Free THE RENEGADE RANCHER by Angi Morgan

her words reflected in his eyes. He had a hard glare when he was hiding emotion, but it was very easy to spot if you knew the signs. And she did.
    “Got me all figured out?”
    “You think you know me because you’ve done all that research and followed me around.” She searched the shadows along the wall to verify they weren’t moving, then she stood and leaped to the door. “There are so many things in my life that can’t possibly appear on paper, Mr. Sloane. Aren’t you just a wee bit curious?”
    She backed out of the barn door, almost tripping on the way. She turned and squinted into the bright sunshine, raised her hand to shade her eyes and found herself face-to-chest with duplicate Brian.
    “Back inside before they see you out here.” John spun her around and through the door. “We’ve got a visitor taking a close look at the property from the south.”
    “Why were you watching the road? Did you think we were followed?” Brian asked, moving quickly. He pulled keys from his pocket and went to a newish-looking locked cabinet. “How many and where?”
    “Old habits are hard to break.” John shrugged. “Same van parked across from Mabel’s place now was in town three hours ago when I went to get the buttermilk. Binoculars or a camera lens reflected in the sun while I was trying to get a better look from the stock tank.”
    “Someone want to fill me in?” she asked. “I’m completely lost even though I hear English being spoken.”
    Brian and John removed weapons from the cabinet. They were a wonder to watch as they moved as one, without instructions, each anticipating where the other was reaching. They handed each other ammo and they both pocketed it, but left the guns empty.
    “Whoever’s after you found you.” Brian connected a scope to a rifle on the edge of a stall.
    “That’s plain enough. What do I do?” Surprisingly, her voice hadn’t quivered like her insides currently were.
    “Sit tight,” John and Brian answered together.
    She swallowed the panic. Now that Brian had put a name to the overwhelming apprehension, it made it a little easier to handle.
    “Just wait. Let us take a look,” John continued as Brian slung the rifle across his back and climbed the ladder to the loft.
    The horses, silent before except for a few shakes and tail flicks, whinnied or neighed—whatever the noise was that sounded so nervous. She could feel it, too. The tension from the two brothers radiated off them like sun reflecting on the white sand.
    “I was hoping to avoid this for a while when I mustered out,” John said, pushing the gun in the waistband of his jeans. “But someone insisted on sticking their nose into places—”
    “Give it a rest, bro.”
    “See anything?” It wasn’t the time for a sibling squabble. She didn’t have a brother or sister, but she recognized the signs of an I told you so starting a fight. She’d had them often enough with Jeremy.
    Now that her eyes had adjusted, she could see the tension in John’s face and body movements. He was worried. His wife and daughter, along with his and Brian’s father, were inside the house. All at risk because of her.
    “I didn’t mean to put your family in danger.” She hoped she spoke softly enough that Brian couldn’t hear her from the rafters.
    John had been watching his brother but looked at her, quirking that identical brow in the same way that she adored on her cowboy knight. It didn’t work. No magic tingling shot up her spine.
    “But Brian did put them in danger, whether he meant to or not,” he answered in a strong voice. Brian apparently overheard and responded with another hmph.
    “Was that the reason you were upset this morning? I get it. Brian went against you guys and you think he chose me over his family.”
    “Are you through summarizing things you know nothing about?” He shook his head and looked away like she was entirely off base. Gone was the feeling of playfulness she’d had with Brian. With John, his