Lynn Hagen [Bear County 05] Cowboy Legend [Siren ManLove MM] (pdf)

Bear County 5

Cowboy Legend

Gabe Summerville has been thrown for a loop. His father has just
announced that his bank has been used for laundering money and

he needs to send Gabe away to keep his son safe. Gabe refuses to
leave, insisting that he can help. But once Miller Legend is called
in to protect Gabe, all bets are off. The attraction is instant and

Gabe soon finds that he is fighting a losing battle, especially when
Legend is a temptation he can't resist.

Miller Legend belongs to Executive Bodyguards, a personal
protection service that has settled in Bear County. When Legend

takes the assignment to be Gabe's bodyguard, he has no idea that
Gabe is about to change the rules. Legend doesn’t believe in

mixing business with pleasure, but soon finds his resistance to
Gabe is futile. He must not only keep Gabe safe, but coax the
human into pleasures the man could only dream of.

Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Contemporary, Paranormal,
Shape-shifter, Western/Cowboys
Length: 33,027 words

COWBOY LEGEND

Bear County 5

Lynn Hagen

THE LYNN HAGEN

MANLOVE COLLECTION

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: The Lynn Hagen ManLove Collection

COWBOY LEGEND
Copyright © 2014 by Lynn Hagen
E-book ISBN: 978-1-63258-161-7

First E-book Publication: August 2014

Cover design by Emma Nicole
All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without
express written permission.

All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance
to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers

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thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy

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COWBOY LEGEND

Bear County 5

LYNN HAGEN

Chapter One

“Could you repeat that?” Gabe Summerville wasn’t sure he’d

heard his father correctly. He couldn’t have. His father stood behind
his desk, his hand still resting on the phone. The man appeared
somber, as if grappling with some internal conflict.

His father ran a hand over his stubbled jaw before glancing at

Gabe. “The FBI has offered to put us into witness protection.”

Gabe felt a bit dizzy as he placed a shaky hand over his abdomen.

His throat had gone dry and he was finding it impossible to breathe.
His father appeared rumpled, unsure, and unshaven. Maxwell
Summerville was normally unflappable and he certainly never looked
less than impeccable. His father was the epitome of palpable strength
and surety.

Why would he need to be protected?
Gabe glanced around the room, trying to gain his bearings as his

father’s words sank in. He shook his head. “I don’t understand any of
this.”

Maxwell’s hand slid over the back of his leather chair before he

pulled it out and took a seat. He slouched, which was something Gabe
had never seen him do before, as he ran his index finger and thumb
over his chin. He seemed to come to some sort of conclusion before

Lynn Hagen

he said, “The bank was used for laundering cartel money. As soon as I
found out, I contacted the FBI. The man who set up the illegal
operation got wind that I had turned state’s evidence. He wants my
head.”

Gabe was going to be sick. He dropped into a seat by his father’s

desk as the bile rose to the back of his throat. His skin became heated
and he tried to suppress the urge to vomit.

His father owned one of the largest banks on the West Coast.

Summerville Savings and Loan had been around for as long as Gabe
could remember. The business had been handed down through three
generations. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that someone
had used it for anything other than upstanding business.

“Hire more bodyguards.” As his chest tightened, Gabe became

frantic. He didn’t want to start a new life. The Summerville estate was
the only place he had ever called home. He didn’t want to live on the
lam and run from the cartel.

This was a damn nightmare and Gabe wasn’t sure what to do. He

had watched enough movies to believe that witness protection was
hardly a guarantee of safety. But this was real life. For all he knew, it
could be the best program out there.

Gabe just didn’t want to find out. Why couldn’t he go back to his

life, oblivious to what was going on? Why did the cartel have to
choose his father’s bank? He glanced at his weary-looking father
before asking, “Do we really have to go?”

Gabe wasn’t trying to put more pressure on the man. He really

wasn’t. But this was a terrifying situation and he was trying to find an
anchor somewhere, anywhere. Men with power, money, and weapons
wanted his father dead. If that wasn’t a mind fuck, he didn’t know
what was.

Maxwell leaned forward and placed his elbows on his desk,

rubbing his hands over his face. Gabe sat there, holding his breath.
His father dropped his hands and gazed at Gabe. “To be honest, I’m
not going to trust the government with your safety.”

Cowboy Legend

Gabe could only nod as he prayed that his father would soon start

laughing and tell him that this had all been a joke. None of it seemed
real. His father had served as a marine before taking over the family
business. He was tough as nails. There weren’t too many things in life
that worried Maxwell.

Yet the man looked rattled and unnerved.
“So what are we going to do then?” Gabe asked. They could

always pack their bags and take off to another country, but Gabe
knew his father. Maxwell Summerville wasn’t going to run. And that
worried him more than anything.

“I have a friend who can help keep you safe,” his father said as he

reached for the phone.

Gabe’s heart slammed in his chest at the singular you. His fingers

curled around the arms of the chair as he leaned forward. “What about
you?”

“I have a business to run and I’m not letting anyone scare me

away.” His eyes softened but filled with determination. “You, on the
other hand, mean everything to me and I won’t risk your life.”

“And I’m supposed to let you risk yours?” Gabe asked

incredulously. He was five seconds away from grabbing the front of
the man’s shirt and shaking some sense into him. What the hell was
his father thinking? “What if they come after you?”

Gabe had been ten when his mother died. His father had gone

overboard protecting and caring for him. Although Gabe appreciated
everything his father had done for him, he was not about to let the
man face those crooks on his own.

They had been a team since suffering the devastating loss. For

fifteen years they had worked to rebuild their lives and to forge the
strong relationship they now shared. Why in the fuck would his father
think Gabe would just walk away?

“I know how to take care of myself.” The steely determination

remained in Maxwell’s hazel eyes. Gabe wasn’t going to win this. His

Lynn Hagen

father would force him to leave and there would be nothing Gabe
could do to change his dad’s mind, but he was going to try anyway.

He ground his teeth as the stubbornness that he’d inherited from

his father took hold. “I’m not going if you’re staying.”

“Gabe,” his father said in warning. “Now is not the time to take a

stand against me. You are too important. Go upstairs and pack a bag.”

Ugh. Why couldn’t his father see that he was terrified for the

man? Maxwell’s concern was justifiable while Gabe’s was
unnecessary. At least that’s how Maxwell saw things. Gabe wanted to
rail against the man’s inflexibility.

Gabe sat there, refusing to do as he was told. He could be just as

stalwart as his father.

Maxwell picked up the phone and dialed. He sat back before a

warm smile spread across his face, relieving some of the worry lines
that had begun to surface. “Hey, rotten-ass bastard.”

His father’s masculine laughter reminded Gabe of just how much

he had to lose.

“How are things going?” his father asked, seeming ten years

younger as he spoke. A gleam had entered the man’s eyes that made
Gabe smile.

His father sat there and listened for a moment before he explained

the situation to whoever he was talking to on the phone. He added a
few more details that he hadn’t disclosed to Gabe. Like the name of
the man who was after him.

Ricardo Ortega.
The name burned into Gabe’s memory as he sat there and listened.

He learned that Ortega was in jail, but would soon post bail. There
was very little time to put a plan in place. Even if Ortega didn’t get
out, from what his father had just said, Ricardo Ortega’s foot soldiers
would carry out the job.

The more Maxwell spoke, the more light-headed Gabe became.

He really was going to be sick.

Cowboy Legend

His father nodded and then said, “Good, then I’ll see you

tomorrow.”

Tomorrow.
In twenty-four hours Gabe’s life would be turned upside down

and his fate would rest in the hands of a stranger.

Once his father hung up, he turned to Gabe. “A marine buddy of

mine is going to arrive tomorrow for your protection detail.”

“But—”
His father held up his hand. “I’m not budging on this, Gabe.” His

tone was firm. “You’ll do as Miller Legend instructs. Do I make
myself clear?”

It was rare that his father use that clipped, harsh tone with him.

Gabe found himself nodding even though he wanted to shake his head
and demand to remain at his father’s side. But he knew arguing would
be pointless.

So he asked, “For how long?”
He felt defeated and like a piece of shit for leaving his father to

handle this on his own. Gabe didn’t have any formal training and
would probably be more of a hindrance than help if he stayed. But the
guilt began to mount.

“Pack for at least four weeks.”
“Four weeks?” Gabe nearly shouted the words. “You want me to

leave the only home I’ve ever known and the father I cherish for an
entire month while you face down the cartel?”

“That’s exactly what I want you to do.” His father strode from the

study, leaving Gabe to sit there gaping at the man. Not once in his life
had his father dismissed him like an errant child.

Gabe wasn’t sure what to make of it.
While he understood his father’s concern, Gabe resented the high-

handedness. He was a grown man, ran his own department at the
bank, and was intelligent and sensible. For Maxwell to treat him like a
little boy who didn’t understand grown folks’ business cut Gabe to the
quick.

Lynn Hagen

Twenty-four hours.
His shoulders slumped as he walked out of the office, heading

upstairs to pack.

Cowboy Legend

Chapter Two

The following evening, Gabe heard murmuring inside his father’s

office. The unfamiliar voice was husky, wholly masculine, and had
him willing to investigate further. Gabe’s curiosity was piqued. He
felt like a spy as he lingered out in the hallway, but he wanted to hear
the uncensored conversation.

Unfortunately, his father was good.
“Gabe, get in here,” Maxwell called from inside his office.
Busted.
Squaring his shoulders with dignity, Gabe strolled in. He never

could get away with eavesdropping. Maxwell’s hearing had been
sharp when Gabe was a small boy. His father had always caught him.
And as his father grew older, his skills had only sharpened. But Gabe
had to try. He knew Maxwell wasn’t telling him everything.

“This is Miller Legend,” his father said in introduction.
Gabe turned toward Legend and felt as if he’d stepped off a cliff,

freefalling. His new bodyguard was the hottest man he’d had ever laid
eyes on. Legend wore a three-piece charcoal-grey suit that clung to
his body with perfection. Gabe couldn’t stop himself from openly
appraising the man, fighting not to groan at Legend’s executive-style
appearance.

Yet, when Gabe glanced at his face, the man reminded him of a

street brawler. The manly cut of his chin, the scrub of hair that ran
along his jawline and thickened under his bottom lip, and those
piercing amber eyes were enough to make Gabe’s pulse roar.

Legend’s hair was shaved on both sides. Light-brown strands lay

softly down the middle, reaching just above his shoulder blades. If

Lynn Hagen

Gabe had met this man out on the street, he would not have had the
nerve to talk to him.

He was finding it hard to utter two words as it was.
Legend extended his hand and Gabe nearly fainted when their

skin made contact. Legend’s skin was rough, but his touch gentle. He
gave Gabe’s hand just the right amount of pressure as he shook it.
Gabe didn’t want to break the connection. But after two pumps,
Legend pulled away.

Gabe wasn’t sure what in the hell had gotten into him. He’d never

swooned over a man. His name was not Scarlett O’Hara and they
were not in the movie Gone with the Wind. This wasn’t the Deep
South and Gabe had all the confidence in the world when it came to
flirting with men. Okay, almost all the confidence in the world. There
were just some men, like Legend, who flustered him.

Gabe mentally smacked himself on the back of the head, trying to

dislodge something intelligent to say. Finally, he muttered, “Nice to
meet you.”

The start of a smile twitched at the side of Legend’s mouth and

then it was gone. “A pleasure.”

Those ambiguous amber eyes seemed to deepen in color as

Legend gazed at him. Gabe felt as if the man could see right through
him, read his thoughts. Legend was staring too intently and Gabe
began to shift uncomfortably.

Gabe’s bodyguard was not supposed to be this good looking. The

man should have been as unappealing as roadkill on a hot summer’s
day. If that had been the case, Gabe wouldn’t be standing here right
now trying not to drool all over the guy.

Maxwell cleared his throat. Gabe had to tear his gaze away from

Legend to look at his father. There was a knowing gleam in the man’s
eyes.

His father knew that Gabe was bisexual and hadn’t batted an eye

when Gabe had confessed to being attracted to both sexes. The man
had even tried to set Gabe up on a few dates. Totally weird and utterly

Cowboy Legend

embarrassing. His father was a damn good-looking man and had good
taste, but no child wanted their parent hooking them up.

After a few loud no thank yous and a couple more stay out of my

love lifes, his father had backed off. And now the man was smirking
as if he had done Gabe a favor.

Gabe rolled his eyes and ignored his father. Although Maxwell

was a very powerful man and a heavy game piece in his industry, the
guy was sometimes too damn juvenile.

“I filled Legend in on the situation,” his father stated. Gabe had to

concentrate to understand what was being said. His mind was fully on
Legend, assessing the man, trying to figure out why he’d had such a
volatile reaction to the stranger. “He has assured me that you will be
safe.”

Lights on, fog cleared. Gabe spun around to glare at Maxwell.

“What the hell? I should have a say in this considering it’s my life
we’re talking about.”

“You’re being unreasonable,” his father bit out. “You have no

background training for this.”

“And you do?” Gabe asked. “What do you know about dealing

with money-laundering thugs? You didn’t even know what they were
up to until it was almost too late.”

Maxwell narrowed his eyes at the reminder.
Gabe hadn’t meant to embarrass his father in front of his friend,

but it scared the hell out of him to leave the man here while he ran.
That didn’t sit well with him at all.

“Go get your bags,” his father ground out. “Now.”
Gabe started to argue further, but could see that it was pointless.

He stormed from the office, furious that his father was sending him
away. After gathering his luggage from his room, he was met by
Legend at the front door.

“You’re being unreasonable,” the bodyguard said before walking

out.

Lynn Hagen

Gabe knew he was. But Maxwell was all he had and Gabe was

terrified of losing the man. He was allowed to be upset. Screw Legend
and his unwelcome opinion.

He stepped out into the bright California sunshine and spotted

Legend standing by a luxury sedan, trunk open. The man was leaning
against the car, his arms crossed over his chest. Gabe crossed the
cobblestone driveway and stored his luggage.

“Pack enough unnecessary shit?” Legend asked as he gazed

disapprovingly at Gabe.

Gabe flipped the man off, though he’d noticed a solitary duffel

bag that had been stuffed in the trunk before he packed it full. “I can’t
help it if you only own one pair of underwear.”

After slamming the trunk shut, Gabe walked around to the

passenger side. He was reaching for the door handle when he heard
something that sounded like a ping. His eyes went wide and he
screeched as Legend dove toward him, knocking Gabe to the ground
and making him hit his head.

“What the fuck?” Gabe shouted at the man as he tried to shove

Legend off of him. “What are you going to do, kick my ass for getting
smart with you?”

His bodyguard pinned Gabe to the ground as he growled into his

face, “Someone is shooting at you, moron.”

Oh. Well, that changed everything.
Legend reached up and yanked the passenger door open before he

grabbed Gabe’s arm and shoved him onto the floor of the car. Gabe
stayed down as he watched Legend pull a gun from a holster that had
been hidden under his jacket.

This was getting too real. Gabe wanted to run back inside and

make sure his father was okay. Legend crawled to the front passenger
side and then slid over into the driver’s seat. Gabe had to reach up and
slam the door closed as his bodyguard peeled from the driveway,
exiting the estate at a hair-raising speed.

Cowboy Legend

Gabe worked his way out of his tight confines before he took a

seat and then turned, trying to see who was shooting at him.

“Get down,” Legend shouted as he cut another corner, tossing

Gabe into the door.

“But my father!” Gabe righted himself as he slunk down in the

seat. “We can’t just leave him there.”

“He has measures in place just in case something like this

happens.”

What measures? It was as if Gabe didn’t know who Maxwell

Summerville was anymore. He knew his dad had a military past, but
Gabe had never seen the man acting in any way but normal. Legend’s
reassurance didn’t ease the suffocating fear that had Gabe fighting to
breathe.

“Please, take me back. I have to make sure he’s okay.” Gabe

twisted in his seat and reached for the handle. If Legend wouldn’t
slow down, then he would jump from the car. It wasn’t the best plan,
but it was the only one he could come up with.

Legend reached over and grabbed Gabe’s arm in a firm grip.

“Don’t even think about it. Your father can take care of himself. My
job is to make sure you don’t get your damn head blown off or break
your neck by stupidly leaping from a car that’s going ninety miles an
hour.”

As much as he hated to admit it, Legend was right. Gabe would be

of no use to his father if he broke his neck. He sat back, snapping his
seat belt into place and taking a shuddering breath. This was all too
much. Gabe had never been shot at before and he was wigging out.

“I just…I can’t…” Gabe shook his head as he felt the tears

welling up. “I can’t lose him.”

“You won’t.”
“But how do you know?” Gabe was desperate to believe Legend.

He didn’t want to think about his father dying. “Can I call him to
make sure he’s okay?”

Legend shook his head firmly. “It’s too risky right now.”

Lynn Hagen

Gabe gazed out of the window, watching as they drove past the

exit for the airport. “Where are we going?”

“It’s on a need-to-know basis,” Legend said as he steered toward a

familiar exit. They were headed to the Summerville airstrip. His
father owned a private jet and it seemed they were about to put it to
use. But he still didn’t know where they were headed.

“And what, I don’t need to know?” The small airstrip came into

view and Gabe could see that the jet was fueled and ready to go. The
steps were lowered and the pilot was standing there talking with one
of the workers as Legend pulled onto the tarmac.

“You catch on quick.” Legend pulled the luxury sedan to a stop

before killing the motor.

“You know, evasive answers aren’t going to work with me. I

demand that you tell me where you’re taking me.” Gabe crossed his
arms over his chest in a gesture that said he wasn’t moving until he
got some answers.

Legend turned toward him, piercing Gabe with those gorgeous

amber eyes. “You don’t want to push me, Mr. Summerville. It would
be quite embarrassing if I had to throw you over my shoulder to get
you onto that plane.”

The threat made Gabe’s cock hard, which only pissed him off.

Why on earth did the thought of Legend manhandling him turn Gabe
on? That was some pretty twisted shit.

Gabe could tell his bodyguard was dead serious. Legend would do

exactly as he threatened. Gabe’s eyes darted to the pilot to see the
man staring at them. Could he risk the humiliation? Legend was twice
his size and had a good sixty pounds on Gabe. Sixty pounds of pure
muscle from what he could see from the cut of the man’s suit.

“Don’t think you’ve won.” Gabe released his seat belt and got out

of the car, heading straight for the plane. He shook the pilot’s hand
and then boarded, leaving Legend to grab his luggage. Screw him. If
Legend was so dead set on being an asshole, then he could carry the
bags.

Cowboy Legend

Gabe knew his anger stemmed from being shot at. That had been a

terrifying moment and he was still trying to deal with too much. And
since he couldn’t and wouldn’t take it out on his father, Legend would
have to do. Gabe dropped into one of the leather seats and stared out
the window, watching as the worker grabbed the luggage from the
trunk and brought it on board.

Legend glanced up at Gabe and there was…amusement in the

man’s eyes. He thought this was funny? Gabe ground his back teeth
and looked away. He might be hot for his new bodyguard, but he
definitely didn’t like the man.

The plane took off after Legend and the pilot boarded. Gabe sat

there quietly the entire ride until they touched down in Louisiana.
What on earth were they doing here?

“Is this where we’ll be staying?” Gabe asked as the plane came to

a stop.

“It’s the first leg of our journey,” Legend answered as he stood

and headed toward the exit.

“First leg?” What in the hell did that mean? Again, he asked,

“Where are you taking me?”

Legend ignored him as he exited the plane. A car was waiting on

them as Gabe joined the guy. If Gabe didn’t get some answers soon,
he just might shoot the son of a bitch with his own gun.

* * * *

Maxwell Summerville watched his son leave with Legend. It had

been the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. But he knew by sending
Gabe away, he was keeping his son safe.

He turned from the foyer when he heard something outside. Max

walked back to the front door to see Legend and Gabe lying on the
ground, Legend’s weapon drawn. He started to go outside when
Legend shoved Gabe into the car and sped off.

Lynn Hagen

Max hurried to his study and grabbed his gun from his drawer. He

next went to a room Gabe knew nothing about, pressing in the code
before a section of the wall slid free. It was a room with monitors and
weapons. It was also Max’s intel room. Little did his son know that
Max worked counterintelligence. His son worried greatly for him and
Max hadn’t wanted to add to the man’s stress.

Besides, these days, Max took on less and less work. He felt guilty

for lying to his son. The cartel threat was real, but Max hadn’t called
the FBI. He’d called the team he relied on when he needed things
handled in a discreet matter. Gator—the team leader—was working
on the Ortega problem. Max knew Gator’s team was comprised of
nothing but bear shifters, but Max also felt that was to his advantage.

Ortega posed a very real threat. He was a powerful U.S. operative

who was known best for his gruesome killings and weapons dealings.
Max didn’t plan to be the man’s next target. Ortega had reaches far
beyond the prison cell he was currently sitting in. Ortega had men
working for him that would have no problem not only killing Max,
but Gabe as well. From what Max had gathered, Ortega had branched
out to the Irish gun-smuggling pipeline.

