn shot her a sideways glance, the corner of his mouth twitching like he didn’t want to smile.‘Six colonels and a goat?For lunch or…?’
Taryn realised too late how that had sounded.‘Not on the menu,’ she blurted out.‘Though Uncle Ray tried to smoke it once—’
‘What?The goat?Or the colonels?’
She narrowed her eyes at the cretin having fun at her expense.‘Let’s just say the goat survived.Uncle Ray’s eyebrows, not so much.Turns out the most stubborn one always wins, and it’s rarely the one in uniform.’
Finn’s smirk deepened, all dangerously calm as he stepped closer—close enough that the heat rolling off him rivalled the Territory sun.He grabbed her suitcase like it weighed nothing, then leaned in, just enough for her tofeelthe low rasp of his voice brush intimately over her ear and the skin of her neck.‘Good to know, Fed,’ he murmured.‘I can see you’re going to be trouble.’
Then he walked away, leaving her standing there with a racing pulse and no comeback.Which was rare.
Worse, she was left with no choice but to follow him down the dark corridor to head for the light outside.
The large troop carrier waited like a dust-coated beast.Beefy tyres, with a bull bar that looked like it had won more fights than Finn.
He opened the back and effortlessly tossed her suitcase inside.
While she struggled to lift her workbag, then hiked up the hem of her fitted skirt just enough to clamber into the passenger seat.
As she clipped on her seat belt, the scents hit her—red dust, sun-warmed leather, andhim.
