Free Resurrection River: Men of Mercy, Book 2 by Lindsay Cross Page B

arms. The sight of her lips swollen from his kisses, holding Chloe to her chest, filled his chest to the point that he thought it would burst. Ranger placed a hand on his sternum and rubbed the pressure.
    “He got away." Bo approached, out of breath, his voice raspy from running.
    Ranger couldn’t break his gaze from Amy.
    "Is everything okay in here?" Bo continued.
    Don't scare her. Don't take too much, too fast. He had to take it slow. Easy. He turned to see Bo bracing both hands in the doorframe, bent forward sucking in air.
    "Everything is fine here, he didn’t get into the nursery,” Ranger said.
    He sensed Amy's movement and she stepped next to him. Fuck taking it slow. Ranger wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into him.
    "He was at the door." Amy's normally strong voice was weak and wobbly as a newborn colt.
    "I had my gun aimed at the door."
    "I'm so proud of you." Ranger kissed the top of her head. The call was too close. Way too close.
    "Did either of you get a look at his face?" Bo said.
    “He had on a ski mask.” Her voice broke.
    Rage ripped through his veins. Ranger knew exactly who had tried to break into her house. And that was one Mexican that was about to disappear from the planet. "I didn't get a look at his face, but we both know who it was."
    Bo Lawson stood tall, his ice blue eyes as cold as pressed steel. “You don't know it for a fact. I have to collect evidence. Follow the law. You don’t call the shots here.”
    “You want me to sit on my thumbs and wait for the locals while a sex trafficking murderer just tried to get my woman?”
    Bo’s steady gaze didn't flicker. "Don't you mean Shane's woman?"

11

Chapter 11
    A fter thirty minutes of arguing and talking and interviewing, Bo left. Amy fed Chloe and rocked her back to sleep, checked the baby monitor and pulled her door partially shut before walking into the kitchen. Part of her prayed Ranger would leave. The other part prayed he would stay.
    Tonight’s scare honed in just how truly alone she was out here. Her family farm was beautiful. Sprawling. Isolated.
    Amy emerged from the hall, into the living room, and stopped cold. Ranger stood with his back to her, facing the fireplace. The mantle. Shane’s picture and the folded flag from his casket.
    The two men she loved in the same room.
    At least in spirit.
    “Ranger?” She forced herself to speak, the words dry and ashen on her tongue.
    He turned then and the emotion in his eyes nearly floored her. “When you called Bo, when I heard your voice and knew you were in trouble, I couldn’t think.”
    Amy approached him, tentative. She had scared him. Or Santos or whoever that had been in her house had scared them all. “It’s okay. I’m okay. You made it in time.”
    His jaw clenched, his lips formed a hard line. The emotion in his blue eyes changed to anger. “Yes, I did. Barely.” His voice wasn’t ragged with pain anymore. Ranger stormed to her, grabbed her arms. “All because you are too stubborn to let me in.”
    Her own anger rose, but she forced it down. Amy knew he was reacting to the fear. Knew it deep in her heart. “You’re right. I am afraid. I’m afraid of what people will say when they find out about us. I’m afraid of what Mavis will try to do when she finds out.”
    Ranger had refused to back down earlier. He said she was worth fighting for. Well, he was worth it too.
    “When they find out? Find out what? You won’t let me close enough to make anything worth finding.” His words were harsh, but his hands gentled on her arms. His thumbs brushed up and down continuously, rubbing. Teasing.
    “When they found out how I feel about you.” The air left her lungs. She’d said it. She’d admitted it. Now she needed him to fight for her, because she didn’t know if she was strong enough to take it all the way alone.
    “And how do you feel about me?” He wasn’t giving in, he was going to make her say it. “I need to hear the words Amy. I need you to come