Do You Take This Enemy? (15 page)

One morning Ashley hummed as she worked chopping onions and green peppers. A few feet away Ella was in a swing that gently moved back and forth while she played with toys secured to the tray in front of her.

While Ashley chopped food, she glanced out the window and was startled to see Gus approaching the house. One look at the slump in his shoulders and the grim set of his jaw, and her heart missed a beat because something was terribly wrong.

Her first thought was her father, but instantly she knew he was traveling so it couldn't be him. Gabe! Something had happened to Gabe. Grabbing up Ella, Ashley flew out the back door as Gus came across the yard. It was an over-cast, chilly December day, but the cold that gripped her wasn't from the weather.

“What's happened? Is Gabe hurt?”

“No one is hurt,” he said, and she almost shook with relief. Pinpoints of fire were in Gus's eyes, and she realized he was angry along with his bad news.

“What is it, Gus?”

“Your dad is gone.” He hitched his hand in his belt. “Your husband is running cattle on this ranch and he's taking a huge chunk of land to do it. Far more than the quarter you said he'd agreed to. He's had me move the horses—”

For a moment she didn't hear what else Gus was saying because of the buzzing in her head. She became lightheaded while pain stabbed through her.

Gabe had broken his promises. He was taking over the
ranch and changing it without telling her or discussing it. Betrayal ripped through her, hurting so badly, she almost doubled over.

“How long ago did he start doing this?” she asked, still not hearing what Gus was telling her.

“Ashley, I'm sure as hell sorry. Do you want to go inside where it's warmer and you can sit down?”

“Come in,” she said, thinking she should offer him a cup of coffee. “Come have coffee.”

They walked in silence to the kitchen. By this time Ella was dozing. “Pour yourself a cup, Gus, while I put the baby down for her morning nap.”

While she carried Ella to bed, fury and hurt battled in her.
How could he?
The question ran through her mind over and over as she placed Ella in her crib and left the room. She went to the bedroom she shared with Gabe, looking at the bed and thinking of all the hours of lovemaking and talk they shared at night. She was so close to him, so in love with him. And all the time he had gone behind her back and broken his promises to use only a quarter of their land. His word was worthless.

She was furious and hurt, beyond any hurt she had had in Chicago. He had betrayed her trust. Gabe was after the Triple R. Uncle Dusty had been right.

She thought of Julian, traveling with her dad. How could Gabe do this? Their lives were so entwined, but maybe that's what he had counted on. She was in his bed, loving him while he was getting everything he wanted, including the Triple R.

She ran her fingers across her forehead, remembering she had left Gus waiting in the kitchen.

Hurrying back to the kitchen, she found Gus seated at the kitchen table with a cup of steaming black coffee in front of him. She got cookies from the cookie jar, placing them on a plate in front of him. Then she pulled out a chair and sat facing him.

“Where are the cattle?” she asked.

She listened as he told her that they were in sections all along the ranch border spreading out toward the center of the ranch. Far enough away that her father would not be likely to see them.

“He did this while Dad was gone,” she said woodenly.

“He started before that, but your dad isn't all over the ranch as often since Gabe stepped in. He hasn't needed to be and that's been better for your dad.”

“Better for Gabe. What's he said to you about the cattle?”

A muscle worked in Gus's jaw. “He said it was okay with you and Quinn.”

She rubbed her forehead again. “How could Gabe do that behind our backs?”

“Ashley, I'm sorry. Now when Quinn gets home, I have an obligation to tell him.”

“I'll tell him,” she said, looking into Gus's angry face. “You'll have to talk to him, too, but I'll tell him. And before he gets home, I'll tell Gabe to get his cattle off of our land,” she said angrily.

“He may and he may not. I don't think you have much recourse if he doesn't want to.”

“I want to take care of this, Gus, before Dad gets home Sunday.”

“Ashley, anything you want me to do, I will. If you want me to get those cattle off this land, I'll do it, but if Gabe wants to get the sheriff out here, then there's little any of us can do. You're married now and this ranch is his, too.”

“He'll get those cattle off our land, Gus,” she said harshly, thinking of the old feud that might burst into existence before sundown.

Gus stood, crossing to the sink to rinse his cup. “I'll get back to work. You want me, you know I have my pager.”

She went to the door to see him out. She watched him stride away and her gaze slid past him to the sprawling land beyond him. Gabe was out there somewhere. He usu
ally called her several times during the day, but now she didn't want to talk to him over the phone.

“How could you do this?” she asked the empty kitchen, seeing Gabe as if he were present.

Her fists were clenched. Had he known all along that's exactly what he intended to do? That thought hurt the most.

