She shrugged. “True, but since Maverick is disgusted with me for withholding my pregnancy, I still think he’s not going to care whether I’m kidnapped or not.”
His chest shook in a silent laugh. “No, I think I know my cousin better than you do.”
She wanted to punch this imbecile in the face. Dillon was so irritating. Why wouldn’t he believe her? Then again, he didn’t believe that the child she carried was his. “If you try to take me, I’ll scream.”
His scowl darkened as he moved closer to her. “And if you do, I’ll kill Mav.” He paused. “In fact, as we speak, my men are pointing a gun on him now.”
Her heartbeat quickened, and panic tightened her chest. At this point, she didn’t care what Dillon did with her, but she couldn’t allow him to hurt Maverick in any way. He might not love her, but she still loved him. No, she’d do anything to keep him alive.
TEN
“I... don’t believe you,” Hannah said in a shaky voice.
“Do you want me to prove it to you? Because I will. My men have surrounded Gramps house, and they’ll shoot on my command.”
She swallowed a lump of fear caught in her throat. “But, your grandfather has many men on his ranch, too.”
“Don’t worry. We are not giving them any cause for alarm. They think we are harmless.”
There was no way out. She couldn’t convince him otherwise. Her eyes stung with unshed tears. She must go with him, but at least Maverick would be safe.
Lord, keep Maverick and Mr. Winchester safe from harm.
“Fine,” she hissed. “I’ll go with you willingly, but you must promise not to hurt Maverick. He’s a good man, and he doesn’t deserve what his greedy cousin wants to punish him for.”
Mocking a bow, Dillon motioned toward the door. “Leave with me without making a scene, and I promise not to hurt Mav.”
She pointed a finger toward him. “Or your grandfather.”
“Or my grandfather.” He nodded.
She glanced around the room, knowing she didn’t have any personal items here, except for her clothes, but the housekeeper hadn’t returned them yet. So, Hannah had no other choice but to follow the lout and allow him to kidnap her. Again.
Standing straight, she folded her arms across her chest. “Lead the way.”
“Then let’s be on our way.” Wearing a victorious grin, he stepped to the door and opened it... and then stopped suddenly. His curse echoed through the room.
As she peeked past him, Maverick and Mr. Winchester stood in the hallway in front of the door, pointing rifles at Dillon. Relief flooded through her body and made her weak. She stepped back a few steps and sat on the mattress, using the bedpost to rest her shoulder against.
“The only place you’re going,” Maverick said to his cousin, “is to jail – along with the other men the sheriff’s deputies have just arrested.”
Closing her eyes, tears of relief poured down her face, and her chest shook with silent sobs. Thank you, Lord.
“Dillon Walker,” another man’s strong voice filled the room, “you are under arrest.”
She opened her eyes just in time to see a man wearing a golden star badge on his leather vest, walk up to Dillon and slap iron cuffs on his wrists. Maverick and Mr. Winchester lowered their rifles as the sheriff shoved Dillon out of the room.
Hannah continued to stare at the scene, unfolding before her as her weary mind tried to comprehend what was happening. Maverick’s gaze moved to her as he stood just outside the room. His grandfather whispered something to Maverick before patting his shoulder and leaving. She didn’t know what to do besides have a staring contest with the man who would always hold her heart.
Struggling to keep her tears at bay, she wiped her eyes and sat up straighter. She cleared her throat. “How did you know Dillon was going to be in my room?”
He shrugged and strolled into the bedroom slowly. “Stormy has made so many mistakes in his life, but the biggest mistake he made was bringing on dim-witted men to help him get money from the Easton brothers and my grandfather.” He stopped near her. “His men squealed like pigs going to be slaughtered.”
She tried not to grin from his analogy of the situation, especially to think he could be humorous at a time like this. “I hope he’s sentenced to be in jail for a while. He’s an evil man.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
Hannah inhaled a shaky breath. “Thanks again for coming to my rescue. I’m sure you think of me as a helpless, pathetic woman – and I probably am, but I assure you, I’ll not be your problem any longer.”
Sighing, Maverick squatted in front of her and took hold of her hand. “Hannah, you’re not pathetic, and you’re not helpless. If all of your beaus have been complete idiots like Stormy, it’s no wonder you don’t think highly of yourself.”
Tears filled her eyes again, and she wondered where all of the liquid was coming from. Hadn’t she cried herself dry already? “They have all been like Dillon, but he was more charming... until I sprang the news of my pregnancy on him.”
“You were trying to tell me that before he interrupted us, weren’t you?”
She nodded. “I’m sure the news wouldn’t have come as such a blow to you if he hadn’t have shown up.”
“Perhaps.”
“Maverick,” she cleared her tight throat, “when I answered Bryan’s ad in the newspaper, I had planned not to tell him about the baby. I was in hopes that he’d consummate the marriage after the wedding, and I’d make him think he was the father. Then... I met you.” She paused and wiped the tears from her eyes. “True, I thought you were going to be the man I married at first, and then when you took me away from Bryan’s house, and we got to know each other better, I realized I was falling in
