Cole’s chin snapped up. His ears rang as he saw that Eva held the gun. “One more move and you’ll regret it, Lynch,” she shouted.
“She’s not joking,” Cole said. He crawled back from the man, even as Lynch moved in on him, making it almost impossible for Eva to get a clean shot. “She can take the wings off a gnat.”
Lynch wheezed out a mocking laugh. He raised his knife. His fingers shook on the hilt. The sharp edge came down at Cole again. Another shot split the air before Cole could feel a thing. Lynch’s knife was no longer in his hand.
Lynch cried out in panic.
Glancing over at Eva, Cole held up a hand to stop her from the nightmare of killing someone. “Wait, one second….” He dragged himself over to Lynch and cracked him across the jaw, knocking him out for good.
West and Eva’s daddy careened around the corner, seconds too late to help, but just in time to see Lynch fall hard to the ground.
“What happened?” West called out. “What’d he do to you?” He hurried to Cole, leaning over Lynch to see the damage.
The man groaned in response.
West glared down at Lynch. “You thought your life was bad before? That was nothing to what we’ll do to you now.”
“Eva!” Her daddy went to her.
She set the gun on the dresser and launched herself into her father’s arms, squeezing his rotund belly around his ugly designer suit.
“Are you okay?” Trout bellowed. “How did I not see that coming? I should’ve had my men on you, watching you day and night. Will you ever forgive me?”
“I’m okay, Daddy.”
Distantly hearing West’s exclamations over his shirt—or strangely, more over the person in it—Cole studied Trout. The guy had to know that his daughter wasn’t some helpless damsel in distress that needed to be locked up in a tower forever to be kept safe. If Cole couldn’t convince him, then he might never see her again.
“She did pretty good for herself,” Cole said. “She saved my life.”
“Did she?” Trout looked proud. The flat line of his lips stretched from ear to ear. Turning to Cole, his glittering eyes seemed to measure his daughter’s latest suitor. “I saw what you did to Lynch, too. Not bad, my boy. You’re West’s brother, aren’t you? You know, I could use someone like you.”
West’s expression darkened.
“Daddy, no.” Eva giggled nervously. She started talking over West, her southern accent thickening her voice. “Cole’s a great guy, but he does really well on his own. He’s a rancher and–and… he loves what he does. He’s a Harvest Ranch man through and through.”
“Sounds like just the kind of guy that I need.”
“How about we talk about this later,” West cut in. His fingers dug into Cole’s shoulder. “I think we need to get my brother to a hospital before my momma sees him like this.”
“Oh, those womenfolk,” Trout said. “They’re always coddling their boys. It’s good for them to see you’ve grown into men.”
“She’s dying, Daddy,” Eva said softly. “That’s why Cole and West are here. Her heart’s failing.”
Trout’s mouth flopped open. Cole felt some grim satisfaction that the news might stop West’s employer from running his brother ragged. Someone had to tell the brutish man, and Cole had a feeling that Trout was the last person West would confide in.
“I thought we arranged for that transplant?” Trout exclaimed.
“It didn’t work,” West grumbled. “It’s only a matter of time before we lose her.”
Trout tugged off his cowboy hat, holding it solemnly over his heart. “I’m sorry to hear that. You get this boy to his momma.” His eyes lit on his daughter. “Eva, say your farewells, darlin’, we’ve got to get you somewhere safe.”
Cole’s stomach dropped. It was just as Eva feared. Her dad was going to put her under lock and key. It wasn’t necessary. Shewassafe… with him. “We took out Lynch,” he said. “You don’t have to take her back with you now.”
“Sorry,” Trout said, “but I won’t rest easy until I get my baby home. I’m sure you understand my concern.”
The rest of his security detail wandered in behind him. They were strong men that looked like blocks of muscle. They must’ve been locking down the perimeters. They brought in another man that Cole didn’t recognize, though that hateful gleam in the lackey’s eyes showed he was likely the one who’d partnered with Lynch at Burro Mine.
“I want you long gone before we call in the authorities,” Trout told Eva. “We’ve got to let them do their job.”