All Chapters of Redheads & Ranchers: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

220 Chapters

Chapter 1: RUN!

Chapter 1: RUN!RUN! Every fiber of her being screamed at her, willing her to shake off the fog that veiled her mind, willing her to save herself.Jenny Stone shakily pushed herself into a sitting position in the back seat of the black SUV, ignoring the pulsing of her swollen left eye, trying desperately to focus with her right one as she peered through the dark-tinted windows.Her minders, Slater and Wilcox (she had no idea of their first names, nor did she care to know) had left her when they'd gone into the truck stop for a bite to eat. They'd assumed she was unconscious, which she had been, momentarily knocked out by Slater's right jab to the left side of her face. This after backhanding her across the mouth. Her mouth filled with the harsh metallic tang of her own blood, she tentatively pushed her tongue toward her puffy lip. Thankfully, her teeth seemed to be intact, no thanks to Slater's meaty blow.All because she'd fought him. And she'd do it again. Every time.She mi

Last Updated : 2022-10-20

Chapter 2: Ducking the Cougar

Chapter 2: Ducking the CougarCole Caldwell mentally rolled his eyes for what felt like the fiftieth time that morning. Meredith Wagner was a cougar in the classic sense, with her platinum blonde hair and her designer nose. And designer breasts, he imagined. Not that he imagined her as a habit. She was a good fifteen years older than he; he'd just turned twenty-seven the month before. Even so, she was in great shape. It was a wonder what you could do with a personal trainer and a plastic surgeon on speed dial."Now Cole, you must allow me to take you to lunch before you head back to the country," Meredith purred.He shook his head. "I told you, Mrs. Wagner, I'd prefer to get Dahlia back to my place before dark, give her a chance to get used to my barn and the surroundings.""Call me Meredith," she insisted, placing a well-manicured and diamond-bedecked hand on his arm. "We've been over that. But seriously, you have to eat something. You might as well do so at Layton's expens

Last Updated : 2022-10-20

Chapter 3: That Day

Chapter 3: That DayWaves of relief washed over Jenny as the trailer began moving. She'd heard the cowboy return, pausing to speak to the horse in a warm, deep tone. "Alright, Dahlia, let's head on home."Now, out on the highway, the motion settled into the monotonous rhythm of the segmented concrete slabs that made up the road they on which traveled. The trailer was open at the end, and a vent was open near the front to provide ventilation for the horse. Which made it cold for Jenny, bare legs and all, so she hunkered inside the huge black hoodie, leaning against the side of the trailer.For the first time that day, she felt her body begin to relax, and she reluctantly drifted off to sleep. The nightmare she'd known awaited her was not far behind.She's on her way home from school. In Chelsea's car, they have it all worked out. They'll both tell their parents they're spending the night with each other. Neither girl's folks ever think to check up on them. Because truthfully,

Last Updated : 2022-10-20

Chapter 4: A Stowaway

Chapter 4: A StowawayCole felt a familiar sense of relief settle over him as he locked the gate behind the horse trailer and climbed back into the cab of the truck. Arriving home at the ranch where he'd grown up, locking out the world at large, always gave him a feeling of peace.It was home. He couldn't have put it more simply than that. It was where he'd spent his entire life, with the exception of the time he'd spent in the Marines. Following a year in Afghanistan, he'd worked out the remainder of his enlistment in Bridgeport, where he'd trained horses and soldiers for combat missions. He'd been thrilled to be back in the saddle, and the fact that home was a short couple of hours away had been the cherry on top.When his enlistment had ended, he'd returned to the ranch and built his reputation as an in-demand horse trainer. Happy that Cole was back in the fold, his parents had sold some stocks and retired to Santa Fe, leaving him in charge of the ranch. His older sister Beth

Last Updated : 2022-10-20

Chapter 5: Jenny

Chapter 5: JennyIn the kitchen of the white two-story farmhouse, Cole watched as the woman silently scanned the room. When he'd parked the truck in front of the house, she'd made no attempt to get out. He'd come around and opened her door, but still, she'd hesitated, her good eye darting all around the area. Finally, she'd slid down and followed him up the steps and across the covered porch to the door, which he'd opened, letting her into the house. Blue, his three-year-old blue tick coonhound greeting them excitedly at the door, whining and wagging his tail. Cole watched the woman stiffen and the dog sniffed her curiously. "He's a love," he said quickly. "Aren't you, Blue?"The woman tentatively offered the back of her hand which the dog immediately licked. Her expression lightened a bit, and she squatted down to pet Blue.In the quiet of the house, he took a deep breath. "Can you tell me who hurt you?"Startled, she turned to him, her battered face at odds with the brigh

