Cowboy Country (97 page)

Authors: Sandy Sullivan,Deb Julienne,Lilly Christine,RaeAnne Hadley,D'Ann Lindun

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Ava came to, groggy. The world looked out of focus and upside down. Her stomach threatened to heave and she fought to breathe through her nose. Gradually her head cleared and she realized she was lying across the same couch she and Levi made love on two nights previous. A groan gurgled out of her.

Dario loomed over her. “Ah, you’re awake. About time.”

She sat up and touched her aching head, but there wasn’t any blood when she drew her fingers back. “Why didn’t you just kill me and be done with it?”

“What fun would there be in that?” He chortled. “For what you put me through, it’s going to be slow and painful.”

“You won’t get away with this.”

“Do you have any idea how many times I’ve heard that?”

“No.”

“Too many to count.”

She stared at him in disbelief. “You’ve killed other people besides that man at the Blue Valentine?”

“Ten, twenty. I’ve lost count.”

Bile rose in Ava’s throat. “You had killed someone when we dated?”

He pointed his pistol at her. “You’re such a dumb blonde.”

She flinched. “I take it that’s a yes you’ve killed other people.”

“Yes! I’m a cleanup specialist.” He grinned at her. “Happy now?”

No, she wasn’t happy. But she figured if she kept him talking, maybe he’d come to his senses, or decide murdering her was too much trouble. Not very likely, since he’d chased her across three states, but hope that Levi would somehow find her before it was too late fluttered in her heart.

A faint buzzing rang in her ears, and at first she thought it was from the blow Dario had given her, but it grew stronger and she realized it was a car or Jeep. But it couldn’t be—the road here was snowed in. She spoke to cover the sound.

“How did you get me here?”

“Snowcat.”

“You bought one of those just to bring me out here?” The sound was louder. She raised her voice to cover it. “Don’t you think that’s a little suspicious?”

“It’s amazing what a little money will do to tongues. Tighten them. Loosen them.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I guess it won’t hurt to share, since you won’t be around much longer.” He perched on the end of the couch. “You want to know how I trailed you so easily?”

She nodded, mute.

“Your boyfriend’s buddy, Drew? He’s had a run of bad luck lately.” He made a tsk-tsk sound. “Been dumped in the dirt a few too many times. I just had to offer him a few dollars—surprisingly few, actually—and he was more than willing to talk.” At Ava’s gasp, he chuckled. “Yes, yes. Told me everything. Where your cowboy was going to be competing. Who his brother was. About the poor dead fiancée. Everything I wanted to know. More, actually.”

“That’s how you found Travis and hurt him.”

“Travis? Oh, the brother. Yes, I thought I killed him. Didn’t hit hard enough. A mistake I won’t make again.”

The buzzing sound was gone. Had she imagined it?

She fought for air. “And he told you where I was this morning?”

“Good guess.”

She felt as if she had been punched in the stomach. Everything Levi and his friends had done to keep her alive, and one of them sold her out? Sold out Levi? It made her skin crawl. “He’ll pay. So will you.”

He grabbed her hair and yanked her close to him as she yelped. “Shut up. The only one who’s paying is you.”

She clawed at his hand, but he seemed oblivious.

“It’s time. Get up.”

With his hand tangled in her hair she had no choice, and pushed to her feet. He shoved her ahead of him and she stumbled. He jerked her upright and she cried out.

“There’s no use fighting. You lost. Now open the fucking door and walk through it.”

Numb, she did as told.

The snow had stopped, although heavy gray clouds lingered. The air seemed colder than usual, too. Maybe dying when you just found love that made it seem that way.

Levi.

God, she loved him so much.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

“Stop your sniveling and move.” Dario pushed her toward the open meadow.

Did he intend to gun her down in the middle of the field? She braced for the bullets.

“Stop right there, Abruzzo.” Levi stepped around the corner of the house, rifle aimed at the mobster.

Dario grabbed her around the throat, pulled her close to his body and pointed his pistol at her temple. “Well, cowboy, looks like I win.”

“You haven’t won anything but a life behind bars. Maybe the death penalty.” Levi stepped closer. “Let her go now.”

“Nope. Not gonna happen.”

“I think it is,” Levi insisted. “Look around.”

Ava couldn’t turn her head, but out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Travis on the ridge holding a rifle. Two more figures appeared to his right. Liberty, maybe. And Ginger. Tears splashed down her face. These people were too good to be true.

Someone moved to Dario’s right and Ava squirmed to see who.

Sheriff Faraday spoke. “He’s right, Mr. Abruzzo. You’re under arrest for the murder of my deputy. Lay down your weapon and put your hands in the air.”

The gun against her temple seemed bigger. Ava tried not to flinch when he pressed it into her flesh. “Let me by, or I’ll blow her brains out right here. Don’t and another girl you love dies, Callahan.”

