Page 17 of Stone Cold Savage

Coy couldn’t help but question his instincts because the stakes were different this time. This wasn’t a standard open and close case with strangers. This was his family. This was his life. And he’d already traveled this road once too many times and had vowed never to find himself on this path again. But here he was. Home. And trouble felt like it was around every corner –– and the kind of trouble he attracted was the kind that wreaked of devastation.

“I sure as hell would, now grab it,” Coy demanded as he stomped his foot to shoo it out from under the car.

The kitten sprung from its spot under the car, raced into the street, and Devyn followed.

“Damn it, Dev,” Coy shouted as he tripped when he tried to grab her.

“Come here, sweetheart.” Devyn coaxed with a slow approach to the kitten, who was balled up in the middle of the road, afraid of the noise that startled from behind it and the larger-than-life man headed in its path. Rip.

Oblivious to what was escalating around her, Devyn crouched down a few feet away and extended her hand to the kitten, in hopes that it would succumb to curiosity and mosey back her way. But it didn’t.

The two cars were approaching quickly, and one began to sound its horn, warning Devyn and likely the kitten, if they could even see it, to get out of the road. The sound, however, only frightened the kitten more, and it charged off in Rip's direction just as the other vehicle accelerated.

“Now look what you did.” Devyn stood and followed the kitten, unaware of what was transpiring around her.

“Dev, no!” Coy yelled just as the honking car slammed on its brakes right in front of him.

Kenzie got out of the car, weapon drawn, unsure what was going down entirely but able to understand the body language Coy and Rip were exuding.

Rip ran at full speed and scooped up the kitten as it tried to run past him before snaking his arm around Devyn’s waist and pulling her out of the crosshairs that had been fixed on her. A loud scream escaped her as she saw the speeding car race by without hesitation as it barreled right through where she had been standing when Rip grabbed her.

In perfect sync with one another, Rip and Coy exchanged roles with a simple, knowing nod to one another.

“Keys.” Coy hollered, and Rip tossed him the keys to the vehicle he had been driving. “Get them to the ranch. Do not stop, man. Protect them.”

“With my life.” Rip seethed as he cradled Devyn’s trembling body against his.

“Coy?” Kenzie yelled as he ran across the road at lightning speed, about to jump in Rip’s vehicle.

“You stay with Rip. Kenz. I mean it. Stay with him. Watch his six. They know who he is now.”

Kenzie nodded with hesitation and raced to the front of her car, shielding Rip and Devyn while she waved on the car that had stopped after Coy raced off in the direction of the vehicle they’d nearly gone head-to-head with.

“Where is he going?” Devyn asked between sobs.

“After the bad guys, darlin’,” Rip said as he checked her over.

“So that was intentional? Not just someone not paying attention?”

“I’m afraid that looked pretty targeted.” Kenzie shared. “They didn’t even slow down after they passed. If anything, they went even faster.”

“To get the hell out of here.” Rip chided. “Especially since they missed their target.”

“So, I’m the target?” Devyn questioned.

“I think you were just the easy target, given you were in the middle of the road.” Rip scolded. “What were you thinking.”

Devyn began to breathe heavily, and her face paled, concerning Rip.

“Are you okay? Anything hurt?”

Kenzie shared his concern. “Dev? Honey? I think she’s in shock.”

“I can’t… I can’t believe…” the tears began to roll down Devyn’s cheeks again, and her breathing hitched with each word. “The kitten…”

Rip scooped her up and, cradled her in his arms, and made his way around the vehicle. “We need to get out of here… now.”

“I agree.” Kenzie went for the driver’s side door, and Rip stopped her.

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