The day passed in a fog. In the afternoon she put Ella into her carrier, buckled it into the pickup and drove out to see for herself, her thoughts seething all the time. She had walked into this paper marriage and then into his arms and bed willingly, so gullible and trusting.

She hurt all over as if she were bruised everywhere, yet it was only her heart that was bruised.

On a high hill she parked beneath a tall oak and climbed out, taking binoculars with her. She stood looking over a vast spread of their land and her hurt intensified. She couldn't guess how many head of cattle she was viewing. It looked like all the cattle Gabe owned had been moved to her ranch. As her gaze swept the area, she saw men on horses, separating some of the cattle.

Gabe was easy to spot. Although she could see him, she raised the binoculars, brought him into focus so he looked only yards away.

He sat tall in the saddle, his black Stetson squarely on his head as he rode in the mingling herd. She was unaware of the hot tears that rolled down her cheeks or the angry trembling that shook her. Nothing had ever hurt her as this did. Nor had anything ever made her as angry.

What a fool she had been! Yet even the sight of him now made her pulse jump and her breath catch. He had seduced her and tricked her and deceived her. And she loved him with all her heart, yet she couldn't live with this because it would hurt her father. Her stomach churned and she lost what food she had eaten earlier that morning.

That evening, after getting Ella to bed, Ashley sat in the kitchen, her thoughts seething, waiting for Gabe to get home.

Losing Gabe hurt incredibly. Losing Julian added to the terrible pain, but she wasn't going to accept what Gabe had done and let him take the ranch and hurt her father.

She heard Gabe's footsteps on the porch. He was late, which was just as well.

The back door swung opened and he strode into the room and stopped as he closed the door behind him. His eyes narrowed.

“What's wrong, Ashley? Where's Ella? Are Julian and Quinn all right?”

“A
ll of them are fine,” she answered evenly.

“Well, something sure as hell is wrong,” he said, hanging his hat on a hook and tossing his denim jacket over a chair. He wore a long-sleeved blue plaid Western shirt beneath the jacket. “What's the matter?” Switching on a light, he stood facing her with his hands on his hips.

She came to her feet, her fury mushrooming. “What's the matter is you've broken your promise to me. You're running cattle all over this ranch.”

“Is that all?”

“All?” She shook, clenching her fists at her sides. “You promised me that you would use only a quarter of the Triple R.”

“It's just cattle, Ashley. I was going to tell you and I'm sorry I didn't.”

“You're taking the Triple R from us!”

“I'm not taking anything! Ashley, you're overreacting.
I should have told you, but I thought we were sharing all this.”

“Dammit! You don't mean sharing. You mean you thought you could step in and grab everything. You've talked me into your bed and now you've got everything you wanted.”

“Look, I think you were willing to get into my bed. And I didn't think I was taking anything from you.”

“You promised me you wouldn't make changes without telling me.”

“I said I was sorry, but cattle have been the last thing on my mind when I got home the past few weeks.”

“If that isn't a fast-talking hustler, I don't know what is! I'm not having my dad come home to this. Get those animals off this land tomorrow!”

Gabe's eyes narrowed. “That's ridiculous.”

“No, it's not. This is my land, and I want your cows off it.”

“Can I wash up and then can we sit down and discuss this like rational people? Where's Ella?”

“She's down for the night. And no, there really isn't much to discuss. Gabe, I want every Brant animal off our land by this time tomorrow night.”

“Look, I've bought a lot more cattle and I need more room and I thought that was understood and part of the deal.”

“No. It wasn't understood. Don't tell me now that I'm supposed to
understand
the changes you're making to our ranch. It definitely wasn't any part of the deal. Just the opposite. You weren't supposed to do this.”

“Well, how about giving me a little longer than twenty-four hours? Don't you think that's unreasonable?”

“No more unreasonable than you breaking your promise. I trusted you!”

“Well, hell. I don't think I've broken any promise except to tell you about the cattle and I explained why I didn't do that. You're overreacting and you're being unreasonable.”

“No. I'm protecting my family's land and rights. Today you have cattle on our ranch. Tomorrow you'll get rid of a lot of the horses. You'll bring more cattle and suddenly, you're running this ranch and horses are gone.”

“That isn't what I intend at all.”

“I can't believe you. I was foolish to trust you, so gullible, believing everything you said, falling in love with you—”

“If you were really in love with me, I don't think you'd act so unreasonably now, and I don't think you can turn love off in less than a few hours.”

“Don't talk to me about love or trust or reason,” she cried, furious with him and wanting to pound on his chest. Yet she stood still, trembling slightly as she glared at him. “You get those cattle out of here and you get yourself out of here.”