Last Updated : 2022-10-20

Chapter 6: Assessing the Damage

Chapter 6: Assessing the DamagePeering into the bathroom mirror, Jenny was shocked at what she saw. Her face was a mess, her left eye swollen and purple, and her long red hair was tangled and unruly. She hadn't been to a salon in the two years she'd been Victor's captive. Once shoulder length, her hair now reached nearly down to her behind. She considered the dress and cringed. It was from the limited closet of items Victor had provided, and his tastes in women's fashion left a lot to be desired. Day to day, she alternated between a couple worn pairs of jeans that grew increasingly loose as she lost weight, matching them with a half-dozen old t-shirts. Unless Victor sent for her, in which case he usually specified which slinky dress he wanted her to wear. She supposed he imagined her as a gift to be wrapped and presented, either to himself or to those individuals with whom he wanted to curry favor. She looked at the stack of clothes Cole had given her, touching them lightly

Last Updated : 2022-10-20

Chapter 7: You Are Safe Here

Chapter 7: You Are Safe HereTentatively, Jenny descended the stairs and followed her nose to the kitchen. After her quick shower, she'd towel-dried her newly shorn locks as much as possible. She'd pulled on the grey sweatpants and cinched the waist as tightly as she could, tying off the drawstring in a huge bow to keep it from dragging the floor. Elastic cuffs rested at her ankles while the long legs spilled over, creating grey fleece harem-style pants. The red plaid flannel shirt had swallowed her whole, with the tail hanging nearly to her knees. She'd ended up unbuttoning the bottom few buttons and tying the shirttails in a square knot around her waist, rolling the sleeves over and over until her hands were free. She thought her favorite part of the ensemble, though, were the grey wool socks. For the first time all day, she felt warm.The dog had been waiting for her outside the bathroom door, and he padded down the stairs behind her. As she entered the kitchen, Cole's bac

Last Updated : 2022-10-20

Chapter 8: Hot Dinner and a Bed

Chapter 8: Hot Dinner and a BedAt the round kitchen table, Cole ladled steaming stew into the blue bowl in front of her, and then into his own bowl. He offered her a plate of cornbread, and she took a wedge. "Anyway, it's not fancy, but it's filling." He grinned at her and scooped up an enormous spoonful of stew. Closing her eyes, Jenny leaned forward over her bowl and breathed in deeply. The stew smelled divine. Her normal dinner was a cold sandwich. When someone remembered. If Slater was in charge, he usually brought an Italian sub, or at least the portion he hadn't eaten. She'd gotten to the point that the scent of salami turned her stomach. Breathing in again, her mouth actually watered at the rich aroma of beef and vegetables. When she opened her eyes, Cole was watching her carefully. "Try it. It's not bad. I'm a halfway decent cook."She picked up her spoon, dipped it into the stew, and took a bite. Oh, my God, this is the best thing I've ever tasted. She felt

Last Updated : 2022-10-20

Chapter 9: Now What?

Chapter 9: Now What?Alone, Cole made his way on foot to the barn. When he'd left Jenny upstairs in her room, Blue had circled once, then curled up beside the bed. Cole figured that was just as well. Jenny seemed to have taken to the dog, and Cole knew his dog well enough to know he'd sensed the girl's brokenness. The sun had long ago set, but his way was lit by the nearly full moon and the glow of the industrial fixture on the front of the barn. Of the twelve stalls, eight were currently occupied, now that Dahlia was here. Four of the horses were Cole's, with another three belonging to clients who'd entrusted them to him for training. Four clients, now, including Dahlia. Meredith popped into his mind and he grimaced, wondering again if the money was worth the trouble. He paused outside the barn to do a little deep breathing, trying to get into the proper headspace for working with the horses. They seemed to be as in tune with his mood as Blue was, and in truth, his afterno

Last Updated : 2022-10-20

Chapter 10: The Next Morning

Chapter 10: The Next MorningThe following morning, by the time the rooster crowed in the barnyard just as the sun was peeking over the eastern horizon, Cole was already up. He pulled on a faded pair of jeans and a flannel-lined chambray shirt against the chill of the March morning. Passing Jenny's door, he peered in to see her in much the same position in which she'd been the night before. Hooking his head to the right, he indicated for Blue to follow him, which the dog did, albeit reluctantly.A hot mug of coffee in hand, he stepped out onto the wide covered porch and watched as Blue performed his morning constitutional. Cole had a busy day ahead of him, having lost time the day before traveling to and from Carmel. He needed to work all the horses, for a little while, at least, and he wanted to see what kind of headway he could make with Dahlia.And he needed to go to town to pick up feed for the horses. He thought of Jenny, asleep upstairs. As long as he'd be in town, he was

Last Updated : 2022-10-20

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