Page 53 of Steers and Stowaways
“I have a confession.”
Alarm spiraled through her. “It better not be another woman in your life.”
“It’s not.” He drew a heavy breath. “In some ways, it’s worse.”
“Nothing is worse than that,” she snapped. “What a stupid thing to say!”
He kissed his way back to her earlobe. “Darling, I’m a federal agent working undercover. Everything else you know about me is true. The way I feel about you, our wedding, and the resignation I’ve typed up to leave the FBI.”
She sagged weakly in his arms. “Tucker!” She wasn’t sure what else to say. It was a lot for her to wrap her head around.
“I’m taking up full-time ranching, just like I promised, because I’m in love with you.” There was a pleading note in his voice. “Say something, Mal.”
She snaked her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder. “I love you, too.” It was the only thing she was sure about at the moment. The rest of her felt like a snowball melting in the morning sun. Complete mush.
“Please don’t stop.” He hugged her tighter. “I thank God for you every morning, every night, and every hour in between.”
“That’s sweet.” Her insides melted further. “You’re sweet.”
He grunted in derision. “Don’t tell anyone. I have a reputation to maintain.”
A chuckle bubbled out of her. “I won’t be able to top your wedding gift no matter how hard I try. There’s just no way.”
“I know.” He joined in her laughter. “Fortunately for you, I’m already holding the greatest gift God has ever given me.” He kissed her temple. “You’re all I want, Mal.”
Chapter 10: Retribution
The day of the wedding dawned with a heavy layer of frost and the scent of a snowstorm on its way.
Mallory stood shivering on her screened-in porch with a mug of coffee in her hands, watching the sunrise like she did every morning. “Thank you, God.” The sight of Old Glory grazing in the back pasture made her heart overflow.
He was much quieter this morning, more content. Dex had let him out early. As much as she hated keeping a gangster employed as her ranch foreman, it was out of her hands. The Feds wanted the Silvas to remain in their jobs until the law enforcement community was ready to pull off some big sting operation. Her biggest comfort was that Tucker and his Lonestar Security team were crawling her property nearly 24/7, whether in person or by video surveillance. She was much safer now than she’d been before their arrival.
She was still absorbing Tucker’s confession about being a federal agent. It meant a lot to her that he’d come clean about it before the wedding, but itbegged another serious question. Was there anything else he was keeping from her? The fact that he might not be at liberty to tell her was troubling.
Regardless, she couldn’t complain. A few days ago, she’d been on the brink of losing the home she’d been born and raised in. And now she was marrying the one guy in the world capable of restoring her ranch to its original size. Only God could do something so amazing. It almost felt wrong to ask Him for anything else, but she needed another miracle.
“Give us justice, Lord,” she whispered. She wanted justice for her late parents’ legacy she was trying so hard to carry on. She wanted justice for Chip, Tucker, and all the local ranchers who’d been defrauded. She also wanted justice for the innocent steers who’d paid the ultimate price for the dirty deeds of the narco rustlers. It was a big, God-sized request that only He could grant.
She took another sip of coffee, tasting hope in the generous dollop of hazelnut and vanilla creamer she’d poured into her mug. A gal was allowed to hope on her wedding day, wasn’t she?
As she stepped back inside the house, she heard the front door open and close. It was Chip making his usual getaway. The next time she saw him, he would be all spruced up in his blazer at the front of the church.
At first, she’d been puzzled about why Tucker had chosen Chip as his best man, but it was starting to make more sense. Since he wasn’t close to anyone else, he’d probably done it to please her. The only other living, breathing creature that Tucker implicitly adored and trusted besides herself was his dog. Someday, she was going to ask why he kept himself so closed off from most people. For now, though, she was enjoying being the center of his world.
Inspired by his and Chip’s new bond, she’d gone against her better judgment and asked Martina to serve as her matron of honor. She prayed it wasn’t something she’d live to regret.
A light, hesitant knock sounded on her back door, sending a jolt of alarm through her. It didn’t sound like Chip, Tucker, or any of the other guys.
And it wasn’t. A quick peek through the window blinds revealed it was Martina. Wondering what she wanted so early in the morning, Mallory reluctantly cracked the door open.
“Hey, you!” Pretending to be surprised, she opened the door wider.
Her bookkeeper was shivering beneath her too-thin sweater jacket. “Got a second?”
“For you? Always.” Mallory couldn’t think of a plausible reason to refuse the woman entry, so she opened the door wider.
Martina’s teeth chattered as she stepped across the threshold.