Max needed a safe house. His home had been compromised and

there was no telling how many men would be coming for him. He
grabbed his cell and called Gator.

“Speak,” the man said with a thick southern accent.
“Gabe has been moved and now the heat is on. They’ve come for

me.” Max checked the monitors to see three men moving slowly
through his backyard. It was large, ten acres, and he knew there were
more coming.

“Exit plan,” Gator said. “Use it. I’ll meet you where we agreed

and get you to a safe house.”

“On my way.” Max hung up and glanced at the steel door to his

far left. It led to an underground tunnel and out into the edge of the
woods just south of his estate.

Cowboy Legend

He grabbed another Glock and shoved it into his waistband before

using the computer in front of him, entering his codes, and locking the
house down. Metal shutters began to descend as Max locked his intel
room and headed for the steel door.

He’d had the estate built when he’d married his wife, Sofia. The

tunnels and the room hadn’t been included in the blueprints. Max had
hired a special group for that phase of the construction. The tunnels
were concrete and had taken nearly a year to complete before he’d
brought his bride to the Summerville Estate. He’d been working
counterintelligence since leaving the marines and knew he would
need the intel room as well as an escape route.

In his line of work, an undetected means of escape was always a

smart move.

Max worked his way toward the exit, praying the bastards

invading his property didn’t do too much damage. He loved his home
and didn’t want it destroyed. He also thought of Gabe and his heart
clenched. Max knew that Legend would take care of Gabe, but as a
father, Max would always worry over his son.

Reaching the end of the tunnel, Max emerged to find Gator

waiting for him in a SUV with tinted windows. Max also knew they
were bulletproof. He climbed in and they sped off.

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Three

After checking into a hotel for the night, Gabe had showered and

then fallen into bed, exhausted. But he couldn’t sleep. The sound of
crickets floated through the darkness. Gabe lay there and listened as a
soft and gentle breeze blew over his heated skin. It was so muggy that
Gabe felt as if he had a wet blanket over him.

Legend was on the other bed, passed out. Since the man had

insisted they share a room—thank goodness they had separate beds—
it made it all the harder to sneak away.

Unfortunately, Gabe couldn’t find his cell phone. He was pretty

sure that it had gotten lost when Legend had shoved him to the
ground.

Turning over, Gabe stared at the open balcony doors. He

would’ve used that as his means of escape, but they were on the third
floor. Since he didn’t have the ability to scale down walls, Gabe
would have to use the door.

Legend had stayed with him the entire time, making it impossible

for Gabe to get out of the room before now. But he’d been smart.
After taking his shower, Gabe had dressed in a pair of leisure pants
and a T-shirt, ready for his escape out of here. His sneakers were
tucked under the bed with a pair of socks stuffed inside. He’d made
sure to leave his wallet by the door as well.

The only reason he was attempting to leave was because Gabe

was worried about his father and Legend wouldn’t let him call.

He knew that the Summerville estate was a hot spot right now, but

if he could make sure that Maxwell was okay, Gabe would feel a hell
of a lot better.

Cowboy Legend

Easing the sheet back, Gabe slid his legs silently off the bed. His

moves were slow as he watched Legend for any movement, any type
of stirring. He wasn’t sure if the guy was a light or heavy sleeper and
he couldn’t take any chances.

Gabe reached under the bed and retrieved his shoes. He didn’t

bother to put them on. He’d do that once he was downstairs in the
lobby, hailing a cab to the nearest airport.

The ceiling fan stirred the air, making Gabe wished he had boxers

on instead of the long pants he was wearing. He was sweating like a
pig in this heat. Why in the hell had they gotten a hotel room with no
air-conditioning? They were in Louisiana in the middle of summer.
No one in their right mind booked a room in a hotel without AC.

Gabe held his breath, his muscles bowstring-taut, when Legend

twisted onto his side, tucking the pillow under his head. Once again
that pang of lust shot right to his groin, making Gabe stifle a moan at
just how handsome Legend was.

Get your mind out of his pants and get a move on it!
He spared one last glance at the perfection of Legend’s back

before he eased across the room, praying the floorboards didn’t
squeak. Gabe was letting out slow breaths, his shoes clutched to his
chest as he reached the table where his wallet lay.

Before snagging it, he glanced over his shoulder to see Legend

still sound asleep.

Some bodyguard.
If Gabe could creep out of here, then some gunman could get

inside just as easily. His father might have faith in his friend, but
Gabe highly doubted Legend knew what the hell he was doing.

Gabe retrieved his wallet and crept toward the door. When he

reached for the handle, he was lifted off of his feet. Gabe shouted as
he dropped his wallet and shoes, struggling against whoever had
grabbed him.

“Settle the fuck down.” Legend growled into his ear. “Do you

want to wake the entire hotel?”

Lynn Hagen

“Fuck you!” Gabe twisted and turned, but Legend had a tight grip

on him. He fought like crazy to get free.

Legend carried him over to his bed and dropped Gabe onto the

soft mattress, pinning his wrists over his head as he glared down at
Gabe with piercing gold eyes that were currently filled with rage.
“What is your problem?”

Gabe writhed under Legend, yanking at his wrists, his body

moving ever closer to the glistening muscles of Legend’s chest. He
gazed at the man’s hard nipples and his mouth began to water. The
soft light of the moon caressed the man’s features, and Gabe was
almost too mesmerized to breathe.

The man’s closeness was dizzying. Legend was planted between

Gabe’s legs, wearing nothing more than a pair of boxer briefs. His
cock was outlined and Gabe could see that the man was growing hard.
Gabe struggled again to get free and that only seemed to turn Legend
on. His cock was getting thicker by the second.

“Let me go,” Gabe demanded.
The man gazed down at Gabe like a hungry predator eyeing his

tender prey. Like Gabe was his to enjoy. Gabe shivered. Legend’s
nostrils flared. The man tightened his grip on Gabe’s wrists. “You’re
not going anywhere, sweetness.”

Sweetness? Just who in the hell did this guy think he was? “Let

me go or I’m going to lodge your balls in your throat.” Another futile
round of squirming commenced, which only made Legend’s eyes
grow darker with heat.

Legend leaned down, his warm breath whispering across the shell

of Gabe’s ear. “Don’t make me tie you to this bed.”

Oh, god. Gabe couldn’t stop the shudder that racked his body. The

bewildering attraction returned and Gabe felt a strange sense of
connection to this man. He forced himself to ignore it. He also forced
himself to forget the thrill he’d felt when Legend threatened to tie him
down.

Cowboy Legend

Gabe wasn’t into that kind of kink. He was the dominant one in

the bedroom. Gabe controlled what happened and when it happened.
No one dominated over him.

So why in the hell was his body damn near begging Legend to go

through with his threat? He panted, licking his dry lips as sweat
trickled down from his scalp. The man’s eyes were dark, hungry, and
molten.

“I’m going to keep running,” Gabe said. “You won’t stop me.”
He yelped as Legend yanked him up and flipped him over onto his

stomach. Gabe was too stunned to react. His eyes widened and he lost
his breath when a heavy hand landed on his ass before Legend said
with a growl, “Run and I’ll spank this pretty little ass until you can’t
sit.”

He was going…oh, god…Gabe slammed his eyes closed,

mentally screaming at his body to stop enjoying what Legend was
doing to him.

It wasn’t listening.
Gabe’s breath hitched as he eased his ass a little further out.
Legend snarled as his fingers tightened around Gabe’s wrists.

“You liked that, didn’t you?”

“No,” Gabe said, though they both knew he was lying his ass off.

Legend brushed the tips of his fingers over the area he’d just abused
and Gabe bit his lower lip, stopping himself from moaning.

Legend released him, taking a step back. Gabe turned over, his

body aching at the loss of weight and heat. The man stood there,
looking as if he had an internal struggle going on. He clenched his
jaw and narrowed his eyes. “Go back to sleep, Gabe.”

How in the hell was he supposed to sleep when his body was so

wound up? Disgusted with himself for enjoying what Legend had
done, Gabe stormed off to the bathroom and slammed the door behind
him.

He turned the faucet on, splashing cold water on his face and

neck. He prayed the fire that burned inside of him was caused by

Lynn Hagen

some sort of fever and that the deep, aching need that was beginning
to unwind, making him want things he had never even thought of
craving before tonight, was just a symptom of the illness.

* * * *

Legend stood there listening to the water run in the bathroom.

What in the hell was wrong with him? He was being paid to guard the
son of an old friend, not molest the man. A pang of guilt seized
Legend at the betrayal as he walked out to the balcony, gazing over
the city streets.

Since first setting eyes on Gabe, Legend had felt a connection, an

undeniable attraction. But he couldn’t allow himself to explore how
much Gabe had obviously enjoyed being spanked. Legend closed his
eyes as he thought of how Gabe’s eyes had glazed over when the
heavy hand had landed on his ass.

Let it go. You have a job to do. Keep your distance and keep him

safe, nothing more.

He was angry with himself for the way he’d thrown Gabe on the

bed, thoughts of seducing the man playing out in his imagination.
Legend had never mixed business with pleasure and he wasn’t going
to start now. He was a professional and he needed to start acting like
one.

His team leader, T-Rex, would have Legend’s head on a platter if

he knew the wicked thoughts that occupied Legend’s mind. T-Rex
was all about business. Their unit had retired from the marines, but
they ran a protective service—Executive Bodyguards—that paid well.
Their last assignment had taken them to the jungles of Columbia to
rescue a kidnapped male.

After that, Sparrow had convinced T-Rex and the rest of the unit

to set up base in Bear County. This was Legend’s first assignment
since then. T-Rex had volunteered to take this one, but Legend had
grown bored in the small town and wanted to get away for a while.

Cowboy Legend

Now he wished he had stayed.
The bathroom door opened, but Legend kept his hands curled

around the metal railing, refusing to turn around. Gabe Summerville
was a temptation he couldn’t afford to indulge in.

“Legend?”
His muscles quivered at the sound of his name on Gabe’s lips,

spoken so demurely that the dark need inside Legend reared,
listening, craving things Legend couldn’t have. “What?”

“For the record, if you ever spank me again, I’ll shoot you.”
The side of Legend’s mouth twitched but he suppressed the smile.

It had been a long time since such a threat had been issued to him.
“Go to bed, Gabe.”

“Screw you.”
Legend heard rustling and turned to see Gabe sitting on the side of

his bed, his arms crossed over his chest in a show of defiance. It was
Legend’s father who had been close to Maxwell Summerville. Legend
had grown up listening to stories of how great the man was. But he’d
never heard any mention of the man having a son.

A sexy, stunning son.
His bear growled for a small taste. His beast tried to convince him

that if he fucked Gabe, he’d get the man out of his system. Legend
wasn’t falling for that. Gabe was an assignment, nothing more.

Knowing he wasn’t going to get any more sleep tonight, Legend

took a seat on the bistro-style chair, scanning the streets as he watched
Gabe out of the corner of his eye.

The man had hair the color of the sun, cut short in a business-type

style. His eyes were so pale that the blue was nearly transparent. Gabe
was any man’s walking fantasy. He had a swimmer’s build and the
top of his head only reached Legend’s pecs.

He was perfect and that only pissed Legend off.
But what really threw Legend for a loop was the man’s scent.

When Gabe had stepped into Maxwell’s office, it was as if Legend

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had been thrown into a field of wild lilies. His heart had hammered in
his chest and his canines had threatened to lengthen.

Gabe Summerville was a man who Legend needed to steer clear

of, sexually at least.

Legend sighed when he spotted Gabe eyeing the door. The man

was going to try and run again. He understood Gabe’s reluctance to
leave his father behind, but Maxwell had been right. He couldn’t
handle his business and worry about Gabe at the same time. It was up
to Legend to keep Gabe safe and out of harm’s way.

He stood and strode back into the room. “Give me your clothes.”
Gabe’s head snapped up as his pale-blue eyes filled with mistrust.

“Why would I do that?”

Because I’m a perverse man who wants to see more of your naked

skin. “If you want to run, then you can do it in your underwear.”

“I’m not giving you shit.”
Legend clamped his jaw tight. “You have five seconds before I

remove them for you.”

Gabe stretched out on the bed and tucked his hands behind his

head, glaring at Legend. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Legend raked his gaze over Gabe, head to toe, giving the guy a try

me expression. “Five.”

Gabe’s smirk disappeared.
“Four.”
“Now wait a damn minute.” Gabe shot off the bed, his fists curled

at his sides.

“Three.”
“Come near me and I’ll hurt you.” The threat was laughable.
Gabe glanced toward the door as he inched further away from the

bed. The man was going to run.

That only excited Legend, something he didn’t need right now.

Not when he was already fighting his deep attraction toward the
human.

Cowboy Legend

He stopped himself from baring his canines. From what T-Rex

had told him, the Summervilles were ignorant about shifters. T-Rex
and Shott had been as well until their Columbia mission. Those two
were still pissed at Legend, Sam, Colton, and Stripper for withholding
that tidbit of information from the human members of their unit.

“Two.”
Gabe shot toward the door and Legend gave chase, his bear

roaring in excitement. He yanked the man off his feet and hauled him
back to the bed. “One.”

“You asshole!” Gabe shouted as Legend ripped the thin pants

from the man’s body. Next he tore the T-shirt free, balling the
material in his hands. He stopped himself from moaning when he saw
that Gabe wasn’t wearing underwear. The man lay there naked, on
display for Legend to appreciate.

Gabe grabbed the sheet, yanking it over his groin as Legend

walked over to one of the man’s suitcases and shoved the torn
material inside.

If Gabe wanted clothes, he’d have to go through Legend to get

them.

“I’m going to tell my father about this,” Gabe said. “The only job

you’ll get after this is mopping floors!”

Legend tossed Gabe’s suitcases under his bed before reclining

back on his mattress. “Your father is the one who told me to use any
means necessary to keep you safe.”

The room grew silent as Legend turned over, giving Gabe his

back. He was fighting like hell not to go over to the man’s bed. The
scent of lilies was strong and Legend’s bear was snarling to get to the
small man.

“Do you think I have a problem walking out of here naked?”
Why couldn’t the man just go to sleep? He quelled the urge to turn

over, to take a peek at the pale skin and dark nipples. Legend ground
his teeth as his cock became half-hard.

Lynn Hagen

“I’m pretty sure the paparazzi would love to get a picture of that,”

Legend replied. He had made sure no photographers were around, that
he and Gabe were tucked away in a remote location. But Legend
needed some leverage over the stubborn man. He was not about to
spend the rest of his night chasing Gabe around, especially when the
man was naked.

He had a hell of a lot of control, but a man could only be tempted

so much before he went after that which was taunting him.

“You wouldn’t let that happen,” Gabe said with confidence.

“Your job is to keep me hidden.”

“My job is to tie a gag around your mouth if you don’t shut up and

go to sleep.” Legend sighed, angry with himself for painting such an
erotic picture of Gabe bound and gagged.

“You’re not a nice man,” Gabe said.
Legend gave in and turned over, glaring at Gabe. “Go. To. Sleep.”
To his relief, Gabe stretched out on the bed and closed his eyes.

Legend forced himself to look away as he settled back down and tried
his best to catch a few more hours of sleep.

Cowboy Legend

Chapter Four

Gabe moaned as the dream continued.
He was lying in a field of lilies, naked, writhing under Legend as

he begged the man to touch him, to pleasure his body in ways he
never thought imaginable. His cock was hard and Gabe gripped
himself, teasing Legend, trying to coax the man into sucking him off.

Legend refused. He was naked as well, the head of his erection

sliding over Gabe’s thigh as he spread Gabe’s legs wide.

Gabe panted as his hand gripped his cock tighter, moaning at

what Legend wanted from him.

“Put your hands over your head,” Legend said. “Submit to me.”
“No,” Gabe replied.
Legend’s amber eyes seemed to glow with intensity as he grabbed

Gabe’s hands and manacled them above his head. “You will do as I
command.”

Gabe squirmed, excitement filling him at the deep, husky tone.

“Please, Legend,” he begged. “Do something. I can’t take it.”

“Gabe.”
Gabe’s eyes fluttered open to see Legend standing over him,

gazing down at him with a smoldering expression. His broad chest
heaved as he gnashed his teeth. The man’s muscles tensed, as if he
wanted to pounce on Gabe.

“You were talking in your sleep.” Legend’s voice was rough, his

brows drawn tight.

The sleep began to fade and Gabe gazed down at his body. His

hand was wrapped tight around his hard cock and the sheet was

Lynn Hagen

nowhere to be seen. He was lying in his bed, exposed, and Legend
had just told him that he’d talked in his sleep.

Mortification filled him, but he couldn’t seem to move. He was

frozen to the spot as Legend stood over him, his hands opening and
closing. His expression said the man wanted to eat Gabe alive.

As Gabe gazed up at Legend, the man seemed to be struggling for

some kind of control. Behind those blazing eyes, there was so much
going on. The moon shone on Legend’s features, highlighting the
tight lines of his face.

He wanted to feel Legend touching him. The mere thought made

his body vibrate with need so strong Gabe suspected he might allow
Legend to do anything the man wanted.

Legend’s gaze descended and rooted to Gabe’s hand. Gabe began

to slightly shake as he wondered why Legend hadn’t moved. He
continued to stare at Legend’s bare chest, packed with rigid muscles.

Gabe broke the silence first. “Please.”
He felt his skin heat at the way he had just begged. He was ready

to cover his shame when Legend crawled into the bed next to him.

“I heard you begging me, saying my name.” Legend brushed his

lips over Gabe’s. “Were you dreaming of me?”

Gabe flushed, averting his gaze—which fell on Legend’s flat

stomach, on the dark line of hair trailing from his navel. Gabe had the
mad urge to nuzzle it.

“Why can’t I stop thinking about what I want to do to you?”

Legend peeled Gabe’s fingers from his cock—which he’d been
strangling—then pressed Gabe’s fingertips against his face.

Gabe’s fingers traced Legend’s jawline, scraped over the thin

beard and over the thicker hair under the man’s lower lip. Legend’s
skin was smooth. Gabe gasped when Legend moved closer, pressing
his groin into Gabe’s hip, allowing him to feel Legend’s sizeable
erection.

“I–I don’t know,” Gabe answered.

Cowboy Legend

Legend buried his face into Gabe’s neck, sniffing him, inhaling

his scent. “Tell me to leave your bed. Tell me you don’t want any part
of me touching you.”

That would be a damn lie. Gabe knew he should say the words

Legend had just challenged him to utter. It would be the right and
sane thing to do. He shouldn’t be attracted to this man. Legend was
the opposite of what Gabe usually went for. He’d never been attracted
to rugged men. Gabe tended to be drawn to men and women who
were smaller than him, which was a feat considering he wasn’t that
big himself.

He also didn’t bottom, for anyone. Yet his body strained and his

ass ached to be filled by this man. It was as if Legend’s closeness was
a drug, making Gabe’s thoughts hazy.

He moaned when Legend’s nails scraped along his side. Gabe was

on the verge of an orgasm and he was ready to beg the man to ease
the growing storm inside of him.

“What if I don’t want you to go?” Gabe asked.
Legend’s hand rested on Gabe’s hip. “Then we are both doomed.”

His tone was foreboding, yet Gabe’s cock was pulsing in anticipation.
“Is this what you want?”

“I’m not sure,” Gabe answered honestly as he licked his lips,

struggling to make sense of it all. “But I can’t stop thinking about you
either. You’re sexy, I’ll admit that, and you have a killer body that my
fingers tingle to touch.”

Legend pulled back, his firm lips parted. He shook his head, as if

to dislodge whatever idea had just taken hold. “Do you know what I
want to do to you?”

In a whisper, Gabe said, “Tell me.”
Why in the hell was he so turned on? The sight of Legend lying

next to him was so damn erotic that Gabe thought he was still
dreaming. The man excited him and that scared Gabe, but he couldn’t
tell the man to go.

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Legend pressed his lips to Gabe’s ear. “I want to do filthy and

wicked things to your body, sweetness.”

Gabe shuddered. Good fucking god, this man was going to make

Gabe orgasm just from that confession alone. He began to wonder
what it would be like to let Legend do those filthy and wicked things.
Gabe ran his hand over Legend’s chest and the man inhaled sharply as
his muscles rippled under Gabe’s touch.

Gabe felt light-headed, taken over by delirium. He was wild for

whatever Legend had in mind. When Legend slanted his head and
sealed his lips over Gabe’s, Gabe became dizzy, boneless against
Legend’s hardened body. Their tongues tangled and dueled until
Gabe’s lungs hurt for oxygen.

Legend’s cock pressed harder into Gabe’s hip and Gabe felt

wetness. The man was leaking pre-cum, obviously just as excited as
Gabe. Legend broke the kiss, his lips swollen.

“Turn onto your stomach,” Legend commanded as he pulled back.
Gabe obeyed, though he couldn’t stop himself from shaking. Did

he really want to do this? Was he really willing to relinquish control
to Legend? His ass was exposed to Legend’s gaze and Gabe had an
urge to grab the sheet and cover himself.

