Maui sits at my feet like the good girl she is. Her tail sweeping the floor as she waits to see where we’re going.
“We’ll get more men on the property. Fire and police just arrived on scene. I’ll keep you posted as Reeves provides more information from the ranch.”
“Thanks.”
I drop the phone on the bed and look for something to punch but come up short. Instead, I yell.
“Fuckin’ piece of fucking shit!”
“Owen, what is it? What’s happened?” Daisy yells from across the room.
I pull my T-shirt over my head and find her waiting in the doorway.
“Baby, get back in bed. I’ll be right in.”
“Tell me what’s going on,” she demands.
As I approach her, the worry on her beautiful face assures me that staying here with her is the right thing. Her safety is my number one concern.
“I will, but I need to make a couple of phone calls.” I press my lips to her forehead. “I promise. Give me five minutes. I’ll meet you in the bedroom.”
With Maui at my heels, I head out back. The crisp temperature surprises me. It’s a shock to the system that will hopefully regulate the hot fucking lava running through my veins. White puffs of my breath dance on the night air as I call work and then Cal.
Cal and I commiserate about feeling stuck and useless. We both want to be at the ranch but know we need to stay where we are. I assure him the department will keep me updated.
Unease dances through my nervous system when I see Daisy waiting for me at the top of the steps. I’m not surprised in the least that she didn’t wait in the bedroom like I asked her to. I’m genuinely shocked she didn’t follow me all the way outside.
Now that I’ve laid my eyes on her, I take two steps at a time to close the distance between us, needing her in my arms. As I sweep her off her feet, I forget my anger from our night at the bar. Her arms wrap around my neck, and some of the tension leaves my body.
“What happened?”
I flick on the light as I walk us into the bedroom, lowering her to the bed and sitting next to her.
“The bunkhouse and the hay barn at the ranch were on fire.”
“What? No!” She scrambles off the bed and digs in the dresser for clothes, ready to spring into action. “Is anyone hurt?”
“No, the fire started in the barn. There were two guys staying in the bunkhouse, but they had run out to stop the barn fire before the second building went up. Everyone’s safe.”
“And the animals?”
“As far as they can tell, they’re all fine.”
“Thank God.”
Her rummaging halts, her shoulders lifting and falling as she takes two deep breaths.
Coming up behind her, I wrap her in an embrace, resting my chin on her shoulder. “I got you, Clover.”
She nods as she pulls a sweatshirt out of the dresser.
I place my hand on hers. “Sweetheart, we aren’t going anywhere.”
“What do you mean? We have to go help.”
“We’re concerned they’ve started the fires to lure us all to the ranch. Trust me, my first instinct was to rush over there, too, but there’s no way I’m leaving you, and you sure as hell aren’t going anywhere.”
She rips herself out of my hold, turning on me. “Excuse me?”
