Dream Lover (Denim and Spurs Book 2) Read online

  “You think someone did this?” Karis asked.

  “You don’t?” Vic retorted.

  “Why would anyone want to hurt Laciee?” Karis glanced to Samantha.

  Sam shrugged. “Makes me suspicious, especially given the fiasco with her hotel room then the grave.”

  “Grave? What the fuck happened while I was on my honeymoon?” Karis had lost her pulled together look as she jerked to her feet and crossed her arms. “Fill me in, damn it.”

  Sam listened and told her. Karis was muttering words Laciee was positive Wyatt didn’t believe she knew.

  A knock on the door had them falling silent and gazing over to find Randall Bolton in the doorway.

  “Sheriff,” Karis said. Sam didn’t speak.

  “I need a few moments,” he said entering. “A few questions is all, Laciee.”

  Laciee witnessed the look on Vic’s face and understood there wasn’t anything she could do to stop what was about to happen next. Not even if she’d not been confined to a hospital bed.

  Vic spun toward Randall and walked to him. As expected his eyes ran over Vic with lust and hunger. Before he could speak, she’d kneed him in the groin, doubling him over.

  “What the hell?” he gasped, face mottled red as he fought to breathe. “I could have you arrested for assaulting an officer.”

  “I don’t see an officer, all I see is the fucking scum who thinks they can make untoward propositions to my friend without repercussions.”

  Randall stood upright, glaring.

  Vic matched him, her intensity surpassing Bolton’s. Randall gazed around at those gathered. Laciee knew none of them would help him. He took a step toward Vic who immediately narrowed her eyes at him but never backed down.

  “Is this the room housing Laciee Dupree?” A rich, masculine voice filtered through the increasing tension.

  “I’m Sheriff Bolton, who are you?”

  The man stepped into view and Laciee bit her lip to hide her smile. He was tall, broad shouldered, and fit. Brown eyes ran over the occupants of the room before returning to the cop.

  “You can call me SSA Carracci, FBI.” He looked in her direction again. “Ms. Dupree?”

  She nodded solemnly. He strode forward, purely alpha, taking over the room with a single tick of time.

  “You can leave, Sheriff. I will be by your office later to peruse your files on this case. And shut the door behind you.”

  Randall left and Laciee recognized he wasn’t pleased with the situation playing out in his town.

  Brown eyes focused on her, once the door was closed. “Christ of a mother fucker, Laciee, you look like shit.”

  “You sweet talker you,” she said, finally allowing the smile to crack free. “Always so smooth with the words.”

  “Only to you. I see my sister has been wielding her lethal knees again.” He peered at Karis and Samantha. “I’m Gianfranco, that one’s sister. But, please call me Gian. Or whatever you like.”

  “Married, Gian,” Laciee said.

  “Both?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  He groaned playfully then kissed Laciee’s cheek after they finished introductions. Settling on the chair closest to her, he shook his head. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this.”

  Her nod was slight, but there. “Thank you.” He held her fingers, thumb moving over her nails as he looked to the others. “Catch me up. As many details as you can so I can catch the fucker trying to kill my Laciee.”

  She drifted off to sleep surrounded by those she trusted talking about what had happened and catching Gian up to speed. Still, she wanted to know where Judd had gotten himself to.

  Next time she woke, the room was mostly bathed in shadows. Gian sat at her side, their fingers still linked. That hadn’t woken her. No, the intense gaze of the man at the foot of her hospital bed, did. Judd stood there with a scowl on his face as he stared at her and Gian.

  “Hey,” she said.

  “Who’s the sleeper?” His voice was low and rife with danger.

  “Someone who’s wide awake, cowboy. What do you want here this time of night?”

  Judd held her gaze and she realized this situation could go south very fast.

  “I’d like you to keep your hands off my woman.”

  Gian squeezed her fingers. “I like holding her hand. What makes you think she’s your woman?”

  “Gian,” she warned.

  Judd stepped in his direction and Gian chuckled. “Just a head’s up, cowpoke. I’m a federal agent.” Gian moved his long sleeve shirt to the side, allowing his badge to be seen.