“Perfect,” Legend growled before he moved to settle between

Gabe’s legs. His hands kneaded Gabe’s ass as tension coiled in
Gabe’s stomach. Legend leaned forward, kissing the nape of Gabe’s
neck as he worked his own underwear off.

Gabe’s mind screamed for him to stop this, to tell Legend to back

off, as Legend’s cock brushed the inside of Gabe’s thigh, leaving a
moist trail along his inner leg. He wasn’t ready for this. Gabe had
never been fucked and the thought terrified him.

What had he gotten himself into? Why had he begged Legend to

do something?

Legend’s hands massaged Gabe’s tight shoulder muscles as Gabe

tried to breathe. The man’s hands were skilled, working the hard

Cowboy Legend

strain until Gabe became boneless. Legend’s hands moved further
down, kneading Gabe’s lower back.

He stiffened when Legend parted his cheeks.
Legend lowered himself until his face was inches away from

Gabe’s most intimate spot. Before he could say a word, Legend’s
tongue delved into his ass, forcing him open. Gabe cried out, fisting
the fitted sheet as Legend tongue-fucked him.

Pleasure boggled Gabe’s brain and his protest was shut down.

Legend massaged his ass as he licked and laved at Gabe’s entrance.
He had never known anything could feel so damn good. Gabe
moaned, feeling Legend’s fingers gliding closer to his hole.

“Christ,” Legend growled as he licked Gabe harder. A finger

nudged at Gabe’s hole before sliding in to the first knuckle. “So
tight.”

“L–Legend.”
“You can take this from me.” Legend licked around the muscle as

his finger went deeper, making Gabe’s body vibrate. He was going to
come. Gabe was going to climax from having Legend’s finger buried
in his ass and the man’s tongue laving at his backside.

Legend’s free hand clamped down on Gabe’s waist, pinning him

in place as he brought Gabe closer and closer to orgasm. The tension
was building as Gabe ground his teeth.

“Come for me, sweetness.” Legend thrust his finger sideways,

touching something deep inside Gabe. Gabe stiffened and then
shouted, writhing in place as his cock pulsed and his seed spurted
between him and the bed.

His body bowed, his teeth gnashed, and Gabe saw stars as Legend

continued to finger-fuck him. Before he could come back down,
Legend reared over him, pumping his cock until he shouted, his seed
hitting Gabe’s ass in pearly-white trails.

Gabe lay there panting, his entire body tingling.

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Legend cursed and pushed from the bed. He walked into the

bathroom and slammed the door. Gabe lay there, blinking. What in
the hell had just happened?

* * * *

After spending the entire day driving away from Louisiana,

Legend felt his eyes burning from exhaustion. He’d barely gotten any
sleep the night before and now he was starting to see double. If he had
to push himself, he could stay awake. But he wasn’t on the frontlines
where it was imperative that he didn’t fall asleep. He was babysitting,
so he decided to get a room.

They were in the middle of nowhere, hardly another soul on the

road. An occasional lit-up truck passed them by, but other than that,
darkness surrounded them. Not even the moon helped, hidden as it
was behind a bank of clouds.

Legend yawned.
Gabe was passed out beside him, his seat reclined, drooling

slightly. Legend was still angry as hell at himself for giving in last
night. Hadn’t he lectured himself that Gabe Summerville was off-
limits? Hadn’t he vowed to keep his distance from the man and to
keep this assignment professional? Yet he hadn’t been able to stop
himself from climbing into that bed and pleasuring the man.

Even now, Legend was growing hard just thinking about what he

had done and what he still wanted to do.

He’d never lost control like that before and he didn’t plan on

losing it again, though Gabe tempted him in ways Legend couldn’t
understand.

He spotted a motel sign. Legend pulled off the highway, turning

onto a barely noticeable dirt road. He followed the unpaved road for
two miles through saw grass and trees, alongside a small canal, until
he spotted the neon sign ahead.

Cowboy Legend

He pulled close to the office before turning the car off. A light

was on, which was a good sign because he would have hated to sleep
in the car.

He debated whether to wake Gabe and make the man come in

with him, but the guy was out like a light. He glanced at the sleeping
man before getting out of the car and walking into the office. No one
was behind the desk, but there was a sign to ring the bell.

Legend rang it. Seconds later, an elderly gentleman walked out,

sleep in his eyes as he smiled. “What can I help you with?”

“I need a room for the night.”
“You’re in luck. I have one left.” The man gave Legend a card to

fill out. They guy didn’t even have a computer. It seemed he still filed
things the old-fashioned way, in a cabinet. When the elderly
gentleman didn’t ask for any form of ID, Legend filled in a fake name
and then paid cash. If anyone was after Gabe, then his stay here would
lead to a dead end.

The man gave him a key attached to a large piece of faded plastic,

the number seven written on it in black marker. “Have a good night.
Checkout is at eleven.”

Legend thanked the man and then headed back to his car. Some

small animal chittered in a tree. The wind rattled the grass. And then
there was silence so deep it amplified Legend’s thoughts.

He strode to the car and then growled when he saw the passenger

side was empty. Legend was getting tired of this. If Maxwell wasn’t
such a dear friend of Legend’s father, he’d wash his hands of Gabe.

They were in the middle of nowhere and Legend knew he would

have no problem tracking Gabe down. He slid into his car, drove
down the lot, and parked the car in front of room seven.

He took their things inside and then set a few things up before

leaving the key on the dresser, making sure the door was unlocked.
He stripped his clothing off and tied a pair of lounge pants to his leg,
then headed toward the back of the rustic building.

Lynn Hagen

Legend shifted, scenting out Gabe, inhaling the aromatic scent of

lilies. As he ran, the scent became stronger until he spotted Gabe
running down the barely discernible road.

He shifted back into his human form, slid the pants on, and then

finished the chase, catching Gabe in no time.

“Get away from me!” Gabe gave a cry as Legend ran the man

down.

Legend reached out and grabbed Gabe, flipping the would-be

escapee over his shoulder. When Gabe struggled, he landed a hard
smack on Gabe’s backside. “I warned you.”

Over the rich soil, fragrant air, and warm night, the unmistakable

scent of arousal arose. It didn’t help Legend’s vow to leave Gabe
alone when the man was turned on by Legend’s attempt at discipline.
In fact, it made resisting all the harder, fueling his dark appetite as
Gabe continued to squirm.

“You’re being unreasonable!” Gabe shouted as he battered

Legend’s back with his fists.

Legend kept to the dirt road. There was water on both sides of

them, barely perceivable at night. The saw grass covered most it,
fooling anyone who wasn’t familiar with the land. Legend had been
on enough assignments to recognize the stuff. He’d also grown up in
the bayou where saw grass had grown rampant. He used to spend his
afternoons as a young boy on the gator boats, his uncle guiding them
through some of the deadliest waters.

He was panting by the time they made it back to their room.

Legend deposited Gabe on the bed, grabbed the man’s wrists, and
cuffed him to the headboard.

Stopping to ready the room before he’d taken off after Gabe had

saved him time. What he hadn’t expected was to grow hard as hell at
the sight of Gabe immobilized, bound to the bed, squirming to get
free. A fire began to burn deep inside Legend, his heart hammering in
his chest as Gabe yanked at the cuffs.

Cowboy Legend

“Fucking cuffs?” Gabe yelled at him. “I’ll have your head for

this.”

Legend ignored the threat as he shed his pants and walked to the

bathroom to take a cold shower and try to forget about his captive in
the other room.

He isn’t your captive. He’s your assignment. Stop fantasizing

about what you want to do to him.

Legend stayed in the shower for ten long minutes, but he was still

half-hard when he got out. The slow burn that had started in the
bedroom had grown to an inferno. Legend debated whether to sleep in
the tub instead of going out there to his worst temptation.

“Get these damn things off of me!”
He was going to have to gag Gabe if the man didn’t quiet down.

Legend groaned, hanging his head as he told himself to stop thinking
that way.

After wrapping a towel around his waist, Legend strode back into

the bedroom, turning the air-conditioner on. It kicked to life as
Legend stood by the window. He kept his back to Gabe, struggling,
fighting against his innermost desires.

And then his shoulders sagged because Legend knew that his

desire for Gabe was inescapable. The attraction was too strong and he
couldn’t keep fighting it.

* * * *

“He didn’t make bail,” T-Rex said over the phone. Max glanced

out over the city as a light rain fell. San Francisco was beautiful at
night, and he was getting the full view from his tenth floor penthouse
suite. It hadn’t been Max’s choice to lay low here, it had been
Gator’s. The team leader had stated that there was only one way onto
the floor and it was being heavily guarded.

“But his foot soldiers are hard at work trying to flush me out. I’ve

got a team working the streets. Ortega’s underboss is a guy named

Lynn Hagen

Savant. According to my intel work, Savant is even more cunning and
ruthless than Ortega. My team is watching him now.”

“Gator,” T-Rex grunted.
Max smiled. “Not too fond of the man?”
Not only did Max go way back with Legend’s father, but he’d met

T-Rex and his men some years ago during one of their covert
operations. T-Rex was tall, lean, and one hell of a special ops. It was
too bad they retired and started up their own business. People like
Tanner Rexford and his men were rare finds. They had been damn
good at what they did.

“I respect the man,” T-Rex admitted, “but they operate on a

different platform. I don’t trust anyone who is referred to as a ghost.”

“We all must sleep with the devil at some point in our lives,” Max

said. “Thankfully the devil in this case is on our side. But I heard that
Savant is already stepping in and taking over. He set up a meeting
with the Irish dealers. The FBI and ATF are keeping a close eye on
him.”

“And in the meantime his cronies are trying to take you out,” T-

Rex said. “Watch your back, Maxwell.”

Max stuffed his hand in his pocket as he gazed out of the floor-to-

ceiling window. He thought about his son and wanted to call Gabe,
but right now, the less contact, the better. His stomach clenched at the
thought of anything happening to his son. Gabe was the only family
he had left and Max was gonna make damn sure his son was safe.
“I’m not without my own talents, T-Rex. I did serve as a marine for
eight years.”

“But you have morals. The men after you don’t. They won’t care

who they have to kill in order to get to you,” T-Rex said.

Max turned when he heard someone coming through the door. It

was Gator and Travis—one of Gator’s men. The two men took a seat
as Max finished up his phone call. “Listen, I gotta go. Gabe should be
at your place soon. He can be a handful at times, but he’s all I have
left, T-Rex.”

Cowboy Legend

“Nothing will happen to him, Max. Legend is taking the long way

home in order to ensure that they’re not being followed. Once Gabe
gets here, he’ll have my entire team watching out for him. You just
take care of your end.”

Max thanked T-Rex and then hung up.
“Everything okay with Gabe?” Travis asked.
Max had started to tell T-Rex that he suspected that Legend and

Gabe would become more than bodyguard and client. But Max wasn’t
really sure. He’d noticed the chemistry between them in his office but
that could have been a fluke. But if it wasn’t, Gabe couldn’t be in
better hands. He just hoped that Legend treated his son right or Max
was gonna go after the man with all he had.

“No word yet,” Max said to Travis. “I’m sure if there was trouble,

Legend would get word to his team.”

Gator nodded. “T-Rex and his men are damn good. Gabe

shouldn’t have any problems.”

Tossing his phone onto a nearby table, Max turned. “So what have

you got for me?”

Gator sat on the couch, relaxed. But Max knew the man’s

appearance gave others a false sense of security. There was lethality
brewing behind the man’s eyes and Gator was capable of moving at
lightning speed.

“The contract on your head was astronomical,” Gator replied.

“The only way to remove it is for you to die.”

Max nodded. He had a feeling it would come to this. For the last

seventeen years he’d run Summerville Savings and Loans. But in all
honesty, his heart wasn’t in it. It was a family-owned business and he
had inherited from his father.

Max was ready to retire, to enjoy life. Maybe this situation was a

sign and he should take full advantage of it. He could sell off all his
shares and take on a new identity. The only regret he would have was
giving up the Summerville estate.

Lynn Hagen

There were too many memories there and he cherished each and

every one of them. Since discovering what had been going on at his
bank, Max had gathered his wife’s treasured belongings and had
moved them to a secure location. He had also moved everything he
wanted to keep of Gabe’s. He just hated to let go of the home he had
shared with his family for so many years. But it was just a house. He
could start over.

Becoming resolute in his decision, Max asked, “Then how does

Maxwell Summerville die?”

Cowboy Legend

Chapter Five

Gabe watched as Legend grabbed his cell phone off the dresser

and walked outside. He yanked at the cuffs, trying to break free as his
heart beat furiously behind his ribs. He was scared as hell at the
strange need uncoiling inside of him, a need for Legend to go through
with his threat to spank Gabe, a need for the man to dominate him.
There was only one bed in this room and it didn’t take a genius to
figure out where Legend would be sleeping.

He whimpered and began to shake at the cool air that was blowing

over his skin. Gabe was too close to the air-conditioner, the sweat on
his body drying at a rapid rate, leaving him shivering on the bed. He
strained to hear what Legend was saying. The guy’s voice was
muffled, but Gabe caught part of the conversation.

“He’s fine. I’m taking the route we laid out before I left. We

should be there in the next few days.”

Who was Legend talking to? It couldn’t be Gabe’s father. They

weren’t heading to the estate.

“Tell Sam to set up an extra room. And let the men know that the

principal is a runner. I’ll need extra detail on this one.”

Men? What men? Where exactly was Legend taking him? How

many men were going to be guarding Gabe? He didn’t like being
referred to as the principal either.

Legend walked back inside, setting the phone down. Gabe glanced

over the man’s strong back, narrow hips, and toned ass that made the
towel flare. He bit back a moan even as his cock grew hard.

“Who were you talking to?” Gabe asked.

Lynn Hagen

When Legend turned, Gabe could see aggression and raw

masculinity in his expression. Behind those honey-amber eyes so
much was going on, but Gabe could read very little.

“Get some sleep.”
“Like this?” Gabe yanked at the cuffs. “My arms are sore.”
Legend walked over to the bed and scooted Gabe up until there

was some slack. The ache in his arms eased, but the pulsing in his
groin grew when Legend’s hands touched him.

I’m enmeshed in a dangerous situation with a mysterious stranger

and I’m fucking turned on? Gabe needed his head examined. The
tension between them was tangible as his anger turned to a hazy heat.
Gabe began to shiver again as the air-conditioner continued to blow
toward him.

“Cold?”
Gabe’s gaze dropped to the shadowy bulge under the towel,

telling him that Legend was half-hard. Were the cuffs turning Legend
on? Was he into that sort of thing? Why in the hell does that thought
make my body ache for the guy?

“A bit,” Gabe answered. He watched Legend readjust the

thermostat, his muscles flexing as he moved. Gabe sucked in his
lower lip, tearing his eyes away from a man he shouldn’t want,
shouldn’t crave, yet whom he was ready to beg for some sort of
release.

Legend turned and began to remove Gabe’s shoes.
“What are you doing?”
“You’re not sleeping in the bed with me with shoes on. I’m not

going to let you kick me with these things.” Legend dropped both
shoes onto the floor, stripped Gabe’s socks off, and then reached for
the waistband of his shorts.

“Whoa.” Gabe twisted to the side, dodging Legend’s fingers.

“What, do you think I’ll kick you with my shorts?”

The side of Legend’s mouth twitched and Gabe had a feeling that

if the man truly smiled, he would be breathtaking.

Cowboy Legend

“No, but it’s going to get hot in here since the air-conditioner is

too cold for you. I don’t need you tossing and turning all night.”

Gabe rattled the cuffs. “I seriously doubt I’ll be moving much.”
Legend’s nostrils flared as he pulled Gabe’s shorts off. This time

Gabe didn’t protest. He smirked when Legend inhaled sharply.

“Don’t you believe in underwear?”
“Hate the things,” Gabe replied, watching Legend’s reaction to his

nudity. “Now can you put the sheet over me or are you going to stand
there and continue to drool at the sight of my cock?”

Gabe was disappointed when Legend covered him. What had he

expected, and would he truly want whatever Legend had to offer?
Gabe needed to stop playing these dangerous games or he might get
more than he bargained for.

Legend had been right. The room began to warm and Gabe was

ready to kick the sheets off. What he wouldn’t give for a fan blowing
on him right now.

What I wouldn’t give for Legend to be blowing on me right now.

Gabe groaned at the wicked thought that shot through his mind.

“Stop making those noises,” Legend said as his jaw clenched.
“What noises?” Gabe feigned ignorance.
Legend moved to the other side of the bed and dropped the towel.

At the sight of Legend’s thick cock, arousal muddled Gabe’s
thoughts, like a fog rolling over his mind. His hips jerked
involuntarily as his muscles tightened. Legend’s muscular shoulders
and pecs tapered down to unyielding stomach ridges. Gabe’s mouth
went slack, his lips tingling to graze every inch of glistening skin.
Between Legend’s narrow hips, his cock jutted hungrily. Gabe gasped
to see the taut head and slit covered with beads of pre-cum, the
distended length pulsing.

The moon bathed his body with light, casting an eerie glow over

the rises and falls of muscles. Droplets of perspiration meandered
down Legend’s torso, trailing over his sinewy physique.

Lynn Hagen

“What’s wrong, Gabe?” The bastard was teasing him as Gabe’s

cock grew impossibly harder.

“Nothing.” Gabe ground his teeth and turned his head. He refused

to beg the man for anything. Not again. Legend could tease him all he
wanted to, but Gabe wasn’t going to give in.

The bed dipped and Gabe couldn’t stop himself from looking.

Legend was lying on his stomach, his right leg bent at an angle, his
knee pressing into Gabe’s thigh. But it was the man’s well-rounded
ass that held Gabe’s attention. He curled his fingers in as the need to
touch became overwhelming.

“Stop staring at my ass and get some sleep.”
Sleep? How in the hell was Gabe supposed to sleep when he had a

gorgeous naked man splayed out next to him? Gabe should be afraid
of the need growing inside him. He had been hesitant to share the
same bed, but the longer he gazed at Legend’s ass, the more he
wanted the man to move closer.

“You’re still staring,” Legend said, though his eyes were closed.
Gabe grinned. “Uh-uh. I was staring at your feet.”
Legend opened his eyes and gave Gabe a doubtful expression.

“My feet turn you on?”

“You turn me on,” he admitted.
How did a single heated look make shivers dance over Gabe’s

body? Sinful thoughts began to play in Gabe’s mind. He nudged his
hip against Legend’s knee.

Legend closed his eyes. “What you want from me isn’t possible,

Gabe. This is only an assignment.”

The man could have slapped Gabe and it would have stung less.

He had thought that there was something there, even if Gabe didn’t
understand what it was. To hear Legend dismiss what they’d already
shared made Gabe’s teeth gnash.

“Who said I wanted anything from you?” Gabe’s ego had just

taken a punch. “You’re nothing but an arrogant prick who thinks he
can order me around.”

Cowboy Legend

Legend’s hand landed on Gabe’s belly, smoothing down until his

fingers touched the head of Gabe’s cock. He hissed, moaning, eager
for Legend to wrap his fingers around Gabe’s erection and get him
off.

Gabe might reconsider his decision in the morning when his brain

wasn’t slipping down the side of his skull. Right now? He’d settle for
one hell of a blow job and getting the cuffs off—after they fooled
around.

“I don’t affect you?” One of Legend’s eyes popped open.
“Not in the least.” Gabe fought for control, but his body wasn’t

obeying. Pre-cum began to gather at the tip of his cock as Gabe
shivered. He might be willing to give in, but he wasn’t going to make
it easy for Legend. Gabe was enjoying the teasing. It was turning him
on. Why give up the goods and have this end so soon?

“You’re not a very good liar, sweetness.” Legend trailed his

fingers up Gabe’s abdomen while twisting around to take one of
Gabe’s nipples into his mouth.

Gabe’s head swam as he moaned at the pleasure. He yanked at the

cuffs, trying to get free so he could run his hands through Legend’s
silky hair. “Take the cuffs off.”

Legend glanced up at Gabe as he circled Gabe’s nipple with his

tongue. He had a wicked gleam in his eyes as a smile formed. As their
eyes locked, Legend bit down.

Gabe shouted, bucked, his cock leaking like a broken dam as he

rushed closer to his orgasm. How in the hell did Legend affect him
like this? One sultry look and Gabe was ready to beg the man to get
him off.

“I told you I would punish you if you ran again.” Legend pinched

Gabe’s other nipple, sending ripples of pain and pleasure through
him.

“You said you’d spank me until I couldn’t sit,” Gabe reminded

Legend through hard pants. He strained against his restraints, pulling
at the headboard, but the cuffs held firm.

Lynn Hagen

“Is that what you want, sweetness? Do you want to feel the sting

of my hand on your ass?”

Gabe started to wonder if Legend had cuffed him to stop Gabe

from running home or to stop him from running from Legend. Gabe
wasn’t going anywhere, not with Legend lying so close to him. So
Legend must have been getting some sort of thrill out of keeping
Gabe from running from him. Gabe was like his caged prey and
Legend was the predator ready to pounce.

Gabe frowned. “You want me to beg you to spank me? This is

some sort of twisted game to you, isn’t it?”

