A Real Cowboy Always Protects by Stephanie Rowe

Chapter Fourteen

Several hours later,Logan stood at the edge of Chase's yard, watching the chaos.

It had been a long time since he'd been in town for a Stockton family brunch. It used to be whatever brothers were in town. Him. Chase. Maybe Travis or Ryder. Brothers who carried the curse of their piece-of-shit father like a poison in their blood. Brothers who had sworn a lifetime commitment that they would stand by each other no matter what, that no one else would ever be invited into their world.

Now? He didn't know where that poison had gone for his brothers, because it seemed to have vanished.

Kids everywhere. Wives. Brody and Keegan Hart, who were brothers of Maddox's wife, Hannah. Even the colors had changed. As a kid, he and his brother Quintin had been the only ones with skin that had any hint of brown. Now? Almost half of his nieces and nephews were assorted shades of brown, many adopted. In fact, as far as he knew, he could think of only one or two of his nieces and nephews who were biologically related to both parents.

It didn't surprise him. The Stockton boys had so many different mothers that they'd learned early on that family had nothing to do with blood, and everything to do with the soul. It made sense that as adults, they'd add kids to the family no matter where they came from.

It felt right, for the Stockton name to be expanding like it was. But that didn't change the fact that so many spouses and kids created a circus. Not a bad circus. Just one Logan didn't fit into anymore, not that he ever did. Everyone there was his family, but he didn't even know how to talk to them.

The one that he couldn't wrap his head around the most was Zane. His brother had been a recluse. And now? He was at the pool, swimming with his two sons, as well as Chase and Mira's kids. Holding the two little boys of Chase's, his huge, rebel brother looked like a complete contradiction.

Logan watched Zane's face as he played with the kids. His brother was happy. There was genuine joy in his smile, in his eyes. There was so much laughter. Joy. Things that had never been a part of their childhood, or their lives.

Envy flickered through Logan. He was always so deeply submerged in his life that he never thought about whether he was happy or not. But as he stood there, watching his brothers, he knew he never smiled the way they were—

He heard Skylar's laughter, and his gaze shifted to her, as it had every few seconds throughout the morning. She was only a few yards away, talking with a couple of his sisters-in-law. They were clustered around her, laughing, chatting, drawing her into their family, exactly as he'd known they would.

He watched as Taylor said something to Skylar that made the women burst out laughing.

He found himself grinning as he watched Skylar. Unlike his family, her brightness held his demons at bay, pushing them into the vault he tried to keep them in. Skylar seemed to fit him, and she also fit his family. He didn't understand how that was possible, but it appeared to be the case.

He was glad she was smiling. The shadows in her eyes were haunting him something fierce. He didn't like that he'd dragged her into his hell.

And she'd been married? He wanted to know more. He needed to know more.

The sunlight was glinting off Skylar's hair, making it shimmer and glisten. She'd ditched her sweatshirt for a tank top, her leggings for shorts. Her legs were curvy and tempting. Her body---

Shit. He dragged his gaze off her and stared out across the yard. What the hell was he doing, fantasizing about her? He glanced at her again, and this time, she was watching him. She held out her hand to him, inviting him into the circle, but he shook his head.

He had no idea how to jump into a circle of women and talk, even if they were his family.

His place was on the edge, in the shadows. It was where he belonged. It was where he needed to be. In his work. In his life.

Not in the sunlight.

Never in the sunlight.

Chase looked like his soul had shattered in half, and that was not all right with Mira. "Zane? Can you watch the boys for a bit? I need to chat with Chase for a few minutes."

Her brother-in-law nodded. "We're good. Got a good game of pool ball going."

"Great!" She waved at Alexander and J.J., then turned and jogged across the yard to where Chase was leaning against a tree, his arms folded across his chest, alone. Her husband was never alone at their family functions. He was always in the middle of everything, feeding off the joy of the big family that he'd brought together.

His gaze shifted to her as she walked up. Determination settled in her when she saw the pain in his eyes. Whatever demon had dared to wrap its nasty little claws around her husband's throat was going to get its ass kicked right now.

"Hey, love." She held out her hands, and smiled when he reached for her. She kissed him lightly, but she could feel his attention was trapped by shadows. "What's going on?"

He shook his head once. "Later."

"Nope. Now." Still holding his hand, she started backing toward the barn.

He smiled. "We have guests." But he followed her.

"They aren't guests. They're family." At her words, the smile faded again. "Come on. I'll race you." She dropped his hand and took off in a sprint toward the barn.

"Mira—"

She ran harder, grinning as she did it.

He swore, and then she heard him start running. He was fast, but she had a big head start. As she neared the barn, she heard him closing in, and she pressed as hard as she could the last few yards—

He burst past her and slapped his hand on the door of the first stall, laughing. "You'll never beat me."

