She picked up her pace, practically dragging Astrid along. She couldn’t fall prey to Wyatt’s charm. If she let him get anywhere near her, he’d sweet talk her into doing whatever he wanted, just as he’d been doing all along.

“We’re leaving tomorrow,” she called. “Please don’t try to stop us.”

Distant gunshots echoed in the stillness of the evening, causing her to stumble to a halt a few paces from the cabin with Astrid bumping into her from behind. Who was shooting and why?

Wyatt and Judd had both grown motionless as well and were staring toward the north pasture behind the barn.

More gunshots resounded in close succession.

Wyatt exchanged a glance with Judd. “You don’t think it’s Brawley, do you?”

“Yep. Has to be.”

“Tell me they’re hunting.”

“More like rustling.” Judd’s lips formed a grim line beneath his bushy white mustache.

Wyatt spun and stalked back into the barn. The moment he disappeared, Greta’s legs turned as wobbly as jam, and she had to hold on to Astrid for balance.

“What’s rustling, Greta?” Astrid stared at the horizon as more gunshots filled the air.

“Stealing.” As upset as she was at Wyatt, she didn’t want him to lose his cattle, not after how hard he’d worked to build up his small herd.

“They can’t just steal them, can they?” Astrid bent and picked up Chase. “They’ll get in trouble if they do.”

“Let’s pray that’s the case.”

As Judd limped into the barn after Wyatt, Greta’s muscles tightened with dread. A moment later, Wyatt emerged atop his horse with Judd following on his mount, both carrying their rifles.

They weren’t thinking of riding out to the north pasture and fighting Brawley over the cattle, were they? Brawley’s parting words echoed in her head: “Maybe I oughta do what I’ve been aiming to do all along. Run you out of here.”

Wyatt reined in his horse near them. “Take Astrid and stay in the cabin.” His eyes flashed with anger, and his jaw was set with determination.

She wanted to tell Wyatt not to go, that it was too dangerous, that she was afraid of what might happen to him. But she bit back the words that weren’t hers to say anymore. Even if such a warning had been within her rights, he wouldn’t listen anyway. He was the kind of man who did hard things, who didn’t shrink from danger, and who wasn’t afraid to protect what was his.

As much as she admired those qualities about him, she didn’t want him to go out and fight Brawley, not with the angry threats still ringing in the air.

“Don’t come out until we get back!” Wyatt called, and then without another glance, he slapped his horse into a gallop.

Chapter 20