TARGETED AT CHRISTMAS

After earning the wrath of her brother, a notorious drug kingpin, Adriana Garcia has been in deep hiding on a remote Texas llama ranch. But when Texas Ranger Brent McCord manages to find her—leading her brother’s men right to her—Adriana discovers she’s a suspect in the murder of a border patrol agent. The handsome, principled ranger, whose life she once saved during a dangerous sting operation, intends to bring her in for questioning...and protection. To prove her innocence, Adriana has to trust Brent with the truth, her heart and her life. Because her brother and his henchman have the ranch surrounded, and Brent’s all that’s keeping this Christmas from turning deadly.

The cold muzzle of a weapon pressed into the side of Adriana’s head.

I’m going to die!

“Please.” She instantly regretted that she’d uttered a word.

“Adriana?” Brent growled the whisper. “What are you doing out here?”

At the sound of his familiar, welcome voice, she nearly slumped, but he caught her.

“Answer me,” he whispered.

“I heard the warning go off. I couldn’t let you face the danger alone.”

Something foreign flitted over his features, though it was too dark to see his gaze.

“I didn’t recognize you geared up like a soldier,” he said, and touched her bulletproof vest. In the moonlight, she barely made out a half grin, then it disappeared, his voice laced with weighty emotion. “I...could have killed you.”

“I’m grateful you didn’t.”

“Adriana, I told you to stay in the house, where you would be safer than out here. Why can’t you follow my instructions?”

She hated to hear the accusation, the disappointment in his tone. “I couldn’t let you face my brother or his henchmen alone. Besides, I’m here now.”

And she wasn’t leaving his side.

* * *

Texas Ranger Holidays: A Season of Danger

Thanksgiving Protector by Sharon Dunn

Christmas Double Cross by Jodie Bailey

Texas Christmas Defender by Elizabeth Goddard

Dear Reader,

What a wild ride this story was to write! I hope you enjoyed Texas Christmas Defender. I’m a seventh-generation Texan on both sides of my family and was once a member of the DRT—Daughters of the Republic of Texas. (I haven’t paid my dues, so I can’t say I’m still a member, even though my family has been in Texas long enough. Ha!) All this Texas family history and this will be my first book set in Texas. Can you believe it? I’m so happy I was given the opportunity to join this continuity series. The men and woman of the Texas Rangers have a rich heritage that begins early in Texas history and are world-renowned, often compared to Scotland Yard or the FBI. This is a state law enforcement agency, folks.

In Texas Christmas Defender, Adriana is looking for a refuge from some seriously bad people. Though escape nearly costs her everything—her safety, her life and the lives of those she loves—freedom from the evil that surrounds her is worth the cost. Inez is there to encourage her and pray for her. Isn’t that just like how God works in our lives? He sends someone to us who can pray for us and nurture us in His ways. Even if we don’t realize that person is there—trust me, they are. It’s my prayer for you today that you turn to the only One who can give you a true safe haven. Who can be your true refuge.

Thank you for reading my books! To find out about my other books, visit my website at ElizabethGoddard.com!

Many blessings,

Elizabeth Goddard

ELIZABETH GODDARD is the award-winning author of more than thirty novels and novellas. A 2011 Carol Award winner, she’s a double finalist in the 2016 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, and a 2016 Carol Award finalist. Elizabeth graduated with a computer science degree and worked in high-level software sales before retiring to write full-time.

Texas Christmas Defender

Elizabeth Goddard

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

—Proverbs 18:10

Dedicated to the One who saved me.

You are my strong tower.

Acknowledgments

As always, I want to thank my amazing writing friends and, in this case, Texas Ranger continuity writing partners Jodie Bailey and Sharon Dunn, for their help and insight in getting it right in this story. You ladies rock! A special thank-you goes to Sherri Tallmon at Hidden Oaks Llama Ranch for her help in answering a few questions about the care and love of llamas. If I didn’t already have my hands full I might consider taking on a few of these wonderful creatures! Thanks to Elizabeth Mazer for her encouragement and support and her belief in me as a writer, and to Emily Rodmell for including me in this project. Steve Laube—we celebrate seven years together this year. We’ve come a long way, Agent Man!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Acknowledgments

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

ONE

A hand clamped over her mouth, startling Adriana Garcia and muffling her scream. The muzzle of a gun pressed against her forehead. Her throat constricted.

Though she couldn’t see who held the gun to her head, she knew it had to be her drug-lord brother, Rio Garcia, come to extract his revenge.

She couldn’t breathe.

The large hands and muscled arms dragged her back and away from Kiana, the pregnant llama she’d been feeding. Adriana dropped the bucket of grain. Kiana stretched her neck, wanting to spit at the intruder. Llamas were excellent “guard dogs” and Kiana had been subtly signaling that something was wrong for several minutes now, but Adriana had misinterpreted her earlier agitation.

Adriana’s heart lodged in her throat. Her worst nightmare was unfolding this very moment. Her greatest fear had come true—her brother had found her. He would kill her now.

But not before he obtained the information he needed. Then he would show no mercy.

She should have known it would come to this.

I’m not ready to die. Oh, God, help me! Jesucristo, save me!

Even though she’d feared this day would come, and she’d prepared for it in every possible way with the booby traps and a security system, at this moment she realized she hadn’t prepared for it in earnest—from the deepest part of her soul.

Adriana had not prepared to die at her brother’s hand.

But could she beg for his mercy?

She’d had so many dreams, so many plans after her escape from her home in Juarez and the family drug cartel. Now all of those dreams were turning to dust. Why hadn’t she moved much farther away?

It’s too late now.

He forced her into the shadows of the barn, his hand still pressed hard against her mouth. The weapon bit into her temple.

“I’m going to remove my hand. Don’t scream,” he said, keeping his voice low.

