Page 36 of The Cowboy's Ultimatum

By the time he finished he felt confident letting them both run free. They had bonded, and he knew Ranger would be protective of his new friend.

Entering the barn, as he began making sure everything would be ready for his clients the following day, he wondered if he should have waited until after the clinic was over before bringinga new dog into the picture. But seeing how comfortable Ranger was around the horses, and knowing the potential danger Ken Lockhart and his biker gang presented, Andy was glad he’d taken the leap of faith.

He was returning to the house when Ranger suddenly veered away and ran around the back of the barn towards the trees. Not wanting to be separated from her new best friend, Molly ran after, barking as if asking him to slow down so she could catch up.

Though Andy guessed where Ranger was going, he still found it astonishing when the big dog stopped at Wilbur’s grave and sat down.

“You are really something,” he muttered, striding forward and crouching beside him. “That’s right, our best buddy is here.” As Ranger placed his paw on Andy’s leg and looked up at him, the swell of emotion was almost overwhelming. “But he’s also all around us,” he managed, fighting the heat in his throat, “and you can come and visit him whenever you want.”

Also wanting attention Molly suddenly pushed forward. Putting his arm around her, he let out a grateful sigh.

“This is meant to be,” he said softly. “Now we just have to bring Helen into the fold.Allthe way in.”

* * *

Sitting in his upscale townhome in an elite Dallas suburb, Ken Lockhart sipped his expensive scotch and thought about the scene at the Moonshine Restaurant with Helen. The dining room had been empty, just as he’d thought it would be. Late in the afternoon the locals were busy on their farms, and any visitors would be out touring the picturesque countryside.

Everything had gone exactly to plan.

Rarely did he have a misstep.

He’d learned from a master in New York City.

His late father.

Carlo Lucci.

Carlo’s criminal organization specialized in narcotics and firearms.

If anyone dared to cross him, they paid for it with their lives.

Ken had been baptized Carlo Jr., but when his father had been double-crossed and killed, battles waged as several powerful members struggled for control, and the organization quickly fell into chaos. Knowing he was in imminent danger he’d disappeared, laid low for a while, then reinvented himself in Texas with a new identity.

He considered the bikers in his gang his family.

Upon joining they were each given the nickname of a wild animal. With his long hair and being the King, it was natural for him to be known as The Lion, but they simply called him Boss. His right hand man was huge and feared nothing, hence the name Bear. There were only a dozen members, and each had been carefully recruited by Ken himself. Though he was occasionally approached from outsiders wanting to join, he had no interest in expanding. He knew his men were loyal, and the chemistry worked. As his father always said,if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Smiling and sipping his drink, his thoughts turned to Helen. The girl would soon be under his strict control, and Andy, the annoying cowboy, would be out of the picture. Accidents happened all the time, especially on farms. There were tractors and steel pitchforks, and horses that spooked and dumped their riders. He had a few ideas, but nothing had gelled completely in his head.

But it would.

It always did.

But as he shifted his thoughts to the charity event at the country estate, his satisfied smile transformed into an evil sneer.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Though her parents had asked her to stay for dinner, Helen was anxious to get back to Molly. They understood, and knowing the house would be busy all day Saturday with final preparations for the event, she promised to bring the little dog over to meet them on Sunday.

As she drove home her mood was upbeat. The moment with Kenny in the Moonshine parking lot had been terrifying, but he would soon be in custody. Being free of the threat from him and his gang couldn’t happen soon enough, and once again she felt foolish for ever thinking he was anything but a thug.

She was halfway to Andy’s ranch when her phone rang. Glancing at the screen she didn’t recognize the number and decided to let it go to voice mail. A moment later a text came in. Touching the screen and seeing the message her heart skipped a beat.

IT’S ME. KENNY. PICK UP THE FUCKING PHONE.

She was so startled she almost missed the bend in the road and drove into a bank. When it rang again she quickly accepted the call.

“Sorry, Kenny, the number came up unavailable. I don’t answer those calls.”

---