Legend laughed as he bit Gabe’s other nipple, his tongue snaking

out to lick away the pain. “Why would you think I’m playing twisted
games with you?”

“Because you told me you want to do naughty things with me.”
“No,” Legend corrected. “I said I wanted to do filthy things to

you.”

“L–like what?” Curiosity was getting the better of Gabe, even

though he knew he should leave well enough alone. If the cuffs and
swat on the ass turned Legend on, there was no telling how deep his
darkness went. Was Gabe willing to explore those depths? If he kept
pushing the man, he just might find himself in a situation he wasn’t
prepared for.

Legend pulled back from Gabe’s nipple before blowing a cool

puff of air over the wet, sensitive peak. Gabe moaned, his body
bucking as he gritted his teeth.

“I’d rather show you.”
Gabe shook when Legend grabbed his shirt and lifted it over

Gabe’s head, letting the fabric tighten over his eyes. “What are you
doing?” Panic began to well up inside of him. Why was Legend
covering his eyes? What was he about to do?

“When you lose one sense, the others become sharper. Like

touch.” Legend ran his fingers over Gabe’s nipples, plucking at them.
The man was right. It was as if ten of his hands were on Gabe. The

Cowboy Legend

sensation was amplified. Gabe felt as if his body were coming alive,
one big exposed nerve as Legend’s hands played over his skin. His
skin hummed with electricity and Gabe had to bite his lower lip in
order not to beg. He was close, though. Very close to pleading with
Legend to take him.

“Taste.”
Something nudged at Gabe’s lips and he instantly sucked

Legend’s finger into his mouth. Legend’s finger slid inside and he
tasted salty, masculine skin. The finger was a bit rough, callused, but
Gabe kept it between his lips, suckling it. He could hear Legend hiss
as his finger pumped in and out of Gabe’s mouth.

Gabe had never played this kind of game before and he found that

he liked it. No, he more than liked it. He never wanted it to end. It
was thrilling and kept him guessing at what Legend would do next.

“Smell.”
Legend removed his finger and Gabe lay there for a moment,

everything quiet except for the chorus of sounds outside the room.
The sounds were crisper, sharper, the cicadas serenading each other
on this balmy night.

He could feel the sweat gathering over his skin, hear his own rapid

breathing, and yearned for Legend to do something. He flexed his
hips, pulled at his cuffs, but Legend remained silent. His cock was
hard and aching, his senses reaching out to find where Legend had
gone.

And then Gabe smelled something wholly masculine. He sniffed

the air, trying to get a read on what it was. His body jerked at the
scent before something soft pressed under his nose. “Leather,” he
said, a little breathy.

The smell invaded his lungs and Gabe became lost in a world of

such sensual pleasure that nothing mattered but the moment and
Legend.

“And sound.”

Lynn Hagen

Gabe’s breath hitched, his chest rising and falling faster as he

listened to something being ripped.

“What are you doing?”
“Patience.” Legend cupped the backs of Gabe’s knees and he felt

the cloth wrap around one knee, and then the other. He began to
tremble, unsure what Legend was up to.

Lastly, Legend pulled on the cloth, wrapping it around Gabe’s

neck until he was spread wide, helpless, suspended like a puppet on
strings.

Gabe strained against his bonds and found that he had only an

inch of wiggle room. Then the thought dawned on him. Legend
wanted to see him struggle. It was some kind of turn-on for the guy.
He wanted to see Gabe fettered like this and blind to what the man
was doing. He wanted to tell Legend to stop. That this was too much
too soon. Legend was upping the ante.

“You are so damn breathtaking.”
Gabe quivered at the sound of approval in Legend’s tone.
Legend’s voice dropped an octave. “So beautiful.”
Gabe’s hesitation vanished with a whisper. In that moment, he

wanted nothing more than to feel Legend buried deep inside of him.
His lust-stupid brain didn’t care that Gabe had never allowed another
man to fuck him. It didn’t care that Legend was taking things too far.
Gabe’s mind and body were betraying him, reaching out for what
Legend had to offer, desperate to know just how far Legend would
go.

“Tell me I can do whatever I want to your body.”
Gabe was panting, his body arching toward the darkness for one

single touch. “I–I can’t.”

“You’re scared.” It was a statement. “You’re afraid of

relinquishing control to someone else. That’s why you’re so hell-bent
on getting back to your father, so you can control the situation.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Gabe clenched his

jaw as he futilely wiggled. “Get this shit off me.”

Cowboy Legend

“Did I hit a sore point?” Legend asked. His tone was soothing, as

if talking to a man on a ledge. And that was exactly how Gabe felt. He
didn’t like the unknown and he didn’t like freefalling.

Worse, Legend was right. Gabe wanted to control everything

around him, including the situation with his father. He didn’t like
feeling out of control or helpless. He wanted to be the one in charge,
the one who handled the danger currently hounding him.

His father had groomed him to be a man of action, a take-charge

kind of guy. And right now, Gabe was anything but. He was allowing
this virtual stranger to have control over him—something he had
never done before.

So why was he allowing this to happen? Why was he letting

Legend have the lead? And most of all, why in the hell was he
enjoying the powerless feeling Legend evoked in him?

Suddenly, Gabe felt pressure at his lips. Legend kissed him with

light laps of his tongue against Gabe’s seeking one. Legend moaned
into his mouth, but he kept the pace slow, languid, laying his hands
over the sides of Gabe’s face.

Legend broke from the kiss to brush feather-light grazes of his lips

over Gabe’s cheek, chin, along his jawline, and then back to Gabe’s
waiting mouth, to take Gabe’s tongue with his.

It was the most sensual and tender kiss he’d ever received.
“Don’t be afraid of me, sweetness,” Legend whispered against

Gabe’s mouth. “I would never do anything to hurt you.”

The sense of connection to Legend flared like a blinding light.

How could he be afraid of a man who was this tender, yet how could
he put that much trust in a man he’d just met?

Gabe swallowed, trying to imagine giving himself wholly over to

Legend, abandoning logic and self-preservation and allowing this man
to do whatever he wanted. “I am afraid of you.”

“Because I scare you?” The man sounded like he was unraveling.
Gabe shook his head. “Not you, but the things you want to do to

me. The unknown.”

Lynn Hagen

With a groan, Legend flicked his tongue harder against Gabe’s,

telling Gabe that he was about to deepen the kiss, that he was about to
claim a part of Gabe that no other had touched.

Cowboy Legend

Chapter Six

Legend took his time, exploring Gabe’s body as he tried to relax

his soon-to-be lover. There was no question in his mind that Gabe
would be his. His bear was fighting too hard to get to the man, to
consume him.

Which told Legend only one thing.
Gabe was his mate.
He wasn’t one hundred-percent sure, but Legend had never felt

this way toward anyone before. If Gabe wasn’t his mate, then his bear
had gone nutty. Either way, he couldn’t deny the strong attraction and
almost bat-shit crazy way he felt toward the man.

He could sense his mate teetering, the need to give in to Legend

overwhelming. But Gabe’s fear of letting go kept him just out of
reach. “If you let go, trust me, I’ll make you have an orgasm the likes
of which you’ve never experienced before.”

“Oh, god,” Gabe gasped with a moan, tugging against his

bindings. Legend was sure that if he let the man go, Gabe wouldn’t
run, but seeing the human bound for his pleasure excited him too
much to free him just yet. He wanted Gabe at his total mercy, to
surrender to him.

Legend’s hands, his entire body, were nearly shuddering in

reaction, in lust and need, and he feared the loss of his own control.
Never in his entire sexual life had his own control been as sorely
tested as it was now.

“I want you so much I can barely breathe. I have ever since I

walked into that damned house of yours and saw you stride into your
father’s office.”

Lynn Hagen

Gabe whimpered.
Legend pulled the shirt from over Gabe’s eyes and saw the wild

heat in their pale-blue depths.

He drew in a tight breath. His cock

throbbed, pleading for a touch, no matter how timid. He gritted his
teeth as his eyes dropped to Gabe’s groin.

Legend was still battling his need to have Gabe. What if the

human wasn’t his mate? What if his bear was just turned on by the
man? This might be wrong, yet Legend couldn’t pull away. He’d gone
too far and there was no backing out.

He watched Gabe, seeing the determination in the man’s eyes,

the lust that flushed his face, tightened his features, and Legend
couldn’t find the strength to fight this.

“I take control,” he said broodingly. “Whatever I want to give

you, Gabe, however I want to give it.”

“What if I don’t want to give you control?” Gabe asked. His chest

was rising and falling rapidly but Legend could see the need in the
man’s eyes. It was tangible and electrifying, and Legend wanted a
piece of that excitement. He wanted Gabe writhing and whimpering
under him. He wanted the man to want him.

He shook his head. “You’ll give it, Gabe. By god, you’ll give it to

me.” He leaned closer and brushed his lips over Gabe’s. “This is what
you need, for now, maybe just this once.”

“Or this is what you need,” Gabe countered as small puffs of air

glided over Legend’s lips. “This is what you want.”

Legend smiled. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’ve wanted to do

this to you since I first laid eyes on you. To spank the brat right out of
you.”

Gabe’s hips hitched, his entire body rocking as his restraints

stopped him from reaching out. “Are you still afraid?” Legend asked.

“Yes,” Gabe admitted with an honesty Legend appreciated and

admired. He slipped his hands under Gabe’s ass and massaged the
twin mounds, watching Gabe’s reaction. The man’s head lolled to the
side as his breathing increased. Taking things a bit further, Legend

Cowboy Legend

slid his index finger over Gabe’s tight muscle.

Gabe stiffened and then moaned.
Legend wet his finger and then placed it back at Gabe’s tight hole.

“Surrender to me.” He slipped his finger in to the first knuckle.
“Don’t fight this.”

Gabe gritted his teeth as he turned his head and stared directly into

Legend’s eyes. Legend could see vulnerability and fear. He pulled his
finger back and then slipped it in a little further. “That’s it,
sweetness.”

The cuffs rattled against the headboard as Gabe pulled at his

restraints. His ass clenched and then relaxed.

“Show me you want this,” Legend said as he pulled his finger free

and grabbed the lube he’d stuffed under the pillow when he’d put the
cuffs in place. He set it next to his thigh as he watched Gabe. “Offer
yourself to me.”

“H–How?”
“Raise your ass and tell me to take it. Tell me it’s mine to do with

as I please.”

Gabe’s body flushed, the color moving over him like drifting

clouds from face, to neck, to the rest of his body. Legend traced it
with his fingers and then smiled. “Such a pretty color.”

The need vibrated off of Gabe, sang to Legend, begged him to

take, take, take. But Legend also wanted to give. He wanted Gabe just
as satisfied, if not more.

Gabe tensed, and then slowly raised his ass. The man sucked in

his bottom lip, his eyes steady on Legend. Fear mingled with want.
The man wasn’t sure, yet he was trusting Legend to do the right thing.

And Legend would.
He ran the palms of his hands down Gabe’s inner thighs, watched

Gabe watch him. He smiled. “My frightened little cub.”

Gabe’s eyes narrowed but he didn’t protest, didn’t pull back. The

man had fire in him and Legend loved it. He scraped his nails along
Gabe’s smooth skin and was rewarded with a swift intake of breath.

Lynn Hagen

“You like torturing me, don’t you?” Gabe asked, his voice strong

but breathy.

Legend chuckled. The sound was low and deep. “Is it that

obvious?”

He could hear Gabe whisper, “Crazy son of a bitch.”
He might be, but he was going to enjoy every inch of Gabe’s

luscious body. Legend was on his knees. He scooted closer until the
backs of Gabe’s thighs were resting on his. The man was raised, his
ass right there for Legend to pleasure.

Legend had to appear as if he were in control, but his heart

hammered in his chest and his hands jittered. His throat was a bit dry
as well. Gabe’s legs tried to tighten around Legend and the action
caused Legend’s cock to swell—to harden in agonizing need.

Gabe wasn’t the only one being tortured.
As Legend stared at Gabe, he was amazed at what the sight of the

man did to him. How it clenched his chest, engorged his cock, and
had emotions springing to life that he knew he would be much more
comfortable without.

Legend wasn’t used to feeling this way toward anyone.
He lifted his hand to Gabe’s hair, his fingers brushing over the

blond strands, moving them away from the flushed cheeks. Gabe’s
lips parted.

“Legend.” Gabe said his name desperately.
“All in due time,” Legend said as he grabbed the lube and wet his

fingers. He slid them over Gabe’s tight anal muscle, growling at how
good the man felt as his own cock pounded out a rhythm. He nearly
forgot that he wanted to take this slow. The need in him was too
intense and if Legend didn’t slow down, he’d blow his load and this
would be over.

Arousal lit Gabe’s eyes in a blaze of lust so intense it nearly

seared Legend. He worked his fingers into Gabe’s ass, clenching his
teeth at just how tight the man was. “Have you ever bottomed,
sweetness?”

Cowboy Legend

When Gabe swallowed and remained silent, Legend had his

answer. This tough little package had more than likely ruled over
those he took to his bed. Gabe liked control. But he was going to give
that hard-fought control over to Legend. He had to show the man that
there was nothing wrong with allowing someone else to lead.

Legend took his time, working his fingers gently. He wanted Gabe

with a force that frightened him, but he didn’t want to hurt the man.

“How does this feel, my fingers inside of you?”
Gabe’s skin flushed as his head thrashed from side to side. When

the man still wouldn’t speak, Legend removed his fingers. Gabe
whimpered.

“I asked you a question, sweetness.”
Gabe’s arms shook as he yanked against the cuffs. His defiance

was amusing because Legend knew he would get the man to talk.

“I can easily get off of this bed and leave you here, hard, aching.

Is that what you want, Gabe?”

“No,” Gabe ground out between clenched teeth.
Legend slipped two fingers back inside Gabe’s lubed ass. The

muscle clamped around his fingers, making it almost impossible to
move them. “Then tell me. How does this feel?”

He scissored his fingers and twisted his wrist until he found the

small walnut-sized gland. He brushed over it and Gabe’s entire body
went rigid, straining as the man gasped.

“Tell me.”
“Oh, god,” he cried out. “Good, Legend.” His voice was strained

as his legs shook. The hairs on the backs of his thighs moved over
Legend’s, caressing him. “Fucking good.”

Legend didn’t want a silent lover. He wanted to know how he

made Gabe feel. He wanted to swallow every sound Gabe made and
he craved to hear just how much the man enjoyed this.

He pumped his fingers in and out of Gabe’s ass as if they were his

cock. The muscles began to loosen, to stretch. Soon Gabe would be
ready for him. The man’s cock spun a string of pre-cum that glistened

Lynn Hagen

on his belly, pooling at his navel. Legend swiped his fingers through
the sticky mess and then licked the clear liquid into his mouth. He
moaned at the taste.

Gabe’s eyes were wide, watching him. Legend winked at the man.

Gabe’s cock was straining, the veins standing out, the head a deep
purple.

Legend swiped his fingers over Gabe’s belly again, wanting

another taste. Gabe’s breathing was audible in the quiet room.

Once he licked his fingers clean, Legend ran them from Gabe’s

ankle to the back of his knee. He watched as goose bumps surfaced
and Gabe groaned.

The pleasure on Gabe’s face fascinated Legend. He wrapped his

fist around Gabe’s cock and gave it a few good strokes as Gabe
arched his back and whimpered.

Legend teased the man, watching as Gabe raced toward the edge

before Legend eased back, denying the man his orgasm.

Gabe was shaking and shivering, licking his lips as he observed

Legend intently. Those pale-blue eyes shimmered with lust, with
need.

Legend removed his fingers from Gabe’s ass and grabbed the

man’s hips, pulling Gabe closer until the head of his cock touched
Gabe’s asshole.

Gabe flexed and tightened his legs.
Legend kept their gazes locked, staring into the pale orbs as he

slowly pushed until the head of his cock popped inside. He shuddered
and stilled, waiting for Gabe to relax. It was like a hot, tight fist
gripped his shaft, squeezing the flesh until Legend almost gave in and
pounded into the man.

Gabe let out a long breath, winced, and wiggled a bit. “Burns.”

The word came out as a grunt as Gabe’s hands curled into fists. His
face was flushed and Legend could see the pinch of pain in the man’s
expression.

He slipped forward a little more, easing gently inside. His gut

Cowboy Legend

clenched and his legs shook as he went as slow as humanly possible.
If he went any slower, he wouldn’t be moving at all. But he wanted
Gabe comfortable. Or as comfortable as he could be while Legend’s
dick was spreading the man open for the first time.

His fingers gripped Gabe’s side with a crushing intensity as he

pulled Gabe even closer, sliding the man down his shaft, feeding
Gabe his cock a little at a time.

And when he bottomed out, they both took a ragged, steadying

breath.

Legend grabbed the fabric that held Gabe’s legs in the air and

yanked on it as he pulled out and then pressed his thick shaft back
inside Gabe’s unbelievably tight ass. He did it again, only faster this
time.

Gabe squirmed and grunted and then sighed.
As his fingers gripped the fabric tighter, Legend moved with sure,

deep strokes, watching where they connected, feeling how hot and
tight the man was around him.

Gabe sucked in a quick breath, let it out, and then tried to match

Legend’s thrusts. But the man was immobile and all he could do was
raise his ass higher.

Legend released the fabric on the right side and pulled his hand

back, smacking Gabe on the ass.

Gabe yelped.
Legend did it again, watching as a red imprint of his hand

appeared. “Are you going to run from me again, Gabe?”

Gabe didn’t answer. The only sounds that left his lips were moans,

whimpers, and pleading for Legend not to stop. Legend’s hand landed
on Gabe’s soft, pliable ass two more times. Gabe’s eyes glazed over
and Legend’s cock pulsed inside Gabe at the noises the man was
making.

He pumped his cock into Gabe harder and then slowed. “Do you

want to come, Gabe?”

“Yes!”

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“Then answer me. Are you going to run from me again?”
Gabe wiggled and squirmed as he tried to get closer, but Legend

pulled back slightly, denying the man any further pleasure.

The man growled, and the sound was sexy as sin. “No, I won’t

run.”

“Promise me, Gabe. Tell me you’re a man of your word.” Legend

thrust hard and then stilled. Gabe jerked and tried to kick his legs out,
but the fabric prevented him from doing anything other than moving
his legs an inch.

Gabe tilted up and tried to move his ass toward Legend, but

Legend grabbed Gabe’s hips and stopped him. “Promise me.”

His voice had gone rough and he was hanging on by a thread. His

body vibrated and his bear growled for Legend to bite the man, to
claim him. But Legend held out. He had to. He needed Gabe to say
that he wasn’t going to run again.

“I promise.” Gabe’s words were given with heat. Legend knew

the man meant what he said. He wouldn’t run again. But it had irked
Gabe to give in.

Legend dug his fingers into Gabe’s flesh as he pistoned into the

man’s ass. Sweat trickled down his spine, his scalp, and glistened
over his body as he hammered into Gabe.

“Legend,” Gabe cried out. “Make me come…please…make me.”
He’d tortured the man enough for one night. Legend gripped

Gabe’s cock and stroked him until the man was shouting, his back
arching as ribbons of seed spurted onto his chest. Gabe’s ass clamped
down on Legend, milking his cock.

Legend released Gabe and bent forward. He yanked at the man’s

neck, pulling Gabe closer as he sank his canines into his lover’s
shoulder. Legend felt like a beast unleashed. His body was no longer
his own.

He thrust hard and deep as his orgasm swept over him. Gabe

shouted as he lifted his ass higher. Legend took and gave, claimed
what was his.

Cowboy Legend

And Gabe Summerville was his.
He knew it.
His bear knew it.
And soon, Gabe would know it as well.

* * * *

Gabe sat on the edge of the bed after Legend had given him a

phone to use. His fingers trembled as he dialed his father’s number.
He brushed his hand over the back of his neck, wondering if Maxwell
was all right. He still felt like shit for leaving the guy.

“Son.” Maxwell’s voice was a deep baritone and Gabe felt like

crying at the sound. “How are you?”

Gabe cleared his throat and was thankful that Legend had stepped

outside and given him some privacy. Gabe was a clusterfuck of
emotions right now, but all he wanted to know was that his father was
safe. “I’m good.”

“How is Legend treating you?”
That was a loaded question. Gabe stuck to the basics and left out

all of the intimate details. “He knows what he’s doing.”

Wasn’t that the truth.
“But how are you? Are you staying safe?” Gabe asked. “What

happened after I left?”

“I’m fine, son. It’ll take more than the cartel to bring me down. I

don’t want you worrying about me. Just do as Legend says and
behave. I know how willful you can be sometimes.”

Gabe smiled at his father’s chastisement. Something settled inside

of him and his stomach finally untwisted. “I wouldn’t be me if I
behaved.”

His father chuckled. “No, you wouldn’t.” The man cleared his

throat. “I love you, Gabe. I only want what’s best for you. So don’t
give Legend too hard of a time and know that I’m safe and working
things out on my end.”

Lynn Hagen

“I love you, too,” Gabe said. “Just be careful.”
They said their good-byes and Gabe didn’t want to hang up. He

cradled the phone in his hands and prayed that both he and his father
made it out of this mess alive.

