Reaper's Vow by Sarah McCarty

business.”
    â€œWe’ve already been over that ground. I made it my business about an hour ago.”
    â€œWhat you made was an enemy you didn’t need to.” She dropped the bundle on the floor by the bed. “You should have left when I told you to at Clark’s or just stayed away.”
    â€œAnd left your daughter in a barn where anything could happen to her and anybody could find her?”
    She turned, backing up a step until her calves hit the bed. If she were a whore, he’d take that as an invitation.
    â€œShe’s safe here.”
    â€œI’ve got news for you, sweet doll, no one’s safe anywhere. There’s always somebody willing to invade your little world and tear it apart.”
    Miranda wrapped her arms around her waist, then as if realizing what the motion betrayed, snapped them down to her side. Her clothes were soaked and sticking to her curvy little body in a way that had his cock twitching and his conscience smarting. The place was cold, and she was chilled, and he was debating points he’d long since settled.
    Cole strode over the fireplace he’d prepped earlier and stacked some kindling over the pile of twigs before reaching into his pocket and taking out a sulfur, striking it, and setting it to the pine needles beneath. They crackled and burned immediately, the bark and twigs above catching fast. Behind him he could hear Wendy moving about, the lightness of her steps betraying her location, but as far as he could tell, Miranda hadn’t budged. She was stuck like an opossum to that bed.
    He watched the flames devour the kindling. “That man was going to hurt your kid.”
    â€œI know.”
    As the flames licked at the first log, he glanced over his shoulder.
    â€œAnd what the hell did you think you were going to do about it?”
    Her fingers curled into her palms, and her lips drew back again, revealing those sexy little canines.
    â€œKill him.”
    Taking in her small size and slight stature, Cole just shook his head. “Uh-huh. You may be Reaper, honey, but so is he.”
    The fire had caught. He stood and added, “You’re not safe here.”
    Wendy walked over to her mama, Dolly in her hand. “He wants to be my papa.”
    Cole didn’t miss the betraying way she leaned against her mom. “Seems to me he’s already somebody’s papa.”
    â€œI don’t want him to be mine.”
    â€œUnderstandable.” He glanced at Miranda. It was hard to ignore the way the wet blouse adhered to her shape, revealing the hard points of her nipples, but he gave it a hell of a shot. “Where’s your husband?”
    â€œGone. Where’s your wife?” she shot back.
    â€œI’ve never had one.”
    â€œI can see why,” she muttered.
    It was such a woman-type retort, he couldn’t suppress the smile tugging his lips.
    â€œYeah, I am a bit rough around the edges.”
    Wendy left her mom and came over to the fire, Dolly held before her like a shield. He blocked her before she could step too close.
    â€œGotta be careful around fire with skirts, little one.”
    She looked down at her skirts, then at the fire. “Oh.” She immediately took two steps back. Her mother gave every impression she’d like to follow suit, but she held her ground.
    Cole lost his smile. “I won’t be staying here tonight.”
    â€œBut where will you go?”
    The protest was halfhearted at best. He didn’t take offense. “I’ll be sleeping in the barn.”
    Miranda was shaking her head before he finished the sentence. “Isaiah said—”
    He cut her off. “I don’t give a rat’s behind what Isaiah said. I don’t put a woman and child out of their bed for my comfort.”
    â€œYou’re Addy’s family.”
    â€œCousin to be exact.”
    She nodded.
    â€œBut that doesn’t change a da—darn thing.”
    â€œWe all know