Page 43 of A Cowboy's Trust
“Logan.” He hesitated, probably debating whether he should include his last name or lie and make something up.
“You don’t need to rush to tell us much more. This place is safe. Nobody’s going to hurt you here.”
Logan’s eyes flickered, a hesitation in their depths. The kid was still holding something back—something that had him ready to bolt the moment he got a chance.
“You in trouble with the authorities?” Jake asked carefully.
Panic flashed across the young man’s face. He shook his head quickly—too quickly. His face contorted with pain, and Sydney snapped out a chastisement.
“Easy there, bucko,” she said. “No quick movements. Or that week I gave you will become longer. He’s not asking because we’re about to kick you out, but we need to know what to expect. Trust me, I will lie my ass off to keep you safe.”
“I’m not running from the cops,” Logan said, his voice week but sincere. “But I am running. There are people I don’t want to find me.”
Jake exchanged a glance with Sydney. That alone confirmed what they’d expected.
The door behind them opened, and Declan walked in. He scanned the scene and instantly moved to stand beside Sydney. He took a thorough look over Logan then met Jake’s gaze. He stared for a moment at the eye the kid had smacked, silently asking if everything was okay.
Jake gave him a reassuring nod, but the tension in the room was thick.
“Look, Logan.” Jake kept his voice steady. “Even if you are in trouble, you’re staying for now. We won’t let anyone hurt you. This is my brother Declan, and he’ll vouch for that as well.”
Instantly, his brother backed his play. Declan dipped his chin. “Jake’s right. This is a place of refuge for people who need it. We’ll help you if you let us.”
Logan glanced between the two brothers, uncertainty in his eyes even as fatigue rapidly slid in. For a moment, it seemed as if he might try to argue, but then he relaxed into the bed and let out a long, weary sigh.
“Thank you,” he whispered. His eyes drooped, exhaustion finally catching up. He muttered under his breath, barely audible. “Found by an angel.”
Sydney checked him over once again then pulled the blanket under the kid’s chin. She tilted her head toward the door.
“He’ll need a lot of rest,” Sydney offered as they paused in the hallway outside the door. “I’ll come back tomorrow to check on him, but you’ll need to wake him every few hours tonight to check for signs of a concussion. Watch for dizziness, confusion, anything out of the ordinary.”
Jake nodded, absorbing her instructions. “We can do that.”
Sydney took one last glance back into the room, gaze softening as she took in the sleeping figure. “He’s been through a lot,” she said. “Whatever he’s running from, I hope he finds peace here.”
Declan rested a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “That’s our goal. Thanks for being part of it.”
Her lips curled up at the corners. “Now you get to feed me. I talked to Tansy on my way in, and she said supper would be on the table once we were done. I’ll get washed, then we can figure out what comes next.”
11
There was more than enough to keep Tansy distracted from the activity going on in the back room. She went to check on Jinx first, found her out of the shower and in her bedroom, wrapped in a cozy blanket. Sasha was nestled beside her on the bed, and both of them had their hands wrapped around large cups that smelled amazing.
Dixie lay across both their feet, curled to face the door as if guarding precious treasure.
“I can tell by the scent in here you found the good chocolate,” Tansy teased, sliding forward to rest a hip on the bed beside the girls. She scratched Dixie’s head as awell done.
Jinx smacked her lips then placed her cup on the headboard. “I’m warming up from the inside out.”
Tansy glanced over her, but Jinx didn’t seem any worse for wear. She turned her attention to Sasha. “Did you talk to your parents?”
A slow nod in return, given with extra wide eyes. “I told them I was staying for supper. I didn’t say anything other than that. Jinx asked me to wait until we talked to Declan.”
“Good thinking.” Tansy offered both the girls an approving nod. “You guys did well, but you’re right. Declan will help figure out what happens next.”
A second later, Jinx was cuddled against Tansy, hugging her tightly. “Is the guy we found okay?”
“So far, so good,” Tansy assured her, squeezing hard. She lifted her eyes to meet Sasha’s. “You were pretty scared, weren’t you?”