His voice...it wasn’t Rio, her brother. But no matter. Rio had sent one of his enforcers...except his trusted lieutenants were all Mexican, and this man hadn’t spoken in Spanish. Didn’t have an accent.

“Did you hear me? I said, don’t scream.” He repeated it in Spanish this time, but he was still missing the expected accent.

She nodded. She lost nothing by agreeing. No one would hear her scream except possibly Inez Ramirez, the older woman from whom Adriana leased the llama ranch she someday hoped to own. But this man wouldn’t be afraid of Inez.

He slowly lowered his hand from her mouth. The weapon remained aimed at her head as the man carefully stepped around her and into view.

Adriana gasped. Even relaxed a little, because she recognized her captor, and it wasn’t Rio or one of his minions.

This man was the Texas Ranger she’d saved two years ago in Mexico. Maybe...maybe today wasn’t her day to die, after all. Thank You, Jesucristo.

“What...what are you doing here?”

“I’m Texas Ranger Brent McCord, and I’m looking for Adriana Garcia.”

“I know who you are.” She could never forget the intensity of his green eyes. “And you know who I am, too. Don’t you remember me?”

“Are you Adriana Garcia?” He repeated the question, his gaze remaining hard, his tension palpable.

The question stung her as she stared down the muzzle of his handgun. He didn’t remember her or what she’d done for him? He’d been a stranger to her when she’d risked her life to save his by distracting one of Rio’s high-level henchmen. Or hatchet men, as she thought of them.

The guy would have seen the Ranger and would have killed him without hesitation. Not only had she distracted the goon, but she’d concealed the Ranger in her own home until it was safe to lead him away from the danger.

Her palms slicked, even now, at the memory of the risk to her own life. Her brother had learned of her betrayal only a few months ago, and that had sent her on the run, fleeing to Texas. The truth was she’d wanted an out from their family’s horrible, deadly business, though she wasn’t personally involved with her brother’s cartel. She’d lived in fear for far too long, and helping the Ranger had propelled her on a path to freedom, but she still wasn’t completely free. Not yet. Her long-dead American mother would have been relieved Adriana had made it this far out of Rio’s grip. That she had even tried.

Had the Ranger known that she’d been forced to run in fear for her life because she’d aided him? He must know something of her circumstances to even be aware that she was in Texas. Apparently he’d been searching for her. Even more disturbing—he’d found her.

She sagged. “You don’t remember.”

Oh, but she’d forgotten she now wore a disguise—her hair dyed auburn and permed with short curls. Her fake tortoiseshell glasses. She wasn’t supposed to look familiar to anyone who could recognize her—that was the whole point. So why had she spoken to him the way she had? Did she want him to remember or recognize her?

If he truly didn’t know her, then this was her chance. She could deny her true identity. She had to be more than careful. There was a reason she was in disguise, even at the llama ranch. Why, then, did she find herself wanting this man to remember her?

As she studied him closely, the truth became plain in his eyes. This Texas Ranger with the piercing green eyes knew who she was, all right.

She saw something more than just recognition there. Appreciation?

Warmth flooded her. She couldn’t help but smile on the inside at that. The two of them had a connection from the past. Something about him had drawn her then, and it drew her now, even though he had his weapon aimed point-blank at her.

Right. The gun. She couldn’t let herself forget that. She shook off her illusions that the Ranger owed her anything, or that he would never harm her because he felt something for her. He could very well be here on Rio Garcia’s cartel business, after all. He could have been bought and turned like so many other supposedly good guys. Everyone had their price.

What is your price, Ranger McCord?

Adriana took a step back. “You know who I am, so why ask the question? Who sent you? My brother?”

“What?” His face morphed into a deep scowl, as if she couldn’t have offended him more. “Didn’t you hear me? I’m a Texas Ranger.”

Though he’d emphasized those last two words, she scoffed. “There are Americans, law enforcement officers, on my brother’s payroll. Maybe even Texas Rangers. He could have sent you because he knew I would more easily trust you.” At his obviously shocked and offended reaction to her words, she almost wished she could take them back. But she reminded herself that she shouldn’t trust this man, even if she’d saved him. Even if he owed her his life.

“You mean because you saved me before.”

She nodded and noticed that Kiana had shifted around and edged closer, extending her neck.

“You could be a double agent.”

His face scrunched up. “What? No...no, I couldn’t.”

She’d turned the tables on this man. Now he had to defend himself. With his back to Kiana, the Ranger didn’t pay any attention to the llama.

“I want to hear you answer the question. Are you Adriana Garcia, sister of Rio Garcia, or not?”

Adriana prayed for direction. And forgiveness. If this man had been sent to kill her, then she’d failed in her biggest mission in life—to take down her brother once and for all. Since her escape from that life, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Rio’s cartel. But she’d let her guard down today of all days because it was Christmas.

Christmas...

“Don’t you realize it’s Christmas Day?” she asked, avoiding answering his question. He already knew who she was anyway. For some reason he wanted to hear it from her. “You’re here at my llama ranch on Christmas. Don’t you have family?”

He was one serious Ranger to have given up his Christmas for work. Or maybe it wasn’t such a sacrifice—maybe he didn’t have anyone to spend the holiday with. She understood about being alone, far from her family, on Christmas. The thought both saddened her and filled her with relief that she had escaped that life. Better to be alone than with her family.

“If you’re Adriana Garcia, you’re wanted for the murder of a border patrol agent,” he said. “I’m here to take you in. I’ve heard that you’re as ruthless as your drug-lord brother. That you only came across the border to start your own cartel here.”

The news rolled over her, crushing her under the weight of it. She was wanted for murder? Her knees buckled and she thought she would drop to the ground, but she stood taller, defying this man’s accusations. Her brother must have framed her, somehow. How did she make the Ranger believe her? Words failed her.

