Page 41 of Stalked at Rescue Ridge

Wind whipped through the trees.

The second Bree’s backside touched the seat, Kade closed the door and circled the front of the truck. In two seconds flat, the man was behind the wheel.

On the drive to the hospital, Bree’s contractions came three minutes apart. Thank the stars for cell phones because she was able to call her OB, and Kade managed a call to his sister. She would meet him at the hospital to take Rinty to the ranch.

“I’ll be back for you,” Bree said to him in between contractions. Did he understand her? She had no idea. Did her words soothe him? She could only hope. The last thing she wanted was for Rinty to feel abandoned again. He must after being plucked out of the only life he knew.

“How long before the baby comes?” Kade asked, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.

“I have no idea,” she admitted. “I’ve been warned that first pregnancies generally mean longer labors.”

“As much as I don’t want you to be in pain, I’d prefer this kid not pop out on the drive to the hospital.”

She couldn’t agree more.

“I’ve seen and done a lot of things, but I’ve never felt so helpless in my entire life,” he said. “You’re amazing to have made it through the pregnancy this far. It couldn’t have been easy.”

At this point, Bree was focused on her breathing but the compliment burrowed into her heart. Responding wasn’t much of an option, so she stored it in a place she could easily find it when she needed a boost. She nodded, knowing he could see the movement from the corner of his eye as he sped down the highway with his emergency flashers on. Rinty wasn’t the only one on full alert.

By the time they arrived at the hospital, Bree’s contractions were too close together for her to think about anything else.

It would be just like her to go from zero signs to go-time in a matter of a couple of hours, considering she’d just been released from the hospital hours ago.

The cramps made it impossible to speak. Kade called the hospital to let the staff know they were about to arrive.

“We’re here,” Kade said as he roared up to the ER bay, as instructed. A look of sheer panic crossed his features as he searched for Chloe.

A nurse came rushing out along with two orderlies.

Before Bree was whisked out of the truck, she managed to say, “I’m safe. Wait for Chloe. Don’t leave our boy.”

“Okay,” Kade said, looking torn. “Rinty is safe.”

Before Bree could say anything else, a contraction hit accompanied by a strong urge to push. Not two seconds later, she was in a wheelchair and being rushed inside.

Kade tappedthe steering wheel with his thumb as he moved the truck out of the ER bay. Guilt struck with the force of a rogue wave at not being able to go inside with Bree while she was delivering his child. Being stuck between a rock and a hard place was the perfect way to describe this trip home. Not only had he discovered that he was going to be a father, but the baby’s mother was in love with someone else.

Long, lean fingers squeezed his chest until he thought his heart might burst. His feelings for Bree confused the hell out of him because he’d never wanted a family before. His stubborn side wanted to have a baby with someone who was in love with him if he was going to go there at all.

A few things were certain. Kade wouldn’t abandon his child. He knew all too well what that did to a kid—even when circumstances were complicated and dictated it. Kade wouldn’t leave Bree to raise the child on her own. First of all, he had more honor than that. Secondly, he’d seen Chloe’s struggles bringing up Grayson on her own. He wouldn’t wish that on another person. And he sure as hell wouldn’t do that to Bree.

Could he stick around Saddle Junction? The traitorous thought he could head up the family ranch punched him in the solar plexus. Would he be giving Beaumont Sturgess exactly what he’d always wanted?

The same stubborn side that wouldn’t let Kade walk away from Bree and his child dug its heels in on giving the family’s patriarch what he wanted. Kade had made a commitment to himself that he would never run the ranch.

Could he step aside and let the others have it?

No, that would mean leaving the second oldest in charge. Beau. He’d been a class-A jerk at the will reading. Did he really want to get to know his siblings? Or was he planning to worm his way into taking over the ranch? Kade had been preoccupied since the meeting. He had no idea what was going on with his brothers or what they were thinking. Had any of them changed their minds about how to handle the ranch?

As far as Kade was concerned, they should stick with the plan of selling the horses, then breaking up the land, piece-by-piece, before tearing down the house they’d been raised in. He’d used the term “house” instead of “home” on purpose. A home was a place you looked forward to going to at the end of a long day. A home held the people you loved inside, keeping them safe from the elements. A home was a place where celebrations occurred.

Sturgess Ranch housed nothing more than pain inside of pillars and sheetrock. Good riddance. The way Beaumont treated non-performing racehorses should be criminalized.

Annmarie pulled up, breaking into his heavy thoughts. She pulled her sedan alongside his and exited as he did the same.

“Where are Chloe and Grayson?” he asked.

“She had to get ready for work, and she didn’t want Rinty in the same vehicle as the little kids,” Annmarie said. She wore a miniskirt that left little to the imagination and a tight shirt that looked a size too small. Her stomach showed, revealing abs and a belly button piercing. She wore makeup and fresh lipstick.

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