Page 76 of Falling for the Cowgirl
“You could have gotten her killed.” Flynn punched a finger against Jericho’s sternum.
Killed.The word hit Jericho with the power of a gunshot. Flynn was right. He’d almost gotten Ivy killed.
Jericho retreated a step, his body suddenly weak, his blood cold.
If she died, it would be because of him and his not staying far enough away from her. If he hadn’t come back into her life and threatened her plans to buy Steele’s land, she wouldn’t have felt the need to hunt for treasure, likely wouldn’t have gone out with Hance and Otis, and wouldn’t have been involved in the gun battle.
Everything that had happened to her was his fault.
With a final warning glare, Flynn spun and stalked away. As he reached his horse, he paused. “If you love her the way it seems you do, then go back to Chicago and leave her be.”
“That’s what I was aiming to do all along.”
“Then stick to it.” Flynn shoved his boot into his stirrup and climbed onto his horse. Already Brody had Ivy situated in front of him in the saddle and was heading out. Even as carefully as Brody was holding her, the jarring would hurt her. Jericho just prayed she’d stay unconscious for the rest of the ride back to Fairplay.
Wyatt had mounted and was waiting for Flynn. From the dark expressions of both men, Jericho guessed they’d be happy if they never had to see him again.
As they urged their horses into a gallop, Jericho watched them until they moved down the mountain out of sight. Even then, he stared at the ruts in the wagon path, a new sense of despair settling over him.
Somehow he’d let his infatuation with Ivy blind him. And earlier today, during their kissing in the cave, he’d almost convinced himself he could find a way to be with her, that he could make things work.
But all along he’d been a fool to get involved with her in any form. Everything that had occurred today was the perfect example of what could go wrong because of her association with him. This time she might survive. But what would happen next time? Because with his work, there would always be a next time.
From the corner of his eye, he could see Otis attempting to wiggle out of his binding. No doubt about it, the man was sly and would come up with any angle he could find to free himself. It was for the best Ivy was gone, away from Otis and any further danger.
Besides, without Ivy around distracting and worrying him, maybe now he could finish the job he’d come to South Park to do.
He swiped up a log and made his way to Otis. Without saying a word, he knocked the fellow unconscious. Then Jericho dragged him to the litter, tied him in place, and started on the way to town.
Chapter
24
Burning heat prodded Ivy awake. Her stab wound throbbed, starting at her shoulder and pulsing down her arm. But it wasn’t as awful as it had been at first.
She pried her eyes open only to feel the room spinning around her.
“How you doing?” Tender fingers combed back her hair.
A glassy haze made her vision fog up, but she tried to focus on the face hovering near hers. “Jericho?”
“Nope. It’s me. Brody.” His hand was cool against her hot face.
She didn’t want to be disappointed, she adored Brody, but the letdown came anyway. She hadn’t wanted her time with Jericho to end. She’d wished to go on being with him forever in a world where just the two of them existed. It was irrational, she knew. But she’d loved every second together in the cave.
He’d all but come out and admitted he loved her.
Brody’s hand slipped behind her head to lift her up. “You gotta drink something.”
Her throat was dry and her lips cracked. And she was hot. All over. As Brody pressed the brim of the cup against her lips, she drank greedily. When she finished, he situated her again, and this time she could see that she was lying in the big bedroom on the main floor of his house, a bright, airy room he and Savannah shared.
“How’d I get here?” Her voice cracked.
“We found Jericho dragging you down Kenosha Pass. Flynn and me brought you here, while Wyatt went on and fetched the doc.”
She tried to recall the faintest smidgen of the trip, but her mind was shooting with an empty chamber. The last thing she remembered was her attempt to escape from Hance. “How long have I been out?”
“Since we got here late last night.”