If only he understood that the reason she’d had to flee was because she had put herself between her brother and this man, maybe he wouldn’t be so willing to accuse her. Though she’d planned to run, wanted to escape her family and break all ties with them for so long, saving the Ranger and subsequently being pursued by the cartel had given her all the reason she’d needed to act.

But for him to accuse her like this...

Did she imagine it or did he aim his weapon a little higher? Did he finger the trigger?

Adriana lifted her chin in defiance. “And what do you believe, Ranger man? Do you think I killed the border agent? That I’m here to start up my own cartel to rival my brother’s?”

Agent McCord finally noticed Kiana—llamas were normally friendly and sociable, but the very pregnant llamas were territorial, and Kiana had sensed the danger this man was to Adriana. Though Kiana didn’t stand close to him, her ears were back, and Adriana knew what came next.

Did Ranger McCord?

He frowned at the creature and continued to aim his weapon at Adriana. “It doesn’t matter what I believe or want to believe. The truth is all that matters.”

She released a pent-up breath at that. “I’m glad to hear it. I didn’t kill anyone. If it looks like I was involved in the death of a border agent, then I must have been framed by my brother.”

Kiana raised her chin and stretched her neck.

“What? What is it doing?” he asked, but did not allow his gun to waver.

“She’s letting you know she’s not happy with your aggression toward me.”

Kiana spit at Ranger McCord from where she stood.

* * *

Brent took the spit like a man and didn’t move at first, knowing that any reaction on his part could spook the creature into more aggression. Grimacing, he slowly ran his sleeve over his face and swiped at his eyes but kept his weapon trained on this woman—Adriana Garcia.

In the flesh.

But seriously? Could anything smell worse than llama spit? Not even this barn smelled worse.

He’d ignore the llama for the moment. The pregnant animal appeared moody. Adding insult to injury, Brent had come into the barn and agitated her even more, the same as he’d done to Adriana.

But he’d found her, finally found her.

As part of the Ranger reconnaissance team, in Company “E” stationed in El Paso, Texas, his assignments varied, but they’d been on what they’d termed the Garcia Mission for weeks now—trying to capture cartel leader Rio Garcia when he crossed the border in search of his sister. At one point, they’d even learned from undercover operative Texas Ranger Carmen Alvarez the date of a planned crossing. Unfortunately, one of their informants, Valentina, had given them the location but then she’d been murdered. Since then, Garcia hadn’t been successful in locating his sister. None of them had.

Until now.

Adriana was the key to Garcia.

As for Carmen...she hadn’t been heard from since before Thanksgiving, and they were concerned for her safety. She could either be in deep cover and unable to find a way to get a message out or hiding until she could safely return. At least she’d been able to gather good intel on Garcia. That was how they knew how ferociously Garcia was hunting Adriana.

He wanted revenge for her betrayal and wanted it bad. Because not only had Adriana defected, she’d taken something extremely valuable from her brother—cartel cash and drugs.

The Garcia Mission called for them to find and prevent Garcia from coming across the border and find his sister. And if they found her... They’d been on the fence about whether she should be locked up. Had she come to Texas to start her own cartel with the drugs and money she’d stolen from her brother? Or, as Brent had initially argued, was she a good person simply trying to escape a dangerous situation, needing and deserving their protection from her brother?

Some of the Rangers had seemed willing to consider the second option, at first. But that had changed when border patrol agent Greg Gunn was killed in a sting operation at a salsa factory near the border. All the evidence pointed to Adriana as the killer. Later, they learned that Gunn had been working both sides of the law. That news had both stunned and devastated them, but no one more than Ranger Colt Blackthorn, who considered Gunn his best friend. Brent was still sick over it, and Gunn’s murder had only increased their unit’s determination to find Adriana.

Now all manner of law enforcement was after Rio’s sister for the killing. The Texas Rangers had wasted a lot of time on false leads, but Brent... Brent had been the one to find her.

So he couldn’t afford to let her get away now.

Except...in his gut he’d believed all along she was innocent. This woman had risked her life to save his in Mexico on a sting gone bad and he couldn’t forget that. Maybe he wanted to believe she wasn’t a murderer. Wanted to believe she wasn’t working with her brother. But he needed to get the truth out of her, here and now.

“I don’t want to hurt...what did you say her name was?”

“Kiana.”

“Kiana. I don’t want to hurt her. Mind calling her off?” Right. Like he would harm the creature under any circumstances. But maybe Adriana wouldn’t see through his bluff.

She appeared to consider his words, and maybe even humor flickered in her gaze, but finally it seemed her concern for Kiana outweighed the risk she was willing to take. Adriana lifted her hands. “Let me approach her. I can calm her.”

Her English was good. Smooth, like honey, not as broken as he remembered.

“Fine. Don’t try anything.” I’m not letting you get away now that I’ve finally found you.

He watched Adriana approach the llama, who visibly relaxed as the young woman spoke soothing words.

Adriana’s gaze drew back up to hold Brent’s.

Good. Now he’d attempt to get the answers he needed. “Why would he frame you?”

Her chuckle was incredulous. “Come on. You’re smart. I’m sure you can figure it out.”

I have my suspicions, but... “I want to hear it from you.”

Adriana dropped onto a bale of hay near Kiana and her shoulders sagged. “My brother is hunting me. There is nothing he wants more than to get his hands on me for what he believes is the worst kind of betrayal.” Her brown eyes pierced his.

“Four months ago he learned that I helped you to get away, and I had to escape. And once I was settled, I began enacting my plans to take him down.”

Brent slumped under the weight of that news. He hadn’t realized how great a risk she had taken in helping him, or that it had been the catalyst to her fleeing to Texas. “Go on.”

“So, if he made it look like I killed a border patrol agent, his problem would be solved. Others will find me for him. The Texas Rangers will hunt me down and lead him right to me. And...here you are.” Her gaze flicked to the barn entrance.

