LITMIR.BIZ

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Though already beautiful, her smile lent her a sweetness, a girl-next-door look that tugged at his heartstrings. Just like before, when she’d been with his brother and Reed had wanted her so badly he’d burned with it. The times when he’d come across her sitting on the couch in flannel pajamas, without makeup and with her hair in a careless ponytail had been when he’d thought her most irresistible.

      Pushing the thoughts away, he studied her. “We’re going to cut and color your hair,” he announced, wincing inside. “Something matronly.”

      “Even though I’ll be hiding out at your ranch?”

      “Even so. You might have to go to town sometime.”

      “Fine.” She exhaled. “Do you have a plan?”

      “Not yet. But I will.”

      “How long are you thinking this is going to take?” she asked, beginning to look concerned.

      “I don’t know. Since you said he has a bunch of law enforcement people on his payroll, it should just be a matter of seeing who we can trust.”

      “That could take a while.” She sounded glum. He could relate. After all, she’d just gotten out of a prison—of sorts—too.

      “Maybe not. You never know. I don’t want to make mistakes. When we take him down, I want to make sure he doesn’t get off on a technicality.”

      Slowly, she nodded. “No worries, I’ll wear the disguise when I’m out in public. Though I think if I change my haircut and color, I shouldn’t need colored contacts.”

      “Better safe than sorry. I’ll order the contacts online and pay extra to have them overnighted,” he said. “We’ll also find the ugliest, most unflattering clothes we can. That should be a good start.”

      “I...” Swallowing, she appeared hesitant and uncertain.

      “You said you were willing to do whatever it takes,” he reminded her. “If you don’t want to be found, you’re going to have to wear a disguise.”

      After a moment, she sighed. “True. And you’re right. I’ll change my appearance however much is necessary.”

      As for himself, he’d be glad to make her less of a distraction. She’d been in his life for only an hour, and already he found himself wanting her.

      Physically, that is. Nothing more. He’d put that down to the way he’d been living life as a semi-hermit. Most of the women in town wanted nothing to do with an ex-con like him. Not that he cared. He was fine living alone.

      “How long do you think we have before he starts combing the town?”

      “He was passed out when I left.” Jiggling her long and coltish legs, she appeared to vibrate with tension. He hated that he had to tear his eyes away, drawn to her again and again, despite his earlier self-admonishment. “It depends on when he wakes up. I’m hoping he stays out until morning.”

      “That’s a long time, considering it just got dark. How long have you been gone?”

      Her bright blue gaze locked on his. “Not very long. I drove straight here. A few hours, at most. When he wakes up and goes to my room to find me, all hell will break lose.”

      “Good thing we hightailed it out of town, then.”

      “Especially since your house will be the first place he’ll look.”

      Startled, he realized she was right. The history she and his brother had shared made him the obvious choice. “It’s okay. We should be safe.”

      “What about your ranch? If the deed is in your name, it’s a matter of public record. Alex will find it.”

      “Then it’s a good thing it’s not in my name. Since I was in prison when my uncle learned he had terminal lung cancer, he had his lawyer set up a corporation. Just in case I never got out. So there’s no way to trace it to me.”

      Clearly relieved, she smiled again.

      After they passed Fort Worth, she fell asleep, which told him she must have been exhausted. He let her doze, enjoying the time to think.

      Once again, everything in his world had been turned upside down. He wasn’t sure what to make of any of this and had long ago given up on the idea of knowing who really killed his brother. In prison, he’d had plenty of time to wonder. All signs had pointed to Kaitlyn, for so many reasons.

      She’d left Reed in her bed and had gone to Tim. Reed had suspected this, though he hadn’t known for certain. Her claim that she’d planned to break things off with his brother made sense, and if things had gone differently, he’d have been overjoyed. And guilty. Especially since he’d been the one in bed with his own brother’s girlfriend.

      Reed didn’t blame her—he knew it took two to tango. He’d let it go on, even though he’d known better. The lingering looks, the electricity that coursed through him with every accidental touch, the way he’d burned for Kaitlyn, despite knowing he had no right.

      But somehow he’d gone from sleeping with his brother’s girlfriend to being accused of murdering that same brother in cold blood. Kaitlyn had disappeared, despite the fact that she was his only alibi.

      He’d been railroaded, he realized that now. The men who’d arrested and questioned him most likely worked for Alex. The district attorney who had indicted him on no evidence had been in Alex’s pocket, too. The judge definitely had been.

      Reed had spent nearly three years locked away in that horrible place before his lawyer finally filed an appeal and got him a new trial. This time, the judge clearly hadn’t been on Alex’s payroll since Reed was now a free man.

      Though his name had been forever blackened.

      When he’d gotten out and returned home to Anniversary, he’d searched for Kaitlyn, of course. He’d intended to make her tell him why she hadn’t come forward, why she’d let him rot in prison, why, why, why. So many unanswered questions.

      Damn it all to hell. Even though he had to admit her explanation made sense, in a twisted sort of way.

      He had to question how Alex had gotten away with keeping a woman hostage for three years. Then he remembered the guy in Ohio or Indiana who’d kept three women prisoners in his basement for far longer than that. Such a thing definitely was possible, especially for a man with lots of money and influence.

      As he drove, the land became flatter, the trees more sparse and twisted. He’d always liked the beginning of west Texas, because it was hardscrabble and tough.

      The sun sank beneath the horizon, a fiery ball of orange and red, trailing rosy tendrils in its wake. Darkness settled over the land in increments, deeper and more velvety now that they’d left the city lights behind.

      When he left the pavement for the rutted, gravel road that led to his ranch, Kaitlyn woke up. She yawned and stretched while he tried not to notice the way her T-shirt strained against her curves.

      “Are we there yet?”

      “Just about. We’ve got a few more miles on this gravel road and then we go off road and up.”

      “Off road?” She sounded concerned.

      “Yeah. It’s a path, sort of. That’s why I said that fancy car you were driving wouldn’t do well here. This truck can make it, no problem. So could a Jeep or an ATV. That’s about it.”

      Nodding, she squinted into the darkness. “I like that. It makes me feel safe.”

      He grinned. “I enjoy coming out here. I always feel more alive. Like I’m free. I’ve even been thinking of selling my house in Anniversary and moving out here permanently.”

      “Really?” She didn’t sound surprised at all. “I can see that.” Giving him a quizzical look, she appeared to be considering asking him something.

      “Go ahead,” he prompted.

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