Page 17 of Kidnapped By the Mountain Man

Cora rubs the back of her neck and looks toward me. “She has an extremely difficult form of lupus. They said they can remove some of the lesions growing on her brain and give her some of her life back, but it’s experimental, and the insurance won’t cover it. She’s a month away from being too far gone for the treatment.”

“And when is the next payment due to the bank for the ranch?”

“Three weeks. Why?”

I stare toward her, desperately thinking of a plan to help. “I’ll sell everything. You can have it all.”

She reaches out for my hand, wrapping into me gently, a tear rolling down her cheek. “I know you would, Austin, but it’s already been done. Tomorrow, I marry Rick. And this… this is ov—”

A heavy knock hits the cabin door.

Cora’s brows narrow. “What time is it?”

“Midnight,” I groan. “Stay here.”

She grabs my arm. “What? No. Do people usually show up here this late?”

I shake my head. “Just stay here. I mean it. No matter what, don’t leave that bed. Do you understand me?”

She nods, though I see it in her eyes. She doesnotunderstand and will most definitely run out of the room and toward the door the second she decides it’s reasonable to do so. And with that, my shot with her will be over.

Chapter Ten

Cora

As soon as I hear Rick’s voice, I melt back into the sheets. I should be thankful he’s here. Maybe that means he actually cares, but something about leaving Austin scares the hell out of me. Rick is the real world, and reality for me may as well be an actual burning hell.

Austin’s latest gesture really brought that to light. He’s kept this little farm going on his own. A farm that judging by the photos he keeps hung on the wall, has been passed down through generations… and he’d sell it all to help me.Not that I’d let him, but still, the gesture is beyond kind.

“Get the fuck out of here!” Austin’s voice is deep and brooding and I’m sure Rick is being a real asshole.

I slide up from the bed and crack open the door.

Rick sees me immediately. “What the fuck did he do to you? Why are you wearing his shirt?” He reaches out to me and pulls me into his grip roughly. It’s not the caring grasp Austin just had when he touched me. It’s something different. It could be about ownership, a business deal, a contract he’s about to sign that he’s afraid to lose.

“How did you know I was here?”

“Does it matter, Cora? I’m bringing you home.”

“It does matter,” I whisper. “How did you know?” He refuses to stay at the farmhouse. Apparently, it’s too dirty and not modern enough for him. So normally, he doesn’t know where I am. At least that’s what I thought.

He looks away, then back again, his jaw tight. “Get your ass in the fucking car. I don’t know what the hell you were doing here in the middle of the night with his fucking clothes on… but maybe you forgot you were getting married tomorrow.”

“I brought her here,” Austin growls, “and don’t tell her what the fuck to do.”

Austin’s comment is ironic considering he’s been telling me what to do all night. Somehow, though, it does sound better coming from his lips. Maybe it’s because I know deep down, he has my best interests at heart.

Rick squeezes my arm harder, dragging me toward the door. His hand hurts, and I let out a yelp, trying to pull away from him, but he doesn’t loosen. He only grips me tighter.

Austin’s fist pummels into Rick’s jaw, landing him backward against the frame of the door. His hand loosens on my arm and Austin takes me in his, rubbing over the spot where Rick had just touched me. “Are you okay, bunny?”

I nod and stare up at him, and in this moment, I know there’s no going back to Rick. I couldn’t… not like this. Not if he has the capacity to physically harm me.

Rick stands from the cabin floor and wipes his bleeding jaw with the back of his hand. “If it’s any consolation, I’ve been fucking my secretary. At least she gives it up. Not like your virgin ass.” He laughs. “Who the hell is a twenty-four-year-oldvirginanyway?”

Austin growls and punches him again, this time harder.

I reach for the ring in my purse, ready to toss it at Rick and be done with the whole damn thing, but Austin stops me. “Is that your engagement ring?”

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