Page 92 of The Cowgirl's Secret Love
Karen nodded. While she and Finn had been tangled up tight with each other that summer, and Levi and Lisa had run wild like colts, Duncan had been a quiet ghost who seemed content to be alone.
Finn tore his gaze away and stared at his cast. “Levi and Chelsea got together. It was decided they would move into the ranch house with my parents until the baby arrived. There was plenty of room for them to stay. Then Duncan came to me and said he couldn’t keep quiet anymore.” Finn paused. “He said dad had sexually abused him. He didn’t trust the man to leave Chelsea alone or, down the road, to be around Levi’s kids.”
An aching rock pit opened inside Karen. “Oh my God. Poor Duncan.”
Finn met her eyes again. “I talked to him this morning, by the way. He gave me permission to tell you. Told me you needed to know as well, and he hoped you would try to understand.”
She lost the thread at that one. “I don’t— Understand what?”
The expression in Finn’s eyes reflected both red-hot anger and icy frustration. “Duncan refuses to press charges. He doesn’t want the attention or the media circus that sharing the information would involve. He said he couldn’t take it, but with Levi and Chelsea in the picture, he wouldn’t risknotsaying something and potentially allowing it to happen again.”
The entire situation was a tangled web. Being thrust into it the way Finn had must have been hell. And brave Duncan, struggling between hurting as a victim yet trying to save others.
Karen squeezed Finn’s fingers hard. “I am so sorry Duncan had to deal with that. It’s just not right.”
“It was a fucking mess,” Finn admitted. “Duncan was close to the edge. We almost lost him. I was so scared he would do something drastic, no way would I push him to be hurt any further. Levi had no idea, and as far as Duncan knew, neither did Mama.”
Karen cupped Finn’s cheek, willing strength into him. “Your parents aren’t on the ranch anymore.”
A single shake of his head as his expression hardened. “I only saw one solution that didn’t involve hurting Duncan more or leaving anyone vulnerable. I got my father alone and told him that I knew. He didn’t even bother to deny it. I told him he had one choice. He needed to leave the ranch immediately but make it seem as if it was his idea. I didn’t care how thick he had to spread the lies, he would convince Mama that they needed to move far enough to have a good excuse for never visiting.”
The answer to Karen’s question was clear, but she asked it anyway. “And if he hadn’t agreed?”
Finn didn’t hesitate. “Then he’d be dead, and I’d be in jail for murder.”
The confession should’ve horrified her, but a rush of unexpected fire struck. “I’m glad you’re not in jail, but it’s no loss that he’s still alive. Which may sound heartless, but I keep picturing sweet Duncan. He didn’t deserve that.Noone deserves that.”
Once again, Finn hauled her into his lap, but this time instead of offering her comfort, it was her arms that curled around him. It was her murmuring soothing words and pressing kisses against his tear-dampened face.
They sat together for a couple of quiet minutes before he gave a shaky breath. Easing back slightly.
He pressed a kiss against the side of her mouth then dipped his head firmly. “It was the right thing to do, but following through was hell for all the reasons you can imagine. On top of it, I had intended on cutting ties as quickly as possible to get back to you, but the situation made it impossible.”
“I’m so glad you were there,” Karen insisted. “I mean, what if you had stayed at Whiskey Creek? Oh my God—”
“We can’t ask ‘what if,’ but I needed to tell you. I wanted to be back at your side not even an hour after I left.”
She was a mess inside, and yet the pulse of love just beat stronger and stronger. Karen ran her fingers through his hair and stared at his face, memorizing the lines that hadn’t been there years ago. Understanding better where they’d come from, that they were the marks he’d earned doing a task no one could honour him for.
“I love you. And we’re together now. Everything you did just makes you moreyou,” she insisted.
He curled a hand around her nape. “Only a few people know Duncan’s story. You, me, Zach. One other person—Alan, actually. Bruce knew as well, because I got started with him while I was dealing with the legal details of removing my father from the ranch. I spent a lot of time keeping an eye on my father in those days until my parents officially moved, and Bruce needed to know why. Hell, in the end he helped me set up things via Alan to be airtight from a legal standpoint.”
She wasn’t really curious other than wanting to know for certain that Levi’s babies were safe. Yet… What about other kids? “Where did your parents move to?”
“Québec City. They’re in an adult-only condo where Mama is completely happy. She enjoys city life and getting to socialize anytime she wants. Three or four times a year, she flies to Winnipeg where my brother picks her up to stay at the ranch for a week or so. My father is always too busy to join those visits. Mama believes it’s too difficult for him to go back to the ranch because of the memories. And my father is not allowed to work with children or be in a private setting with anyone but Mama. I have someone watching him—that’s part of what Bruce helped me arrange.”
His words faded as if he had run out of energy to continue. His palms pressed against her back and pulled them closer together, not with physical hunger but a desperate, urgent need for connection.
Karen held on as tightly as possible, giving with her touch, offering what she could with her words.
“No more secrets. Just one step at a time toward our future.” She leaned back slightly, pressing both palms to his cheeks. “We’ll build a safe, happy place right here, together. Red Boot ranch will be our home. Levi and Chelsea and the kids will come and visit. You’ll tell Duncan he’s welcome to drive his eighteen-wheeler into the yard and stay anytime he wants. We’ll be all the family they need.”
He dipped his chin firmly. The breath he took was still slightly shaky, but the love in his eyes was solid. “You’reall I need. All I’ve ever wanted.”
Exhaustion rolled in as if she’d been working chores for hours instead of sitting in the kitchen having a conversation. She gave Finn a brief kiss then tilted her head toward the door. “Come on. I need some fresh air, and I want you with me.”
They walked in silence for a while, following the path that headed toward the river at the bottom of the pasture. It was wide and smooth, which meant Finn’s crutches worked fine.