A chill ran over him. Had he done just that? Led her brother and his bloodthirsty cartel members to this ranch? He didn’t think so, because he’d been on his own in his search for her. After the discovery that Greg had been a double agent, they were all wary of sharing their leads through any means that another spy might be able to track. The reconnaissance team didn’t know where to find him, which also meant no backup was on the way if Garcia showed up to take Adriana.

Lord, please don’t let that be the case.

But her words confirmed his own suspicions as well, that her brother hoped the authorities would lead him to his sister. It had already nearly happened once, when a woman who had borne a surprising resemblance to Adriana had been found by the Rangers—and then subsequently attacked by Garcia’s men. That was why he’d been so careful when coming here today. Still, the suspicious tone of her words had him itching to flee the barn and check the perimeter of the ranch.

Her gaze snapped back to him, and her eyes reflected that she noticed his anxiety.

“Look, I didn’t lead him here. I came alone.” Was he revealing too much? “I had to find you first. On my own.”

Emotions he couldn’t read shifted behind her gaze and her stern expression softened. “You came alone? But...why?”

He lowered his weapon but kept it ready. “Because I didn’t believe you were guilty of murder even though there’s evidence that shows you were at the scene.”

“What evidence?” Her hands fidgeted.

“A scarf and a bracelet. We’ve seen you wearing identical ones in surveillance videos.” Though Brent had always doubted her ability to strangle a man to death with a scarf—at least, a strong and sturdy man like Greg.

She blew out a breath. “That’s convenient, isn’t it? I mean, if you’re going to frame someone and have access to those sorts of things, makes sense to plant them at the scene, doesn’t it?”

His thoughts exactly. He’d said as much to Colt, though his friend hadn’t been very willing to listen. “It does. And it also makes sense that if you were there and committed the crime, evidence would be found.”

“It doesn’t make sense that I would leave that kind of evidence. That’s much too obvious.”

Hands shaking, Adriana rose from the bale. She appeared nervous, definitely nervous. Brent didn’t take his eyes from her in case he had it all wrong about her and she tried something. That possibility remained.

“I left those items behind in my home in Mexico when I fled. Your surveillance videos are from before I ran, aren’t they?”

She had him there. But he still had a lot of questions. “What about the money and drugs? Where are they?”

“So you’re still unsure of my innocence.”

“Something like that.” Either she was guilty, or she was in trouble and needed protection. Before he could do anything else, he needed to know which was true.

Though she remained wary of him, she grabbed the bucket she’d dropped. Some of the grain had spilled on the ground, but she continued feeding Kiana with what was left in the bucket.

She drew in a deep breath. “Yes, I took the cash and drugs. That’s the biggest reason Rio is hunting me now. Before, he wanted me for my betrayal. There is a penalty for the kind of disloyalty I showed when I saved you. Then he learned about what I’d stolen. A family heirloom. My grandfather’s Rolex. In my panic to escape, I thought I might need leverage. Something for which to trade my life, so I took it because it has a removable back that contained a gold key. That key was to the storage unit with the drugs and cash stores.”

“And we’ve seen the storage unit firsthand. Know that it’s empty. Where did you hide the goods, and why?”

“After I escaped, I realized I could do more than simply hide. I could take my brother and his cartel down—if he couldn’t access all those drugs and cash, the operation of his cartel would be hurt, maybe even collapse. But I had to act fast before he realized I’d taken the Rolex. Before he knew to wait for me at the storage facility. But my plan didn’t work. Even though I got away with emptying the storage shed without getting caught, he’s still in business.”

If she really had believed she could shut her brother down or cripple him by taking one warehouse out of the equation, she could dream on. They wouldn’t have been mortally wounded by her actions. But he admired her determination—that was, if what she said was true.

He swiped a hand over his face. Could she be telling the truth? He had to ask all the right questions, cover all the bases. Not let his own gut feelings or his debt to her cloud his judgment. “I would think the right thing to do would have been to turn the drugs and cash over to law enforcement rather than keep them yourself. Keeping them gives the impression that you stole them to start your own cartel.”

She gave a cynical laugh. “Right, as if I’d ever consider doing a thing like that. I want no part of that life. I want to be free...” She trailed off, as if she would have said more but hadn’t meant to reveal so much, then leaned her forehead against the llama’s neck. “You told me that I’m wanted for the murder of a border agent, which proves I cannot trust you. How could I turn the drugs over to you or any law enforcement? Would they let me go? No. They’d keep me locked away. I have to finish my mission first.”

“To take down your brother.” And then she’d be free, she’d said.

“And I can’t do that behind bars, can I?”

“True enough, but you hid the drugs and money before the border patrol agent was murdered.”

She held her chin high, anger flashing in her gaze. “I’m Rio Garcia’s sister. I couldn’t risk turning the supplies over to the law, who would imprison me, one way or another—whether to use me for their own devices or because they would never believe I’m innocent of any involvement in my brother’s cartel. I will never give up the drugs and cash. Not until I’ve taken down my brother. There is no one I can trust. Tell me I’m wrong!”

Brent sagged. I...can’t.

His grilling her even wore on him. And for some insane reason he couldn’t fathom, he found himself wanting her to trust him, as he’d trusted her two years before. “Look, Adriana... I want to believe you.”

As she gazed into his eyes, he hoped she read the truth of his words there.

Her face softened and she spread out her palms. “Look, it’s Christmas. Inez, the woman I lease this property from, helps me run the ranch, lives with me in the house. We’re family now. We had planned our own small celebration. She doesn’t have anyone, and apparently neither do you. Why else would you be here on Christmas morning?”

He hadn’t taken time off for Christmas in years.

Could he believe that she was innocent and had told him the truth? He’d suspected much of it and had hoped to hear as much from her. But he could very well be blinded to the truth staring him in the face for the simple reason that she’d saved his life before. Any criminal would claim to be innocent.

