Rejected Bride Bought Giant Cowboy At Auction—Unaware He Carried The Love She’d Prayed For

Chapter 6

The storm came three days later, not from the sky, but from the east — riding hard on a horse lathered with sweat.

Jake Hartley, foreman of the Blackwell ranch, pulled his horse to a stop in front of the Bell Ranch house before Kora had even finished her morning coffee. His cold eyes scanned the yard with the practiced calculation of a man who had been looking for trouble and had finally found it.

“Miss Bell,” he called out, not bothering to dismount. “Cyrus wants to see you. Now.”

Something in his tone made Kora’s stomach clench with worry. “What about?”

“Cattle been going missing from the Blackwell spread. Tracks lead this direction.” His eyes slid past her to where Boon was emerging from the barn. “Cyrus thinks your hired hand might know something about it.”

Boon straightened slowly, his movements controlled but somehow menacing. “I’ve been working this ranch every day for three weeks. Miss Bell can vouch for that.”

“Can she now?” Jake’s smile was ugly. “Funny thing about vouching for a man with no past. Hard to know what you’re really standing behind.”

“That’s enough.” Kora stepped between the two men, her green eyes flashing with anger. “Mr. Boon has been nothing but honest and hardworking since he arrived. If Cyrus Blackwell wants to make accusations, he can do it to my face.”

Jake shrugged, but his hand remained conspicuously close to the gun at his hip. “Suit yourself. But Cyrus expects to see both of you within the hour. I’d hate for him to have to come looking.”

As Jake rode away, Kora found herself shaking with a mixture of rage and fear. The implication was clear. Cyrus Blackwell was using the missing cattle as an excuse to make trouble for Boon, probably hoping to drive him away from the area.

“I should go alone,” Boon said quietly, tucking the medicine pouch back beneath his shirt. “This isn’t your fight.”

“Like hell it isn’t.” The words came out sharper than she intended, but she didn’t apologize. “You’re working my land, which makes you my responsibility. Besides, I know Cyrus Blackwell. He’s all bluster and intimidation until someone stands up to him.”

Boon studied her face for a long moment. Something that might have been admiration flickered in his gray eyes. “You sure about this? Standing with me might cost you more than you realize.”

“Let me worry about that,” Kora replied, though his words sent a chill down her spine.

The confrontation at the Blackwell ranch was exactly as tense as she’d expected. Cyrus Blackwell sat on his front porch like a king holding court, flanked by Jake Hartley and two other hired men. The display of force was clearly intended to intimidate.

But if Boon felt nervous, he didn’t show it.

Twenty head of cattle had gone missing, Cyrus claimed. The timing was suspicious. A stranger appears in town, and suddenly the Blackwell ranch starts losing stock. Coincidence?

“Funny thing about timing,” Cyrus said, his pale eyes fixed on Boon. “I’ve been running cattle on this land for fifteen years without losing so much as a calf to rustlers. Then you show up, and suddenly I’m missing twenty head of prime beef.”

“Coincidence,” Boon said quietly. “Unless you have evidence suggesting otherwise.”

“Evidence?” Cyrus laughed, but there was no humor in it. “What kind of evidence would a half-breed drifter leave behind? Men like you are too smart for that.”

The slur hit the air like a physical blow. Kora felt her temper flare, but before she could speak, Boon stepped forward, his voice deadly quiet.

“Mr. Blackwell, I’ve been working the Bell Ranch every day since I arrived. Miss Bell can verify my whereabouts. If you want to accuse me of something, you’d better have more than suspicion and prejudice to back it up.”

Cyrus’s face flushed red. “You watch your tone with me, boy. I’ve got influence in this county that could make life very difficult for you — and anyone fool enough to harbor you.”

“Is that a threat?” Kora demanded.

“It’s a statement of fact. Dead River is a small town, Miss Bell. People are already wondering about your judgment in hiring this man. It wouldn’t take much to convince them that you’re not thinking clearly since your unfortunate experience with young Whitmore.”

The reminder of her humiliation at the altar was clearly intended to wound, but instead it only strengthened Kora’s resolve. She’d been pushed around enough by men who thought they knew what was best for her.

“My judgment is just fine, thank you. And if you’re so concerned about rustlers, perhaps you should be looking for actual evidence instead of harassing honest working men.”