  “Don’t give a damn.”

  “Good.” Gian rose. “Just didn’t want you to claim you weren’t aware.”

  “Judd,” Laciee said, not liking where this was going.

  He immediately focused on her before coming to her side. He sat on the bed, cupping her face. “Are you feeling better?”

  “Almost enough to go home.”

  His gaze shuttered. “I see. Can I get you anything?”

  “No. How are things on the ranch?”

  “Well enough.”

  “Any more incidents?”

  “Focus on you, not the ranch.”

  She loved how he continued to touch her.

  “I’d rather think about something else.”

  “I’ll give you plenty.” His words were laced with such promise. “Sleep now.”

  “Will you stay?”

  He brushed their lips together. “Can’t get rid of me that easy, darlin’.”

  Judd waited until he knew she’d succumbed to the exhaustion riding her healing body. Then he focused on the man—still holding her hand—and found the dark gaze on him.

  “What are you doing here?” Judd’s question came out in a less than hospitable manner. He didn’t care.

  “Visiting a friend of mine, one I care deeply about. Then I’m taking her home.” His brows narrowed a fraction. “Obviously she’s not well protected around here.”

  Judd bristled but didn’t verbally respond to the jab. All he did was lean in and press himself along her slumbering body. The thought of her leaving left a sour taste in his gut.

  “She can make up her own mind.”

  “She already has,” Gian said. “You just don’t know it yet.”

  He despised the level of confidence the man had. Lips to Laciee’s forehead he closed his eyes and they slept there. Too soon, he woke when the door opened to admit a long-legged black woman, dressed to kill. She narrowed her eyes at him before a slow grin lifted her full lips.

  “You must be the handsome cowboy who knocked her socks off. Judd, I believe she said.” This woman walked straight up to him and hugged him. “I’m Vic.”

  Dawning set in. “Mornin’, ma’am.”

  She kissed his cheek, grinned at him, and backed away. “None of that. We’re practically family, you can call me Vic.”

  “I can’t call you Vic,” Gian complained.

  “That’s because you’re my pain in the ass brother. Now go make sure that dumb fuck sheriff isn’t coming after me with an assault charge.” She whirled back to Judd. “You leave too, she needs some time away from men. She’s leaving today.”

  “Back to my ranch,” Judd said with finality.

  Vic crossed her arms. “I’m staying where she is so if you don’t want me there, I suggest we stay elsewhere.”

  “You’re more than welcome to stay.”

  “I know.” She made shooing motions. “Go.”

  With another kiss to Laciee, he carefully dislodged from the bed and stood. I have to see the sheriff anyway. “I’ll be back to take her home.”

  “Of that I have no doubt.” Vic crossed her arms and delivered a pointed look to them both.

  Gian rose in an unhurried motion, then kissed Laciee’s cheek before doing the same to his sister. “Suppose you show me where the sheriff hangs his hat during the day, cowpoke.”

  “Christ, you’re gonna end up dead somewhere, Gian.
Be nice, he’s Laciee’s love.”

  Judd nearly asked her to repeat her statement but instead walked out, the fed on his heels.

  The staff ignored Judd and he went to his truck. As if the fates had aligned his stars, he groaned when the man unlocked a black SUV beside his truck.

  How do all government officials get them?

  “Lead on,” Gian said.

  He snarled under his breath and climbed in his truck. On the drive he thought over everything. He needed to check with Cian. Increased attacks with her arrival. Had she been on to something?

  Parking at the station, he hopped out. The fed walked beside him and Judd noticed the change in the man, serious with a law enforcement swagger behind it. Side by side they entered Branchwater’s police station. Once inside, the officers in the front gazed up and stared.

  “Follow my lead,” Gian uttered seconds before he held up his badge. “SSA Carracci, FBI. I need to speak with Sheriff Bolton.”

  “He’s in his office.” The female who’d spoken pointed the direction.

  Judd followed, noting the ones who met his gaze only did so momentarily. The fact they wouldn’t hold it told him so much. They knew that Laciee had been injured and she’d been staying with him.

