Page 34 of Her Wild Cowboy Billionaire

“I know, baby. I’ve always known. Anyone who followed me, us, like he did, would have to be disturbed.” I’m free. I don’t have to be afraid to go to the grocery store, or a movie or meet friends on the weekend. I’m free to live my real life.

“Ladies, we need to get you both back home.” He pressed a hand to his ear. “Jason, bring the helo in now to pick up my girls.”

Willow looked over at him, her eyes wide. My girls? Are Mindy and I really his girls? They hadn’t talked about it. Hadn’t even done more than some necking on the sofa. His girls?

A few minutes later, the helicopter landed.

Travis walked them over to it and helped them get in.

Mindy hopped into the back and buckled her safety harness.

Willow stood at the door and looked back at Travis.

He smiled at her and mouthed, “Later.”

Then he helped her into the ‘copter.

As the aircraft lifted off, she stared at Travis.

He waved and then turned back to deal with Simmons.

She assumed he would call the sheriff.

As they flew the eight or so miles back to the house, Willow looked out of the windshield but didn’t actually see anything that they passed over. Her mind was so preoccupied with Travis’s words, my girls and later, she didn’t even remember to be afraid. What would they talk about later? She wanted to know now.

Jason set the helicopter down at the pad by the house. He turned it off and then came around to help Willow out.

Mindy was already out of her harness and on the ground when he reached Willow.

She’d released her harness but appreciated his assistance to disembark from the ‘copter. “Thank you, Jason.”

“Anytime, Willow. I’m sure Travis will be here shortly. Claudia probably has coffee and hot cocoa ready, so you two can warm up.”

“You wouldn’t think I’d need warming in the middle of July, but the coffee will be welcome. Mindy and I have been through a traumatic experience. Feeling cold after such an occurrence is not uncommon.”

Jason put a hand at her waist and escorted her from under the helicopter’s blades and on into the house.

Mindy ran ahead of them to the kitchen.

Claudia had four cups on the table.

Mindy sat on one side with a cup of hot cocoa, if her mustache was any sign.

The other three cups contained coffee. Cream, sugar, and Splenda were on a tray in between the cups.

Claudia sat at the table and added cream and sugar to her coffee.

Willow normally would drink it black, but she needed some comfort and the cream and sugar, real sugar, seemed to be called for.

Jason added a little cream to his coffee.

“How are you?” asked Claudia.

Willow looked at Mindy. She was bouncing back better than Willow was. Already she was smiling, which pleased Willow very much. She was glad her daughter didn’t appear to be traumatized by what had happened,

“I’m fine.” Mindy took a drink of her cocoa. “I’m glad the evil man is gone and won’t bother Mom and me, anymore. Now, we won’t have to move all the time.”

Mindy had the right attitude. One she, herself, should adopt. But she couldn’t get the picture of Simmons’ bullet-riddled body out of her mind. He would have shot me, or worse, Mindy, if Travis’s men hadn’t fired on him first. Those men had saved her and Mindy’s lives. She owed them more than she could ever repay. And Travis, he’d done all in his power to keep them safe, and he had, for the most part. Simmons’ holding Mindy hostage wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t have known Simmons had breached his surveillance. His property was just too big.