He inhaled swiftly. “Just like that, Ashley? After all we had—”

“All we had was an illusion! I trusted you and you know how important that was to me. The most important thing. And you destroyed that trust.” She shook with anger. She kept her voice even and kept her control, but she wanted to scream at him and throw things.

“All I've done is bring some cattle over on this ranch. You're ending our marriage and throwing me out over that?”

“You're damned right I am,” she snapped.

“All right. You want me out of here—I'm out. I'll get the cattle as fast as I can.”

“You get them completely off this land before my father gets home.”

“If you think he's going to be happy with what you've done, you're dead wrong.”

“I know my father better than you do.”

“Maybe you don't. I'm working with him daily and he tells me things he doesn't want to worry you with.”

“Don't you dare tell me that he said you could bring all those herds on our ranch.”

“No, he didn't because I didn't ask him. I didn't think it was necessary to ask either one of you.”

“Just try to answer me honestly—have you gotten rid of any of the horses? You promised to leave them alone.”

He glared at her. “That's not fair, Ashley. There was a reason to get rid of the ones I did. Your dad has bought and sold horses all his life. He didn't expect me to keep the status quo and never sell a horse.”

“How many have you bought since we got married?”

“I haven't bought any, but that doesn't mean I won't sometime.”

“How many have you sold?”

“Look, that isn't fair.”

“Answer me.”

“I've sold eight. They needed to be sold. Your father doesn't want to work with them like he once did.”

“Save your excuses. I don't believe them, either. Uncle Dusty was oh, so right.”

“I wondered how long before you'd throw that at me,” he said. His dark eyes were filled with fire. “It looks to me like where I made a mistake was in thinking we had a real marriage. I trusted you about that, Ashley.”

“Get out, Gabe. Just get out. When you want to move your things, you let me know. I'll make arrangements so I won't have to be here.”

“Fine,” he snapped and jammed his hat on his head, yanked up his jacket and slammed out of the house. In minutes she heard his pickup roar to life and then it faded away. Sitting down, she folded her arms on the table and put her head down to cry, still suffering both hurt and anger, knowing that her marriage had just ended and she had lost Gabe and Julian.

Yet she knew she was right. If she had let him talk her into accepting what he had done, it was a step toward tak
ing over completely and she couldn't imagine how that would hurt her father.

She went upstairs to her old room, avoiding the room she had shared with Gabe, trying to stop the memories that plagued her and hearing his arguments swirl in her thoughts. Most of all, she wanted to protect her father. At this point in his life, he didn't need to fight to keep his horse ranch.

She sat by the window thinking that if it weren't for her father, she might feel differently. That, and the fact that Gabe had broken his promise to tell her if he made changes. Yet, how earnest he had sounded. But then he always did when he was trying to talk her into something.

“Gabe,” she whispered, “why?”

 

Gabe sat at a bar at a roadside honky-tonk twenty miles from his ranch. He nursed his third beer morosely, running off anyone who tried to talk to him; no one had attempted that for over an hour now. He didn't want to go home to an empty house that held sad memories. He didn't want to be alone. He wanted Ashley. No matter how unreasonable she was being, he loved her and he wanted her.

A Western tune played on the jukebox, and several men played pool in one corner. Only one other person sat at the bar, and he was at the far end from Gabe.

“Cowboy, it's time to go home.”

Gabe looked around to see Josh Kellogg sit down beside him.

“What are you doing here at this hour?” Gabe asked. “I didn't think you hit the bars much.”

“Don't. I heard you were here.”

“Tank? He was in here earlier and saw me.”

“Yep and he's worried about you, so he called me.”

“I don't need a nanny, Josh. Go home.”

“Where's your wife?” Josh asked.

“She threw me out.” Gabe took a long drink of beer
and set the bottle down, glancing at Josh. “Just like that, it's over.”

“Come on. I'll go home with you, and you can tell me about it,” Josh said.

“I don't want to talk to anyone, and I can get myself home.”

“You always were as stubborn as a mule. You can tell me, and it'll help. Maybe you need some marriage counseling.”

Gabe couldn't keep from smiling. “You would be the last person on earth to be a marriage counselor. What you know about women would fit in this bottle and leave a lot of room for beer.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, what I know about someone hurting is plenty, so let's get going. Do I have to drag you out, or are you coming on your own steam?”

“It isn't worth fighting you for.” Gabe said, sliding off the barstool and walking out with Josh, knowing he had to go home sometime, so he might as well do it and get it over with. Better get used to it before Julian got home.