He wasn’t sure if he could trust his own instincts when it came to Adriana. Though he shouldn’t, he really shouldn’t, he had a soft spot in his heart with her name on it. He buried the thought and focused on his task.

“I haven’t decided what I’m going to do with you yet, even though it’s Christmas.”

A measure of fear flickered in her gaze. “How did you find me?”

“I’ve been receiving anonymous letters that gave me clues. Llamas. That you’re somewhere on the Rio Grande. The last one urged me to find you before your brother catches you.”

She gasped.

“I’ve visited a lot of ranches along the Rio Grande looking for you, including a llama ranch or two. And I had hoped this would be it. When I saw the booby traps, I guessed it could be you.”

“Well, that’s comforting, that I’m so easy to locate.” She rubbed her arms, clearly distressed. “And then you decided you would just accost me in my barn.”

He was a Texas Ranger. A lawman. Why should he be sorry for his actions? But he was. “I had to make sure it was you.”

“And you have. My brother won’t be long behind you.”

“If he’s tracking me, or has his own lead on you. I only found you because of the letters. Who do you think could have sent them?”

Adriana led Kiana to the barn’s exit and urged her outside to the blue skies and sunshine and this beautiful Christmas Day. “I don’t know, which is what worries me most. What else can you tell me?”

“We had the letters analyzed. It’s someone young. Probably female. We believe English is her second language.”

“Rosa...” she whispered.

Who?

Her eyes brightened, lifted to meet his gaze. “It could be Rosa. She was in my brother’s cartel. A low-level drug runner. While I wasn’t part of his cartel, just being his sister, being Adriana Garcia, made me feel dirty. The only thing I could do to feel better about myself was help people. I figured that God had me there for a reason—to help others get out. Rosa was one of those people. I mentored her and tried to help her change her life. Get out of the ugly business, but...”

“But escaping the cartel isn’t so easy,” he added.

Brent saw the truth of it in Adriana’s eyes—she really wanted to be free of her brother. She wanted to be free of her family ties to the cartel. This young woman she’d mentored was proof enough of that.

“How did she ever know where to find me? I can’t believe she sent the letters and has been trying to lead you to me. She must think—”

“That we’re the good guys and we can protect you.” He cut her off, but he didn’t want to risk the conversation taking another direction.

“As long as you, Brent McCord, aren’t on my brother’s payroll. And even if you’re one of the good guys, you still found me and you made it through my security network of booby traps.” She paced the barn, agitated. “If you can, so can my brother. He’ll be coming for me soon.”

TWO

“Tanya!” Inez called, using Adriana’s assumed name.

She kept her gaze fixed on the handsome Ranger but angled her head toward the barn door, where Kiana had finally exited. “If I don’t tell her something, she’s going to come out here to the barn and see you. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

Adriana didn’t see any point in trying to escape the Ranger. He was here now. But she didn’t want Inez to come between them and end up becoming collateral damage. Maybe Adriana should have thought about that when she’d chosen to stay with Inez and take on the llama ranch, but Inez had saved her life.

As far as Ranger McCord was concerned, Adriana wasn’t sure if she could trust this man yet, though she wanted to, and though she had a strong feeling she could. He tried to appear cold and intense, but she saw the compassion behind his gaze. The problem was that she didn’t know if she could trust her own judgment when it came to him—a man she didn’t even know. The only thing she knew for sure was that she had saved his life. And risked her own life to do it. That one decision had forever changed everything about her life. Did it matter as much to him as it did to her?

What was it about this handsome Texas Ranger that had her head spinning when she was near him? Had her doing crazy things?

He nodded. “Tell her, then. And don’t worry. I have no intentions of hurting anyone.”

Sorrow flickered in his gaze. Interesting.

She stepped to the barn door opening. “I’m out here,” she called. “I’ll be there in a minute, Inez.”

Her friend nodded, her bright smile easy to see from the porch of the house. “The cinnamon rolls are baking. They’ll be ready soon.”

Adriana focused her attention back on Ranger McCord. “Though you say you’re not going to hurt us, that doesn’t mean I’m ready to trust you. I can’t be sure you’re one of the good guys. But what now? Are you going to join us for our Christmas celebration or arrest me and take me in?”

He appeared to ponder her question. Hadn’t he already thought this through? Just what had he planned to do once he found her?

Then, finally, he said, “I don’t want you running away.”

Was that his agreement to spend Christmas Day with them? “Where would I run to? Inez is expecting me any minute. So you’d better make your decision. Are you going to join us, and if so, are you marching into the house as a gun-wielding Texas Ranger?”

He frowned. “I’ll...sneak around so she won’t see me leaving the barn. Knock on the front door. You can introduce me as an old friend. Act surprised to see me or something.”

“Are you saying that you’re not going to take me in yet? You’re going to let me enjoy my Christmas?” If she even could after Ranger McCord had scared her by holding a gun to her head. Her legs still shook, but she wouldn’t let him see her fear.

“If you can still enjoy it while I’m here.”

“I’m not going to let you ruin this joyful occasion.” Besides, she felt sorry for the man. Anyone who was alone on Christmas deserved her sympathy. “And you’re just pathetic enough in your loneliness that I’m compelled to extend a proper invitation to you.” She allowed a soft smile for the Ranger she’d thought about for two years, now here with her again. Who would have thought? “Will you join us for Christmas?”

He seemed to consider her request for a moment, questions swirling in his gaze before it softened, his decision made. “I’d be happy to.” He stood taller, lingering suspicion in his eyes, but he still offered her a friendly grin and triple dimples lit up his cheeks. She’d almost forgotten about those. Considering the tingling in her toes that they caused, she wished he hadn’t flashed them now.