  “Sheriff.”

  Bolton jerked to his feet, eyes widening briefly. Judd took one step toward the sheriff, only to halt when Gian spoke.

  “I’m ready to go over all the information you have, Sheriff. I’d also like the investigating officer to join us as well.” Gian sat and stretched his legs out.

  “This is a police matter, Mr. Travers—”

  “Is staying,” Judd said, taking the seat beside the federal agent.

  “He’s helping me out while I’m here.” Silence reigned for a few terse seconds. Gian cleared his throat. “I’m waiting, Sheriff, and while we sit here, clues are being missed. Evidence lost. I don’t like that. Get the officer in here.”

  Bolton frowned. “I don’t appreciate you coming in here. We didn’t request your assistance.”

  Gian laced his fingers together. “Let’s get something straight right now. I don’t give a flying fuck what you appreciate. I’m not asking to be invited to assist. I’m taking over. So let’s skip the posturing. I’ll give you my boss in New York who will pass you through to the agency in Washington and the director of the FBI who will then call your supervisor. Then you can have not one, but three ass chewings. Either way, I’ll be in charge. So, let’s skip it. I want the papers and the god damn investigating officer in here now!”

  Judd admitted—grudgingly—he was impressed. Bolton sank to his chair and pressed a button. Moments later, a fresh-faced kid stuck his head in.

  “Yeah, Sheriff?”

  “Grab your file on the Dupree case and come in.”

  “My file?”

  “Get on, Daliey.”

  “Ye…yes, sir.” He vanished and came back with a tiny steno in one hand.

  “What do you have?” Gian’s tone was cold. Professional.

  The kid paled beneath his tan. “Not much. Single car accident.” He flipped a few pages. “Went off the road outside of town—”

  “Where?” Judd interrupted.

  Blue eyes stared definitely at him. “What?”

  “Where did it happen? You said off the road. Where? A corner? What?”

  “About seven miles from town.”

  Judd leaned back and crossed his arms. “That’s flat.”

  Daliey frowned. “Cars can flip over on flat stretches.”

  “They can,” he stated. “I want to see the car and the damage.”

  Daliey slicked his gaze to the left where Bolton sat, swift as a snake. “Can’t do that.”

  “Why not?” Gian asked this time.

  “It’s been crushed.”

  Judd shared a look with the fed before they both looked to the men in the room. “I’m sorry, you put a car in the crusher from an investigation that hadn’t been completed yet? Destroy evidence much?” Rage pumped through his veins, and he struggled to remain in his seat.

  “I completed it,” Daliey said, irritation in his tone. “I even contacted the rental company and informed them what happened. They didn’t want the car back because it was ruined beyond repair.”

  Gian stood and gestured from the kid to the door. “You and I need to have a chat.” A pointed look at Judd. “I’ll be back in five minutes to get you and we’ll go talk to the garage, then the paramedics.”

  The moment it was just the two of them in the room, Judd rose and approached Bolton. “Listen well, Sheriff. I heard what you said to Laciee. You look sideways at my woman again and I’m going to bury you somewhere on my acreage where not even the fuckin’ buzzards will find your body.”

  Bolton stood. “Are you threatening me?”

  “No,” Judd said seconds before his fist connected with the man’s jaw. It sent the sheriff sprawling back into the chair he’d just vacated. “I made a promise.” While slightly satisfied by the feel of the man’s chin beneath his fist, he still wanted to pummel Bolton until there was nothing left but a bleeding pile of pulp.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Three days later, Laciee was ready to scream to the heavens. She knew Judd had a lot on his plate, but the man had gone ghost. She didn’t see him. She only knew he’d been around based on the scent of him on the pillows and how she slept well at night. It would end today, this shit of avoiding her. She pushed away her pills when Vic handed them to her and stood.

  “Come on.”

  Like any good friend, Vic rose instantly with the question, “Where are we going?”

  “Out to find that man who’s been avoiding me.”

  “Ohh, a cowboy hunt. I’m in.” She bent down and laced up her boots before slicing her gaze up to Laciee. “What? You want me to tie your shoes for you?”