At Gabe's pickup he turned to his friend. “Thanks, buddy. Your intentions are good, even if unwanted and annoying.”

“Give me your keys.”

“I'm cold sober.”

“Yeah, and I'm ten feet tall. Give me the keys.”

“Here,” Gabe said in disgust, handing over his keys, not wanting to fight his best friend. And he knew Josh well enough to know he would fight. Josh slid behind the wheel of Gabe's pickup and they drove in silence halfway to the ranch.

“She threw me out over a bunch of cows. She thinks I'm taking her ranch from her.”

“Are you?”

“I thought since we were married, that we were sharing all of it.”

“How important are those cows?”

Gabe was silent, staring at the dark night and missing Ashley. “I love her,” he said, looking out the window and forgetting he was talking to Josh.

“Did you tell her that?” Josh asked.

“She knows I love her.”

“That's not like telling someone.”

“Are you going to do this all the way home?”

“Nope. I'll shut up, but I hate to see you hurt again.”

Gabe rode in silence and to his relief, Josh stayed silent. At the ranch Josh came in with him.

“No one has been in this house for awhile. I'll light a fire, and it'll get the musty smell out.”

“You'll set yourself on fire. I'll light it. Want me to get some guys and help you move your cows?”

“Nope. We can do it.”

“You know, I almost want to punch you myself,” Josh said, glaring at Gabe. “What hacks me about this is I swore to Ashley that she could trust you to keep your word. Now it sounds to me like you didn't do that. Did you make a liar out of me?”

Gabe shot him a look. “Go to hell, Josh. Or at least go home.”

“So you did. Well, dammit. That takes the cake. Now I owe her a big apology.”

Gabe remained silent, staring at the flames roaring in the fireplace and still seeing Ashley, knowing that all day long he had expected to come home to dinner with her and love her into the early hours. Instead, his marriage had crashed and burned.

“I do love her, Josh,” he said almost an hour later. He glanced at his friend to see Josh stretched on the sofa, boots pulled off, hands folded on his chest as he slept.

“I love her a hell of a lot,” he said softly, sinking lower in his chair. “More than a bunch of stinking cows.” He
wanted her. He glanced at the phone, but knew calling her wouldn't do him any good. He had to get his cattle off her land and then make some decisions.

Four nights later, Saturday, Gabe ate at the bunkhouse with his men. Josh and two of his men had helped and they ate with them. Afterwards, Josh walked up to the house with him. At Josh's pickup, Gabe turned to shake hands with him. “Thanks for helping me. We got it done, and my cows are home. Now I've got to move my things and Julian's home.”

“Try to talk to her again, Gabe.”

“I don't think it will do any good.”

“Never know until you try. Let me know if you need more help.”

As Josh drove off, Gabe went into the empty house. Tomorrow Julian would be home.

Gabe hurt, missing Ashley and wanting her. Ashley had been unreasonable, furious and lashing out at him, and he had been angry in turn. He raked his fingers through his hair and moved restlessly.

He missed Ashley and he missed Ella. He wanted to see his baby, and he wanted to be with his wife.

He should have told Ashley what he was doing, but it had never occurred to him that she would feel threatened by it. He had simply assumed that they would share both ranches. And Quinn had made it clear that he couldn't continue working as much as he had before.

Gabe hadn't slept last night and he didn't see much hope for tonight. He missed his wife, and didn't want it to end this way.

 

Ashley fed Ella and put her to bed. She had talked on the phone each night to Julian and Quinn. She didn't want to tell her father about Gabe until he was home. She didn't want to upset his trip, because it sounded as if they were all having a wonderful time. And she wasn't ready to hear a lot of “I told you so's” from her uncle.

Sunday evening, when Quinn and Julian arrived home, Gabe came over to get his son. The moment Gabe stepped out of his pickup, Ashley's heart lurched. In his jeans and a navy sweater, he looked incredibly handsome, and she longed for what they'd had. Yet beneath her longing was a hot thread of anger. He looked purposeful, just as he had looked the first few times he had come to the ranch, yet even so, she had to fight the urge to run and throw herself into his arms.

His dark gaze met hers. While she drew a swift breath, her insides clutched and she hurt badly. Her father and Julian were too busy to notice. Julian ran to Gabe's arms and then Gabe and Quinn were shaking hands.

When Julian ran to her and she picked him up, her head swam.
Her son.
That's how she thought of Julian now. Hot tears stung her eyes, and she squeezed Julian. She didn't want to lose him, and she knew he needed her. Pain enveloped her, and she opened her eyes to meet Gabe's hard stare.