Page 70 of Guarded Hearts

“Everything but muffin tins.”

Layne bit down on her bottom lip. “There has to be some around here.” She began searching the cupboards, tentatively at first since this wasn’t her house. Then she began to really dig around, even getting on her hands and knees to peer into dark cupboards.

Pushing to her feet, she smoothed her rumpled top. “No luck.”

“We have plenty of muffin tins at home, at Golden Horizon.”

“Maybe I should go over and get them?”

“Carson did say he was going to the ranch. You could call him and ask him to bring the tins.”

“Hm.” She nibbled her lip some more. “I’ll call him now.” She left Faye fluttering around the island, organizing pouches of walnuts and fussing with measuring cups, and went into the living room to make a call.

Carson didn’t answer his phone even after two tries. She set off toward the big bedroom converted to the Black Heart Security office, thinking to find Willow and ask about going to fetch the tins with her.

But the door was firmly shut, and she could hear Willow’s voice rising and falling behind it. Unable to make out the words, and not wanting to overhear something she had no business knowing, Layne grabbed a set of keys off the peg in the entryway and walked out to the driveway where a bunch of black vehicles were parked.

She located the vehicle that matched her set of keys—a small sedan with tinted windows—and climbed behind the wheel.

Carson was already at Golden Horizon. She would be safe with him. And nobody would recognize her in the security company’s vehicle. She’d buzz over, grab the tins and come straight back here so she, Willow and Faye could bake the muffins. After all the crazy events of the past few weeks, she could use some normalcy.

Before she backed out, she paused. On a scale of one to ten, how ticked off would her lover be when he found out she left the ranch?

She would only take back roads.Nobodytraveled the road she was thinking of. It was a straight shot to her ranch. She wouldn’t even hit a public roadtobe seen.

She continued on. Driving again made her feel normal. So did the warm rays of sun streaming down on her face and shoulder. The back road cut across the Malones’ property, curving around the base of the mountain, to her own ranch.

Back in the day, she would ride her horse over to see Carson. Or he would take the ATV and visit her. Half the time, her father had no clue where she was, but Faye always did.

Faye had seen more than anybody else when it came to Carson. She still did.

Maybe Layne could visit her horses too, give them each a little love while she was there with Carson on watch.

She tried to call his phone again, but there was no answer. Was he okay? Did he meet with the man who wanted her for himself—or to kill her?

Carson was a trained SEAL. He was all right. He just wasn’t answering his phone.

When she reached the end of the road that met with a narrow horse track on her own land, she slowed.

Just through the tree branches, she could see the back of her house. And the trail was also lined with thick cover. She would be fine.

A minute later, she arrived without issue and parked at the back door with Carson’s truck only feet away. She used the new security code to unlock the door.

The house was quiet. She listened for Carson and Colt’s voices but heard nothing. They must be outside, maybe even in the barn where she was going next.

She quickly located the pans Faye requested and put them on the front seat of the car she was driving. Then, with a cautious look around, she set off quickly for the barn.

Pressing a palm to the wood, warmed by the sun, the door gave a pleasant creak as it opened.

Suddenly, pain exploded through her skull. Something solid thumped to the floor at her feet, but she couldn’t see through the blackness clouding her vision. Hot wetness rushed into her eyes and down her face.

Then came the sharp copper smell of blood.

She blinked, clearing her vision enough to stagger for the door. The pain of the blow made her stumble. Hand shaking, she lifted one to probe at her injury, gasping when she felt slick blood.

She drew her hand away and almost passed out at the sight ofso much bloodon her hand.

In a daze, she stood in the open door, swaying. Trying to focus on opening her mouth and crying out the only name in her brain at that moment.