Luke's Surprise (16 page)

“You don’t think he’d be stupid enough to try anything again, do you?”

“I don’t know but I’m not taking any chances. I almost lost you
once,
it’s not going to happen again. I thought you died Luke,” Mark said, choking back tears. “In that moment, a part of me died too.”

Luke held Mark tightly to his
chest,
stroking his hands down Mark’s back, trying to soothe him.

“I know how hard it must have been for you, Mark. I don’t know what I would have done if the situation had been reversed, but I didn’t die. I’m okay and I need everyone to stop acting like they’re waiting for me to fall apart. It’s not going to happen.”

Mark nodded into Luke’s chest. “I’ll try.”

“That’s all I ask.”

* * * *

Kelan
had finally decided to re-open the ranch for business so Luke threw himself into the work that needed doing around the place before they purchased the livestock. Luke was secretly nervous that the townsfolk wouldn’t want to do business with them because of his relationship with Mark. He knew there would be a lot of people who would disapprove but he kept his concerns to himself. Mark was incredibly happy with
Kelan’s
plans for the ranch and his role in them, and Luke didn’t want to rain on his mate’s parade.

Mark kept his promise and gave Luke more space, although he never left him alone for more than an hour at a time. There was always something important he had to tell Luke to do with the ranch. Even though Luke knew they were just excuses for Mark to see him, he didn’t call him on it. A part of him was happy to know how much Mark cared about him.

Kelan’s
beta, Rick, showed up at the ranch every evening to discuss tactics before he and
Kelan
left to go to Jackson’s, but each night when
Kelan
returned home it was without any positive news. Ethan, Gus and Jacob were still missing. No one at the club had seen them for several weeks—or if they had, they weren’t talking about it.

Rick was sat at the kitchen table, deep in conversation with
Kelan
and Mark one evening when Luke came in from tending to the horses. The second Luke entered the room the conversation came to an abrupt halt.

“Hey, what y’all talking about?”
Luke asked, taking a seat at the table next to Mark.

Mark leaned over and placed a kiss on Luke’s cheek causing Luke to blush.

“Nothing important,”
Kelan
said. “How’s Misty doing?”

“Misty’s doing fine, but you’re changing the subject. What’s going on?”

“I wasn’t changing the subject, and there’s nothing going on,”
Kelan
claimed, although Luke knew his brother well enough to know when he was lying to him.

“Mark,” Luke said, “tell me what y’all were talking about.”

Mark
slumped
his shoulders in defeat. He couldn’t lie to his mate and Luke knew it.

“Rick got a tip off about where Ethan and the others might be hiding.”

“Jesus Mark, can’t you keep anything from him?”
Kelan
asked sourly.

“No, he can’t,” Luke said. “So what are we going to do about it?”

“
We
are not going to do anything. Rick and I are going to go check it out tonight.”

“I’m coming with you,” Mark said quickly.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Mark,”
Kelan
said. “It might be dangerous, and besides, wouldn’t you rather spend the night alone with Luke?”

Mark knew what
Kelan
was trying to do and although part of him would have loved the alone-time with Luke, he wouldn’t be swayed on this one.

“I’m coming,” he said resolutely.
Kelan
could like it or lump it.

“Actually I think it’s a good idea that Mark comes,
Kelan
. Pete’s out of town right now so we could do with the extra manpower,” Rick said.

“Luke, you’re staying mighty quiet over there, that’s not like you,”
Kelan
said. “I know you have an opinion on this.”

Luke sighed. “I think Mark should go with you.”

Three sets of eyes all turned to stare at Luke.

“Are you serious?”
Kelan
asked, astonished by the turn-around in Luke.

“Obviously I don’t want him to go. But he’s got his own mind and I think this is something he needs to do.”

Mark grabbed hold of Luke’s hand and brought it to his lips, placing a soft kiss on Luke’s fingers.

“Thank you for understanding, Luke, I appreciate it.”

“’S okay.”
Luke shrugged.

“I guess it’s settled then.”
Kelan
got to his feet. “Rick, Mark and I will meet you outside the gas station on Anderson in an hour. Mark, you’d better give Cody a call and ask him and Stefan to come over and stay with Luke while we’re gone.”

Mark nodded and left the kitchen.

“I’d better head on out,” Rick said. “I’ll see y’all in an hour.”

Kelan
nodded. “You mind if Luke shows you out? I’ve got some calls to make.”

“Sure.”

Luke walked Rick to the front door. Before he left, Luke put a hand on Rick’s arm to halt him.

“How is everything going with the farm? Did you manage to find an investor?”

Rick shook his head. He kept his eyes to the ground, unwilling to meet Luke’s eye. Luke guessed the man was embarrassed by his situation. He couldn’t blame him. Luke wouldn’t enjoy discussing his financial situation with anyone but his family either.

“No. You’ve got to understand Luke,” Rick said almost pleadingly. “That farm is my whole life, my livelihood. I don’t know what my family and I will do without it.”

“I know,” Luke said with feeling. “I’m sure something will turn up.”

If he’d had the money, Luke would have offered it to Rick in a heartbeat but there was really nothing he was able to do. Every penny he had himself was tied up in their own ranch and business.

“Yeah,” Rick mumbled. “Maybe something will. Goodbye, Luke.”

Fifty minutes later, Mark was pacing the length of the living room, practically wearing a hole in the rug.

“Where are they?” he asked
Kelan
for what must have been the fourth time in five minutes. “Did you try Cody’s cell again?”

