My whole reality spun on its head. I felt myself swaying as I took in his words. "What?"

He held a hand to his chest and let out a primal cry. Then he said, "Mum's been killed in an accident."

His words rattled around my head for a few seconds before I burst into tears. Paul stepped back, allowing Ash to stumble forwards and swallow me in a hug.

My legs gave way and I found myself clutching onto my brother for support as I looked for somewhere to sit. "Where's my damn sofa when I need it?"

He chuckled as he pulled me down to the floor, kissing my head. We sat in a daze for several minutes, just holding onto each other.

After a few minutes, I regained enough composure to ask the vital questions. "How? When?"

He sucked in a shaky breath. "Just before seven this morning, our time. It was just before one in the morning their time. I don't fully understand what happened myself. Something to do with one of the horses getting out during a thunderstorm. She went to catch it, but it spooked or something and kicked her in the head. It killed her outright."

I gasped. "What? Mum wouldn't be that stupid."

He shrugged his shoulders. "It seems she was."

I frowned, suspicion setting in right away. A shiver ran up and down my spine as I thought of that horrible man. "Tim told you, didn't he?"

Ash sighed, pushing me away as he stood up. "Don't start this again, Ky. Please. Not now."

"Why have you never believed me? I don't get it. He's a creep, Ash."

"Kyra—"

"Whoa, steady on guys," Paul said. He took my hand and pulled me to my feet, away from my brother. "Don't fall out now. This is where you're supposed to support each other."

Ash crossed his arms. "He's booked us onto the first flight out. We fly at seven, which means we have about two hours before we need to leave. We're flying back on Christmas Eve."

I snorted. "Typical Tim. Taking control of everything again. Why can't you see it?"

Ash rolled his eyes. "Kyra, he's just paid for our flights for goodness sake. Have some damn gratitude and respect."

I glared at him. "Why can't you respect me in the fact that what I said is true?"

He clenched his jaw, a muscle twitching in his cheeks as he glared at me. After a minute or so, he announced he was going home to pack some stuff and would come back for me shortly.

I trudged upstairs, feeling defeated, but focused on the task in hand of packing some stuff.

Paul followed me upstairs. "Can I ask what that was all about?"

A shudder ran down my spine as I thought about that fateful night again. "The guy came on to me at the wedding reception. The same reception where he'd just married my mum."

Paul raised an eyebrow. "He what?"

"Yep. It wasn't just a case of him trying a glancing kiss. He pinned me against a wall and practically forced his tongue down my throat." I shivered again as I remembered the vile taste he left in my mouth. "He was too strong, and his hands went places they shouldn't have..." Tears pricked at my eyes. "If I hadn't punched him in the face I dread to think what would have happened."

"Did you tell your mum?"

"Of course I did. She thought it was me overreacting to her remarrying. Ash agreed with her because he thinks Tim is the best thing since sliced bread. Before he went to Australia, he spent six months in America. Some of it with them. Of course, he and Tim became best buddies."

He came to me and enveloped me in a hug as he stroked my hair. "Do you want me to come with you?"

I took a minute to register his words. Had I heard him correctly? "You'd really do that?"

He pulled back and lifted a hand to my face, cupping my cheek and stroking it with his thumb. "Of course I would."

My heart cracked in two. Where was this side of him six months ago? "I...I really want to say yes but is it a good idea with how odd things are with us?"

His eyes softened as he smiled. "I'd do anything for you. You know I would. I want to talk to you about things but now is not the time."

My heart stopped for a second before soaring to a thousand feet in seconds. Was he suggesting what I thought he was? "I look forward to that, whenever it happens," I replied.

"Me too," he said, dropping his hand from my face. "I think for now, to keep things as uncomplicated as possible, it's best if I stay behind. If something happens with that slimeball, anything at all, and you need me, promise me you'll call?"

I nodded. "Of course."

Spending the next hour packing my life into a suitcase with the man of my dreams next to me was less than easy when I knew he was staying behind. Especially when I combined that thought with the reality of having to see Tim again in a few hours.

When Ash reappeared to drive us to the airport, tearing myself away from the safety of Paul's arms only made my heart ache even more.

***

The flight to Dallas took a little over ten hours. Silence encompassed us during the majority of the flight. What Ash had failed to tell me earlier was that good old Tim had also paid for Ben to come out with him. How charming. I was pleased Ben was with us but also fuming that I was seemingly now on my own as Ash turned to Ben for comfort.

