Nash rose to his haunches and pulled Phoebe up to hers. “Let’s get inside the building.”
“What’s happening?” Phoebe’s body trembled against his.
“I don’t know, but it’s not safe to remain outside in the open.” He led her into the diner where they were surrounded by the staff.
Chance arrived, wearing his paramedic uniform and carrying what appeared to be his medical tool box. Within minutes, he’d cleaned and bandaged Phoebe’s wound and Nash’s. “You should have a doctor check them out, just in case. A tetanus shot wouldn’t be a bad idea either. But from what I could tell, they are only flesh wounds. You’re lucky. I saw your truck.” His lips thinned into a straight line. “It could have been worse.”
“Why would someone shoot at us?” Phoebe asked.
Nash shook his head. “Sweetheart, does your father have bodyguards?”
She nodded. “He does.”
“Did he hire them for you?”
“I suppose.”
“You don’t have bodyguards here. You’re exposed, and someone knows who you are. They might be targeting you because of your father.” Nash frowned. “Or whoever killed your fiancé might be after you as well.”
Phoebe’s eyes rounded. “You could have been killed. I can’t stay here.” She pushed to her feet and swayed. “I can’t stay in Hellfire. If I do, people could end up as collateral damage. I couldn’t live with myself if you or Audrey or Lola were killed by bullets meant for me.”
Nash pulled her against him. “The problem isn’t you. It’s the crazy people shooting at you.”
“But they’re shooting at me. I can’t let anyone else be hurt because of me.” She pressed a hand to her mouth, her eyes widening. “Do you think they killed Ryan trying to get to me?”
“I don’t know.” His arm firmly around her waist, he shook his head. “Until we catch them, we just have to play it safe.”
Phoebe’s shoulders drooped. “I have to call my father.”
“Why?” Nash asked.
“He has the bodyguards, the gated estate and the money to spend tracking down the culprits.”
“Or you can let the sheriff’s department here in Hellfire handle this,” Sheriff Olson said. “We don’t like it when our citizens are threatened.”
“But I’m new in town.” Phoebe spoke through the tears welling in her eyes. “You can’t really call me a citizen.”
“Are you, or are you not, living in the apartment over Lola’s garage?”
Brows wrinkled, she responded, “For an entire day. Just twenty-four hours.”
“Are you gainfully employed?” the sheriff continued.
Phoebe nodded. “Yes, but—”
Sheriff raised a hand to stop her protests. “Sounds to me like you’re a citizen of Hellfire. And we take care of our own.” He winked and turned to Nash. “Grayson, you are officially assigned to protect Miss Sinclair until we find the man responsible for the shooting.”
Nash’s chest tightened, and his chin rose. Even if he hadn’t been assigned, he’d have taken on the responsibility.
9
“You can’t do that,” Phoebe said, straightening as she spoke. “I’m sure you can’t afford to assign one of your men to me full time. It’s not practical. My father pays a staff of security personnel. He has the money and can afford it.”
“Are you living with your father?”
“Not now. But I can go back and keep you and Hellfire from having to jump through hoops to protect one person.” She waved her hands in the air, feeling what little control she’d thought she had on her life slipping through her fingers. “I didn’t come here to be a burden.”
Sheriff Olson frowned and addressed Nash. “Deputy Grayson, do you consider protecting the citizens of Hellfire a burden?”
Nash’s lips twitched. “No, sir.”
“Then it’s settled.” The sheriff clapped his hand onto Nash’s back. “Grayson will see to it that you are safe until such a time as we find the shooter and lock him up.”
This wasn’t happening. The runaway train she’d been riding since she’d left the church seemed to have an endless amount of track and stops. “Seems as though I’m bad luck for Hellfire.”
“You can’t think that way.” Sheriff Olson touched Phoebe’s arm with his big callused hand. “You aren’t to blame. And you don’t have to give up your independence because an unidentified outlaw is gunnin’ for you. We’ll take care of the situation. And you.”