* * * *

Gabe was exhausted from the night before. His body was listless

and all he wanted to do was go back to bed and sleep for the rest of
the day. Legend had done things to him that had Gabe blushing as
they checked out of their room.

The elderly gentleman behind the desk smiled at Gabe as if he

knew exactly what he and Legend had been doing. Gabe glanced
away, staring at an old calendar on the wall instead.

“Hope you fellas had a restful night,” the man said as Legend

returned the key.

“The best,” Legend replied with a touch of humor in his tone. He

thanked the gentleman and then they left. Gabe opened his mouth and
was about to tell Legend he better not kiss and tell, when his
bodyguard stiffened.

Gabe grew still. He glanced around at the wilderness surrounding

the motel, but didn’t see anything. “What’s wrong?”

Legend reached out and touched Gabe’s side, moving Gabe

behind him as he pulled his gun from the holster hidden under his
jacket. “Someone’s watching us.”

How? Aside from the motel, there wasn’t a good place to hide. It

was all flat land except for the trees at the end of the two-mile road.
There was no way Legend could see anyone that far away.

His bodyguard ushered Gabe to the car, slamming the door once

Gabe was inside. He twisted around, trying to see where Legend was
looking. The man was scanning the tall grass.

Legend walked around to the other side of the car and got in.

“Stay down.”

Cowboy Legend

Gabe slid down his seat as his heart thumped heavily in his chest.

This was not the way he had planned on spending his morning. After
last night, Gabe had wanted to sleep for the duration of their ride.
Instead, he was wide awake, panic setting in.

“Stay low until I tell you it’s clear.”
“Okay.” Gabe wasn’t about to argue with the man. Legend was

the expert, not him. He slid low, his heart hammering as Legend
pulled from the motel. The two-mile drive seemed to take forever.
The man drove slowly as his eyes continuously scanned the area.

Gabe’s nerves were frayed by the time they hit the main road. He

was scrunched low in the seat and his back was starting to ache. He
still couldn’t understand how the cartel could be following them.
They’d taken a jet out of California. Unless Ortega’s henchmen had
followed in their own jet, how would they know where Legend and
Gabe had gone?

Gabe felt much better after talking with his father last night, but

he was still worried about the man. Fortunately, Legend was the
anchor Gabe needed. He just prayed this mess would be over soon so
he could get back to his life.

“You can get up now.” Legend seemed a bit more relaxed, as if

the danger had passed. Gabe slid up and stretched, yawning. The man
chuckled. “Do I bore you?”

Gabe liked Legend’s laugh. It was masculine and deep and he

wanted to hear it again. Legend was stunning when he smiled. It made
his amber eyes sparkle.

“In the worst sort of way,” Gabe teased, feeling a bit lighter. The

great sex could be the reason for his happier mood, but it wasn’t just
that. Gabe found himself enjoying Legend’s company, which was a
huge turnaround from their first encounter.

Legend reached over and glided his knuckles down Gabe’s cheek.

“You were beautiful last night, sweetness.”

Gabe’s entire body flushed with embarrassment. Was he supposed

to say thank you? He didn’t think so. He’d never thanked anyone for

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sex before. But last night had been amazing, and Gabe was aching to
do it again.

If he had known letting someone top him would feel so good, he

would have done it years ago. But to be honest, he liked the fact that it
was Legend who had opened that world to him.

“Where are we going?” Gabe asked, trying to change the subject

so he wouldn’t melt in his seat from Legend’s praises.

Legend grabbed Gabe’s hand and kissed it before placing it on his

thigh. “We’re heading to Bear County.”

“Where?” Gabe had never heard of the place. It sounded like

some backwoods town that had one restaurant and plenty of
tumbleweeds.

“It’s where I live,” Legend said. “And where the base of operation

is set up.”

“Oh,” Gabe replied. “Sounds so James Bond.”
Legend chuckled and that was exactly what Gabe had been going

for. He wanted another smile out of the man. Gabe thought about
what his father had said last night and decided to somewhat behave
himself. If he was going to be roped to Legend, they might as well get
along. The last thing Gabe wanted was to argue with the man for the
next four weeks.

Besides, now that he knew his father was okay, Gabe could

marginally relax. That was all he had wanted in the first place when
he’d tried to escape both times.

Gabe rolled the window down for some fresh air when a slight

wave of nausea gripped him. His stomach rolled and bile rose to the
back of his throat. Gabe had to swallow a few times before he could
speak. “Can we get something to eat?” As Gabe thought about it, he
realized he hadn’t eaten yesterday. That could be the reason he was
feeling a bit sick—that and the stress of this whole situation. Gabe’s
life had been chaotic, but in a good way. He wasn’t used to living
under this kind of duress. And after last night, Gabe had worked up
one hell of an appetite.

Cowboy Legend

“We’ll stop at the nearest restaurant,” Legend replied. The man

seemed bothered about Gabe’s request. Or it could be that he was mad
at himself for forgetting to feed Gabe yesterday. But Gabe let it go,
unwilling to spoil the buoyant mood they’d just been sharing.

Gabe slapped a hand over his mouth, mortified when he let out a

strange, bubble-like burp. It tasted like empty stomach, if there was
such a thing. “I guess I’m really hungry.”

Thirty minutes later Gabe spotted a fast-food place up ahead. He

normally avoided those types of places because they offered nothing
but fattening food, but right now he’d scarf down everything on the
menu. “That’ll do,” Gabe said as he pointed at the place.

Legend frowned. “Are you sure?”
He was damn sure, considering his stomach was trying to eat its

way out. The nausea hadn’t subsided and Gabe was ready to put
something in his belly. “Yep.”

Legend started to go through the drive-thru but Gabe waved him

to a parking spot. “I have to use the bathroom.”

The man gave Gabe a hesitant stare. Gabe rolled his eyes. “I’m

not going to take off. I promise.”

They both went in—Legend to the counter, Gabe to the bathroom.

He walked over to the sink, thankful the room was clean, and
splashed some water over his face, trying to dispel the queasiness. He
slammed his lips closed, burped, and then raced to a stall where he
emptied his already-empty stomach.

It was gross as hell to vomit in a public bathroom. There was no

telling who’d sat on this toilet. But Gabe couldn’t have stopped the
reflex even if he’d tried. His stomach tightened and his eyes watered
and Gabe felt like hell. The room spun slightly as he eased back and
swallowed down some air. Could stress make him vomit? He flushed
the toilet and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He heard the door open and then someone was at a urinal. Gabe

tried to stand but a wave of dizziness had him leaning against the stall

Lynn Hagen

wall. His mouth began to water again and Gabe was back over the
toilet, retching.

The stall door opened and he felt a hand on his back. “It’ll pass.”

Legend smoothed his hand over Gabe’s back. “Let me get you a wet
paper towel.”

Gabe could only nod as he clutched his stomach. It hurt like hell.

He’d used muscles he didn’t know he had and now they were
protesting. Legend returned and handed the wet paper towel to Gabe.
He took it, wiping away the perspiration that had continued to form
over his face.

“I need my toothbrush,” he said, hoping his body was done killing

him.

“I’ll go get it.”
Gabe used the wall for stability as he gazed up at the ceiling,

wondering if it was just lack of food that had him sick. Was he
coming down with something? He was not looking forward to having
a stomach virus while on the road. That wouldn’t be a pleasant
experience.

He was going to have to ask Legend to stop at a drugstore so he

could get something for his nausea. That was, if the food didn’t help.
He wasn’t even hungry anymore. All Gabe wanted to do was lay
down in the backseat and rest while nursing his upset stomach.

Legend came back in with a small toiletry bag and handed it to

Gabe. He brushed, rinsed, and then brushed again before gargling to
get the foul taste out of his mouth.

“Are you still hungry?” Legend asked as he stood behind Gabe.

The man was watching him in the mirror and he had a strange look in
those amber eyes. Gabe was too fucked up right now to try and
decipher what the man was thinking.

“No,” he admitted. “But you might want to bring some food along

in case I change my mind.”

Gabe stuffed his toothbrush and toothpaste back in his bag and

then used the bathroom before they left. Instead of getting into the

Cowboy Legend

front seat, he crawled in back. Legend pulled his own bag from the
trunk and gave it to Gabe for a pillow.

It was much appreciated. Gabe silently gave kudos to the man for

his thoughtfulness.

“Try and get some sleep,” Legend said. “I’ll put the air-

conditioner on low to keep you from getting too hot.”

The man was being awfully accommodating. They might have

shared a wonderful night together, but Gabe had a feeling something
else was going on.

He closed his eyes as the car started to move, lulling him into a

peaceful sleep.

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Seven

Legend was worried that Gabe had been sleeping so much. He’d

woken up a few times and then had gone right back to sleep. Legend
wasn’t a doctor so he could only guess at what was wrong with Gabe.

It could be the stress of the whole situation. People reacted in

different ways when strain and pressure became too much. Gabe
could also have a simple stomach virus. There were too many
possibilities, and Legend’s mind wouldn’t be at ease until he had the
man examined.

When he passed a sign welcoming him to Bear County, Legend

felt some of the pressure ease from his shoulders. He was positive that
someone had been watching him outside the last motel that he and
Gabe had stayed in. Legend had been enmeshed in danger while in the
marines and on various assignments for Executive Bodyguards.

He knew when someone was watching him.
It was well past midnight when he pulled into the driveway. Even

though Legend and his friends hadn’t lived in Bear County for long, it
still felt as if he were coming home.

The lights in the living room were still on and Legend knew that a

few of the guys would still be awake. T-Rex and Stripper were night
owls. No doubt T-Rex was up watching some late-night movie. And
Legend knew for certain that Stripper was in the communications
room, battling somebody online in one of his various video games.

The man was a video game junkie.
Since Gabe was still fast asleep, Legend decided to take the

luggage in first. As soon as he walked through the front door, he

Cowboy Legend

heard Stripper cursing at someone. Legend shook his head. It really
was good to be home.

T-Rex walked out of the kitchen with a glass in his hand. “About

time.”

Legend set the luggage down and then stretched. His back was

killing him from the long drive. Although he was only twenty-seven,
that drive had made him feel old. He was ready to go soak in a nice
hot bath. He rolled his shoulders and heard his vertebrae pop. That
was better. Legend wanted to work out and loosen his muscles, but he
had Gabe to take care of.

“Where’s the package?” T-Rex asked as he eyed the stupid

amount of luggage that Gabe had decided to bring along. The human
had packed for a freaking summer vacation. Gabe had brought three
suitcases, a garment bag, and Legend had no clue what was in the
midsize carrying case. He shook his head. He had learned long ago to
pack light. Legend also knew how to roll his clothes to conserve
room.

Gabe was a walking department store.
“Asleep in the car,” Legend answered before he yawned.
T-Rex frowned. “Didn’t you say he was a runner?”
Just then Stripper walked out of communications room, taking a

large swallow from a can of pop he had in his hand. He smiled and
saluted Legend. “Nice to have you home.”

The man was standing there buck naked. Hence the name

Stripper. If the guy wasn’t on assignment, he refused to wear a stitch
of clothing. The men had grown used to it, though they teased
Stripper, stating that they were going to go blind from his big-ass
balls swaying so freely.

But things were different now that they had company. “Go put

some damn clothes on,” Legend said and then smiled. “Thanks. Nice
to be home.”

“I need a break anyway,” Stripper said as he set the can on the

table by the door. “I’ll take your shit up to your room.”

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“Thanks,” Legend replied and then added, “And I was serious

about the clothes.”

Stripper only chuckled as he took the luggage upstairs. Legend

was either going to staple some boxers on Stripper, or convince Gabe
to wear a blindfold for the entirety of his stay. Most shifters were
comfortable with nudity, but Stripper took it to a whole new level.

“You know you’re not going to win that battle,” T-Rex said and

then shrugged. “Maybe Gabe will turn out to be Stripper’s mate and
the problem will be solved.”

Legend gnashed his teeth together at the thought of Stripper going

anywhere near Gabe. T-Rex frowned. “Something you need to tell
me?”

“Yeah,” Legend replied. “If Stripper lays a finger on Gabe, I’ll rip

his fucking arm off.”

T-Rex’s eyebrows shot up. “Whoa,” he said. “What the hell is

going on?” And then his face darkened. “Tell me you did not fuck the
guy.”

When the Legend didn’t answer the man, T-Rex’s face grew even

darker. “You know the rules,” he said with a snarl. “And on top of
that, Maxwell Summerville is a dear friend of your dad’s. You do not
mix business with pleasure.”

T-Rex let go of a slew of curses as he rested his hands on his hips

and lowered his head. He took a deep breath as if trying to pull in his
control.

Legend didn’t like being chewed out, and he definitely didn’t like

being snarled at. If he wasn’t almost positive that Gabe was his mate,
he would understand the man’s anger. “My bear couldn’t stay away
from him.”

T-Rex frowned. “You know I’m new to all this shifter shit.

Explain to me what that means.”

Legend leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest.

“We go by scent, but that’s not entirely accurate. My bear was going

Cowboy Legend

nuts to get to Gabe, and that’s always a telltale sign. But the only sure
way to know that Gabe is my mate is if he’s pregnant.”

T-Rex closed his eyes and shivered as if trying to dispel the

image. “Yeah, I remember Milo giving birth in that hut. Strangest
fucking shit I’ve ever seen.”

Milo was mated to a bear shifter on the Triple-B ranch. The guy

had been kidnapped by his own father and dumped in the jungles of
Columbia. When their ex-team member, Sparrow, had called them for
help, they had located Milo—the man had been in the middle of labor
when they found him.

T-Rex glanced at him. “Is Gabe going to go through the same

thing?”

“I have to call the shifter doctor first,” Legend said. “Have the guy

examine Gabe to find out why he’s been so sick. Hopefully I’ll know
what’s going on after the examination.”

T-Rex cursed. “You sure know how to fuck a situation up.” And

then his expression turned to bewilderment. “There’s such thing as a
shifter doctor?”

Legend chuckled as he threw his arm over T-Rex’s shoulder.

“You have a lot to learn, bro.”

“I think I’ll pass,” T-Rex replied. “Now go get Gabe from the car.

Sam and I did a sweep of the perimeter earlier. The motion sensors
and cameras are all in working order.”

The reminder of why he’d gone to get Gabe in the first place felt

like a bucket of ice being poured over Legend’s head. How could he
stand there and joke while Gabe was still outside? Legend growled at
himself as he headed to the car.

When he approached the car, Legend could see Gabe sitting up in

the backseat, looking around. The man appeared relieved when his
pale-blue eyes settled on Legend.

There was no doubt that Legend was falling hard for Gabe. His

chest tightened and his bear growled low at the sight of Gabe

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searching for him. The man’s blond hair was sticking up, disheveled
from all the hours of sleep. He was simply adorable.

“Is this your house?” Gabe asked when Legend opened the back

door.

“It is.” Legend squatted as he pulled Gabe’s hands into his. He ran

his thumbs over the smooth skin as he smiled up at his mate. “Do you
feel any better?”

Gabe nodded. “I guess I was just worn out.” And then he blushed.
The guy had to be thinking about the night before. A low,

rumbling growl worked its way up Legend’s chest. He liked when
Gabe was docile. But then again, Legend liked Gabe’s fiery side as
well.

“Let’s get you inside, sweetness.” Legend stood, releasing only

one of Gabe’s hands. He led the man into the house and saw that T-
Rex hadn’t moved.

“Gabe Summerville, this is T-Rex.”
Gabe chuckled and then tilted his head back. T-Rex towered over

most people. T-Rex was a play on Tanner Rexford’s name. But the
men teased the man about being a dinosaur as well. He was tall
enough to be a

Tyrannosaurus Rex.

“Is that your real name?” Gabe

asked.

T-Rex extended a hand as he returned the smile. “Tanner Rexford,

but please don’t call me that.”

Gabe shook his hand and then his entire face turned seven shades

of red. Legend turned to see what Gabe was staring at and then
groaned when he spotted Stripper coming downstairs…still naked.

Legend slapped a hand over Gabe’s eyes, pulling his mate’s back

to his chest. “Didn’t I tell you to get some damn clothes on?” he asked
Stripper.

Gabe knocked Legend’s hand away. “I’ve seen naked men

before.”

“See,” Stripper said as he grinned at Gabe. “He doesn’t mind.”

Cowboy Legend

Gabe cocked his head to the side, staring directly at Stripper’s

balls. “They’re so…abnormally…big.”

Legend spun Gabe and glared at Stripper. “So help me, if you

don’t get something on, I’ll neuter you and then you won’t have to
worry about your abnormally large balls.”

Gabe’s shoulders were shaking and Legend heard the man

laughing. Legend didn’t find this the least bit funny. Stripper was not
going to let it all hang out in front of Gabe.

Stripper threw his hands up in the air and then went back upstairs.

“That’s the thanks I get for not only taking your luggage up, but
storing it neatly in a corner.”

Legend sighed. “Thanks, Stripper.”
“I see why you call him that,” Gabe said. “Can you let me go now

or is someone else going to walk in here nude?”

“I like him,” T-Rex said as he chuckled. “Takes things in stride.”
When Gabe yawned, Legend grabbed the man’s hand and led him

toward the steps. Legend said over his shoulder to T-Rex, “We’re
heading to bed. I’ll fill you in on the rest of my trip tomorrow.”

“Oh, are you talking about someone watching us?” Gabe asked.
“Someone was watching you?” T-Rex asked.
“Tomorrow,” Legend said as he continued to walk. “Hot bath

right now.”

“I want a full report,” T-Rex said as Legend and Gabe

disappeared upstairs.

* * * *

Gabe peeked out the bedroom door to make sure there weren’t any

naked men running around. Not that he didn’t like a nice piece of eye
candy, but he’d been all kinds of embarrassed last night and he didn’t
want a repeat. There was no way in hell he’d be able to hold a serious
conversation with a guy who had his junk on display.

Lynn Hagen

His eyes fluttered closed as he inhaled deeply, the scent of bacon

and something sweet wafting toward him. Gabe moved from the
doorway of Legend’s bedroom and followed the aroma down the
stairs until he was standing in the kitchen, staring at a nice-looking
guy. A clothed nice-looking guy. Well, almost clothed. The guy
wasn’t wearing a shirt and he was showing off a sexy, ripped
abdomen.

The stranger turned and then grinned. “I was just thinking of

having breakfast with a gorgeous man and, wow, here you are.”

“Knock it off, Sam,” Legend said as he strode into the kitchen and

kissed Gabe on the cheek. “He’s my gorgeous man.”

Sam winked at Gabe. “A guy can dream.”
Were all of Legend’s friends sexy? The three he had met so far

were drop-dead gorgeous. Luckily Legend owned his heart, or Gabe
just might turn into a man whore for these guys. But, he could still
appreciate their beauty.

“Have a seat and I’ll serve you right up,” Sam said in a tone that

was dripping with sensuality. Legend growled and Sam chuckled.
“You know I’m only teasing him, trying to make Gabe feel more at
ease.”

“If you make him feel any more at ease,” Legend said as he

grabbed two glasses from the cupboard and filled them with orange
juice, “you’ll have him naked and then I’ll have to kill you.”

Sam dropped a full plate in front of Gabe. The smell alone had his

stomach rumbling fiercely. He hadn’t eaten in two days and Gabe
feared he’d hurt himself by polishing his food off. But he gave it one
hell of a try. He ate all three pancakes, four sausages, and half his
scrambled eggs. Never in his life had he eaten so much in one sitting.

“A man after my own heart,” Sam teased. “I’ll take your nearly

cleared plate as a compliment.”

Legend didn’t threaten the man this time. Gabe could only guess

that the guy knew it was a lost cause. Sam seemed to be himself no
matter what.

Cowboy Legend

“It was delicious,” Gabe said to Sam. “Thanks.”
He was so full now that he was afraid to move. His pants were a

tad tighter, but he did feel much better. Legend pointed to his glass of
juice. “Drink up.”

And put it where? There was no more room in Gabe’s stomach. “I

promise to finish it.” That was the best he could do.

Legend, however, cleaned his plate and went back for seconds.

The guy was nothing but lean muscle, not an ounce of fat on him.
Where on earth did he put all that food and why wasn’t he three
hundred pounds?

After finishing his second plate, Legend wiped his mouth with his

napkin. “I need to go for a run,” he said to Gabe. “Will you be all
right here without me?”

Sam rolled his eyes as he took a seat, a large plate in front of him.

“No, we’re all going to tickle his fancy while you’re gone.”

This made Legend stiffen as he gave a low growl to Sam. The guy

did that a lot. It was a sexy sound, but strange. Gabe had never heard
a man growl before. It reminded him of the bite mark on his shoulder.
He reached up and caressed his fingers over the area where Legend
had bitten him and was stunned to find the mark gone. How had he
healed so fast?

“Can I go running with you?” Gabe asked. “I need to work off this

breakfast.”

Sam and Legend exchanged a weird look before Legend said, “I

don’t want you straining yourself until the doctor clears you.”