Levi paled, but his gun stayed upright. “I’m not going to ask again. You have nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. There are Callahans all over this mountain. What you see is just the beginning. My mother’s here. My sister. Hell, all of my brothers, too.”

“You’re full of it,” Dario snarled.

“I have my men, too,” Sheriff Sheldon said. “There’s no escape.”

Dario’s grip loosened just enough Ava could turn her head. As promised, men with guns ringed them. A dozen, at least. Every one of them pointed her direction. Although she wasn’t the target, an icy trickle of terror went down her back.

If they missed…

Levi wouldn’t let them kill her.

~*~

Levi ached to pull the trigger. Like a renegade wolf, Dario needed putting down. His trigger finger itched. He was a crack shot. All of them were. One thing Clyde Callahan had taught his children was how to handle firearms. Too bad he hadn’t learned self-control with them.

The mobster pushed his mean-looking weapon into Ava’s face and Levi fought for control. He wasn’t going to stand by and let another woman he loved die.

He loved Ava.

He’d been in love with her from the very start. Maybe the minute she jumped into his pickup in Vegas.

“Drop it, Abruzzo.”

His eyes wild, like the trapped beast he was, Dario shook his head. He moved his hand a fraction of an inch. He was going to shoot her.

Gunfire rang out. Echoes ricocheted around the mountains.

Like a slow-motion scene in an action film, Dario flew backward, the front of his coat turning red.

Someone screamed.

Ava spun sideways, into the snow.

“No!” Levi was at her side in two strides. He lifted her in his arms. “Please don’t die, sweetheart.”

Her eyelids fluttered. “Levi?”

“I’m right here.”

“Is…did Dario shoot me?”

He scanned her for blood, but didn’t see any. “No.”

“You saved my life again.”

“I had to. I love you.”

Her smile was wan. “You do?”

“You think I’d lose you now, just when I found the girl of my dreams.”

“I knew you’d come.”

Sheriff Faraday touched his shoulder. “Is Miss Demassi all right?”

He gathered her close. “She’s fine now that I have her.”

~*~

Levi’s family treated her as if she were an invalid, no matter how many times she insisted she was fine. Apparently she’d passed out when Dario had been shot, but otherwise she was unharmed..

Levi and his brothers had given their statements. All five of them, along with Liberty and their mother, and a bevy of cousins had come to Ava’s rescue. The bullet that killed Dario came from the sheriff’s gun, although several shots had been fired.

Ava sat on the living room sofa, wrapped in a plaid blanket, and looked out toward the pasture. In the dusk, she could see silhouettes of horses. A knot formed in her throat. As soon as she could she was leaving for Vegas.

Levi hadn’t asked her to stay.

He said he loved her.

Probably just a reaction in the heat of the moment.

She sniffed and Liberty was at her side. “You okay?”

“Fine.” She swiped her hand under her nose. “Just tired.”

“My brother is an idiot,” Liberty muttered.

“No, he’s not. He’s loyal. And brave. And kind. And—”

Liberty held up her hand. “Okay. Okay. He’s wonderful.”

Ava nodded vigorously. “Yes, he is.”

Levi joined them. “If I were so great, I wouldn’t have let you almost be killed today.”

Liberty glanced between them. “I’ll talk to you later.”

Levi sat beside Ava. In his hands he held a large, square package. “Open this.”

She took the beautifully wrapped gift. “What is it?”

“Open it and see.”

Lifting the lid, she found the black tooled boots she’d wanted so much. She blinked back tears. She’d wear them every day back in Vegas. “Oh, Levi. Thank you.”

“Try them on.”

Puzzled, she frowned at him. “I know they fit. I tried them on at the store.”

“Sometimes they feel a little different the second time. Just try them on, okay?”

“Okay.” Using his shoulder for a brace, she tugged on the left one. It felt exactly as she remembered. But something in the toe of the right one stopped her from pulling the boot all the way up. She reached inside and found a small velvet box stuffed in the toe. “What…?”

“Open it.”

She did with trembling hands. Inside was a gorgeous diamond solitaire. A gasp slid out of her.

“Will you marry me, Ava?”

She nodded, too choked up to speak. Oh my God. The cowboy, her hero, her protector, wanted her to stay. Her throat tightened. Finally she got out “Yes.”

He stood and placed the ring on her left hand. “I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. If that means being based in Las Vegas, I can do that. But I want to be where you are.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “No matter where we are, I want to be with you. I love you so much.”

He dipped his head to crush her lips as the Callahan family applauded from the doorway.

~The End~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Falling in love with romance novels the summer before sixth grade, D’Ann Lindun never thought about writing one until many years later when she took a how-to class at her local college. She was hooked! She began writing and never looked back. Thirty-two manuscripts and numerous awards later, she is an Amazon bestseller! Romance appeals to D’Ann because there's just something so satisfying about writing a book guaranteed to have a happy ending. Her particular favorites usually feature cowboys and the women who love them.

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