Page 59 of Nanny for the Single Dad Cowboy
“There was a storm, we lost power, and the whole ranch went dark, but the backup generators didn’t kick in.”
“That’s impossible. I checked the system before I left. It was running perfectly,” I say.
“I know. It was sabotage. Three men got onto the property and tried to kidnap Ella.”
I grip the back of a chair to steady myself. “Kidnap?”
“They sure as hell tried, but they didn’t succeed,” Beck mutters. “We made sure of it.”
My pulse hammers in my ears. Every word they utter comes through like static. The timing. The method. The precision. This isn’t random. This is him.
He found me.
Shit! I need to get out of here.
Jace’s gaze locks on mine. “You look like you already know who they were.”
His tone is accusing, which it should be, but I’m not about to affirm anything for him. I don’t have time. I need to leave. I wassupposed to tell him everything, but that’s no longer an option. Not when I’ve put his family in danger.
I force my voice to stay even. “No, I don’t. I just—it’s a lot to take in.”
He studies me a moment longer, but he doesn’t press. Instead, he says quietly, “Everyone is safe. That’s what matters.”
Safe? Oh no. I’m not safe. Real safety went out the window the moment Richard learned where I’ve been hiding out. Iron Stallion is no longer safe for me.
Muttering some excuse about needing to rest, I dash out of the kitchen and bolt up the stairs. My legs feel like they don’t belong to me, moving too fast, then too slow, like I’m underwater.
When I get upstairs, the scent of bleach hits first. Then I notice the faint scuff marks along the hallway floor, the kind you get from heavy boots. A shattered picture frame lies face down on a side table, the glass swept into a neat pile.
My stomach twists. They came here for me, and when they couldn’t find me, they tried taking Ella instead. The Morgans are in danger because of me. This is a lot more than I was prepared for.
I make it into my room, shut the door, twist the lock, and press my back against it. For a second, I just stand there, my hands trembling, breath coming in shallow, panicked bursts. There’s a tightness in my chest that makes it hard to stand upright. Myheart’s hammering so fast I swear I can hear it echoing in the quiet.
I pace once, twice, then drop onto the bed and bury my face in my hands.
“Get it together, Tessa,” I whisper to myself. “Just breathe.”
But the images keep flashing over and over in my mind: Ella’s fear, her brothers’ anger, Jace’s panic, and the dead men. The realization that it was supposed to be me.
I reach for my phone and call Sienna. She brought me here, so she is going to get me out.
“Hey, Tess.” Her voice is bright and familiar, cutting through the fog for a second. “How was the—“
“They found me.” The words spill out before I can soften them. “Sienna, they found me.”
There’s a beat of silence on the other end, then a sharp inhale. “What do you mean, found you?”
“There was a break-in at the ranch. But I wasn’t here, so they tried to take Ella.”
“Oh my God,” she whispers. “Tess—no—how—“
“I don’t know!” I’m shaking so hard the phone slips from my hand, clattering against the duvet, before I pick it up again. “I’vebeen so careful. Last week I changed everything—my number, emails… I have no idea how they found me.”
Sienna falls quiet, but I can hear her breathing quicken. Then, finally, she says, “I think I know how.”
“What?! How?”
“My phone.” Her voice trembles. “It got hacked last week. I didn’t think it was connected, but—“