“Doctor?” Gabe frowned. “It was just a stomach bug. Why would

you have me go to the doctor’s office?”

Legend stood and took his and Gabe’s plates to the sink. The man

was acting very strange.

“You’re not going to the doctor’s office,” Legend said. “The

doctor is coming here.”

Gabe chuckled. “No way. Doctors still make house calls?”

Lynn Hagen

But Legend didn’t find this amusing. His expression was a closed

book and Gabe couldn’t get a reading. Sam had grown quiet as well.
Had Gabe said something wrong?

All he did was ask if he could go running with Legend. Gabe

couldn’t see what was wrong with that. “Fine, I’ll stick around here
until the doctor comes. But I’m telling you, I feel much—” Gabe’s
eyes widened when his mouth began to water and his stomach began
to rebel.

Not again.
He jumped and ran from the room, but ended up going in circles

since he didn’t know if there was a downstairs bathroom. Legend
rushed from the kitchen and grabbed Gabe, running him down the
hallway. He threw the second door on the right open and hurried
inside. They made it just as Gabe’s breakfast made a reappearance.

He dropped to his knees, his gut twisting painfully. What. The.

Fuck. Gabe was tired of this. What had he eaten to cause him to be so
sick? Legend wiped Gabe’s face with a cool towel as Gabe knelt
there, wishing his stomach would settle.

“See,” Legend said gently. “Just relax, sweetness.”
“He all right?” Sam asked as he appeared in the doorway.
“Why do people ask that?” Gabe moaned, resting his head on his

arm that was lying on the toilet seat. “It’s so obvious that I’m not.”

Legend squatted next to Gabe, brushing Gabe’s hair aside. “I’ll

put you to bed and give you a bucket.”

Gabe shook his head and felt a wave of dizziness. “I’ll go crazy

up there all by myself. Can’t I stay down here?”

“The living room it is,” Sam said. “I’ll go toss some pillows on

the couch for you.”

Gabe was only half listening. He was concentrating on keeping

the rest of his breakfast down.

“Come on.” Legend flushed the toilet and then lifted Gabe from

the floor.

Cowboy Legend

“Wait,” Gabe said. “I have to brush this nasty taste from my

mouth.”

Legend reached into the vanity drawer, pulled out a toothbrush

still in its wrapper, and handed it to Gabe. “I’ll go make sure the
doctor is on his way while you brush your teeth.”

Gabe nodded, accepting the toothbrush before Legend left. He

scrubbed, feeling as if he was going to be sick again. He stood there,
waiting, but the nausea passed.

He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take. Hopefully

the doctor brought something with him to get rid of whatever was
wrong with Gabe.

He tossed the toothbrush aside, rinsed, and then headed down the

hallway. Gabe rolled his eyes and hurried past Legend when he
spotted Stripper coming down the stairs, naked.

Legend must have spotted him as well because he hurried from

the living room. Sam shook his head. “You’ll get used to things
around here.”

Gabe curled up on the couch, thankful that Sam had supplied a

few soft pillows. “I just have to deal with it for a few weeks.”

Sam stilled, his brows furrowing, but said nothing.
There was definitely something cryptic going on in this house.

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Eight

Legend wasn’t sure why he was denying the truth. He’d tried to

convince himself that it really was a stomach virus. It could be the
fact that he didn’t know how to explain things to Gabe. Legend was
tougher than nails in every aspect of his life, yet, when it came to
Gabe, he had wussed out. He wasn’t sure what that said about him,
but it sure as hell made him pace the hall as the doctor examined
Gabe.

It had started out as a simple attraction. But Legend should’ve

known. His bear had never gone that crazy to be near anyone. He
rubbed his hand over his head and glanced at the door, wondering
how Gabe would react if he really was pregnant. Legend wanted to
rush in there and find out, but the doctor insisted on giving Gabe
privacy.

T-Rex was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his

chest, watching Legend pace a hole in the rug. It wasn’t Legend’s
favorite pastime, but he couldn’t seem to stand still. He’d never once
given fatherhood any thought. Being constantly on the move, always
in dangerous situations, Legend didn’t think it was possible for him to
settle down.

“So you haven’t told him anything?” T-Rex asked.
Legend scrubbed his hands over his hair before he shook his head.
“What were you waiting on, for him to give birth?”
T-Rex was now being Legend’s fucking conscience. Where had

that reproachful voice been when Legend should have been using his
head and not his hormones? It was true. He should have laid his cards

Cowboy Legend

on the table before things had gone too far with Gabe. But it was too
late now and he’d have to deal with any fallout.

“The time just never seemed right,” Legend answered. “We were

too busy running and then Gabe got sick.”

“I’m pretty sure you could have mentioned you were a bear before

fucking the guy. It takes a second to slip a condom on and a second to
say, ‘Oh, by the way, you just might get pregnant.’”

“Why are you being such an ass?” Legend asked. He wasn’t in the

mood for this shit. He had enough on his mind already. Legend was
beating himself up as it was. He didn’t need T-Rex joining in. He
could feel like shit without the guy helping.

T-Rex shrugged. “Call me Gabe’s advocate. He should have been

aware of what he was getting himself into.”

Great, now Legend really did feel lower than cow dung. But if

Gabe was his mate, then their road would have led them here anyway.
His eyes strayed to the bedroom door and Legend wondered what was
taking the doctor so long.

“I’m just fucking with you,” T-Rex said. “It’s messed up that you

didn’t tell him, but you know I have your back no matter what goes
down.” The man didn’t look the least bit apologetic. “Sparrow came
to me while you were gone. He said that the men on the Triple-B want
to help us start up our own ranch.”

That caught Legend’s attention. He stopped pacing as he asked,

“What the hell do we know about ranching?”

“You know we have a lot of downtime,” T-Rex said. “We have to

start somewhere, do something. I’m not one for sitting on my ass.”

“I’m not breeding horses.” The thought turned Legend’s stomach.

There was no way in hell he was milking a horse. The idea almost
made him gag.

“Harland knows a guy who can become our foreman, who can

teach us about ranch life. We don’t have to breed. We can run a cattle
ranch. Trade, sell, and buy cattle.”

Lynn Hagen

“That does not sound appealing.” Legend glanced at the door

when he thought he heard it open. It was still shut tight.

“The other guys think it’s a great idea.”
“And what about when we go on missions? Sometimes we’re

gone for weeks at a time,” Legend argued. “What will the cows do
then, milk themselves?”

T-Rex chuckled. “Cattle, dumbass. And we’ll make sure that we

have reliable men who can run things in our absence. I talked things
over with Harland. We can build a bunkhouse out back for the
cowboys we pull on board.”

“Couldn’t you have dropped this in my lap sometime when I

wasn’t wearing a hole in the carpet?” The door to Legend’s bedroom
opened and his muscles grew tight. He tried to read the doctor’s face,
but the man only smiled.

“All done,” the doctor said.
The man must have been getting some perverse pleasure out of

withholding the most important news of Legend’s life. Legend curled
his hands into fists as he breathed out through his mouth, telling
himself that yelling at the doctor wouldn’t do him any good. The man
had information Legend wanted so he’d play nice.

“Stop messing with him,” T-Rex said to the doctor with humor in

his tone. “Can’t you tell he’s about to fall apart?”

The doctor chuckled and nodded. “I suppose he is.” The man

switched his handbag from one had to the other. “Gabe Summerville
is pregnant.” Then the man added, “But I didn’t tell him. It was your
job to explain the whole shifter thing to him, Legend, so I left
everything up to you.”

Legend’s body broke out in a cold sweat as he stared at the open

door. “He doesn’t know anything?”

“I left him the way I found him,” the doctor replied. “Completely

clueless.”

It was what Legend deserved. He nodded before stepping into the

room to see Gabe buttoning his shirt. The man glared at Legend.

Cowboy Legend

“Since when do doctors have to examine a man’s groin for a stomach
virus? I think the guy was feeling me up. You should seriously
consider using someone else. He’s a damn pervert.” The man didn’t
look the least bit happy. “And he drew blood, mixing it with some
weird stuff in a tube. What the hell is up with that?”

Legend closed the door for privacy before he steeled his nerves

and faced Gabe. “He was checking to see if you were pregnant.”

Gabe’s hands stilled as he tilted his head to the side, his brows

deeply furrowed in a frown. “Say that again.”

Do I have to? Legend knew he did. He cleared his throat and

closed the distance, taking Gabe’s hands in his. The man would need
an anchor. And Legend felt it wise not to leave Gabe’s hands free to
hit him. “I’ve never had to explain this before, so bear with me.”

No pun intended.
“Okay.” Gabe took a seat on the bed. “But please don’t tell me I

have something terminal. You have that strange look in your eyes that
people have when delivering bad news.”

“You’re not going to die, but I might.” Especially when Gabe

realized Legend wasn’t kidding.

“You are a very strange man,” Gabe said. “Now tell me what’s

going on. The doctor was very evasive and wouldn’t give me a
straight answer.”

There was no other way to break the news than to just come right

out and tell the guy. So why was Legend stalling? “I’m a bear
shifter.”

Gabe laughed as he pulled his hands away. “You guys are really

comical around here.”

Legend didn’t move and he didn’t laugh. He gave Gabe his most

sincere face. He kept his eyes locked with Gabe’s gorgeous pale-blue
ones and waited.

The laughter died and Gabe frowned again. “Prove it.”
Legend held his hand out, letting his claws slip free.
Gabe fainted.

Lynn Hagen

* * * *

Max slowly woke as he tried to get his bearings. The room was

bathed in darkness but he felt more than heard someone in the
penthouse. Was it Gator or one of his men?

Slipping his hand under his pillow, Max retrieve the Glock he had

shoved under their before going to bed. He eased out of bed, weapon
in hand, as he silently made his way to the bedroom door.

He strained to listen. All was quiet. But Max didn’t trust the

silence. He moved to the other side of the doorframe and peeked out
into the living room. It was empty. Max trusted his gut instincts and it
was screaming that he wasn’t alone.

Easing the bedroom door open, Max scanned the living room. He

was in the penthouse suite with only one way onto his floor. If
someone had gotten in, how had they bypassed Gator and his men?
How had they bypassed the security codes to get into the penthouse?

A trickle of sweat slid down Max’s temple. It had been too long

since his days in the marines. Although Max stayed tiptop shape, his
long-ago training wasn’t fully with him. But he was still able to
handle a gun and that was all he needed.

The doors to the library flew inward and four assailants rushed the

room, automatic rifles drawn and leveled on him as Max dove for
cover. Bullets sprayed as the penthouse was shredded. Glass shattered
and artwork fell from the wall. Max was trapped behind the bar.

“Come out, Mr. Summerville.”
Max glanced around the bar to see Savant walk into the fray.

Resplendent in an expensive suit and polished shoes, Savant looked as
if he should be strolling into a meeting instead. But it was Savant’s
boyish smile that took Max by surprise. The guy appeared innocent,
unthreatening, and untouchable.

Savant brushed the feathers from the damaged couch and took a

seat. “We have much to talk about.”

Cowboy Legend

Where the fuck was Gator? “The only thing we need to talk about

is the color of your coffin,” Max said.

“Not true,” Savant answered. “I’m taking over since Ortega will

more than likely never see the light of day. I’ve even arranged to
marry his sister, who, by the way, inherits his mass fortune should
something terrible happen to Ortega. Prison can be such a dangerous
place.”

“You just might find out for yourself,” Max replied.
“Do you mean the FBI and ATF agents who’ve been watching

me?” Savant asked. “They pose no threat. I have a few men on the
inside who keep me abreast, letting me know their every move so that
I may get out of the way before anything goes down.”

Max already knew about Savant’s moles and the departments

were currently being flushed out. Only a few handpicked men were
being used to bring Savant down.

“My Irish connections have become nervous,” Savant continued.

“I don’t like when prospective buyers become wary. It’s bad for
business.”

Max’s eyes flickered to the other side of the apartment. He caught

sight of Gator. The man pressed his finger to his lips as he moved
silently through the shadows. Savant’s cronies were standing behind
the couch, keeping their boss safe, but leaving their backs exposed.

Bad mistake.
“Then get into another line of work,” Max said. “It’s a risk you

take when dealing with shady characters.”

“True,” Savant answered. “But the money is too great to pass up.”
“Greed will get you killed,” Max replied.
Savant stood. “It might. But your death will come before mine. I

must kill you in order to show Ortega’s men that nobody is out of my
reach.” The man shrugged. “Nothing personal. It’s purely a power
play.”

Lynn Hagen

“Nothing personal,” Max repeated before Gator took out two of

Savant’s men. Max aimed and fired, taking another man down. Travis
appeared from one of the other bedrooms and took the fourth man out.

Savant stood there with three weapons aimed at him. He smirked

at Max. “Well played.”

Before Max could blink, Savant reached inside his jacket. All

three men fired simultaneously. Savant’s lifeless body fell to the floor
before Max stood and walked from behind the bar.

“He paid off the doorman,” Gator said. “The doorman led them up

the back elevator and took out one of my men.” Gator’s jaw flexed as
his eyes grew darker. “Fletcher was a good man and didn’t deserve to
die like that.”

Max had known Fletcher. His heart went out to Fletcher’s mate

and sons. He knew the loss that she was about to go through and Max
didn’t wish that pain on anyone.

“I’ll get ahold of the team in charge of taking Savant down,”

Travis said. “They’ll want to know that one of their major players is
no longer breathing.”

Gator shook his head. “I got word that Ortega had an ‘accident’ in

prison. He’s dead.”

“Which gets me off the hook,” Max said. “With Ortega and

Savant dead, the foot soldiers will be fighting amongst themselves.
They’ll be looking for a new leader.”

“And the news will leak out that you and Savant were caught in

the crossfire. I’ll let you know how your funeral went.”

Max had already sold off his shares at Summerville Savings and

Loans. He had sold the bank and then had his money moved to an
offshore account. Gator was made executive of Max’s estate a few
months back when he first suspected something wrong at his bank. He
trusted the team leader to do what was necessary with his home and
other assets.

He could finally retire and Max was looking forward to the

downtime. He would never get out of the counterintelligence

Cowboy Legend

business, but he would disappear for a while until Ortega’s
organization restructured.

Max’s phone rang. He scooped it off the bar to see Legend’s

phone number. Glancing around at the carnage, Max decided to take
the phone call in his bedroom.

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Nine

Arteries of lightning lit the sky. The earth rumbled and rolled with

the approaching storm as Gabe sat on the bed, reeling from Legend’s
earlier confession. He reached for the phone Legend had left on the
nightstand and called his father.

Gabe was confused, angry, and…scared. He needed the comfort

of his father, his wise words, and just to hear the man’s voice. The
wind rustled through the trees outside as Gabe dialed. A part of him
wanted to run to Legend, to forgive the man for holding back such
vital information. But right now Gabe was not in a forgiving mood.

Still, he couldn’t help but ache to be in Legend’s arms. Ugh, he

was an emotional wreck right now. He wasn’t sure if he was coming
or going. And the whole bear thing? That was something he wasn’t
even going to think about right now. It was too freaky and something
his brain couldn’t wrap around at the moment.

“Gabe.” His father’s voice was a soothing balm.
Gabe opened his mouth to tell his father what was going on, but

his voice caught in his throat. He whimpered, tears hot in his eyes.
Fear welled up inside of him, gripped him, and he couldn’t break free.

“What’s wrong, Gabe?” His father’s voice filled with concern at

Gabe’s silence.

“I—” Gabe wasn’t sure how to tell him. It sounded insane even in

his own mind. Voicing those words would have Gabe sounding like a
lunatic. But he needed to tell someone, to relieve the pain in his chest
and have his father tell him that everything was going to be okay. He
wanted to hear Maxwell say that he loved and missed Gabe.

“Talk to me, son.”

Cowboy Legend

“Legend is a…different.” Gabe cursed his cowardice. It shouldn’t

be this hard to tell his father. They talked about everything.

“How so?” Maxwell hedged. There was something in his tone,

and an epiphany struck Gabe. He knew. His father knew that Legend
was a shifter.

“He’s a shifter,” Gabe finally said. “But you knew that already,

didn’t you?”

Silence hung in the air. His father didn’t deny or admit his

knowledge. Gabe waited, holding his breath. How could Maxwell do
that to him? How could his own father send him with someone who
wasn’t human and not tell Gabe?

Could he trust anyone to tell him the truth?
“I did.” There was defeat in his father’s tone. “I’m sorry I didn’t

tell you.”

His apology didn’t lessen the sting of betrayal. If anything, it

made it worse. But Gabe couldn’t muster the strength to remain angry
at the man. Gabe was too afraid for Maxwell’s life to let any ill
feelings come between them. When this was all over, maybe then he
would be upset.

“I want to come home.” Gabe glanced out the window, watching

as lightning lit up the sky. The need to cry was strong and Gabe
wasn’t a man who gave in to tears too often. He usually rolled with
the punches, but the news that Legend was a bear and that Gabe was
pregnant had been a one-two knockout that he was struggling to
recover from.

“It still isn’t safe.”
“I don’t want to be here,” Gabe confessed. “I want my old life

back, Dad. I want to go back to work, to live my life as if none of this
ever happened.”

“I know. And I want you home, Gabe. Just give this a little more

time. Things are being set in motion and I’m hoping that this situation
will be cleared up soon.”

Lynn Hagen

“Are you safe?” Gabe whispered, hugging the phone to his ear as

if he was truly hugging his father.

“I’m safe, Gabe. Just make sure you stay safe. You’re all I have

left and I would be devastated if something happened to you.”

He and his father didn’t normally get this emotional. They knew

how they felt toward one another. They didn’t have to say it. But this
was a stressful situation and Gabe needed to hear those words. “Why
didn’t you tell me I could get pregnant? You could have at least
warned me about that.”

The line went so silent that Gabe thought the connection had

severed. He pulled the phone back to check that his father was still on
the line. “Dad?”

A low, lethal growl filled Gabe’s ear. It wasn’t as scary as when

Legend made that sound, but it was still effective. “I’ll kill him.”

“You didn’t know?”
“No,” his father replied in that same lethal tone. “Miller’s father

neglected to tell me that when he confessed to being a shifter.”

It took Gabe a second to understand that Miller was Legend. He

had gotten used to calling the man by his surname.

“I’m going to kill that son of a bitch when I see him. I entrusted

you to him and he fucking betrayed that trust.”

Maxwell Summerville was not a man to trifle with. Gabe had seen

his father in negotiations and board meetings. Maxwell didn’t lie
down for anyone and he was a force to be reckoned with when he
wanted something or if someone crossed him.

“As soon as I tie up this mess, I’m coming after Miller Legend.

He’s fucked with the wrong man.”

Gabe couldn’t help but smile at his father’s wrath. Not that he

wanted Maxwell to actually hurt Legend. But it reminded him how
much his father really cared about him. “Let me know when I can
come home.”

“I will. But until then, stay the hell away from Legend. He’s a

walking dead man.”

Cowboy Legend

Gabe’s eyes were wide when his father hung up. Wow. Maxwell

really was pissed. A part of him wanted to protect Legend from
Maxwell’s wrath. That was until he remembered that Legend had
gotten him pregnant.

Gabe tossed the phone aside and curled up on the bed, watching

the storm roll in. He began to imagine what his child would look like
and how things might play out if he gave Legend half a chance. He
knew his anger stemmed from Legend keeping secrets from him, but
that anger would soon subside. Could he forgive Legend and try to
make this work?

He wasn’t sure right now. Maybe after some sleep he would have

a clearer head. Maybe after he slept he would no longer feel the need
to neuter Legend.

* * * *

Legend leaned against the wall outside the bedroom door, his

arms crossed over his chest. He’d heard the entire conversation. He
hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but when he heard Gabe talking about
leaving, Legend couldn’t walk away.

He knew he’d fucked up and he wasn’t sure how to fix things.

He’d do anything to get Gabe to forgive him, but it seemed as if Gabe
was ready to throw in the towel.

Legend was clueless about what to do. He knew none of the men

in the house could help him. They were all single. What did they
know about possibly losing a mate?

Walking downstairs, Legend grabbed his keys and braved the

storm outside as he headed to his truck. The warm rain pelted him,
making it almost impossible to see his own truck. He jumped inside
and sat there for a moment, staring up at his bedroom window. He
couldn’t lose Gabe, but…he just didn’t know.

He pulled from the driveway, driving slowly in the torrential

downpour. His wipers were going as fast as they could, but it was still

Lynn Hagen

hard to see the road. Maybe he should have told Gabe that he’d left,
but Legend wasn’t sure if his mate wanted to see him right now.

Things were not looking good for them.
He gripped the wheel tighter, feeling as if his world were spiraling

out of control. Legend had to make this right. But how?

Navigating as carefully as he could, Legend pulled into the Triple-

B ranch. The lights were still on which meant someone was awake.
He just hoped the person he’d come here to see hadn’t gone to bed
yet.

The front door opened before Legend parked his truck. He waited

a second to see if the rain would let up, but it was still coming down
pretty heavily. Fuck it. He was already wet.

