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They all glanced at each other, surprised.
“It’s a lot of people to uproot,” Sloan said, “much to change. The children’s education, their friends.” He didn’t know why he was speaking up. The chief’s plan was clear and concise, his preeminent goal to get the children and women out of the line of fire. Sloan got it—the plan was wise, strategic. Still, he understood how hard this would be on the families.
As a military operative, he’d lived alone for many years. Loneliness was part of the deal. But not for children.
“It’s true,” the chief said. “But there is no other way. There were no women, no children, before, but now there are many targets. I would not lose any of my family. Or my friends.”
The chief meant Kendall. Sloan felt himself tense.
“Well,” Jonas said, “there are two silver linings here. We have places to go, fortunately, because the Hilton would get expensive for as many of us as there are.”
His brothers laughed, the tension lightening just a bit. There was, of course, no Hilton in Diablo, New Mexico.
“And thankfully, we have backup,” he added, looking at Sloan.
After a long moment, Sloan nodded. For him, the mission had not changed all that much.
But it had become more personal than before.
* * *
KENDALL EYED SLOAN when he entered her room upstairs in the main house. “I have no makeup on,” she said, “and I’m just vain enough that it matters. Plus I haven’t showered. And I’m sulking because I’m stuck in here. So you’ve been warned.” Her leg was atop a pillow, and she wore a tiny tank top and some heart-dotted shorts for comfort.
Sloan thought she looked sexy as hell.
He sat in the wingback chair next to the window. Not too close. “You got lucky.”
“I guess.” She winced, not wanting to dwell on the attack. “Anyway, just for the record, I knew you did something to put me to sleep. Don’t do it again. I’m no fainting female who needs to be protected from the scary monsters.”
He considered her. “You’re very brave.”
“It has nothing to do with bravery,” Kendall said, “which is the part that scares me. I just reacted. But what if I’d frozen?”
She’d be dead or kidnapped. Sloan didn’t mention that. Kendall would figure it out in time.
“So what was the meeting about? I heard a lot of footsteps on the stairs.”
He thought her blond hair, which was pulled up into a ponytail, would probably be soft as a bird’s wing if he ever got to touch it. “Jonas should probably be the one to tell you.”
“You go ahead and tell me, soldier. My curiosity is killing me.”
She was just the type of woman who would always want to have all the information. “Not my job, beautiful.”
She stared at him. “Are you patronizing me?”
“Stating a fact. You are beautiful. The truth should not be an intimidating thing.”
“Oh.” She considered him for a moment. “That was pretty smooth for a guy who’s supposed to be a loner.”
He shrugged.
“Anyway, back to the subject matter,” Kendall said. “What happened in the meeting?”
“I think,” Sloan said, “change is in the wind.”
“Because of what happened to me.”
He inclined his head.
“Great.” She sighed. “Sloan, I never got a good look at whatever it was. I feel kind of silly, if everybody’s going to get upset about what happened, when it could have been...” She didn’t know how to finish. It had been huge, and intending harm. New Mexico was fairly new to her, though she’d learned a lot about it in the year she’d worked for Jonas. “My mind keeps stupidly thinking bear, and yet I know it wasn’t that. There are none around here.”
“It was a human,” Sloan said, “and the intent was to take you, hold you for information. Your subconsciousness recognizes this.”
Kendall blinked. “I don’t have any information. Personal family stuff is never discussed with me.”
“Ransom,” Sloan offered. “Information for your freedom.”
That made sense. She hated it, though, hated being party to someone—something—that threatened the Callahans. “So now what?”
“Everyone will move. Decamp to other places.” He stood. “Can I get you a book? Cookies? Fiona is baking chocolate chip cookies, and I’m going to grab some on my way out.”
She frowned at him. “What the hell does ‘decamp’ mean? You mean the whole family?”
“Right. To your compound, and to Dark Diablo. I believe my cousins have gone home to instruct their wives to pack up the children.”
“Well, I did offer the compound to the chief when he told me he needed a vacation home for the clan,” Kendall said, “but I didn’t realize he meant no one would be here. That means me, too?”
He nodded. “Probably you especially.”
“And you?” Her gaze met his.
“I’ll likely sleep in your bed,” Sloan teased, trying to get into her space just a little, to bedevil her, get her mind off the danger the Callahans—and her own family—were in.
And to get his mind off her, too.
“This bed.” She sniffed. “If you like lace and flowers.”
“I’ll sleep very well.”
A reluctant smile touched her lips. “Somehow I don’t think you’re a lace and flowers kind of guy.”
He shrugged. “It isn’t forever.”
Could be forever. There was no way of knowing.
“Take care of yourself,” he added.
“What does that mean? You sound like we’re moving out immediately.”
He went to the door. “You are. In the morning. The danger is here and you have to get away from it.”
Sloan walked out, not wanting to think about how quiet the ranch would be without the children, without all the Callahans, and most of all, without the blonde who loved yanking his chain.
The fact that he might not see her very much—or ever again—after she left Rancho Diablo bothered him.