Adriana quickly forced her attention from the attractive lawman wearing a Stetson. “Now, I’ll go distract Inez while you sneak out.”

“Wait,” he said. “I’m letting you walk out of my sight on good faith, because...because it’s Christmas.”

His tone had softened. Can I trust you? She read that desperate question in his eyes and realized he wanted to trust her as much as she wanted to trust him. They were two of a kind—reaching across an invisible barrier that separated them and trying hard to seal their connection.

She nodded. They understood each other. But when she headed for the exit, he tugged her back and gripped her arm, his face mere inches from hers. “I haven’t decided if I think you’re guilty yet or not. I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt, for now, but if you try anything, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t.”

She didn’t like that he’d suddenly tried to sound gruff, but at least she could see his hesitation, see the softer side of him behind the facade. Warmth spread through her. “And if you decide I’m innocent, what then?”

He studied her, his intense eyes taking her all in, unsettling her in ways she couldn’t explain. “Either way—guilty or innocent—I’m here to protect you from your brother.”

She hadn’t asked for his protection. Wasn’t sure she wanted it. And for how long would he be hanging around? Adriana didn’t like this uncertainty one bit. On the other hand, his presence did add another layer of defense against her brother, should he show up.

Heart pounding, she arched a brow, then yanked her arm free and left the barn. After all Inez had done for her, she wasn’t sure she could lie to the woman about her relationship with Brent. Or, rather, nonexistent relationship. Nor did she believe she could hide the fact he was a Texas Ranger who had found her. But telling the truth about Brent would require her to reveal all the secrets that had become her burden to bear in her mission to hide her true identity on the llama ranch.

Inez knew some of it already, of course. Adriana had been here only a month when she’d shared with Inez who she really was. Her old name. After all, Inez had found her dehydrated, bruised and exhausted from the trek across the harsh Mexican terrain until she’d crossed the Rio Grande and collapsed on Inez’s property.

As Adriana recovered, thanks to Inez’s care, she had known she owed the woman her honesty—to a point. Many secrets had to stay hidden for Inez’s own protection, not to mention her peace of mind. One of them having nightmares that never seemed to end was more than enough. So, while Inez was aware of her past, it was something they rarely discussed. Mostly, they focused on the work. The older woman who’d run this llama ranch for years taught her everything in a short time, and Adriana had come to love her like family.

She hadn’t wanted to use any of the cartel money but had some money of her own that she’d been stashing away for the inevitable day when she’d have to run. Besides, to purchase the ranch in her own name would give her location away. She and Inez had their own private agreement for now.

She hurried to the house and opened the door, the aroma of cinnamon immediately greeting her. My favorite. Somehow she had to compose herself or Inez would read her well enough to see that something had upset her. She absolutely refused to let the Texas Ranger’s untimely appearance ruin their Christmas. It was hard enough to celebrate as it was, considering the family she’d left behind and memories of a life when she was much younger, when her mother and grandparents were still alive and before her father had entered his own life of crime, her brother following in his footsteps after their father’s death.

She entered the brightly decorated kitchen and breathed in the scent. Normally this would relax her. But not this morning.

Inez instantly looked up from pulling the scrumptious cinnamon rolls from the oven. She set them on the stove and frowned at Adriana. “Tanya, your cheeks are flushed. You’re not ill, are you?”

While living here, she went by Tanya Parker and tried to speak mostly English. Yes, Adriana had an American mother, who’d taught her the language, but she had died when Adriana was very young. Died and left Adriana behind to end up being raised in a cartel family.

A second-generation American, Inez had helped her to polish her English and speak it well. With her curly auburn hair and glasses, she might not look or sound like Adriana Garcia, but in the end, she couldn’t disguise her Mexican heritage.

Inez set the oven mitts aside and pressed her hand against Adriana’s forehead and cheeks like her mother would have. Adriana smiled and stepped away from the woman’s reach. “No, it’s nothing. Just glad it’s Christmas. I look—”

The doorbell rang. Adriana stiffened. She hadn’t come up with a story to tell Inez yet. She didn’t much feel like keeping anything from her. But how did she explain? “I’ll get it.”

Adriana made her way to the foyer and peeked through the peephole just to confirm Ranger McCord stood there. Seeing his tall form, his brown hair mussed from the hat he’d removed, his broad shoulders held high, had her heart skipping. His green eyes stared down the peephole and her pulse jumped. The man appeared intense in a way she couldn’t help but find attractive.

She couldn’t let her emotions run away over him. If only she hadn’t been infatuated with him from the moment she’d met him two years ago. Her sentiments aside, she wasn’t even sure how she felt about his sudden appearance, even if he promised protection.

Sucking in a breath to regain her composure, she opened the door and smiled. Somehow she had to get into the act. “What a surprise to see you.”

Amusement sparked in his eyes as he returned her smile, flashing those dimples and triggering that tingle in her toes again. She tried to look at anything but his smile, but where? His eyes? His strong jaw? His more than adequate physique? He’d placed his Stetson back on his head and that wrapped up the complete handsome Texas Ranger picture.

She opened the door wide and waved him in with a flourish.

Inez appeared, wiping her hands on a towel.

“This is Brent McCord, Inez,” Adriana said, then turned her attention to the Ranger. “What brings you by? You’re welcome to spend Christmas Day with us.” She hadn’t even waited for his answer before inviting him. Adriana hated the way her words sounded so stilted and rehearsed.

She focused her next words on Inez. “That’s all right with you, isn’t it?”

Inez’s eyes widened. Her gaze held Adriana and a small grin lifted her lips as if she knew a secret. “Welcome, welcome, Mr. McCord. If you don’t have other plans, we’d be delighted for you to join us. You’re just in time for the cinnamon rolls. They’re just out of the oven. It’s a late breakfast for us. We’ll eat our Christmas dinner in a few hours. I hope you like smoked turkey.”

