Page 58 of A Rancher's Bride
“Even if it meant you might get hurt?”
“If I won’t help because I’m too afraid, what if nobody else steps in? What then, Luke?”
There was no answer to that, because she was right.
But so was he for being scared shitless that this was going to end poorly someday. “You’ve gotten seriously hurt before, haven’t you? Last summer.”
She barely hesitated before nodding. “When you flipped out so hard about me having some bruises. I got in the middle, and he wasn’t very happy.”
“I still want to know who that was,” he growled. “But since you won’t tell mewho, will you tell me why?”
She curled up and put her hands into his, speaking with utter conviction. “Because it’s the right thing to do.”
He shook his head. “That’s not good enough. I mean, I agree it is something that needs to be done, but why are you fighting this battle?”
She went motionless, which was eerie when it came to Kelli. Her fingers tangled around his as if she were centering herself with his touch. “My mom.”
It was Luke’s turn to hold his breath. Waiting until she was ready.
She licked her lips nervously before she gave a small nod, as if she’d gathered her courage. “I don’t talk about her much.” He made a noise, and she sighed in exasperation. “Okay, fine. I’venevertalked about her. I don’t think she was very brave, or very smart when it comes down to it. And yet I don’t know the whole story, so who am I to judge?”
“Was she with someone abusive?” he asked quietly.My God.He slipped his fingers under her chin and lifted until her gaze met his. “Did someone hurtyou?”
“I left before anyone could smack me around. And I wanted her to leave too, but she refused.” Kelli looked concerned. “You’re not going to freak out, are you? Or go off the deep end?”
“Is there a reason you think I’ll do either of those things?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Before I tell you anything else shocking, I’ll finish answering your first question. I think that’s why it bugs me so much I feel like I have to do something. Fifteen-year-old me couldn’t save my mom, but maybe I can save someone else.”
Too damn brave and too damn strong for her own good. “I have no problem with you saving the world as long as you let me help you. You need to stay safe, Kelli. Promise me.”
She nodded.
And then something else sank in.
“Fifteen?” Luke looked her over. “Explain.”
“I left. He wasn’t my dad. The guy mom was living with brought home fake ID for me. He said it was so I could grab beer and smokes for him and his buddies, but I didn’t trust him. And I didn’t trust the way his friends who were hanging around were eyeing me—I doubt they had my best interests at heart, if you know what I mean.”
“So you left.”
“It seemed the safest option.” For the first time since she started talking, Kelli looked guilty. “I kind of emptied all their wallets and took the money in the freezer when I left. It wasn’t that much, but it was enough with what I’d already saved to get me to Silver Stone.”
Wait. Luke’s brain skittered off-line again. “You werefifteenwhen you showed up at Silver Stone? You’re bullshitting me.”
Her lips twitched. “God, I remember that day so clearly. You guys were branding calves. Total chaos because some of the hands from Uncle Frank’s who were supposed to show up, didn’t. It was perfect because all I had to do was get up on a ride and start working. Before we were done, Ashton was ready to adopt me.”
Luke was flabbergasted. “Okay, now that you’ve completely thrown me for a loop with all of this, help me with the math. How old are you?”
“Twenty-three. Nearly twenty-four,” she pointed out. “Which is only three years younger than you thought I was, so don’t make a fuss about the age difference between us. If that’s what you were going to do, don’t bother.”
“Does anybody else know this?” he asked.
She shook her head then nodded once, reluctantly. “Tansy does. Nobody else, because they didn’t need to, and I’m not even sure why I’m telling you except—” She took a deep breath then adjusted position to crawl over him. Straddling his hips so she sat in his lap cuddled up close. Her palms cupped his cheeks. “It seems right to tell you.”
“I can’t believe I never asked about your family.”
“I didn’t volunteer,” she pointed out.