He jumped out and made a run for it, racing up the porch steps to

see Clayton standing there with a grin on his face. The guy opened the
screen door, allowing Legend to enter. “What in the hell are you
doing out in this weather?”

The place was quiet for a change. The kids must have gone to bed.

Normally the Triple-B house was chaotic and noisy. Legend loved
coming here. The noise didn’t bother him. He grew up in a large
family and wanted one of his own. If he ever got things right with
Gabe and the man didn’t try to bolt, Legend wanted many more kids.
Hell, he wanted a house full of ’em. He’d been saving since he’d gone
into the service and had a pretty nice nest egg. It wouldn’t bother him
to take fewer missions. He wouldn’t totally cut them out because he
knew the men in his unit counted on him, but Legend wanted to get
things going with Gabe.

“I came to see Renee. Is she still awake?”
Clayton chuckled as he led Legend into the kitchen. Renee was

standing at the sink, cutting vegetables. He frowned. Why on earth
was she up so late cooking?

“She never sleeps,” Clayton said. “Or at least, that’s what we all

suspect. She’s prepping for tomorrow’s dinner.”

Cowboy Legend

She turned, her blue-green eyes sparkling. Her smile was warm

and she had a knowing look that said she knew why Legend was
there. He knew she couldn’t possibly know the exact reason, but it
was the same look Legend’s mom gave him when he needed to talk to
her. Renee was short, slim, and looked absolutely beautiful for her
age. Her face held youth and vibrancy that couldn’t be found in a
bottle.

Renee moved to the stove and put the tea kettle on. She glanced at

Clayton. “Go now. This isn’t for your ears.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He chuckled, patted Legend on the shoulder, and

left the kitchen. Legend wasn’t sure where to start. He wanted her
opinion, but he hardly knew her. Besides, he wasn’t the type to pour
his heart out. He was a typical guy who held a lot of shit in. But if he
was going to save his relationship with Gabe, he needed some advice
on how to get his ass out of the doghouse.

Renee poured them both of cup of hot tea before she brought her

work to the table. She sat there dicing carrots, humming to herself as
Legend watched her.

He wasn’t sure if he should speak or continue to let her hum.
She finally set the knife aside and brushed her hands over her

apron. “My mate died a few years back and I still miss him to this
day.”

Legend couldn’t imagine losing anyone he loved. The pain would

be unbearable. But he knew that Renee was seeing Jack Cross, and
that she must have found the strength to move on.

“But our relationship wasn’t always easy. At one point, we even

considered separating.”

Legend shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “But mates are

forever.”

She nodded. “They’re supposed to be. But that doesn’t mean we

should take that for granted. Just because fate handpicks two people
to be together, doesn’t mean they’ll always get along. It had gotten to

Lynn Hagen

the point where he went to work early and came home late. I went to
bed early to avoid seeing him.”

Should she be telling him this? Legend wanted to ask her what her

point was, but he remained silent.

“The intimacy in our relationship was gone. We were two

strangers living together. We stopped talking, stop sharing the events
our day and even our secrets. Yes, couples do have them. Harland was
grown and on his own and it was just the two of us. We didn’t have to
worry about staying together for the sake of our son. There was
nothing stopping us from moving on and starting over.”

Legend leaned in, placing his arm on the table as he listened. “So

what happened?”

She smiled wistfully and Legend could tell she was reminiscing.

Unshed tears glistened in her eyes as she recalled past events that
must be near and dear to her heart. “Sip your tea, sweetheart.”

Legend picked his cup up and took a sip, barely tasting it. He

wanted to know how they’d repaired their relationship. “I messed up
pretty badly with Gabe and I don’t know how to fix things. I didn’t
tell him I was a bear or that he could get pregnant.”

“Life is comprised of hundreds and thousands of small things that

must be silently and unceremoniously maintained over long periods of
time. You can’t just mate Gabe and expect to live happily ever after.
Your relationship has to be cultivated in order to grow into something
beautiful. My mate and I had forgotten that lesson and all the small
things it took to make a partnership work. Once we remembered that,
our garden no longer held weeds. Flowers began to blossom.”

Legend scratched his head and Renee smiled. “My point is, you

messed up. We all do. That’s part of life. Start with something small
and work your way up from there. Show Gabe the kind of man you
are and how much you care for him. Plant those seeds and watch them
grow.”

“So I take it that you two didn’t separate?” Legend asked.

Cowboy Legend

She shook her head. “We started slow—breakfast in bed,

snuggling as we watched a movie. One night he even took me out to
the garden where he had set up a romantic dinner for two under the
stars. We danced in each other’s arms until… You get the picture.”

Her blush told Legend how their night ended.
“You’re saying that if I do the little things, Gabe will see how

sorry I am?”

She chuckled. “Telling him you’re sorry wouldn’t hurt either.”
He stood and kissed her on the cheek. “You’re a gem, Renee.”

Lynn Hagen

Chapter Ten

The following morning, Gabe woke to find a breakfast tray on the

stand next to his bed. That afternoon, there was a movie case sitting
on the bed with a note attached. When Gabe opened it, the note stated
for Gabe to meet Legend in the living room at seven sharp.

Gabe tossed the note aside. He had no intention of meeting

Legend anywhere. The man had lied to him. No, he’d held back the
truth. That was much worse. If Gabe forgave him now, Legend would
think that he could screw up, make a few nice gestures, and
everything would be okay.

It wasn’t okay. If they were going to be together, raise a family,

Gabe needed to know that he could trust the man. He didn’t even
bother to see what movie was lying on the bed as he left the room.
Why bother? He wasn’t going to watch it.

Gabe found Sam in the kitchen and took a seat at the table.
“Are you coming in here to give me something nice to look at or

are you hungry?” Sam asked as he dropped some chicken into the
deep fryer. “Dinner isn’t ready yet, but I’m sure I can find you a
snack.”

“Thanks, but I’m not hungry.” Gabe folded his arms on the table

and then rested his chin on them. He gazed at the large bay window
above the sink and wondered what he was going to do about his
situation.

Sam placed a bowl beside Gabe. There was sliced fruit inside and

Gabe’s mouth watered. Maybe he was a bit hungry.

“Still mad at Legend?” Sam asked.

Cowboy Legend

“Disappointed,” Gabe admitted. “I really thought—” He shook his

head. “Never mind.”

He didn’t know Sam that well and didn’t feel like confessing his

feelings. Again, Gabe wasn’t the type to expose himself in such a
way. He was a guy, after all.

“So kick his ass and get it out of your system,” Sam said. “The

greatest stress reliever, aside from sex, is connecting your knee with
someone’s balls.”

“Or choking them unconscious,” Shott said as he entered the

kitchen. “What are we talking about anyway?”

“Gabe being angry with Legend,” Sam said.
A smirk appeared on Shott’s face. “You want me to teach you the

move?”

Gabe shook his head. Shott was large and intimidating with dark

and foreboding features. The man was handsome as hell, but there
was a lethality to him that warned Gabe away from the man. “I don’t
want to kill him.”

“You won’t,” Shott assured him. “Legend will just take a nice

long nap.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Sam said. “Shott’s human and has no idea

what it’s like to have to reveal who you are to someone who has no
knowledge of your existence.”

“Look at it like this,” Shott said as he took a seat across the table

from Gabe. “What if the world was comprised of bear shifters and
being human was a well-kept secret? Would you have been so quick
to reveal yourself to legend?”

Gabe chewed on an apple and thought about what the man was

saying. He swallowed and said, “Maybe not right away, but I had
every right to know about the possibility of becoming pregnant.”

Shott shrugged. “You got me there.”
“Not to be nosy,” Sam said as he turned and wiped his hand on his

apron. “But it only took a few days for you two to get here. I’m
guessing the passion happened right away?”

Lynn Hagen

Gabe refused to answer the man. He tossed the strawberry into his

mouth, chewed, gazing at his bowl.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Sam said. “Not that I’m defending what

Legend did, but what was he supposed to say? If he would’ve
confessed all of that to you your first night together, what would you
have done?”

“I would’ve had a choice,” Gabe argued.
“You and Legend are mates,” Sam retorted. “Sooner or later you

would’ve become pregnant. It’s inevitable. Like some writing in the
cosmic stars or some shit.”

“You’re mad because you didn’t have a say in it,” Shott said. “So

have a say in it.”

“It’s a little too late for that,” Gabe replied. “I’m already knocked

up.”

“And having the man’s child is so bad?” Shott asked.
Gabe narrowed his eyes. “Why don’t you try carrying a baby for

nine months and then see how you feel?”

“Three,” Shott corrected Gabe. “You’re carrying a shifter’s cub.

Your gestational period is only three months.”

Gabe gaped at the man. “You’re shitting me.”
“Welcome to the wonderful world of shifters,” Shott said as he

stood. “But don’t look at me, I’m only human. I learned all the stuff
from the bear shifters around me.” Shott placed his hands on the table
and leaned forward. “But T-Rex and I were kept in the dark for years.
We had no clue that we were working with bear shifters, men we
counted on to have our backs. So I know what it’s like to be pissed.
But you have to ask yourself if your relationship with Legend is worth
throwing away because he was too scared to tell you the truth.”

That didn’t mean that Gabe had to forgive Legend right away. Let

the man squirm. Maybe he’ll think twice before withholding the truth
from Gabe again.

* * * *

Cowboy Legend

Gabe hadn’t shown up for the movie last night. By the time

Legend came back upstairs, his mate was fast asleep. When he woke
this morning, Gabe was already out of bed and gone.

Something had to give. Legend couldn’t take the rift between

them any longer. He walked into the bedroom and slammed the door
behind him. Gabe turned and glared at him.

“Okay, beat my ass. Yell, throw things at me, do something other

than ignore me.” Legend had always been a man in control. That was
until he met Gabe Summerville. He didn’t like feeling shunned by his
very own mate. It was driving Legend insane.

Gabe shrugged as he headed toward the bathroom. “I’m sorry, but

I don’t throw tantrums.”

“Goddamn it, Gabe. Don’t walk away from me. We need to settle

this.”

“Settle this.” Gabe flipped Legend off.
Growling, Legend closed the distance and picked Gabe up,

carrying him to the bed where he deposited his mate. “Look, I know I
fucked up. But we can’t continue to go on like this.”

Gabe scrambled to his feet and shot the finger at Legend. “My life

is permanently changed because of your withholding. I’m sorry if it is
taking a while for me to get over the fact that you knocked me up
without my knowledge.”

“Calm down,” Legend said.
“You flipped the bitch switch in me. So sit down and buckle up

for the ride.” Gabe sat down in the chair on the other side of the room,
tilting his head back, staring at the ceiling. “All I wanted was a say in
this.”

Legend squatted in front of his mate into Gabe’s hands in his. “If I

could go back in time and warn you of what could happen, I would. I
would do things the right way. But it’s done and all I’m asking is that
you forgive me and we move on from here. I’m sorry, Gabe. I should
have told you.”

Lynn Hagen

Gabe swallowed as he lowered his head and gazed at Legend. The

man’s pale-blue eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “Please don’t
ever hide anything from me again. I don’t care how scared you are to
tell me. I don’t care how bad the news is.”

“I promise,” Legend said. “Will you please consider making Bear

County your home, making my home yours?”

That worried Legend the most. Gabe was furious with him and

had the capability to go home to his father, taking Legend’s child with
him. Legend wasn’t willing to lose his mate or cub. He wasn’t sure
what he would do if Gabe walked away from him.

Before Gabe could give him an answer, Legend skimmed his

hands over Gabe’s thighs. “God, you’re beautiful.” Legend’s voice
was whiskey rough, dark and hungry. Shudders of pleasure were
tearing through him as he felt Gabe’s muscles ease, relax, and
welcome Legend’s touch.

“Legend. What are you doing to me?”
Instead of answering Gabe, Legend stood and disrobed. The heavy

width of his cock rose proud and flush along his stomach. Gabe stood
as well, removed his clothing, and then palmed his own cock, giving
the heated flesh a few slow strokes.

“Oh yeah,” Legend breathed out roughly, his eyes narrowing on

Gabe now. “Is that how you like it, sweetness? Slow and easy?”

A teasing smile curled Gabe’s lips. With his thumb and forefinger,

he swiped at the bulbous head, his breath catching as his eyes stayed
locked on Legend.

“Shall I do that for you?” Legend whispered. “Perhaps while you

show me other things you might like?”

Legend moved Gabe until his mate was sitting in the chair once

again. He lowered himself to his knees and then gazed up into the
man’s pale-blue eyes. “Show me, Gabe,” he growled. “Show me what
you want, baby.”

Gabe stared at him, their eyes locking, as his mate stroked himself

a little more before saying, “Suck me.”

Cowboy Legend

“So beautiful,” Legend breathed out roughly. “Don’t stop playing

with yourself.” He lowered his head and lapped at the pre-cum
flowing from the head of Gabe’s cock. Pleasure was racing through
him, excitement sizzling through his nerve endings as Legend licked
over Gabe’s fingers. The pleasure was incredible. It was exquisite, the
pleasure whipping through Legend’s system and sending his nerve
endings rioting for more.

Legend swallowed inches of Gabe’s cock, his tongue stroking,

dipping into the slick slit before returning to play at Gabe’s fingers.
Gabe’s hips writhed beneath Legend’s touch. His mate’s head turned,
Gabe’s lips parting, his tongue licking along his lower lip as he
watched what Legend was doing.

Gabe’s fist pumped faster and a hard groan tore from Legend’s

chest. He lifted his head, his tongue touching the head of Gabe’s cock,
licking over it, tasting it.

Excitement was racing through Legend’s bloodstream, pounding

in his heart. He couldn’t survive this. He was going to die from the
intensity of the sensations, from the need to be buried deep inside
Gabe’s ass.

But this was Gabe’s night. Whatever his mate wanted, Legend

would deliver.

“I need you,” Gabe whispered as he arched his back and scooted

closer to Legend’s body. “Please.”

“You don’t ever have to beg,” Legend said. “I’m yours. I’ll

always be yours.” He stood and moved across the room to grab the
lube from the nightstand drawer. Legend returned to Gabe and lubed
his fingers. He drove two fingers deep into Gabe’s ass before
swallowing Gabe’s cock down his throat.

Gabe’s expression twisted into lines of tormented pleasure as he

squirmed in the chair. Legend scissored his fingers, stretching Gabe,
driving the man to the edge of sanity. When he could no longer take
it, Legend lubed his cock and then pulled Gabe closer until the man’s
ass was hanging off the chair.

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Lynn Hagen

“Spread your legs for me,” Legend commanded. “Show me that

you want me.”

Hooking his hands under his knees, Gabe spread himself wide.

Legend moved until he was lined up perfectly and then drove his cock
deep inside Gabe’s body.

“Legend,” Gabe moaned, his hips shifting and ass clenching.
“Fucking good,” Legend groaned. “Fuck me, sweetness. Stop

teasing the hell out of me.”

Ecstasy began to pound inside Legend when Gabe began to move.

Legend scooped the man up, twisted, and then took a seat, his mate
straddling him.

“That’s it, baby,” Legend groaned, his fingers bunching on Gabe’s

ass, pulling the rounded flesh apart as his mate rode him. Gabe’s eyes
flared open as his fingers gripped Legend’s shoulders. Heavy-eyed
and intense, Legend watched Gabe with increasing hunger. Gabe took
Legend’s cock deeper as his mate’s head lolled to the side, exposing
his creamy-white shoulder.

Legend couldn’t resist. His canines elongated and then he struck,

sinking his teeth deep. Gabe cried out as he fell forward, panting.
Legend grabbed Gabe’s hips and took over, plowing deep inside the
man’s body.

“Legend.” His name was a plea, a cry of such incredible pleasure

that Legend thrust faster, giving his mate what he was begging for.
Gabe shattered around him, his cock exploding between them. The
man’s voice echoed in the bedroom as Legend slid his canines free
and roared his release.

Breathing heavily, Gabe collapsed against him, shudders racing

through the man’s body as aftershocks of pleasure continued to pulse
through Legend.

“I’ll stay,” Gabe said between hard pants. “I’ll stay with you.”
Legend caressed his hand through Gabe’s short blond strands.

“Do you forgive me?”

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101

Gabe pressed a kiss right over Legend’s heart. “Yes. But don’t

ever hide anything from me again.”

Legend didn’t intend to. He never wanted to know what it was

like to lose his mate. “I promise.”

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Lynn Hagen

Chapter Eleven

The following evening, Gabe stood on the back porch and stared

at the white-capped mountains. How could he not love this place? It
was picturesque and a good place to raise a family. The sky was lit
with brilliant colors as the sun slowly sank in the sky.

When his father called to say all was clear, Gabe would tell him

that he was staying in Bear County. This was his home now and
Legend was his life.

Although Gabe felt sorry for Stripper. The man had finally agreed

to wear boxers in the house and was walking as if his rash had only
gotten worse. The poor guy. The rash had to be psychological in
origin, because from what Legend had told him, Stripper was fine
with clothing when they were on missions, though the guy
complained the whole time.

Legend walked outside, dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a

tank top. He was barefoot and smiling. “Nice night.”

Gabe nodded. “It’s beautiful out here.”
“I’m glad you’ve decided to stay.” He leaned his hands on the

railing and gazed over the sweeping landscape. Gabe gazed out as
well. It truly was a place of promise for him. Growing up in the city,
Gabe loved when his parents had taken him to their summer cabin in
Montana every year for their vacation. He could remember the
streams and the fishing. He also remembered the campfires. It had
been a special time for him, and he wanted his child to have memories
he or she would cherish, as well.

“I’m still getting used to being here,” Legend admitted. “I’ve

never stayed in one place for very long.”

Cowboy Legend

103

“How come?” Gabe asked.
“Military brat.” Legend smiled. “Dad always had us moving.

Even after I joined the service, I was always shuffling around. And
after that, I never really settled in one place.”

“Very unstable,” Gabe teased. “How long do you plan on staying

in Bear County?”

Legend turned and his amber eyes were filled with wistfulness

with a touch of something wholesome and warm. “I plan to lay down
roots here. The guys want to start a cattle ranch.”

Gabe chuckled. “Do they know anything about ranching?”
Legend grinned. “Not a damn thing. But T-Rex tells me that the

Triple-B is willing to help and can send some men to train us.”

“Sounds promising. I guess it’s never too late to switch careers.”

Which was something Gabe planned on doing. He no longer wanted
to work in a bank. He liked the outdoors too much. He had already
thought about what he was going to do. He’d have to talk things over
with his father because he wanted the man’s input, but Gabe was
pretty confident that he could become a freelance retirement
consultant.

The job would allow him to work from home while he tended to

his child and mate. The more he thought about becoming a parent, the
more he liked the idea. He just wasn’t sure how much he would like
carrying the babe. He’d seen pregnant women and they looked
uncomfortable in their last trimester.

“You never told me how you feel about having a family,” he said

to Legend.

The man fully turned and pulled Gabe into his arms. Legend

placed a gentle kiss on Gabe’s neck. He smelled of spice and clean
soap, and the fragrance was quickly becoming one of Gabe’s
favorites. “I’ve always wanted a big one. I grew up with a large
family and now I want one of my own.”

“How large?” Gabe asked. “Don’t forget, you won’t be the one

carrying the children.”

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Lynn Hagen

Legend’s hand smoothed over Gabe’s flat belly. “As many as

you’ll give me, sweetness.”

Gabe blushed as Legend continued to stroke his stomach as if

Gabe were already showing. “Let’s work on the first one and then
we’ll go from there.”

“And after that, we can practice on the second one.” Legend’s lips

trailed over Gabe’s neck, making him shiver as his mate held him
close. Gabe sighed at the attention Legend was giving him. He would
never grow tired of this.

Legend released Gabe and glanced around. It was the same look

Legend had outside that motel room when he thought someone was
watching them.

“What is it?” Something whizzed past Gabe’s ear, making the

strands of his hair dance slightly. He wasn’t sure what it was but
suddenly Legend had him on the ground, covering Gabe with his
body. “Was that a bullet?” Gabe nearly shrieked the question.

His heart was thundering in his chest as Legend scrambled to get

the back door open. He grabbed Gabe by his arm and tried to haul him
inside, but another whizzing sound had Legend throwing Gabe back
to the porch floor.

“Sam!” Legend shouted as he tucked Gabe’s head under his

massive chest.

Sam appeared in the doorway.
“Get down!” Legend said. “Someone is shooting at us.”
Sam dropped into a crouch and then slipped back inside the house.

Gabe thought the man had abandoned them until he returned seconds
later, a rifle in his hands. He dropped to the floor and glanced through
the scope of his weapon. Gabe thought for sure Sam would be shot.
The man was in the doorway, in plain sight. But Sam began to fire as
Legend grabbed Gabe and shoved him inside.

Gabe stumbled and then hit the kitchen floor. The house seemed

to come alive. He could see Colton and T-Rex heading his way, rifles

Cowboy Legend

105

gripped firmly in their hands. Legend made it inside and then grabbed
Gabe under his arm.

“Get into the communications room. There aren’t any windows in

there.”

