Passion to Protect Read Free Page A

automatically turned to wildlife on the move, so he slipped a bear spray holster onto his belt just in case.
    Stashing a few energy bars in the pouch, he quickly called Micah Fortney, a longtime hotshot firefighter. Getting no answer, Jake settled for leaving a detailed voice mail explaining where he was heading and why. It was probably for the best that Micah hadn’t picked up, because he knew his old friend would give him holy hell for going out at night with a half-hysterical woman in tow. But nothing would convince Liane to stay at home while he rode out to find her family. She would only follow in his wake, giving him one more missing person to worry about.
    A missing person he couldn’t help but care for, no matter how clear she’d made it that she didn’t want his company.
    He grabbed a jacket against the chill that stole over the mountain nights even in late August, then shoved both his phone and a rechargeable two-way radio left over from his firefighting days into the pockets. After locking up the cabin, he made his way back to the corral...
    ...only to find that Liane had already gone, taking both the pinto mare and Misty.
    Left behind just as he’d been, the river of horses continued milling restlessly, causing him to wonder whether the animals were still worked up over Liane’s panic, or did they sense, as he did, that the worst was yet to come?
    * * *
    Liane knew Jake would be hurt that she had left him, but as she negotiated the easier portion of the lower trail, she couldn’t allow herself to worry about the man who served as an unwelcome reminder of the worst decisions of her life. Still, an image blazed up before her of the stiff-necked pride written in his deep brown eyes and etched into his chiseled features. Wounded pride, when she’d brought up his injury.
    Despite how often she’d seen him running lately, she couldn’t imagine he was up to this night ride, no matter how brave and confident he’d sounded, how quick he’d been to take charge. But the more she tried to convince herself she was better off without him, the more she longed for someone, anyone, she could lean on, if only for tonight.
    An image formed in her mind of another tall, strong man, this one standing over her to take aim....A crack of thunder had her flinching with the memory, an old nightmare carved from shadow. A nightmare that served as another unwelcome reminder of the high price she’d paid for trusting the wrong man with the things most precious to her.
    A thin branch slapped across her cheekbone, a stinging whiplash that had her hissing through her teeth and hauling back on the reins. The realization that she could easily have lost an eye brought home the point Jake had been trying to get through to her. She could end up hurt or even dead out here, with no chance of help for either herself or her family until morning.
    A shaggy, four-legged form emerged from the undergrowth ahead. Whining, Misty took a few steps forward, then circled back, as if encouraging Liane to hurry.
    Liane nudged the pinto with her heels and followed the dog. A great favorite of the trail ride customers, the shepherd often accompanied her father on his trips, her long legs and incredible endurance allowing her to keep up with the horses. Even in the dark, the dog’s experience and eagerness to see her beloved master would allow her to pick up the familiar trail.
    Imagining their reunion, with Misty leaping up to lick Dad’s face, then racing around Cody and Kenzie in happy circles, Liane managed to slow her breathing, to focus her thoughts as she’d been taught, on the most positive of outcomes rather than imagining all manner of disaster.
    The technique seemed to be working, until another clap of thunder echoed off the rocks around her and she finally allowed herself to admit what she was smelling.
    As the first faint wisps of wood smoke filtered among the trunks and understory bushes, the pinto pranced sideways and nickered.
    More worried