Untouched Read Free Page A

hell beat out of him, that’s for sure.”
    It had been an ugly sight. Quinn had been there, watching from the gates, when Cade had taken a fall off his horse, who had been spooked beyond reason, stomping and bucking. And unfortunately, Cade had been trapped beneath the animal at the time.
    It was the worst injury he’d seen in his years on the circuit. It had left everyone there with a sick feeling in the pit of their stomachs.
    But Quinn’s sick feeling had stayed. Because when the spike was found beneath the horse’s saddle, and when inquiries were made, Cade had pointed his finger at Quinn.
    True, he’d never liked the bastard. Cade was the golden boy on the circuit. Mr. Good Time. Every buckle bunny was on him after events, every sponsor was after him for an endorsement. And all that was fine, because Quinn attracted his own women. The all-American good-time boy was nice for some. But some women liked dark and dangerous, and he wasn’t above catering to that. And as for endorsements, he frankly had a fortune on his hands now that his father was dead.
    The man commonly billed as his father, anyway. Though Quinn, and everyone else in his family, knew differently. Whether they’d ever speak it out loud or not.
    He didn’t need any of what Cade Mitchell had, no matter what anyone thought. And while Quinn had never been a particularly nice son of a bitch, even he had his limits. If Cade had taken a swing at him in a bar fight, Quinn would have knocked teeth out of his head and made that million-dollar face a lot less valuable.
    Even he had enough . . . pride? Conscience? Something. He wouldn’t just ambush a man, especially when the move would injure an animal like this one had. The horse was fine, but it had been reacting to pure, biting pain.
    Quinn might not like Cade, but he had no beef with the horse he was riding.
    Bottom line, Quinn was a bastard. Cade knew it, the Rodeo Association knew it. Hell, the man commonly called his father knew it too, though he meant bastard in the more traditional sense of the word. Everyone else just thought he was a prick. But not matter how big of a prick he was, he wouldn’t do what he’d been accused of.
    And the accusation had damn well ruined his life. Taken his credibility, taken the only thing he’d ever cared about.
    Barred from competition. For life.
    Damn it to hell, he had to fix that. He had to prove it wasn’t his fault. All of his appeals so far had been denied. Apparently, he needed evidence. He closed his eyes and felt a cold sweat on his back, the memory of his last hearing playing through his mind, more terrifying than the times he’d stood trial in court as a teenager.
    I need evidence? Show me your evidence.
    This ain’t a court a law, Mr. Parker. We don’t need evidence. All these men here, bein’ of sound mind, have come to a unanimous decision based on the testimony of Mr. Cade Mitchell.
    He opened his eyes again and looked around at the cabin. Things were definitely starting to come together. A whole lot of things.
    “I’m going to have a little job for you coming up, Sam,” he said.
    “Oh, really?” The other man straightened and crossed his arms over his broad chest.
    “You and Jill, actually.”
    Sam’s expression tightened. “All right.”
    “I’m going to send you on all-expenses-paid vacation to Elk Haven Stables.”
    “That’s the Mitchell ranch, yeah?”
    “Yessir. If Cade Mitchell has exaggerated his injuries in any way, it will be pretty clear pretty quick. If I show my face over there, he won’t drop his guard.”
    “I thought you wanted him to know you were here.”
    “I do. And he will. But he doesn’t need to know you work for me. And on his ranch he’s bound to be relaxed. Just for the first week, at least, I want you and Jill there pretending you’re on an anniversary trip.”
    “Won’t we need a reservation?”
    “You have one. Mark called it in.”
    “He’s a helpful sumbitch, ain’t he?”
    Sam was