“But what about you?” Gabe had a sense of déjà vu. Hadn’t he

gone through this at home? Hadn’t he worried about his father getting
hurt?

“I was trained for this,” Legend said. “Now get into the room.”
Gabe rushed to his feet and hurried down the hallway. But before

he could make it to the communications room, the living room
window shattered and a hail of bullets littered the wall. Gabe dropped
to his side and covered his head. The only thing between him and the
window was the couch.

Stripper shot out of the communications room and crouched

down, inching his way toward Gabe. “Scoot closer to me,” he said.
The man was wearing his boxers, but it seemed he’d forgotten that he
had a rash because his moves were filled with precision as he made
his way to Gabe.

“They’re firing at the back of the house, too,” Gabe said as he slid

across the floor to reach Stripper. “We’re surrounded.”

Stripper nodded but his eyes had turned cold and flat. “Been in

worse situations.”

Gabe couldn’t wrap his mind around anything worse than having

the house shot up by men bent on killing him.

He didn’t want to know what situations had been worse than this.

He wasn’t sure he could handle it.

“You’re our number-one priority and, rest assured, we won’t let

anything happen to you.” Stripper grabbed Gabe’s upper arm and
pulled Gabe the rest of the way toward him before placing himself
between Gabe and the window.

Gone was the fun-loving guy who battled his online adversaries

and cursed up a storm. The man before him was lethal, his face drawn
tight, and not an ounce of mercy in his eyes.

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Lynn Hagen

Legend came barreling through the living room, firing his weapon

at the window before he grabbed Gabe from the floor and practically
slung him into the communications room. His mate then dropped to
the floor next to Stripper as they guarded the room Gabe was in.

This was unreal. Gabe curled up on the floor close to the doorway,

watching Legend and Stripper vigilantly protect him. Gabe wanted to
scream for whoever was shooting up the house to stop, to leave them
alone. He had a feeling it was the same men who were after his father.

Legend’s moves were precise as he crawled over to the living

room window. He stayed low as he glanced quickly out the window
and then ducked back down when a hail of bullets came flying
through.

“Legend!” Gabe shouted, as if his voice alone could stop his mate

from being harmed.

“I’m okay,” Legend called out to Gabe. “Just stay where you are.

Don’t come out.”

There was no way to get out of this. There couldn’t be. The house

was surrounded and everyone was pinned down. The men who had
come after Gabe would turn this house into Swiss cheese and they
would all be dead.

Gabe didn’t know where the other four men were but he prayed

they were safe. Gabe hadn’t meant to get any of them involved in this
mess. They seemed like good guys and he would hate for one of them
to be hurt or killed.

The night turned silent. His nerves were on edge. Gabe’s muscles

were drawn tight as he waited for the next round of bullets to come
flying through the windows and front door. Although the house was
set far enough back from the road to be somewhat secluded, there was
no way in hell the neighbors hadn’t heard anything. But he couldn’t
be sure.

The front door flew open and T-Rex walked in, dragging a man

behind him. He threw the stranger across the floor and then aimed his

Cowboy Legend

107

rifle at the man’s head. “One fucking move and you’re as dead as
your friends.”

Gabe’s heart was in his throat and he wasn’t sure if he should

come out or stay hidden. He was peeking around the corner of the
doorframe, watching the scene unfold.

Sam, Colton, and Shott came in next, their rifles slung over their

shoulders.

Legend glanced up at T-Rex.
“There were four,” T-Rex said. “I figured we’d save this one for

questioning.”

“Sparrow is on his way,” Colton said as he closed the door. Gabe

didn’t see the use. The door was barely hanging on its hinges. But
Colton stood there with his dark looks as if he were protecting it from
anyone else coming inside.

Gabe lay there on the floor and watched the men around him.

Living with them was one thing. Watching them interrogate a person
was something he wasn’t sure he wanted to witness. But he couldn’t
force himself to go upstairs. Gabe wanted to know if this stranger had
information about his father—if the guy knew of any plans that could
be passed on to Maxwell.

Gabe wanted his father to have any advantage he could get.
A kitchen chair was brought into the living room and the stranger

was tied to it with duct tape. It was Stripper who did the questioning.
Gabe could see the hostility in the man’s hazel eyes. Stripper was
pissed, but his voice was smooth, steady.

T-Rex and the others stood by and watched, and Gabe soon

realized that they were letting their best interrogate the intruder.
Stripper had changed to a person Gabe never wanted to meet in a dark
alley.

At first the stranger refused to say a word. His stalwart behavior

was grating on Gabe’s nerves. Gabe wanted answers just as much as
the other men in the room.

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Lynn Hagen

Gabe shielded his eyes from the scene unfolding in front of him.

Stripper was ruthless.

“I’ll never talk,” the stranger said in a heavy accent. “Do your

worst.”

And Stripper did.

Cowboy Legend

109

Chapter Twelve

It had been a week since the shooters had shown up in Bear

County and tried to end Gabe’s life and the lives of the men who lived
in the McMaster place. Once Stripper broke the stranger, the guy sang
like a bird. He told them everything, which enabled the FBI to take
down the men who were after Maxwell—or so Gabe had been told.
He just knew that his father was no longer being hunted down.

Maxwell insisted Gabe stay longer just to be on the safe side of

things. Gabe felt as if something more was going on with his father,
but didn’t question Maxwell. If his father said he was safe, then Gabe
believed the man.

“It’s too noisy,” Legend said after breakfast. The men were

working on rebuilding what the gunmen had tried to destroy. There
were sawhorses, construction supplies, and power tools everywhere.
“Why don’t we go into town and pick a new front door?”

Having been stuck in the house for nearly two weeks, Gabe

jumped at the chance to go shopping. It usually wasn’t his cup of tea,
but he was willing to do anything for a change of scenery.

It was a beautiful sunny day, not a cloud in the sky. Gabe could

feel the warmth on his skin as soon as he walked outside. His heart
skipped a beat and excitement gripped him at the prospect of
exploring the small town. He was a city boy, but there was just
something about this place that captivated him. It might have been the
fresh smell of the countryside or the picturesque beauty of the
mountains, but he knew what it really was.

Legend.

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Lynn Hagen

Being around his mate added an extra spring to his step. For the

first time in his life, Gabe was in love.

Legend smiled and threw his arm around Gabe’s shoulder and the

contact made Gabe feel…giddy. He shook his head at the emotions
coursing through him. Everything seemed brighter, more magical, and
he couldn’t believe he was so buoyant. In some ways he felt a bit
foolish for acting like a teenager with his first crush. But in other
ways, he wouldn’t trade the happiness for anything in the world.

“What are you smiling about?” Legend asked as he released Gabe

and opened the car door for him.

Instead of getting inside, Gabe tilted his head back and stared into

Legend’s eyes. A fluttering began in his stomach and his pulse raced.
He hooked his hand into Legend’s front pocket and pulled him closer,
wanting to feel the man’s weight pressed against him.

Legend gave a low growl as he pressed his body into Gabe’s.

“What are you up to, sweetness?”

A feeling of euphoria washed over Gabe and he just couldn’t stop

smiling. “I love you.”

There, he’d finally said what he was feeling.
Legend’s amber eyes darkened as he cupped Gabe’s face. One

corner of Legend’s mouth turned up, and a grin slowly grew until his
entire face was lit up with a dazzling smile. “Yeah?”

Gabe nodded.
Lowering his head, Legend brushed his lips over Gabe’s. They

were soft and inviting and Gabe groaned as he moved even closer,
sweeping his tongue over Legend’s bottom lip. He didn’t care that
they were outside and that the men on the porch were catcalling and
whistling. He blushed, but he wasn’t going to pull away.

This man was his life.
“I think I loved you the first time you tried to run from me and I

spanked you.”

Gabe chuckled. “Come on now.”

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111

“It’s true,” Legend said as his fingers tightened on Gabe’s jaw. “I

knew there was something different about you and my bear was going
nuts to get next to you.”

“That’s so…weird.” Gabe grinned. “But romantic.”
Legend dropped his arms and then placed his hands on Gabe’s

ass, squeezing, bringing their groins closer together. Gabe could feel
the man’s erection and he was five seconds away from calling off
their trip and hauling his mate inside.

“We better get out of here before we end up going nowhere,”

Gabe said.

Legend pecked him on the lips and then pulled back. The guy

looked as if he wanted to gobble Gabe up. And that was fine by him.
But he wanted to see the town.

He’d let Legend devour him later.
They headed out and in no time they were driving through a

quaint little town that had Gabe smiling. There were shops with
flowers and sidewalk signs placed outside. There were a few shop
owners watering the sidewalk, waving as Legend drove by. Gabe
could see a pharmacy, grocery store, post office, and so many other
places that reminded him of days gone by.

This was the perfect place to raise a child.
Legend pulled into a parking lot in front of a woodworking shop.

When Gabe got out, Legend walked over to a man who was holding
one child in his arms, with another standing beside him licking an ice-
cream cone, chasing the scoop of strawberry with his tiny tongue as it
teetered.

“Hey, Harland.” Legend shook the man’s hand and then made the

introductions.

Harland grinned at Gabe. “This here is Austin,” he said proudly as

he nodded to the boy in his arms. “And that’s Markey.”

Markey waved without looking up, his tongue swirling around his

frozen treat that was quickly melting down the side of his arm. Gabe

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Lynn Hagen

took the cone from Markey’s hand. “Stick your tongue out as far as
you can.”

The child did. Gabe twirled the ice-cream at a high rate of speed

until the melted parts were gone. Markey grinned. Apparently he
liked the game. He kept his tongue stretched, waiting for Gabe to do it
again.

“So easy to please.” Harland chuckled.
Gabe listened to Harland tell Legend that the “expert” he’d called

about starting up the cattle ranch would be by this afternoon. Rowdy
Sheppard was a foreman who was looking to start over and thought
Bear County would be the perfect place.

In Gabe’s opinion, anyone looking to start over had something to

hide. But he could he wrong. Gabe had been whisked away to Bear
County in order to stay alive and now it was a place he would be
calling home.

After handing the cone back to Markey, Gabe stood there and

listened as the conversation went from one topic to the next. He
watched the townsfolk walk past, gazed at the hanging plants that
were on every other street post, and smiled as Legend pulled him
closer, placing his strong arm around Gabe’s waist.

He’d been afraid of the unknown and hadn’t wanted to leave the

Summerville estate. But as he leaned into Legend’s side he realized
that starting over wasn’t so bad after all.

* * * *

It had been three months since Gabe had come to Bear County. He

sat on the front porch, rubbing his hands over his distended belly as
he enjoyed the fresh air. Lately it was hard for him to move around
and sitting in one place for too long made his back ache. But Gabe
couldn’t resist gazing over the landscape he’d fallen in love with.

Plans were underway for the stables and bunkhouse to be built.

Blueprints were gone over twenty times, slight changes here and

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113

there. The men had finally settled on what they wanted and now the
construction would soon begin.

Gabe couldn’t wait. He’d never ridden a horse before and was

looking forward to the experience.

He sat forward and frowned when a car pulled into the driveway.

Gabe knew he shouldn’t have come outside, not out front at least. He
wasn’t supposed to be seen while pregnant. Not by any outsiders, at
least.

He struggled to sit up and then eased to the edge of his chair. He

stood and began to waddle toward the door when he heard a familiar
voice.

“Gabe!”
He turned to see his father getting out of his dark luxury sedan.

Gabe would’ve run to the man but he could barely move these days.
Instead, he turned and gave his father a wide smile. “Dad!”

But his father wasn’t smiling. His hazel eyes were filled with fury

as he slammed his car door and headed toward the porch. Gabe
backed up to the door and held his arms wide, as if he could stop
Maxwell from entering the house. “Now wait,” he said as his father
stormed onto the porch.

“Where is he?” Maxwell asked, his jaw flexing.
Just then Legend walked from the side of the house. His eyes

locked on to Maxwell and then flickered to Gabe.

“Dad, no!” Gabe tried to grab his father’s arm, but Maxwell was

off the porch in seconds, heading straight for Legend. Gabe gasped
and then waddled quickly toward the steps when his father slammed
his fist into Legend’s face.

“You son of a bitch. I trusted you with my son,” Maxwell said, his

words snarled.

Legend worked his jaw from side to side. “I deserved that one.

But if you hit me again, I’ll forget that you’re my mate’s father.”

“Mate?” Maxwell appeared baffled. “Is that what you told my son

after you knocked him up?”

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Lynn Hagen

“It’s true,” Gabe said as he made his way down the steps. He held

on to the banister, panting before he crossed the yard.

“Bullshit,” Maxwell snapped. His eyes fell to Gabe’s stomach and

his expression filled with bewilderment. He shook his head.
“Strangely enough, you look radiant.”

“We really are mates,” Legend said. “I never would have betrayed

your trust if my bear hadn’t gone crazy for Gabe.”

Maxwell ran his hand through his dark-brown hair and Gabe

could see his father slowly relaxing. Gabe’s eyes widened slightly
when he noticed a holster and gun hidden under his dad’s jacket. “Did
you really plan on shooting him?”

Maxwell tucked his jacket closed and then narrowed his eyes at

Legend. “Make my son happy or I will shoot you.”

Legend grinned and pulled Gabe into the folds of his arms.

“Already planned on doing that.”

Maxwell studied them both for a long moment before a smile

spread across his face. “I’m going to be a grandfather.”

Legend helped Gabe inside the house as Maxwell followed. Gabe

took a seat at the kitchen table and thanked his mate when Legend
gave him a glass of lemon water.

“When are you due?” his father asked.
“Any day now,” Gabe replied. Although he was looking forward

to being a parent, the thought of giving birth scared the shit out of
Gabe. The doctor had explained to Gabe how the process would work,
but Gabe still couldn’t wrap his mind around him popping a baby out.

His father took a seat and nodded. “Then I showed up just in

time.”

Gabe rubbed his back and winced. Legend moved closer and

Maxwell’s eyes widened.

Gabe rolled his eyes. “Just back pain. Calm down. I’m not in

labor.”

“I remember when your mother was pregnant with you,” Maxwell

said. “It was the most exciting and scariest time of my life. I had the

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115

car packed a month ahead of time with everything she would need at
the hospital. Anytime she made a strange noise I would grab my keys
and haul ass toward the car. I worked her nerves so badly that one
night she made me sleep in the car.”

Gabe chuckled. He loved hearing stories about his mother. He

knew how much his father had adored the woman and wished that
Maxwell would find someone if only for companionship. He wasn’t
going to fool himself and think that Maxwell hadn’t had sex since his
wife had passed away, but there were times when Gabe noticed a
wistfulness in his father’s eyes.

The man deserved to be happy. He deserved to move on. But

Gabe wasn’t going to push the subject. Maxwell would find someone
when he was ready.

“I sold the estate,” Maxwell said, catching Gabe off guard. “It’s

time I retired. I also sold my shares in the bank. I transferred a large
portion of the sales to you, Gabe. I never want you to have to worry
about money.”

Gabe was overwhelmed at the news. He sat there for a moment

and ingested what his father had just said. Although he had made Bear
County his home, he had looked forward to going back to the estate
for visits. He wanted to be angry, but hadn’t he just wished that
Maxwell move on and live a little?

He nodded and wiped at the tears in his eyes. His father stood,

rounded the table, and gave Gabe a hug. “I saved all of your mother’s
things. I couldn’t bear to part with them. It was just the house. Her
memories are in here.” Maxwell touched the place over Gabe’s heart.

“I know,” Gabe said. “But I cry about everything these days. Just

give me time to absorb what you just told me.”

Maxwell pressed a kiss into Gabe’s temple and then straightened.

“Do you have a guest room or should I check into a hotel?”

“We have plenty of space,” Legend answered. “Let me show you

to a room.”

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Lynn Hagen

Gabe was left sitting at the table, smiling at the fact that his father

and his mate were getting along. He knew Maxwell and Gabe was
damn glad his father hadn’t killed Legend.

* * * *

Legend was standing in the living room talking to Colton when

Stripper came downstairs. “Where’re your damn clothes?” Legend
growled the words.

Stripper waved at his body. “What, I’m wearing boots!”
And that was all he was wearing.
Legend headed over to Stripper, pointing his finger at the man.

“Either you go upstairs and put some clothes on or I’ll—”

“Legend!”
He froze when he heard Gabe shouting for him. Legend’s eyes

went wide as he glanced between Colton and Stripper.

“Legend!”
The three raced up the stairs and hurried into Legend’s bedroom.

Gabe was close to the door, rocking on all fours. Perspiration coated
his body as he cried out.

“Call the doctor,” Legend said over his shoulder as he lifted Gabe

from the floor and carried him to the bed.

Maxwell strode into the room, a cup of coffee in his hand. He

appeared relaxed until his eyes landed on Gabe, who was trying his
best to breathe through the pain.

Maxwell’s eyes grew large. “Is he…in labor?”
“That about sums it up,” Stripper said as he leaned his arm on

Maxwell’s shoulder. Maxwell glanced down at Stripper’s naked state
and then took a step to the side. “Get some damn clothes on.”

Stripper chuckled and flexed. “What’s wrong? Can’t get used to

my naked body?”

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117

Maxwell set the cup aside and walked over to the bed. “No, you

just have the biggest balls I’ve ever seen and they’re disturbing as
hell.”

“If you guys keep insulting my nuts, I might develop a complex,”

Stripper said as he walked out.

Legend and Maxwell stripped Gabe down before Legend pulled a

sheet over his mate’s groin.

“This is probably the most bizarre thing I’ve ever witnessed.”

Maxwell brushed his hand over Gabe’s head. “I always knew you’d
do great things, but giving birth never entered my mind.”

“Mine either,” Gabe panted. “Now can we get this baby out of me

or are we going to just talk our way through this?”

Maxwell chuckled. “Snarky.”
“Pain,” Gabe countered.
Legend moved in behind Gabe, supporting his shoulders as he

tried to keep his mate relaxed until the doctor arrived. He hoped like
hell the guy didn’t take too long.

“Something’s happening.” Gabe blew out a long breath.
“What do you mean something’s happening?” Legend asked.

“You have to wait for the doc—whoa!”

“Holy shit!” Maxwell moved back from the bed as the line that

ran from Gabe’s naval to his groin began to open.

“What are we supposed to do?” Legend felt the panic set in as he

gripped his mate’s shoulders. He had no experience with this. When
they’d gone to Columbia to rescue Milo and found the man in labor,
Legend had stayed outside the hut to guard it.

“Get T-Rex in here!” he shouted at Milo. “He’s delivered a baby

before.”

Maxwell took off as Gabe cried out. Legend cried out as well,

matching Gabe’s pitch. Fuck!

T-Rex walked into the room as if he were a pro at this sort of

thing. “Don’t worry, Legend.”

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Lynn Hagen

“What the fuck do you mean ‘don’t worry’?” Legend shouted.

“My mate is giving birth and the doctor isn’t here.”

T-Rex shook his head. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that

sight.” He rolled his shoulders as if he were getting ready to play
some extreme sport and then moved to the bed. “Okay, let’s do this.”

Legend growled.
Gabe cried out.
Maxwell looked a bit green.
And then the shrill of a baby’s cry filled the room. As T-Rex

worked, the doctor walked in and Legend felt relief flood him. T-Rex
and the doctor worked side by side until T-Rex glanced up and smiled
at Legend.

“Well?” Legend asked.
Maxwell moved closer to the bed, his eyes shiny with unshed

tears. “It’s a girl.”

Gabe collapsed against Legend, panting.
“What was your mother’s name?” he asked his mate as he

wrapped his arms around Gabe’s upper body and held him tightly, so
many emotions coursing through him that he didn’t know whether to
laugh or to cry.

“Sofia,” Gabe answered.
“Then that’s what we’ll call her,” he whispered into Gabe’s ear.

“Sofia Legend.”

The doctor handed Sofia over to Maxwell and Legend watched as

a solitary tear fell from the man’s eye. “Hello, Sofia.” His tone was
light and filled with reverence, and he stared at his granddaughter as if
she hung the moon and stars.

After crooning to her for a long moment, Maxwell carefully

handed her off to Legend. He was a bit intimidated by the tiny bundle,
but he took her into his arms and immediately knew exactly how
Maxwell felt.

Cowboy Legend

119

She was perfect. Legend’s throat closed up, a lump forming as he

glanced into her amber eyes. She squirmed a bit and then settled,
looking right at him.

Legend would take on the world to keep her and Gabe from harm.

He’d taken the assignment to keep Gabe safe because he was bored in
Bear County.

But now, Legend could clearly see a lifetime of love and laughter

with the family he had always dreamed of having.

THE END

WWW.LYNNHAGEN.COM

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LYNNHAGEN.AUTHOR

LYNNHAGEN@YAHOO.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynn Hagen loves writing about the somewhat flawed, but

lovable. She also loves a hero who can see past all the rough edges to
find the shining diamond of a beautiful heart.

You can find her on any given day curled up with her laptop and a

cup of hot java, letting the next set of characters tell their story.

For all titles by Lynn Hagen, please visit

www.bookstrand.com/lynn-hagen

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com

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