Cameron, Paige - Commando Cowboys Desire Their Queen [Wyoming Warriors 8] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Polyromance) by Paige Cameron

implicate him, if she lived. She had to go, before Kira. During their next meeting, he’d do what he should have done the other night.

    * * * *

    Kira watched the young woman, Gala, walk away. Gala had seemed frightened when Kira stopped to speak with her. She’d been timid and nervous when they first started talking but gradually relaxed and smiled. All of the other women had been comfortable with her. A few seemed a bit shy about greeting her, but they weren’t nervous. She’d asked Gala if she was scared she might become a victim of the poisoner. Gala’s face had gone white for a second. Then she said she was trying to be brave but it was scary. Kira had taken hold of Gala’s hands, and they were cold. She’d reassured Gala, and she finally smiled. But still there was something about her.
    Lonato and Hakan broke into her thoughts. “Are you asleep on your feet?” Hakan teased.
    “No, just thinking. Did you drive my father’s truck here?” she asked Lonato.
    “Yes, I’ll show you where I parked.” They walked toward the community store. “There was one spot left.” Lonato pointed to her truck.
    “You look more tired than me. I hope you are going home to sleep.” She observed the tenseness in his body and his drawn expression.
    “I am. You were beautiful up there both as yourself and as your bird. It never really hit me what you’d look like and what you could do until I saw you. Hakan told me about your flying. Your mother is probably right. Neither of us ranks high enough to be your husband.”
    “Knowing my mother, I’m sure she didn’t say those words.”
    “Not exactly. I’m tired. Hakan, take me home to crash.” Lonato pivoted on his heel and walked toward their truck.
    “We’ll talk later. Rest.” Hakan hugged her and left to catch up with his friend.
    Kira got inside and sat behind the wheel. Maybe she wouldn’t have to worry about them trying to marry her after all. She’d thought freeing herself of their attention would please her, but it didn’t. Still it would be better if they pulled back.
    She started the engine and headed to her folks. She had to rest before the enemy struck again.

    * * * *

    Lonato sank into his chair in front of the fireplace. The evenings were getting cooler. Staring into the flames reminded him of Kira. He didn’t think she’d shown her full self. He had a sense she could turn into a spiraling flame if she went to battle.
    “You must be tired. How did the surgery go?” Hakan asked.
    “The woman will survive. But she’ll need lots of rehab. How did your dinner go? I gather, from her truck being here, that she spent the night.” He looked across at Hakan.
    “She did, in my room. But I slept next door in the spare bedroom.”
    “What?”
    “She needs to learn to trust us. It was a long, uncomfortable night for me. I took two cold showers. Then I drove her to Sahale’s cabin. She wants a place where she can be alone and fly undetected.”
    “We’ll have to see Mitch about buying some land on the edge of the canyon.”
    “That’s what she’s planning to do. I’m not sure she’d appreciate us buying it for her. Not yet anyway.”
    “She’s very independent, and not at all the type woman I expected we’d be attracted to. Sure, she’s beautiful and sexy, but she brings a lot of extra problems with her.”
    “You see her being the Flaming Beauty as a problem?”
    “Yes. She’ll be in the middle of everything that happens on the ranch. I want my home to be a place where we can relax. I expected our wife to be a woman we’d love and enjoy having her with us. I don’t want to have to worry about her safety all the time. Kira will be off working and getting into dangerous situations when we’re not around.” Lonato’s brow furrowed. He frowned at the fire.
    “I made love to her at the cave. I plan on marrying her with or without you. If I can get her to accept my proposal. It’ll take time.”
    Lonato glanced sharply at Hakan. He was