Page 97 of Barbed Wire Hearts

My legs go weak.

“There it is,” he purrs, admiring his handiwork. “What a good girl you are for me.” And then he pats me on the ass and gestures toward Levi. “Take our lady to bed, Levi. She’s gonna need her rest.”

Without a word, Levi comes in and scoops me up in his arms. My eyes linger on Dakota as he sits in that ugly cowhide chair, one that I know isn’t his style but he keeps around as a reminder.

“I love you,” I rasp as Levi carries me away. “You and your demons.”

His eyes crinkle as he watches me. “I know, Calamity Kate. Just as you know you’ve done stolen all our hearts in turn.” He winks at me and leans back. “I love you, too.”

Levi carries me away and when I look up into his eyes, they’re heated. “If you think you get to sleep after that little show, you’re mistaken,” he growls.

My body starts to warm. “Okay,” I rasp. “Let me dance with your demons, too, cowboy.”

The corner of his lips quirks up and I know I’m in trouble, but damn if I’m not looking forward to it.

ChapterFifty-Eight

WILEY

Part of me worried that it would be too much for Kate, that we would be too much, but although she came out sore the next day, she didn’t seem anything but herself. The way she’d blushed when our eyes had met made me want to take her again, right there in front of everyone. I restrained myself only because she needs to eat. She spent a lot of energy last night, first with us and then with Dakota, and after the two weeks of cattle drive, she’s gonna be exhausted for quite some time.

Dakota acts like his normal self, as he always does, despite the way he’d slept curled around her last night. I don’t even think he realizes how much Kate heals each of us. For me, it’s not nearly as soul deep. For Levi, it’s about him feeling like he has something to offer again, like he can be her sunshine. For Dakota, it’s something else.

It’s feeling as if his darkness isn’t a flaw.

We’ve all seen some shit, and Dakota most of all. He’s always been the protector, of us, of Kate, of everyone on this ranch. Having someone want to protect him back besides just the two of us, it’s healing him.

Just as she heals us all.

We’re in the middle of breakfast when there’s a notification that someone’s at the gate. When I pull up the cameras, it’s only a single guy, his posture crumpled in on himself, his body frail.

“What the fuck?” I say, handing my phone to Dakota. “What’s this you think?”

Dakota frowns. “Ask him what he wants.”

Kate is sitting a few chairs down, happily digging into her breakfast of pancakes and eggs. Naomi always outdoes herself with meals and the pancakes come in a variety of regular, blueberry, and strawberry. They’re delicious as always, not like her cherry moonshine. I could never have any of that again and be happy, but she’s proud of it, so I drink it.

“Hey,” I say into my speaker, knowing he’ll be able to hear through the intercom. “What business you got here?”

The man stumbles over to the intercom and I get a good look at his bludgeoned face. He has two black eyes, but one of them is swollen shut. He’s clearly been beaten recently, and a lot, but he’s not someone I recognize.

“I’m looking for Kate,” he grunts, his voice strained. “Kate, are you in there?”

Kate jerks up, her eyes widening. “That’s Josh.” At my questioning gaze, she adds, “My ex.”

“What do you want?” I ask the man, my hatred for him growing by the second. Kate had told us what he’d done, that this was all his fault because of some gambling debts. Apparently, those caught up with him.

“I need to talk to Kate,” he grunts. “Please.”

Kate meets my eyes. “What do you think?”

I shrug. “I say we go out there and see what he says.”

We all look at Dakota as he sits, contemplating the situation. “We go,” he finally says. “But we keep the gate closed and we don’t get close enough for him to grab Kate.”

We nod and stand, breakfast forgotten.

It’s such a shame, too. The blueberry pancakes are amazing today.

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