Page 59 of Shielded Hearts

“I woke up on the plane—myplane,” she continued. “Gideon is the nephew of my dear friend who passed away. He was furious at the reading of the will because… Well, she left me what was left of her fortune. It was enough money to set me up in business and purchase the jet that helps me shuttle my clients all around the world if they don’t have their own arrangements.”

Everyone listened, and she took another sip of coffee to wet her dry lips.

“Gideon told me that he caused all my recent troubles. He messed with the landing gear of my plane. He stole the wood from the first cabin so we’d freeze. When we went to another cabin, he got there before us and broke the furnace so it would poison us with carbon monoxide.”

“Jesus Christ.” Carson scrubbed a hand over his face.

“Then he confessed that he started that avalanche.”

“The avalanche is the first time he stepped outside of his wheelhouse.” At Willow’s contemplative statement, everyone looked at her.

“What do you mean?” Colt’s rough tone vibrated through his chest into Aspen’s body.

“Before that, he sabotaged mechanical things. The landing gear, the furnace. For the firewood, he only had to load it up and haul it away. But to create an avalanche, he had to do something much bigger and hope his plan went the way he intended. That disaster he created could have easily killed him too.”

A shudder ran through Aspen. “Gideon has snapped.”

“And got himself caught.” Colt issued a low noise like grinding stone. “Just before the avalanche, I heard an explosion. I thought it was just a tree branch hitting something metal in the area. Once I felt the ground start to shake, I knew what was happening. Now I realize Gideon probably used explosives.”

Aspen was suddenly bone-cold again, unnerved by the prospect of all the things that could have happened to her.

To Colt.

When he felt a quiver run through her, he cleared his throat. “You have enough to start the investigation. We’re going to stay in the guest room tonight.”

Willow’s jaw dropped. Carson and Gray both gave Colt identical looks, eyebrows cocked like that facial feature had been cloned.

Carson’s mouth twitched. “You always sleep in the barn, brother.”

“Not tonight.” Colt shifted forward, gently setting Aspen on her feet. The blanket started to fall off her shoulders again, but he quickly grabbed it as he stood.

Staring down into her eyes, he draped the wool around her body. “Aspen’s had a long day. I’m taking her to bed.”

Chapter Thirteen

An echo of boxing gloves thumping against a punching bag floated through the gym. From several feet away came the metallic clank of weights being racked.

The gym was a great addition to the Black Heart Ranch. It was a place where the veterans in the therapy program could go to stay fit and where they and the Malone brothers could blow off steam.

Colt threw another punch at the bag, a sheen of sweat coating his skin as he threw himself into pummeling something—anything.

He wished to hell it was Gideon Page.

The bastard had kidnapped Aspen. Harmed his brother. Despite them all ribbing Gray for being a soft pilot, Gray was a fucking badass. Only a man who knew how to fight with all the muscle backing him could lay his brother out.

Over and over again, he smashed his gloved fist into the bag, imagining it was Gideon’s face.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Carson lying on his back, doing his reps with a heavy amount of weight on the barbell. They didn’t need to talk, and Colt appreciated that. Having his brother here to keep him company was exactly the support he sought from any member of his family.

He may not be one for talking out his feelings; they all knew that and didn’t expect him to. Just knowing that they loved him and supported him in the wayheneeded made his heart swell with love and gratitude for his siblings.

Aspen didn’t have that. She’d only talked about her mother passing, and her good friend too. As far as Colt knew, she was alone.

Not now. Not anymore.

A bead of salty sweat stung Colt’s eye as he threw another jab at the bag. Carson stood from the lifting bench and came to stand behind him.

“You’re dropping your right arm.”

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