Chained Apache Woman Begged Him to Do Anything — The Cowboy Did the Unexpected Thing
Chapter 7
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"Then maybe it's time to stop running.""And do what? Fight an entire empire with one rancher and his rifle?""I've seen worse odds.""You're insane.""You mentioned that already."The coffee boiled, and Caleb poured two cups. He brought one to Ayla, who accepted it with both hands, letting the warmth seep into her palms."You really think we have a chance?" she asked quietly."I think chances are what we make of them. And I think you didn't survive three days chained to a fence just to give up now.""I survived because I was too stubborn to die. That's not the same as having hope.""Hope's overrated anyway. I prefer spite."She almost smiled again. "Spite I can work with."They drank their coffee in comfortable silence as the sun climbed higher, painting the scrubland in shades of gold and amber. It would have been beautiful if it wasn't such dangerous country."I need to see the perimeter," Caleb said finally. "Check for signs of anyone watching. You up for a walk?""My ribs say no, but my pride says yes.""Listen to your ribs.""I stopped listening to my body's better judgment around the time I told Marcus Vance to go to hell." She stood, steadying herself against the bed frame. "I'll be fine."She wasn't fine; she could barely walk. But Caleb recognized the stubborn set of her jaw: she was going to do this whether he approved or not. He offered his arm, which she took after a moment's hesitation, and together they walked out into the morning light.The ranch was modest: 200 acres of scrubland that Caleb had been slowly improving acre by acre. A small corral held three horses; a shed contained tools and supplies; the rest was just land stretching out to meet the sky."It's peaceful," Ayla said. "Or it was.""It'll be peaceful again once this is over.""You really believe that?""I have to."They walked the fence line slowly, Caleb's eyes scanning for anything out of place: tracks, broken branches, signs of passage. For the first hour, they found nothing.Then Ayla stopped, her hand tightening on his arm. "There," she said, pointing to a ridge about 500 yards north. "See that glint?"Caleb squinted against the sun. She was right. There was something metallic catching the light: a rifle scope, maybe, or binoculars."They're watching," Ayla confirmed. "Probably have been all night.""How many do you think?""At least three. Probably more. They'll want overwhelming force when they finally move.""When do you think that'll be?""Tonight, maybe tomorrow night. They'll want you tired, paranoid. Want you to make mistakes."Caleb guided her back toward the cabin, keeping his movements casual. No point in letting them know he'd spotted their position."We need to prepare," he said once they were inside. "Fortify what we can, set up lines of sight, create choke points.""You're talking about a siege.""I'm talking about survival."