“Yeah, it’s still going to voicemail, must be in a bad reception area. Don’t worry, Mark, they’ll be here. We need to get going.”

“I don’t like leaving Luke here alone,
Kelan
.”

“I’ll be fine,” Luke insisted. “Don’t worry about me. Cody will be here any minute. Go get ‘
em
, cowboy.”

Mark grinned and kissed Luke on the forehead.

“If you’re sure.”

“Positive, now get. And promise me you’ll be careful.”

“Of course, I’ve got you waiting at home for me, haven’t I?”

Luke grinned.
“Always.”

* * * *

After
Kelan
and Mark left, Luke busied himself washing the dishes from their evening meal. When he finished, he swept the floors and started on the laundry. He wasn’t particularly in the mood for housework but he had to do something to take his mind off Mark.

Luke had made Mark promise to call him as soon as they had any news on Ethan but so far he had yet to hear anything. Luke had just sat down when the phone rang.

“Mark,” Luke said as soon as he answered the call.

“Luke,
it’s
Cody.”

“Oh, hey, bro.
What’s happening? Where are you?”

“The damn truck broke down on the way over, and we didn’t have cell reception to call you. We had to walk to Bob’s house to see if he could come back and fix it for us. We’re on our way back there now. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Just get here when you can.”

“Okay Luke, see you soon.”

The moment Luke disconnected the call; there was a knock on the front door. Luke frowned and got up to answer it. He had his hand on the knob to open it when the fear set in. Ethan could be on the other side of the door. He crossed quickly to the window and peered out the curtain to check who was there. Relief and panic warred inside him when he saw Rick standing on the porch. Luke hurried to open the door.

“Rick! What’s going on?
Where’s
Mark and
Kelan
? Are they okay? Has something happened?” he asked in a rush.

Rick looked grim. His mouth was set in a tight line and he couldn’t meet Luke’s eyes.

“You’d better come with me, Luke,” he said. “It’s Mark. He’s been hurt.
Kelan
is taking him to the hospital. You need to come, now.”

Luke felt the bottom drop out of his world with Rick’s speech. His stomach jerked violently as his supper tried to make
a reappearance
.

“Oh God,” he said, grabbing hold of the door post to keep him upright. “Is it bad?”

Rick gave a quick nod of his head. “We’d better hurry.”

Luke grabbed his jacket and rushed out of the door to follow Rick, who was already half way down the steps.

“What happened?” Luke asked when they were seated inside Rick’s truck.

“Ambush,” Rick answered simply.

Luke didn’t ask any further questions. He wasn’t sure he was ready to hear the answers. He needed to see Mark with his own eyes, not get the account second-hand. He closed his eyes and leant back against the headrest.

Rick drove on in silence for a few moments. Luke was so lost in his thoughts and weighted down with worry that he was happy Rick didn’t try to make conversation with him. He could barely think straight let alone make small talk.

When Luke opened his eyes, he peered out the windscreen and scrunched his brow in confusion. He didn’t recognise the road they were currently driving on.

“Where are we?” he asked, looking out the passenger window, trying to get his bearings.

“I’m real sorry, Luke,” Rick said. “I didn’t want to have to do this.”

Before Luke could question Rick further, he cried out as a blinding pain shot through his temple and everything went dark.

Chapter Ten

“Well that was a waste of time,” Mark said, dialling the ranch on his cell.

Kelan
nodded. “Rick’s contact must have got it wrong.”

“I hope Rick’s dad is okay. Man got away fast as greased lightning when he got that call from his sister.”

“Yeah.
His daddy already had one heart attack. The doc said back then that the next one could be fatal.”

Mark frowned. “There’s no answer at the ranch.”

Kelan
shrugged his shoulders and turned left off the main road. “Did you try his cell?”

“Yeah, it must be switched off, and I can’t get Cody on his either.”

“I wouldn’t worry, they’re probably just out with the horses. ‘Sides, we’ll be back in ten.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you’re right,” Mark said, though his mind was busy conjuring all sorts of scenarios and none of them were good.

Just as
Kelan
had said, ten minutes later they were pulling into the yard in front of the house. There was no sign of Cody’s truck. Mark had tried several more times to reach Luke and Cody, but both cells as well as the ranch phone remained unanswered. By the time he opened the truck door, Mark was in full panic mode.

He rushed from the car up to the house and threw open the door.

“Luke? Luke? It’s Mark!
You here?”

Mark raced from room to room. When he came up empty, he ran back out to the yard to
Kelan
.

“He’s not here,
Kelan
. Oh God, something must have happened to him and it’s
all my
fault,” Mark said, filled with terror. “I never should have left him.”

“I know it’s difficult but try not to panic. Go and check the outbuildings. I’ll make a couple of calls see if I can reach Cody or Stefan.”

Mark nodded and sped to the barn. He knew in his gut he wouldn’t find Luke there but he had to try something. He couldn’t just stand around doing nothing while he waited for
Kelan
to finish talking on his cell.

Kelan
was just hanging up a call when Mark returned to the yard.

“You get hold of them?” he asked, desperation evident in his voice.

“I just spoke to Marianne. She said her brother had a call from Stefan about forty minutes ago. They had problem with the truck and had to get Bob out to sort it. Cody and Stefan never made it here.

“Fuck!” Mark shouted. “It’s Ethan,
Kelan
. He’s taken him. I just know it.”