The Ranger nodded with a grin. That cute triple-dimpled grin. Adriana wished he wouldn’t smile at all, because he was entirely too charming. “No plans at all,” he replied. “I appreciate the invitation, ma’am.”

Ranger McCord stepped all the way inside and drew in a long breath, the aroma of cinnamon rolls obviously getting to him. Adriana motioned for him to sit on the sofa in the small living room of the ranch house, the huge window in front offering a good view of a portion of the ranch. From that position, they could see the unpaved driveway leading to the house on one side, and a part of the pasture on the other side with llamas grazing in the distance. By the subtle relaxing of his posture, she could tell he appreciated the chance to keep an eye on things and hopefully see any danger that might approach.

Inez returned with coffee and a plate of rolls for them. Adriana watched as the Ranger took a bite of Inez’s specialty and closed his eyes, savoring the flavor and texture. When he opened them, they looked right into Adriana’s. Unsettling.

She shook off the effect he had on her and grinned. “There’s nothing like them, is there?”

“I haven’t tasted better.”

The shared reaction to Inez’s cinnamon rolls oddly broke the awkwardness of the situation, and for a few minutes Adriana believed that she would be able to forget that Ranger McCord had been searching for and finally found her. And now he would...well, she wasn’t really certain what his next step was. At the end of this most holy day, she didn’t know what would happen to her. But, for now, they ate and talked as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

“What do you think of my lovely sweater?” Inez modeled it for them. “This was my Christmas gift from Tanya.”

Adriana looked at Brent. “We exchanged gifts last night. I guess we were both too anxious to wait to give our gifts today.”

“And what did Inez give you?” he asked.

She suddenly felt awkward because they had no gift for him, but he was an unexpected guest. “A beautifully carved leather handbag. I can get it, if you like.”

“No need. You can show me later.”

“I’m sorry I don’t have a gift for you. I didn’t know you were coming.”

“What?” He twisted his face in mock offense.

“Just a minute.” Inez gave a mischievous grin, then disappeared around the corner.

“So what’s it like working a llama ranch?” Was this Brent’s attempt at small talk? Benign conversation until Inez’s return? She’d play along, for lack of any other options. His voice intrigued her—it didn’t sound like he’d grown up in Texas. She might ask him about that later, if given the chance.

“I had no idea how much I’d love living and working on a llama ranch.” Adriana released a long sigh. “I could live here forever in peace.”

Brent moved away from the sofa and sat across from her on the floor, one knee up. His arm rested on his knee. “You mean, if it weren’t for the fact your brother is after you,” he whispered.

She leaned her head back. “You would have to bring him up. Bad enough you’re here, I had hoped to enjoy the day without thoughts of my particular situation.” She hadn’t forgotten her brother. Would never forget that everyone was after her—including the Texas Rangers—but, for today, she’d needed a reprieve.

“I don’t want you to relax. You can’t afford to until this is over.”

Brent stiffened at the approaching footfalls in the hallway and returned to his previous seat.

Inez held a wrapped package and handed it to Brent. He frowned as though he wouldn’t accept it. Adriana couldn’t let him hurt Inez. She grabbed the package for him and handed it over, forcing it into his hands, not letting him refuse. “Merry Christmas.”

Pain flickered behind his gaze. What was that about? Reluctantly he took the package. “There was no need,” he said as he glanced to Inez. “I’m intruding here, as it is.”

“God brought you here today for a reason.”

Surprise sprang from his eyes. “Well, I don’t have anything to give you in return.”

“Of course you do,” Inez said. “I know you’re here to protect my Tanya.”

Brent glanced at the woman. He turned his attention back to Adriana. She saw the question in his eyes. You told her?

Adriana gave a subtle shake of her head. Inez was extremely observant and had obviously figured out on her own that things were not as they seemed.

He hesitated another moment, then ripped into the small package. It was a leather-bound devotional filled with God’s promises. The leather carving was similar to that of Inez’s gift to Adriana, obviously purchased at the same craft shop.

“I had been praying about who to give this gift to,” Inez said. “A few moments ago, I knew.”

He stared at the gift long and hard before saying anything. For a moment, Adriana feared he would hurt Inez’s feelings with his lack of response, but then she realized she knew better. The woman was tough and her faith in God was strong. If she’d felt led to give this gift to Brent, nothing he said or did would make her regret it.

“Thank you.” His tone revealed he maintained a tight control over his emotions.

Brent rose to his feet and set the gift on the side table.

Adriana thought at first his action meant that he didn’t appreciate Inez’s thoughtfulness and was discarding the gift, but then she saw the emotion boiling up in his gaze. He glanced at Inez, true gratitude in his eyes before he shuttered it away.

He unholstered and brandished his weapon, surprising them both. “And now, for my gift, I’m going to check the perimeter. Make good on that promise of protection. Double-check the booby traps. You might want to let me know what and where all of them are so I can find and check them.”

“Let this be a test to let us know how well I’ve hidden them.” For a moment, she felt pleased and proud that he needed to ask. But then a dark thought crept in. “Except,” she admitted, “you got through some of them before on your own.”

He frowned, his thoughts clearly running on the same track as her own. “Right. If it had been anyone else, you’d be dead right now.”

* * *

Brent had to step away from this situation that had grown far too personal.

“We’ll be eating Christmas dinner in a couple of hours. Don’t be gone too long,” Inez called after him as he shoved through the front door, clomped across the porch and down the steps. He kept his eyes sharply attuned to his surroundings, though his mind remained muddled by the fact he’d found Adriana Garcia and was spending today with her and her friend like they were some kind of happy family.