  Laciee scowled at her. “Bitch.”

  “Maybe I should get you Velcro shoes so you don’t need assistance, you whiny old biddy.”

  Flipping her off, Laciee shoved her feet into her boots. “You’re older than I am, whore. Now be a good girl and lace my god damn boots.”

  “You know,” she commented, kneeling before Laciee. “Maybe it’s good you’re not taking these damn meds anymore. They have been making you a cranky bitch.”

  “I’m not cranky.”

  Vic looked at her, brow arched in the perfect way it always did for her. “Really, this is a winning personality?”

  “Wasting daylight.”

  “You want it done faster, do it your damn self. I’m making sure these fuckers stay on. This way you can ask Judd to help you out of them later. Either that or it will slow him down when you try to get all sexy with him later, which we both know is part of the reason you’re acting this way. He’s not touched you.”

  Laciee hated that she was right. Hated it. “Let’s go,” she uttered when Vic finished.

  “Oh, Gian said he had some information for you and would be out today to share it with us.” Vic opened the door and shooed her out.

  The sun was warm on Laciee’s skin and she tipped her face up the moment she stepped from beneath the awning of the porch. Her ears were full of the cattle and other ranch sounds. This is comforting to me. So much better than the sounds of sirens, gunshots, and the other filth I hear on the streets in New York.

  “You okay?” Vic touched her shoulder.

  “Feeling a bit beat up but, yeah, I’m good. Just don’t let me fall on my face.”

  “Of course not.”

  Moving slowly because of her injuries, she shuffled her way down toward the main barn, figuring that was as good a place as any to start. They never made it there. A truck raced up the drive, diverting their attention.

  Vic held her arm as they stared at the fishtailing vehicle. People ran from the barn and jumped in the back of the truck that then tore off again, heading out onto the range. Brake lights appeared and the large pickup reversed and squealed to a halt beside her and Vic.


  “There’s been an accident out on the range. Come on.”

  Vic immediately vaulted into the back while Laciee slid into the passenger seat. Taylor, another ranch hand, was behind the wheel and he shoved the shifter back into gear and gunned the engine. “Who’s hurt?”

  Taylor didn’t answer, and her stomach plummeted to her feet. “Is it Judd?”

  “Don’t know.”

  The truck bounced over ruts and bumps, and her eyes burned with tears from the pain in her back and neck but she kept her mouth clamped shut. If Judd had been hurt, nothing was keeping her from reaching his side. The ride took a while and when they finally poured into the clearing, she shook her head at the scene. Horses were in the shade and men were lying on the ground. To the far right, she spied some more men dragging carcasses away with their animals.

  Laciee turned her head and met Vic’s gaze of confusion, but her friend was the second one out of the back the moment the truck stopped. She ran over to the men on the ground and started barking orders. Laciee wanted to go and help but with her broken arm and the pain radiating through her body she understood she would be more of a hindrance than anything.

  Scanning the group for Judd, she found him talking to his brother and made her way toward him, doing her damnedest not to wince over the shooting pain in her back. His gaze sliced to her and she nearly drew back from the chill in his eyes. Anger and ice made up his expression.

  “What are you doing here?” he barked.

  “Looking for you?”

  “One minute, Cian.” He met her half way and glared at her. “So you come partway across the ranch in a bouncing truck without care of your own injuries?”

  “Maybe I was worried about someone other than myself,” she snapped back.

  “Laciee!” Vic’s cry for her had her whirling away from Judd and hurrying to her friend’s side as swiftly as she could manage.

  “What?”

  “This is no place for you. These two men are going back in the truck. I need you to go with them and keep an eye. There will be an ambulance waiting for them. I guess there’s no chopper around here,” Vic said.

  “Okay,” she agreed instantly. I’ve seen Judd is fine and he doesn’t want me around. Not only that, but Vic’s right, I’m no help. She turned to the truck and waved Taylor over. Frank and Joel lifted one of the men in while another worker and Vic moved the other. Hands at her waist had her startling until she realized it was Cian. He lifted her in the back.