Phoebe swallowed hard on the constriction in her throat and a tear slipped from the corner of her eye. “Thank you.” She turned to Nash. “Can we go now?”
Nash nodded and hooked her elbow in his grip.
He had to be furious at the orders his boss had given. When he’d first learned she was the daughter of a wealthy man, a debutante and socialite, he’d been so angry. She’d lied to him and now he had to be her babysitter until further notice. This was not how independence was supposed to be.
Even with a parking lot full of the sheriff’s department SUVs, Phoebe hesitated before stepping out of the building.
Nash circled an arm around her waist and held her close, using his body as a shield.
She wanted to push him away. Dear God, if he took another bullet meant for her…
They made it to his truck without further incident. Though the window was shattered, someone had swept the glass out of the seats. Phoebe turned her head, left and right, searching for gunmen, not really knowing where to look, or what to look for. Nash was the former soldier, surely he knew.
Nash handed her up into the truck. “You might want to sit low in the seat.”
Phoebe glanced around, her jaw tight, her gaze skimming the buildings and nearby bushes and shadows. “You think they’ll try to shoot me again?”
“I don’t know what to think. I just know you should stay down. That way you don’t make a good target.”
Phoebe hunkered down, her head so low, she could barely see over the dash.
Nash got into the truck and pulled out onto Main Street. The short drive to Lola’s house was accomplished in strained silence.
When he pulled into the driveway in front of her apartment, he drew in a breath, shifted the truck into Park and turned. “Gather your clothes and whatever you might need for the next few days.”
“What?” With her hand on the door handle, she looked back at Nash, her eyes narrowing. Was he taking her to the nearest bus station and buying her a ticket home, just to get rid of her? “Why do I need my things?”
He pinned her with his stare. “You’re coming to stay at the ranch.”
Expecting the bus scenario, she took a moment before his words sunk in. Still they left her confused. “What ranch?”
“My ranch.” He unbuckled his seat belt, without looking away. “The Coyote Creek Ranch. It actually belongs to my brothers and I.”
Phoebe shook her head. Everything was happening too fast, leaving her thoughts spinning. “I have my own apartment. I’m not moving in with you, your brothers or anyone else.”
“From what I know about your apartment, it’s pretty small. Too small for the two of us.”
“What two of us?” Her cheeks heated as her chest tightened. She didn’t want to rely on anyone else. Taking a deep breath, she fought for calm in the face of the latest storm. “For the first time in my life, I live alone. I’m not ready to give up, yet.”
The infuriating man shook his head. “Sorry, honey. You heard the sheriff. Until we catch the guy who shot at you, I’m assigned to protect you.”
Phoebe crossed her arms over her chest. “I didn’t leave my father’s house, and his dictates, for another man to call the shots for me. This is my life, damn it!” She pounded her fist on the armrest. “I can take care of myself.”
“Do you own a gun?”
She shook her head. “But I can get one.”
“Do you know how to use one?”
“I’ve shot skeet before.”
“Have you fired a handgun?” He waved his hand. “Never mind. You’re in danger now. There’s a waiting period to purchase weapons. You don’t have the luxury of waiting for a weapon to protect yourself.”
“I’m not going with you. You’re not responsible for my safety.” She glanced out the window. “I’ll be careful.”
He shoved a hand through his hair and let out a frustrated breath. “Look. I’m sorry. I didn’t handle that well. I’m used to my men following my orders. I forget sometimes that I’m not in the military.”
She glared at him. How was she supposed to be independent when Nash insisted on hanging around? She didn’t need a man to be her bodyguard. Especially Nash Grayson. She had come to Hellfire to start over on her own. If the ruggedly handsome deputy was around day and night, she wasn’t sure she could resist him. Already, she’d been close enough to kiss him, and the temptation had been almost irresistible. No. Resisting him wasn’t possible.
The deputy lifted her hand in his. “Let me put it a different way.”