Protecting Her Daughter (Wrangler's Corner) Read Free Page A

giving you something that could poke an eye out.” Aaron hesitated then snagged his cell phone from the clip on his belt and released that, as well. From her position behind him, she could see the tension in the set of his shoulders and prayed he didn’t do anything that would cause one of the men to shoot him. Or her. “What kind of business?” Aaron asked.
    “Shut up.” Pete looked at his partner. “Now what?”
    “Tie him up,” the partner said. He eyed Aaron. “Anyone know you’re here?”
    “Several people know I’m coming out here on a regular basis to check on one of the heifers ready to deliver any day now.” He stayed still while Pete used duct tape to secure his hands behind him.
    The partner shoved the gun at him. “Let me rephrase the question. Anyone know you’re here right now?”
    “No, but when I don’t show up for dinner, my family will be looking for me.”
    Zoe stayed still, listening, feeling Sophia’s heart beat against her side. Her rapid heartbeat. Zoe looked closer and saw the sweat on her daughter’s forehead. She lifted Sophia’s chin and looked in her eyes. She stood. “My daughter needs some food.”
    “Shut up and sit down,” the partner said without taking his eyes from Aaron.
    Zoe stayed put. “My child needs sugar in her system. She has diabetes. Her sugar is dropping, and I need to give her something sweet. Now.” She tried to keep her voice steady and firm. She failed miserably on the steady part. She lifted her chin and met Pete’s eyes when he finally turned them on her. “She could die and while I don’t think you care if I do, for some reason you want her alive.”
    The man’s eyes narrowed, and he stared at her as though trying to figure out if she was telling the truth or not.
    Zoe wanted to scream. Instead, she clamped down on her emotions and pointed at Sophia. “Look at her. Sweating, rapid pulse, lethargy. If we don’t regulate her blood sugar, she could faint and go into a coma.”
    For a moment he simply studied her. “Fine. Get her something, but Cody’s going to be watching you. You try to get a knife or something, and you’ll pay, you understand?”
    “I understand. I just want to get her some orange juice.” Zoe turned to Sophia. “Stay right here. I’ll be back in a second.”
    “No, Mom—”
    “Shh. You need some sugar. Do as I say, sweetie.” She tried to comfort Sophia while watching the man with the gun. His impatience escalated, and she backed toward the kitchen. Sophia’s lower lip trembled.
    Aaron moved closer to Sophia. “It’ll be a bit awkward, but you can hold my hand, honey. Your mom will be right back.”
    Sophia’s eyes darted back and forth between her mother and Aaron, and she nodded. Zoe suspected she was feeling a bit dizzy as she simply laid her head against the back of the couch and shut her eyes.
    Zoe moved toward the kitchen, not wanting to leave Sophia, but knowing the man beside her baby was an honorable one—at least according to everything she’d heard about him during the short time she’d been in town—and wouldn’t let anyone hurt Sophia if at all possible.
    Zoe acted fast. She could feel Cody’s eyes on her, watching, waiting for her to make a wrong move. She grabbed the orange juice from the refrigerator and a glass from the cabinet. Her hands were shaking so hard she was afraid she’d spill the liquid. She stopped for a second and took a calming breath.
    Then she picked up the carton and poured the juice into the glass. Sophia didn’t usually have a problem with her diabetes when she ate right, got her exercise and did what she was supposed to do, but it had been a stressful few weeks and her body was reacting to it. This situation definitely wasn’t helping.
    Zoe hurried back into the den and over to Sophia. “Here, honey, drink this.”
    Sophia wrapped her hand around the glass while Zoe helped her. Her daughter drank the juice while Zoe’s eyes met Aaron’s. His shoulders gave a