After the Ashes(28)

He edged away from her so he could think clearly. He had no more answers about the trouble he’d gotten into than when he’d fallen asleep. Leaving Lorelei would be best, but he’d be damned if he would leave her at her brother’s ranch by herself. Before, he could have ridden away—not liking the idea, but still, he could have done it. He’d figured out he couldn’t save the world a long time ago. But after the way she had given herself to him with so much passion, so much heart, he could no more leave her drowning in quicksand than he could on this ranch.

The soft squeak of leather disintegrated Braddock’s troubled thoughts. Suddenly he recognized the sound that woke him. He held his breath, keeping himself from tensing and waking Lorelei. A man’s boot creaked, despite the owner’s care to sneak up on the bed.

Braddock scrambled to recall where he’d left his guns. He couldn’t remember—a first since the war. The noise sounded closer. The man was cautious. Langston was cautious, but Braddock hadn’t thought him this stupid.

The shadow moved close enough to the bed for Braddock to see it wasn’t Langston. Too short. It could be Corey or it could be Mulcahy, looking for Corey. If that was the case, they were in a lot of trouble.

The figure knelt by the bed. If it weren’t for Lorelei, Braddock would have lunged at the intruder rather than wait to see what the man had in mind. But with Lorelei next to him, he couldn’t risk that the shadow carried a loaded gun. Braddock knew who out of the two of them would be the one shot. His luck would have Lorelei taking the bullet.

“Lori, wake up.”

The whispered words still held the squeak of youth. Corey.

Lorelei stirred. “Christopher? What’s wrong?”

Braddock didn’t move a muscle. He was naked, in bed, with a wanted man’s sister. A man who undoubtedly carried a gun. Never before had Braddock put himself in such a vulnerable position.

“Get dressed. We have to get out of here. Who’s Christopher?”

Lorelei sat up, clutching the covers over her bare breasts. “Corey?”

The way Corey straightened, slow and easy, his body tightening, Braddock knew he’d just realized there was someone in bed with his sister. As the consequences of Braddock’s lapse in judgment rained down on him, the fickle night deserted him, turning the room light blue. Not only could Braddock clearly make out the pistol Corey held, but he could see the weapon was trained on him.

“Who the hell is that?”

Lorelei glanced at Braddock as if she had temporarily forgotten. “The bounty hunter you sent me to town to talk to.”

“That’s right, talk. In town. I didn’t say shack up with him.”

“Didn’t you? Well, that’s what you meant.”

“If you’re blaming me for the fact that I’ve caught you bare assed with a man in your bed, you can think again. My hide’s the one that’s on the line here, Lori—”

“Would you two keep it down,” interrupted Braddock. Their voices had risen with the heat of their exchange.

“Sorry I disturbed your sleep, bounty hunter. Now get up with your hands in the air.” Corey made a show of bringing his other hand to the pistol to steady his aim.

“Corey Lochlain O’Sullivan, you know better than to be pointing that gun at him.”

Corey lowered the gun at his sister’s reprimand, but quickly reaimed, as if remembering who was in charge. “Shut up, Lorelei. Get away from her, Braddock.”

Braddock eased off the bed, his hands in the air. He didn’t know what he hated worse, being undressed or unarmed.

Corey sneered at Braddock’s nakedness. Unarmed, Braddock decided.

“I ought to shoot you for laying a hand on my sister. But I’m not a murderer like you think. Get some rope, Lorelei.”

“Don’t you dare threaten to shoot him for something you arranged. It’s fine for him to do whatever he wants to me as long as it’s to save your worthless hide.” Lorelei wedged herself between Braddock and her brother, still holding the blanket in front of her. “If I want someone for myself, that’s a different story.”

“If that someone wants to take me to jail, then yeah, we got ourselves a problem. But you’ve always been selfish, Lorelei.”

“You’d better watch your mouth, you little brat.” Braddock lowered his hands.

“Shut up. This isn’t about you.” Corey raised the gun again, not seeming to be bothered that to get to Braddock he had to go through his sister. While Corey and he glared at each other, Lorelei managed to find her discarded chemise and pull it over her head.

“Put the gun away, Corey. I don’t like them in the house.”