Protecting Their Child Read Online Free Page B

body close enough to touch her leg. She wished she could brush his smooth cheek with her fingers. His left hand landed on her thigh and gave her a comforting pat. “Stay low and get out of here as fast as possible. Don’t look back.”
    “I’m not leaving you behind.” She pulled tight on the reins, holding the sorrel under her in check, searching Cord’s eyes to see if he was saying goodbye.
    He’d done that before and she’d refused to let him die on her.
    “Leave. Your job’s to protect the...the baby.” He tapped the horse’s rump and she skittishly jumped forward.
    One last look at the father of her child, then she clicked at Candy and they flew.
    As fast as her horse could cover the hills stretching in front of them, she put more and more distance behind her. The riding was hard. Slumping low in her saddle wasn’t the easiest, most comfortable way to ride. How she wished she’d heeded Cord’s need to hurry. What price was she going to pay for the foolish sentimental value of a Dutch oven?
    “Come on, Candy girl, get us out of here.”
    She heard the pop. She knew what it was. Knew the long echo of the sound bouncing through the low hills to the far canyon walls. She’d heard it for the first time when she was six years old and her father had taught her which end of a gun was what.
    She waited.
    “Come on, Cord.”
    Candy kept moving forward, and Kate twisted in her saddle, looking.
    No one followed. Then, after what seemed an eternity...more gunfire.
    “Daddy’s alive, munchkin. Just delayed while he kicks some ass.”

Chapter Three
    No fire. No camp. No Cord.
    Kate searched behind her, confident that Cord could follow the trail she’d left. If he were following. If he weren’t injured. If he weren’t dead.
    “Dumb, Kate,” she whispered, her breath forming a little fog in front of her. She couldn’t let herself think that way. Of course Cord was on his way. He’d make certain he wasn’t being followed and when he saw the trail veer off, he’d make certain no one else would see where he’d headed.
    The clear, beautiful night did nothing to calm her nerves. Stars shone in the midnight black, but not having even a sliver of the moon made seeing difficult. She took a deep calming breath of chilled air. She’d done it a thousand other times during her life in West Texas. Just like camping, riding, shooting and waiting.
    She should have stayed to help. But the scared look in Cord’s eyes made her let him jump into action while she ran. He wasn’t thinking of himself, just her and their child. What if...
    “I will not let my imagination run all over the country. He’ll be here,” she whispered to the baby, her hand searching for it under her coat. “He’ll know where to come.”
    Deviating from the plan to go to the lodge seemed right. Once the gunfire stopped, she couldn’t bring herself to potentially lead anyone following her straight to the only safety net they may have left. They needed that radio. One night in the open cold couldn’t kill her, but being trapped by Serna’s men certainly would.
    Candy whinnied. Short and sweet, as if calling to another horse. Kate quickly stood, pulled the saddle girth, draped the reins over the sorrel’s neck and mounted. All the while searching the darkness for a white Stetson. The rifle was in her hands, safety off before she thought twice. She heard movement just below her, but still couldn’t see anything—or anyone.
    She’d chosen a spot a horse couldn’t reach easily. Familiar to her and Cord. He’d proposed here. Under the stars, a brilliant, clear summer night that seemed lifetimes ago.
    “You really need to stop talking to yourself.” Cord’s voice cut through the silence. She saw his short brown hair pop up behind their rock. “Heard you clear at the bottom of the trail.”
    She dismounted Candy and looped her reins around the bottom of some scrub, keeping the rifle in her other hand. Not wanting to talk about her concern for