Read Online Thunder Horse Redemption by Elle James - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Elle James
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to rebuild the calluses on your butt, brother. Becoming a softy in the agent business,” Maddox teased. “I’ll take the truck with the medical supplies.”
“Says the man who rides horses for a living,” Pierce quipped.
“I’ll let you two do all the fun stuff in the canyon while I provide cover from above. Besides, someone’s got to haul the medical supplies in case Sweet Jessie needs them, and they ain’t gonna fit on the back of your horse.”
“Yeah, yeah. You’ll be napping, old man.” Dante clicked his tongue and his horse trotted out of the
barnyard.
Maddox caught Pierce’s gaze, all kidding wiped from his face. “Nothing from Tuck, yet?”
“Nothing more than what you already know. The bullet and casings are a match. He couldn’t lift any prints. He’s trying to get a trace on the plastic explosives, but there wasn’t much to go on.”
Maddox nodded. “You two will catch this guy. I know I can count on my FBI brothers to always get their man.”
“I just hope we get him before he gets Roxanne.”
“Yeah.” Maddox’s head dipped and he fiddled with the leather gloves he carried. “Speaking of Roxanne…”
Pierce held up a hand. “Don’t go there. We’re history.”
“Spending the night in a cave alone with her didn’t stir up any lingering anything?” Maddox gave him a pointed stare.
“We weren’t alone. We had three horses in the cave with us.”
Maddox snorted. “You’re avoiding the question.”
“No, I’m not answering it. Come on, we’ll be late for our three o’clock with the woman at this rate.”
Before he could leave the barnyard, Pierce spied Maddox’s fiancée running from the house toward them, carrying a pair of walkie-talkies.
“Maddox, you got company.”
The pretty, dark-haired princess of a breakaway Russian nation skidded to a halt, breathing hard. “You almost forgot your radio.” After she handed him one, she stood for a moment, staring up at him, the love shining from her eyes. “Be careful, please.” Then she flung her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his.
Maddox’s arms circled her tiny waist, pulling her close, deepening the kiss.
Pierce’s gut knotted.
Maddox and Katya were so in love it made Pierce want to gag.
He dug his heels into Cetan’s flanks, startling the animal into a jerky lope. Pierce didn’t slow the horse until he was well out of eyesight of the barn, his brother and his brother’s fiancée.
He told himself he was better off single. He’d be no kind of husband to any woman, and especially not to Roxanne.
Tuck was crazy to think a relationship between him and Julia would work out while he stayed an agent, even though Julia had already told Tuck she wouldn’t stand in the way of his career, that she wanted him to follow his dream of being an FBI special agent.
He’d end up quitting the FBI in order to stay home with his wife and baby daughter. From what Pierce had seen, Tuck would give up breathing for Lily and Julia, and Pierce had seen the worry in Julia’s eyes every time Tuck headed back to the office in Bismarck. She’d worry about him until he returned, even though Tuck was a good agent who’d given her no reason to doubt his ability to come home to her at the end of the day. Not like Pierce, who had already let Roxanne down when his mistake ended in her brother’s death.
Even if Roxanne forgave Pierce for Mason’s death, he would never forgive himself. Pierce couldn’t ask her again to be his wife. Being the cause of her brother’s death would always stand between them, not to mention the loneliness, heartache and uncertainty of being the spouse of an agent.
Pierce caught up with Dante and they rode side by side in silence the rest of the way out to the canyon on the border of the Thunder Horse and Carmichael ranches. Dante didn’t mention Roxanne and Pierce didn’t bring her up, preferring to push on, keeping his thoughts completely to himself.
As they neared the trailhead
“Says the man who rides horses for a living,” Pierce quipped.
“I’ll let you two do all the fun stuff in the canyon while I provide cover from above. Besides, someone’s got to haul the medical supplies in case Sweet Jessie needs them, and they ain’t gonna fit on the back of your horse.”
“Yeah, yeah. You’ll be napping, old man.” Dante clicked his tongue and his horse trotted out of the
barnyard.
Maddox caught Pierce’s gaze, all kidding wiped from his face. “Nothing from Tuck, yet?”
“Nothing more than what you already know. The bullet and casings are a match. He couldn’t lift any prints. He’s trying to get a trace on the plastic explosives, but there wasn’t much to go on.”
Maddox nodded. “You two will catch this guy. I know I can count on my FBI brothers to always get their man.”
“I just hope we get him before he gets Roxanne.”
“Yeah.” Maddox’s head dipped and he fiddled with the leather gloves he carried. “Speaking of Roxanne…”
Pierce held up a hand. “Don’t go there. We’re history.”
“Spending the night in a cave alone with her didn’t stir up any lingering anything?” Maddox gave him a pointed stare.
“We weren’t alone. We had three horses in the cave with us.”
Maddox snorted. “You’re avoiding the question.”
“No, I’m not answering it. Come on, we’ll be late for our three o’clock with the woman at this rate.”
Before he could leave the barnyard, Pierce spied Maddox’s fiancée running from the house toward them, carrying a pair of walkie-talkies.
“Maddox, you got company.”
The pretty, dark-haired princess of a breakaway Russian nation skidded to a halt, breathing hard. “You almost forgot your radio.” After she handed him one, she stood for a moment, staring up at him, the love shining from her eyes. “Be careful, please.” Then she flung her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his.
Maddox’s arms circled her tiny waist, pulling her close, deepening the kiss.
Pierce’s gut knotted.
Maddox and Katya were so in love it made Pierce want to gag.
He dug his heels into Cetan’s flanks, startling the animal into a jerky lope. Pierce didn’t slow the horse until he was well out of eyesight of the barn, his brother and his brother’s fiancée.
He told himself he was better off single. He’d be no kind of husband to any woman, and especially not to Roxanne.
Tuck was crazy to think a relationship between him and Julia would work out while he stayed an agent, even though Julia had already told Tuck she wouldn’t stand in the way of his career, that she wanted him to follow his dream of being an FBI special agent.
He’d end up quitting the FBI in order to stay home with his wife and baby daughter. From what Pierce had seen, Tuck would give up breathing for Lily and Julia, and Pierce had seen the worry in Julia’s eyes every time Tuck headed back to the office in Bismarck. She’d worry about him until he returned, even though Tuck was a good agent who’d given her no reason to doubt his ability to come home to her at the end of the day. Not like Pierce, who had already let Roxanne down when his mistake ended in her brother’s death.
Even if Roxanne forgave Pierce for Mason’s death, he would never forgive himself. Pierce couldn’t ask her again to be his wife. Being the cause of her brother’s death would always stand between them, not to mention the loneliness, heartache and uncertainty of being the spouse of an agent.
Pierce caught up with Dante and they rode side by side in silence the rest of the way out to the canyon on the border of the Thunder Horse and Carmichael ranches. Dante didn’t mention Roxanne and Pierce didn’t bring her up, preferring to push on, keeping his thoughts completely to himself.
As they neared the trailhead
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