Page 65 of Captured By the Billionaire Cowboy
She’d almost forgotten how compelling Rowan could be. However, she was an independent woman who made her own decisions. And she was going to hang up before he realizedshe was ignoring his. “I’ll talk to you later. Bye!” Then… she disconnected the call.
Yeah, she was definitely going to hear about it later.
She called Frank, ignoring her growing unease when he voiced the same concerns as Rowan. Apparently, Spencer had shared the threatening messages with everyone but her. Frank asked three times if he could send the men with the trailers right away, but she declined. Why should they leave work just to wait for endless hours? If she couldn’t convince the owner to sell the horses early, she’d have to sit through every auction. That could take all day.
Rowan called back twice, but she didn’t answer. She’d probably admit the truth if he asked, and she had no interest in a disagreement, especially when his argument was logical. Would someone actually follow through on the threats? Could she be in true danger? It didn’t change anything. The horses faced far more peril, and without her, they didn’t have a chance. Hopefully, all would go well.
Because if not, she was on her own.
Helpless, restless, frustrated, agitated, exasperated and apprehensive.
All those really, but none quite represented the totality of the situation. No, what Rowen felt most of all was…
Deep, deep fear.
He’d never experienced fear like he did now, not for himself, but for Ciara, confronting a threat she neither comprehended nor appreciated. She hadn’t seen the threatening messages, hadn’t tasted their undisguised venom. Rowan had read them word for word, and they held enough legitimacy and credibility, he’d contacted the local sheriff. He hadn’t told Ciara to avoid worrying her, and at the time the kill buyers were unlikely to track her down. But now she was traveling into their territory,depriving them of their blood money. They would not be pleased.
He was not pleased. The urge to seize command, to take charge, surfaced. It always lived within him, but with Ciara it loomed ever-present. He wanted – no, needed – to ensure her safety. It was part of why he’d let her go the first time, to stop her from the authoritativeness he’d inherited from his father. Only he couldn’t push her away again, not now. Not ever.
She underestimated the threat. He knew firsthand how dangerous these people could be. A couple years ago, he’d rescued a ranch full of horses, purchasing the entire lot before the kill buyers could bid. They had been furious, but he had a group of men with him, all well-built, thus the confrontation had been limited to threatening words and raised voices. Ciara might be fierce and independent, but she couldn’t physically fight a group of large, angry men.
If anything happened to his Ciara…
No.He would not allow her to be harmed. He had cut his day short and headed back to Waterstone. Not back to the ranch, but straight to the auction. She’d lied about finding someone to go with her. Hopefully, the kill buyers wouldn’t show up, but if they did, he would be there.
If he made it in time.
Ciara’s relief soared. She was scared at what she would find when she arrived at the dilapidated facilities, yet the horses weren’t in terrible condition. Thin, agitated and clearly in need of better surroundings, they weren’t injured like the last horses.
No one was in the field when she arrived, so she travelled straight to the paddock, where the horses roamed. Despite their relative health, the accommodations were not suitable. The horses were crowded into a small, dusty paddock, the sides penned with rusty, sharp fencing. The animals had no shade toprotect them from the blazing sun, which baked the manure to a nearly overwhelming stench. Only a couple of small buckets of murky water, far too little to accommodate the horses, stood in the corner of the ring. The horses moved listlessly, their restlessness putting them at risk for emotional and physical trauma.
“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “Soon you’ll be living the life you deserve.”
It seemed like the “loose horse” pen, where the most ragged auction horses stayed, and which often fetched price per pound. Yet judging by the number, all the horses were in this state. For the kill buyers, it was a veritable feast.
“The auction isn’t until noon.” A gruff voice came from behind her, and she turned to see an older man and woman ambling towards her. The man wore dusty overalls over a stained brown shirt, yet the woman wore a sunshine yellow dress, brilliant with purple flowers that matched the bow in her silver hair. They had come from a modest two-story house with faded sides and peeling paint. It leaned down, almost as if tired from the burden of simply staying upright. The elderly man seemed the same. “I’m George Owens, and these are my horses.”
In contrast, the woman was smiling widely. “Oh George, don’t speak to her like that. Hi sweetie!”
Ciara forced out a polite greeting, even as she wanted to demand an explanation for the condition of the horses. Yet the man’s eyes were so sad, and the woman’s so strangely happy, she bit back her accusations. They were more likely to agree to her proposal if she stayed cordial.
“It’s been so long since you visited, Jane,” the woman gushed, placing a hand on her arm. “You don’t come nearly enough.”
Ciara parted her lips. “I’m not–”
“Able to stand around and chat all day, right?” the man quickly broke in. He gently removed the woman’s arm and gestured towards the house. “Sue, let’s go inside and have a glass of cool, sweet lemonade.”
The woman’s smile faltered. “Okay.” She took a step towards the house, then turned. Her smile broke out again. “Jane! It’s been so long since you visited. You don’t come nearly enough!”
The elderly woman started towards her once more, but the man stepped between them. “Be right back,” he mouthed before taking the woman’s hand in a surprisingly gentle grip. He led her to the house, guiding her forward even as she repeatedly turned to look at Ciara. A few minutes later, the man reappeared alone.
He didn’t seem angry. He didn’t seem uncaring. He seemedresigned.
His next words shocked her. “I can’t tell you how bad I feel about these horses.”
Ciara parted her lips. She’d expected callousness like the last owner, nonchalance and total disregard for any and all blame. She never expected guilt.
“She loves the horses, you know.” He gazed back to the house, to the door where the woman had disappeared. “She always wanted a ranch, with a whole herd of horses to love and care for. I kept putting it off, busy with life and work and putting food on the table. When we finally did it, it was her dream come true. I’d never seen her so happy. She took care of the horses like they were her babies.” He sighed softly. “Yet in the end, I waited too long.”