* * *
KENDALL ACCEPTED with a grateful smile the plate of cookies Fiona gave her. “You’re an angel. Thank you so much. I really don’t know what I would do without your cheery face right now.” She hated to think that Fiona would be leaving the ranch. Fiona and Burke were the heart of Rancho Diablo, in Kendall’s mind. They were always there, to comfort, to give a warm word of wisdom, perhaps just an encouraging smile. “Are you going to Dark Diablo or our house in Hell’s Colony?”
“I’m staying right here.” Fiona sat in the same wingback chair Sloan had been sitting in not forty minutes ago. “Burke and I have too much work to do.”
“Did you tell Jonas?”
Fiona nodded, sipped her cup of hot tea. “He’s not happy. But I’m the aunt. I get to do what I want at my age. Anyway, I’m in no danger.” She smiled at Kendall. “How’s the leg?”
“Sore. But not as sore as my ego.” Kendall wouldn’t admit the feeling of helplessness she had from the attack. It was almost as if part of her confidence had been stolen. Her soul.
Fiona nodded. “Perfectly normal. Takes a while to pass.”
“I’m not a good victim. Especially when I don’t know what it was.” Kendall considered Fiona. The wiry Callahan aunt sat smiling, as if nothing was wrong. But she had to be worried sick. “You’re trying to keep my mind off what’s going on.”
Fiona shrugged. “Seems to me we can’t do anything but wait.”
“I don’t wait well.”
“Neither do I. Still, you’ll heal. Your leg, your heart.” Fiona set her teacup in its saucer on the tiny side table. “Where will you go?”
Sloan would be here. There’d be plenty of Callahans on the premises. And Fiona and Burke. “I’m staying right here. I can work from my room. No one will come into this house. I’m safe as a princess in an ivory tower. And you need another female on the ranch to talk to.”
Fiona stood. “Good luck telling Jonas. He’ll read you the riot act and tell you that as his employee, you have to go. That your insurance is too high to run such a risk. And that he wants you directing the traffic flow of tiny bodies at your compound.”
Kendall smiled. “There’s an army of people at Hell’s Colony who will be delighted to have small feet running around.” In fact, it just might bring her mother and new husband home from the perpetual honeymoon they’d been on, leaving Kendall, Xav, Shaman and Gage to manage the compound and Gil Phillips, Inc.
“You know, Fiona, our business is moving large equipment in our cargo planes. Worldwide. If we ever needed to, we could always take the family out of the country, if this goes on for a while.”
She nodded. “I pray the day never comes. Surely the danger is just here at this ranch.”
Who knew what they were dealing with? Kendall certainly didn’t. “Is Sloan still downstairs?”
“Last I saw.” Fiona got up, carrying her teacup with her. “Do you need to talk to him?”
Kendall nodded. “Yes, thank you. If you don’t mind asking him to come back up for just a minute.”
“I’ll see you in the morning. Feel better!” She smiled at Kendall. “I don’t mind telling you that I’ll be glad to have another female on the ranch.”
“I suppose Ashlyn will be around somewhere,” Kendall said.
“I don’t know. We all do what the chief tells us. Well, everyone but you and me.” Laughing, Fiona left.
A moment later, Kendall heard Sloan’s footsteps on the landing. He poked his head into the room.
She frowned. “Come in, please. Shut the door.”
He did, and perched on the arm of the chair. “Talk, Blondie.”
“My name is Kendall. Not Barbie, not Blondie.”
“Gotcha.” He smiled, slow and dangerous, a reminder that she didn’t really know this man she was about to give all of her trust.
Kendall knew that, but she’d never run from a fight. “Sloan, after all the Callahans leave in the morning, I want you to take me somewhere.”
“Anywhere. Name it.”
“The spot near the canyon, where the new bunkhouse will be.”
He gave her a long look. “You don’t have to face it so soon. Give yourself some time.”
“I’ve lived a long time without you advising me. Either you take me or I’ll go by myself.”
“You can’t drive with those stitches.”
“Let me tell you something about me that you don’t know. I would bounce on one of the Callahan kids’ pogo sticks to get back there if I have to. It’s my job, and I will do it.”
“Whatever you say.”
“Jonas won’t like it.”
“It’s all right. I’ll play chauffeur. You rest.”
She closed her eyes, suddenly tired. “Thank you.”
She felt him near her bed, felt him peek at the bandage covering her stitches, run a palm over her calf, testing for changes in her skin temperature.
“Don’t you dare pull any of that mumbo-jumbo stuff on me again,” Kendall said. “I’m going to read a book, and I don’t want to go to sleep. I’m still teed off with you.”
He sat on the edge of her bed, the mattress dipping under his weight. She wished she could open her eyes to glare at him, but she was just so darn tired.
“Rest,” he said, and she said, “You’re annoying. Has anyone ever told you that?”
But when Sloan touched his palm to her cheek, she relaxed against his hand, drawing in his strength.
It felt good to have someone take care of her just for a moment. Not Kendall against the world... Right now, she let Sloan chase the unspoken fear away.
Tomorrow I’ll be strong again.
Chapter Five
Close, close. The wolf was so close, its eyes fierce with anger and malice. It wanted his soul, wanted his lifeblood. Sloan jerked awake, his heart thundering.