He never in a million years could have imagined he would be eating Christmas dinner with the sister of drug cartel head Rio Garcia. She’d disguised herself to look nothing at all like the woman who had saved him. And it would have worked, except for those beautiful eyes. All he had to do was look closely and he saw the Adriana he remembered. Her warm brown eyes had been a dead giveaway. Those had been the same eyes that had signaled a warning to him to stay hidden while she’d distracted Garcia’s men searching for him. It astounded him to think that, even then, he’d had an instant connection with her and been able to read her easily enough to trust her silent offer of protection.

Then she’d come back for him after leading Garcia’s men away. She’d hidden Brent in her own home until she could safely spirit him out of danger. They’d spent that one day together, two years ago. He would never forget that day or those eyes. The hair and glasses might fool others, but up close and personal, they hadn’t hidden the luster and compassion in her gaze. At least, not from him.

When he’d seen her before, she’d had long dark hair, but she’d done a great job of disguising it with auburn curls to go with the plain farm clothes that hung loosely off her body. But changing her appearance hadn’t diminished her beauty or hidden away her spirited nature. Brent found himself insanely attracted to the woman. Still. After two years. It was why he’d had to be the one to find her.

Her disguise and the fake name, Tanya Parker, had worked well enough that the Texas Rangers and Garcia’s cartel had initially gone after the wrong woman—Danielle Segovia, who had been misidentified by a local policeman in El Paso after seeing photos of Adriana. Of course, she had turned out to actually be Danielle Segovia and not Adriana Garcia. Danielle just happened to be a dead ringer for Adriana, that was, before she’d disguised herself.

The Rangers had received intel that Adriana was hiding in El Paso and running a small crafts shop, Mexican Artifacts and Crafts by Danielle. Though it had seemed odd that she’d attempted no disguise beyond changing her name, they’d thought she was hiding from her cartel brother in plain sight. Ranger Colt Blackthorn, Brent’s close friend, had gone undercover to determine if the woman was actually Adriana. But it had turned out she wasn’t, and Colt, well, it looked like he had fallen in love. Good for him.

As for himself, attracted to Adriana or not, Brent wasn’t relationship material. At least, he kept telling himself that, but Adriana was causing a war between his heart and mind.

Confusion about what his next move should be clouded his thoughts. And he needed to focus in case he’d inadvertently led Garcia and his men to Adriana’s llama ranch, as she’d suggested. He couldn’t dismiss the possibility when there were lives at risk, even though he didn’t think that it was very likely that he’d been followed. No one knew he was coming. Only Colt knew that Brent had gone in search of Adriana, following the clues in the letters he’d received. And even if the whole of their reconnaissance unit had come searching for her, how would Garcia know about it? How could he find out? Was there another mole—someone else, like Greg Gunn, who’d been working both sides?

All this he considered as he carefully made his way to the perimeter of the ranch, vigilant for Adriana’s booby traps even as he thought that Garcia’s men would know to look for them, as well. In fact, the traps themselves had given the ranch away, confirmed to Brent that he had found the right one. Even though the traps warned the occupants of intruders, they also signaled to others that the property owner was someone who expected trouble.

And this didn’t bode well for Adriana.

Regardless of her innocence or guilt, it was his duty to keep her safe. Except Brent knew deep down that his feelings of protectiveness went beyond his duty as a Ranger.

He wanted to believe in her innocence, but he could be misjudging where her loyalties rested. He had a murderer for a father—a man he’d admired his whole life until he learned the truth. His instincts couldn’t be trusted. Yeah, Brent could be completely wrong about her. He couldn’t let his attraction to her—not to mention his lingering gratitude for the way she’d saved his life before—lead him astray. He had no idea just how much that swayed his judgment, if at all, but he had a feeling it did.

Now that he’d found her, seen her in the flesh again and talked to her in person, seen the passion in her eyes, he realized he’d been thinking about her eyes for the last two years. He’d been thinking about her all this time. And he might actually be in trouble here.

He came across an air horn’s trip wire and carefully stepped over it, grateful for the distraction. Adriana had tripped the outer booby traps to his heart already—and he reminded himself she was a fugitive. Could be guilty of crimes as heinous as murder. And even if she wasn’t guilty of that, she’d certainly stolen drugs and money from her brother and had not turned them over to the authorities. There was a lot she had to answer for—and until he got those answers, he had no business thinking of her in romantic terms. It could mar the Rangers’ investigation.

After he’d successfully avoided more of her booby trap alarms and was reassured that no one nefarious lurked near the ranch, his tension eased, if only a little. The cartel drug lord might not be in the near vicinity, but Garcia could very well be on the way. According to Agent Alvarez’s intel, the drug lord already knew his sister was staying near the border, which had prompted the Rangers to be on the lookout for him.

Brent glanced back at the ranch house, the barn and the distant pasture where thirty or so llamas grazed. The temperature had already reached the high forties and might even reach the fifties. Christmas in Texas was nothing like the white Christmases he used to have in Baltimore where he grew up. But he shoved his past aside and concentrated on the present.

Okay. So, he’d found Adriana. Though it surprised him, that had been his hope and prayer. But Colt would want to know that, too. The Rangers needed to know. Only problem was that they all thought she was guilty of murdering border patrol agent Greg Gunn. Brent needed more information—like if she had an alibi. Something, some kind of evidence, that he could use to prove she was innocent before he called them. And he shouldn’t wait too long. That could get them killed. Not just Brent and Adriana, but also the sweet, elderly Inez.

Brent needed his team here, one way or another, but not yet.

And...it was Christmas Day.

Brent just might learn more from her by spending time with her today—this special day of all days, when she might let her guard down a little—than he could if the Texas Rangers descended on the ranch to arrest her for Gunn’s murder and the drugs and money she’d taken. And that was exactly what would happen if he made that call. But if he didn’t make that call in time—with the proof he needed, the evidence of her innocence—then Garcia’s men could descend on the ranch and kill her.

God, please help me find the truth before it’s too late.

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