Page 20 of Some Cowgirls are Worth Protecting

Was he a decent man? Of course. Did his manners leave much to be desired? Yes. That was all she needed to know.

He hadn’t come in from his post-supper perimeter check yet. It was dark outside and every sound she heard put her on edge. While she sat on her bed with the laptop in front of her, she listened for his return. The second he got back, she’d be able to breathe easily.

Rachel hated just how much she depended on his presence. It wasn’t like anyone had threatened her specifically. They’d only done damage to her fences. So why did she feel like another shoe was about to drop?

Her hands lifted to her throat, and she rubbed her neck as she tried to talk herself down from the ledge of anxiety she’d put herself on. There was a reason she was such a private person. People couldn’t be trusted.

A sound outside her window caught her off guard and her head snapped up. It sounded like something had fallen over. The muffled thud had her jumping out of her bed but not moving after that. She stared at the darkened window. Sheer curtains were drawn across it, so anyone outside would only be able to see movement but no details. For all she knew, there was someone standing right there on the other side of that glass.

For the first time since moving into this bedroom, she regretted being on the main floor. She should have taken a room upstairs. But that space was Hudson’s, now. It would feel weird if she were to intrude on his space.

Another sound from outside—but this time it sounded like someone talking. Her heart went into overdrive. She was too far from the lamp to turn off the light, and if she darted toward the door, they’d see movement. She was completely frozen.

A shattering crash burst through the room. Rachel screamed and ducked down, her hands over her head. Something ricocheted across the floor, followed by shouts outside the broken window. A breeze rustled the sheer drapes, bringing with it a fresh wave of terror as she heard someone at the window knocking more shards of glass to the ground. They were going to climb into her window.

Heavy footsteps thundered through the house, and Rachel scooted back toward the bed. There was just enough space for her to squeeze beneath it. She scooted as far as she could into its dark recesses just as the door burst open.

Shaking, Rachel wrapped her arms around her head and squeezed her eyes shut. Hudson would be here soon. He’d come back for her. She just had to remain quiet long enough for the intruder to leave.

With how hard her heart was pounding, there was no way they couldn’t hear it. Rachel couldn’t keep her breathing level either. The shuffling of heavy boots in her room and the man’s own heavy breathing sent tremors through her body. She blocked out her surroundings, taking herself to a different place, a different dimension. She was in her parents’ home, safely tucked into her bed.

Then she was yanked out from under the bed.

Rachel screamed and clawed at the floor. She hollered and grasped for anything she could get her hands on, but the man was too strong. He pulled her toward him, and she swatted at him as she tried to squirm away.

“Rachel!”

She continued fighting back, not registering that the assailant knew her name.

“Rachel, it’s me. It’s Hudson. You’re okay.”

Her eyes flew open. Or maybe they’d been open this whole time. She couldn’t remember. Everything over the last several minutes had turned into a haze. She blinked, bringing Hudson’s concerned face into view. Then she flung her arms around him and clung to him like he was oxygen itself.

Tears streamed down her face. Even in the cities where she’d grown up, the crime rate was so low that she’d never had to deal with a break-in. Copper Creek was so small. Everyone knew everyone else. She knew several people who kept their doors unlocked even when they weren’t home.

They were all fools.

She still couldn’t breathe. Her heart wouldn’t stop racing. There was nothing she could do to calm down. Dizziness overcame her despite the comforting arms of the only man she knew she could trust.

Rachel lost track of time as she continued to remain curled up in Hudson’s lap. He didn’t push her to move on. They sat there, and as the minutes turned into an hour, she was finally able to find a small semblance of peace.

“Are you okay?” Hudson whispered. His warm, soothing voice could have calmed a skittish, wild mare. If she could have gotten away with it, she would have leaned into him more and just let him lull her to sleep.

But that wasn’t reality.

Rachel nodded, rubbing her face into his shoulder. “I’m okay.”

“Are you hurt?”

She shook her head.

“I got here just as they were trying to break in.”

Lifting her face, she stared at him unblinking. “Did you see who it was?”

Hudson frowned. “It was too dark. Their truck didn’t have any plates, and I couldn’t see the color. There were three of them, though.”

Rachel’s vision blurred as she stared off to the side. “Three,” she said without emotion.

---