Page 5 of A Rogue Cowboy's Kiss

Bella let out a breath. How much did she love this woman? Kitty reminded her so much of Bella’s mom, back before she’d been sucked into the world of drugs and addiction when Bella was fourteen. “Thanks, Kitty. I’ll try to relax.”

“Don’t relax! Energize!” Kitty pointed at Meg. “You. I need help moving tables. Bring that gorgeous emerald dress with you and come help.”

Meg shot a look at Bella as she followed Kitty. “I’ll be back in a sec.”

“No worries. I got this.” Bella took a moment to breathe in the beautiful Cape Cod vista overlooking the ocean that surged with energy. God, she wanted to be a part of this world so much, to feel the purpose that Kitty and Piper did. To feel like she mattered.

To feel seen.

To feel like a woman who was badass, free, and beautiful.

Not like a woman who was scared, hid in her beautiful ranch, and smelled like horses and garlic every night when she walked in the door.

Kitty looked over at Bella and gestured impatiently, waving her out of the room.

“Right. I’m going!” Bella turned away and headed toward the kitchen. She shook the nervousness out of her shoulders, and then pushed open the door to the kitchen. “Fifteen minutes,” she called out. “Let’s go!”

THREE

Dust rose upfrom his truck tires as Falcon pulled up in front of Brody Hart’s house. Brody was the oldest Hart, the one who had taken care of all the Hart homeless truants when they were little, the reason they had all survived their teenage years.

Brody was also the one Falcon felt closest to, because it was Brody who reiterated the invite to move to the ranch every single week.

It would be Brody he would tell first.

Plus…he felt like he owed him the truth.

The front door opened as Falcon got out of his pickup.

Brody walked out, wearing jeans, cowboy boots, a Tatum Crosby concert tee shirt, and a dark brown cowboy hat. He looked every bit a cowboy, nothing like a billionaire tech genius who had once lived under a bridge.

“Falcon,” Brody said, jogging down the stairs to greet him. “You look like you’ve been in hell for the last month. You okay?”

Falcon nodded. He was tired. He was hungry. He was dirty. He’d come straight here from the mountain, which meant it had been almost forty-eight hours since he’d slept. “He’s dead.”

Brody stopped. “Did you kill him?”

“No. He was dead when I got there. New dead. Didn’t see who did it, but yeah, dead. There were pictures of the family there. Ranch, too. He knew about all of you. I burned all the shit. But maybe the guy who killed him knows about you guys. Maybe?—”

“Shut up.” Brody walked up to him and threw his arms around him. “Shut the fuck up, Falcon. Breathe.”

Falcon closed his eyes as the man he considered his brother hugged him. He hadn’t stopped in so long. Hadn’t stood still in so long. Hadn’t felt his soul rest in so long. But standing there in that driveway, he felt something inside him shift. Not rest. But shift.

He didn’t hug Brody back, because he didn’t know how, but he stood there, and didn’t step away.

Brody eventually stepped back. “We will absolutely take precautions in case anyone decides to show up, but I doubt they will. It was between you and him, and whoever killed him probably had their own beef.”

Falcon nodded again. Emotions coagulated around him again, and suddenly, he didn’t want to talk about it.

He didn’t want to tell Brody he was moving to the ranch.

Right now, he just wanted to see Bella. She was the only one who ever made him feel like there wasn’t a coating of dirt on his soul. “Bella over at the restaurant? Thought I’d go see if she needs help.”

Brody’s brows went up, and he gave Falcon a look. “She’s in Boston.”

“Boston?” Falcon was suddenly tired. So fucking tired. “When’s she coming back?”

Brody shrugged. “I don’t know. She went there to help out with Maddie and Kitty’s business. I think she’s planning to stay a while.” He sighed. “She’s been restless out here, Falcon. I’ve been watching it, and I know she’s gotta go. But I don’t like it.”

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