We trundled our way through the airport towards the exit, my stomach turning into a complicated mixture of gnarled knots as I braced myself for meeting Tim once again. He was picking us up from the airport and the closer it came to seeing him, the more nauseous I felt.

My mind had replayed that night over and over again, refusing to let it go. Walking through the doors to the outside, there he stood, leaning up against his big black truck, legs crossed at the ankles as he chewed on gum. He looked far from the grief-stricken husband he should be.

His panther-like green eyes settled on me and a depraved smirk spread across his face. "Well, hello there."

Hearing his lazy Texan drawl once again sent shivers down my spine. Ash gave him a man hug before introducing Ben. I stayed well back, letting Ash steal the show. The less attention that man had on me, the better.

Ash turned to me, his eyes glowering. "Kyra?"

I nodded, sighing. "Hi."

Tim broke out into a huge smile. "Hello, dear. Good to see you again."

He took a step forwards, his arms outstretched. I glanced at Ash, who narrowed his eyes at me. I had little choice but to accept Tim wrapping his arms around me in a supposed hug. As I patted his back in my half-assed attempt at a hug back, he dropped his hands to my lower back.

"You look good," he whispered.

Chills covered me in an instant and I stepped back. He settled his hands on my hips for a few seconds before moving away and allowing us to get in the truck. I chewed on my lip and kept my thoughts to myself. I knew I wouldn't be sleeping well whilst I was out here.

Well aware Ash was watching my every move like I was a naughty child, I said nothing and looked at no one, just so I didn't get accused of anything.

The half an hour drive back to the ranch involved no interaction from me. Ash took pleasure in catching Tim up on all his adventures since they had last seen each other. As we turned down the dusty road to the ranch and then veered off track heading towards the guest quarters, my stomach turned itself inside out. Why was he putting us down here and not in the main house?

Part of Mum and Tim's business had been running a dude ranch. The log cabins for the guests were on the other side of the ranch to the main house. It was easily a mile long walk from one side of the grounds to the other.

Again, I kept my thoughts to myself, not wanting any more upset with Ash. Pulling up in front of the U-shaped collection of cabins, Tim informed Ash and Ben they would be sleeping in cabin number two whilst I would be in number eleven—the furthest point from them.

A horrid feeling of unease settled inside me. Brushing it aside, I took my luggage inside, making sure to shut the door behind me. I looked around the cosy setting, quite liking the rustic theme.

An open fire dominated half of the far wall, a grey stone fireplace surrounding it, whilst a king-size bed took the centre of the room. A black wrought iron chandelier hung from the ceiling, holding candle shaped light bulbs, and two chairs sat against the window with a small table between them giving exquisite views of the open landscape, including the lake and the wooden jetty leading down to it. It was beautiful.

Next to the edge of the fireplace was a door leading to a large, airy bathroom. With a sparkling white marble floor, a white sink with a wall length cupboard underneath and a huge mirror above, it was very modern considering the rustic theme in the main room. A free-standing white bathtub with gold taps sat in the middle of the room, a huge window on the outside facing wall, frosted over of course, but still allowing in plenty of natural light. Several LED spotlights in the ceiling were the light source in here. It fitted the theme of the room perfectly.

I smiled, thinking to myself how this could actually be really enjoyable if it wasn't for the letch who owned it. Starting to unpack my stuff, I jumped as Ash burst through the door.

"Stop being so damn rude," he said, staring at me.

I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring back at him. "I'm not being rude. I'm being civil."

"You're being rude, Kyra. Get over yourself already."

My jaw dropped. "You're unbelievable."

"No, you're unbelievable. The man just lost his wife for goodness sake."

I snorted. "I'm well aware of that. She was my mum, remember."

His dark eyes hardened over. "Not that you treated her like one for the past couple of years."

I gasped as he slammed the door shut behind him. I couldn't understand his behaviour at all. Starting to feel the effects of being alone, I crawled into bed and curled up into a ball.

I drifted off into a deep sleep, my dreams playing me scenes of Paul and me together. A gentle shoving startled me awake. I looked up to see Ash leaning over me.

"It's dinner time," he said. "Are you coming?"

I blinked my sleep away before nodding. Waking from sweet dreams of Paul to then walk outside to a living nightmare was quite a stark contrast. Still, if those dreams of Paul were to continue, at least I had some comfort.