She hit the wall, and stopped, gasping for air as she laughed. "I let you win. Your male ego is so fragile."

Their newest horse, a midnight black beauty named Snowflake, popped her head out of the door, her white-tipped ears curious. She'd been in such tough shape when she'd arrived, but she was already filling out, and her wounds were healing. Mira had already decided to keep her. She was too sweet to let go.

Mira opened Snowflake's door and slipped inside. "Come on, Chase."

He followed her, latching the door behind him as they headed toward the back corner of the stall. The shavings smelled like freshly cut wood, and the hay was vibrant and aromatic. The minute they were behind Snowflake, Chase caught Mira around the waist and pinned her up against the wall.

She grinned and draped her hands behind his neck as he bent his head and kissed her. The kiss was intense and passionate, as it always was. Time had only increased their need for each other, not lessened it.

He leaned into her, his corded body hard and familiar against hers. For a moment, she settled into the kiss, in the tenderness of his lips, in the fiercely protective way he held her hips. Always safe with him. Always loved. And always needed.

"Chase," she finally whispered against his mouth. "What's wrong?"

He paused the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. "Logan."

She'd suspected as much. "You don't like Skylar? She seems lovely. And the way they look at each other makes it clear how much they care about each other. I'm sure you guys will all be able to keep her safe." Chase and Logan had called all the adults in for a meeting when everyone had arrived, leaving the older kids to watch the younger ones. It had been agreed to have Skylar and Logan set up at the River House, but everyone was on alert.

Chase pulled back. "I know we'll protect them."

She frowned. "Then what's wrong?"

He sighed and brushed the hair back from his face. "Logan. He's not coming back. Not ever. I can see it in his eyes. He told me things today…" He met her gaze, his eyes filled with such anguish that Mira felt her own heart break for him. "He's too broken, Mira. He can't get past it. I see it now. He's in the CIA, and he said it's the only thing that helps him. Killing bad guys, I guess helps."

Mira let out her breath. The CIA? She so wanted to explore that, but it wasn't the issue that was breaking her husband. "All of you Stocktons believe you can't be saved. Until you meet the right woman, none of you have hope. But he's got Skylar now. Love heals, and she isn't afraid of what he is."

"They're not engaged."

She blinked. "What?"

"Not even dating. She's his neighbor. He got her shot at accidentally, so he feels obligated to keep her safe while his team hunts down the assassin." He looked at her, his eyes dead with the loss of hope that had driven him for so long. "He'll never try, Mira. He'll never let a woman in."

Mira thought about that, and then she looked up at her husband. "That's what he believes. Don't get sucked into his negativity."

"You weren't there. You didn't hear him—"

"I was there. I saw the way he kissed her. I saw the way he couldn't take his gaze off her, the way he followed every move she made as you guys were talking."

Chase frowned. "Because he's protecting her."

"With his kiss? In our living room?" When Chase continued to frown, she sighed. "I also saw the way she leaned into him. She watches him equally as closely. For heaven's sake, did he really have to decide that being engaged was their best cover?"

"No," Chase said slowly. "He didn't."

"Right?" She cocked her head. "How long have they known each other? Two years?"

Chase nodded. "That's what he said."

Mira grinned. "Well, I think that despite his best efforts, Logan has let a woman in, but he's not willing to admit it. And he's going to run from it as soon as he can." She gently poked him in the stomach. "I seem to recall another Stockton who took some convincing that the woman he'd decided to protect was the woman who could save his soul."

A small smile finally quirked at the corner of his mouth. "It did take some convincing."

"It took me living down the hall from you, sharing your house, and being my charming, adorable self in every inch of your life." She raised her brows. "And now Logan is here, needing to play protector to the woman who might save him. I think we can make sure they get stuck together a lot, don't you? Make the most of this opportunity while we have it?"

Chase stared at her, and then his smile widened. "You think we should play matchmaker?"

"He already played matchmaker." Mira grinned. "All we need to do is treat them to the Stockton magic."

"You think it'll work?"

Mira wrapped her arms around his waist and grinned up at him. "Love always wins."

"What if it's not love?"

"And what if it is?"

He smiled. "If it is, then he's a lucky bastard." He smiled, and now, finally, the smile reached his eyes again. "Have I told you lately how lucky I am to have such a manipulative, interfering, plotting wife?"

She smiled. "Not for at least five minutes." She stood on her toes and kissed him. "Let's go recruit some assistants. This is going to be fun—"

"So is this." He caught her around the hips and lifted her up, a mischievous gleam in his blue Stockton eyes. "Five minutes, baby. That's all I need."

It took a lot longer than five minutes.

And it was worth every second.