Cowboy (A Steele Riders MC Book 10) Read online

  Cowboy

  Steele Riders

  C.M. Steele

  Copyrighted © 2022

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without written expressed permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is purely coincidental.

  Cover design: Sarah Kil Creative Studio

  The use of actors, artists, movies, TV shows, and song titles/lyrics throughout this book are done so for storytelling purposes and should in no way be seen as advertisement. Trademark names are used in an editorial fashion with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and please purchase your own copy.

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Epilogue

  I spotted her lurking around my ranch with curious eyes, beautiful whiskey-colored eyes. I couldn’t just let her go around being too nosy without making introductions. Her lie doesn’t fool me for a second, but she tries hard, and unfortunately for her, I’m going to test the strength of her little fib. After all, the town has had enough trouble for a lifetime, and I have to stay on my guard, so that’s the ruse I’ll play with. I’ll do whatever it takes to wrangle that Angel.

  Sneaking onto the ranch had been easy, or so I believed, but I’d been caught instantly. From the tip of his hat down to his boots, the hottest cowboy I’d ever seen had trapped me in a massive lie. I’d never been so flustered, and now I had only two options: let the cat out of the bag or run.

  Can this cowboy rustle up his beauty before she escapes his clutches?

  This is the tenth book in the Steele Riders MC Series!

  Chapter One

  Angel

  I don’t even set down my messenger bag on my desk when my boss shouts through his office door, “Angel, get in here now.” All eyes in the agency’s bullpen turn to me. I give a half-hearted smile with a shrug as my face floods with heated embarrassment. “Angel,” he barks out again. Can the asshole sniff me? I’m not due to start work for another thirty minutes, and I didn’t pass his office, so how did he know I was here?

  This is my second week here, getting my hands on experience at Richter PI Agency. I hate this place, but it’s all a part of a bigger plan.

  Not even bothering to take off my jacket, I walk over to my boss’s office and knock on the door while all eyes remain on my back.

  “Well, get your ass in here. We don’t have all day.” I twist the knob and walk in, holding my head up high and not giving him what he wants most, my submission. His hatred for powerful women is obvious.

  “Good morning, Mr. Richter.” I smile, attempting to put on a happy face like a good employee even though he has to be the worst boss I’ve ever worked for, making me want to call it quits on this assignment early, but my mama didn’t raise no quitter.

  “Will she do?” he asks the man sitting on the edge of the desk with his large arms crossed and a scowl on his face, without bothering with any introductions or basic manners.

  “Excuse me?” I stare at the man that I immediately recognize because he’s Daniel “The Beast” Miller, an MMA champion. Throughout my career, I’ve learned a lot of defensive tactical moves, but my favorite is to hit an MMA gym and work my body in new ways to take down a perp.

  His eyes roam over me appraisingly. “She will work.” He’s gruff and assuming, but I’m not going to argue with him just yet. It’s not smart to piss off the clients, especially when I have no idea what this is regarding. I can’t blow my mission by getting annoyed and letting my mouth run.

  Sensing the need to explain, my boss stands and addresses me. “I have an assignment specifically for you. Mr. Miller will explain what he needs you to do. All expenses will be paid.” He emphasizes that last bit as if somehow I understand how important that is. His voice is laced with innuendo that makes me wonder if the rumors are true about Richter.

  “Okay…what is it?” I jut my brow up; a celebrity needing a PI means I’m going to have to be running on a different level of bullshit. Lies and manipulation while maintaining my secrecy. Fuck, it’s like the world is out to get my ass.

  The fighter frowns. “I’d prefer to discuss the matter in private.” He stands, looking ever the vicious man he’s known to be in the cage, unnerving me and not in a sexual way. Miller has been rated one of the sexiest athletes, along with his twin brother. Still, I’m not concerned about his appeal. I need to see where this assignment is going. Despite how hot he is, thankfully, I’m not attracted to him.

  “I don’t know what kind of services you’re looking for, but….” I cross my arms, becoming extremely defensive, accidentally lifting my breasts and drawing my boss’s attention straight to my tits. I quickly put my arms down at my side, attempting to avoid giving Richter something to gawk at.

  Miller puts his big meaty hands up to tell me to chill. “Relax. It’s nothing sexual. I just don’t want my business plastered everywhere.” He looks around as if someone’s going to hear him say that even though we’re still in the boss’s office. Although, I’m sure that it’s filled with a listening device or two because the fucker is shady as hell.

  That’s why it’s been so difficult to nail him. He’s just been on the right side of bad that he’s come out squeaky clean, avoiding all the damn traps that have been set for him.

  “Okay.”

  “I have a room you can use,” my boss offers with a pep in his step. Standing up and walking around his desk, Richter tries to get in between us and lead Miller where he wants.

  “Do you have a vehicle we can talk in?” the MMA superstar asks blatantly ignoring him, moving to my side, creating a barrier between the boss and me.

  “Yes.”

  “Lead the way.” Miller stretches his arm out and gives a pressed lip smile and then nods to my boss who straightened his scowl into a smile the second Miller’s gaze landed on him.

  I stand and head out without a word to my boss who’s looking annoyed, but he won’t turn down money and I’m betting a lot of it.

  “There’s a listening device in the rooms,” I whisper, scooping up my messenger bag from my desk on the way out of the office area to the exit.

  All eyes are on us and one of my female coworkers mutters, “Lucky.” I give her a wink and then lead him away from the nosy bastards here.

  The office is a small two-floor building, but the second floor is more of the boss’s apartment and storage and not actual office space.

  “I don’t doubt it. Maybe we should talk in my vehicle. I
don’t know if your vehicle is monitored.” I don’t take offense to it because he has a reputation to uphold.

  “Okay.” I follow him and climb into the passenger seat. Bringing out my notepad and pen, I sit and wait for him to break down his plan. He turns on the engine and the heat because it’s a cool fall day. The temps have already started to drop and we’re just near the mountains so we have a nice cold winter approaching.

  “Okay. So here it is. I’m in love with a woman, but I need to have surgery, and I’m not ready to claim her yet.” I’ll keep those thoughts to myself, but that growling sound he let out would make one hell of a story. “I’m worried about her safety twenty-four seven. I know she has a lot of men around to protect her, but that doesn’t ease my mind.” Of course not. An available woman around a bunch of men capable of protecting her also means capable of wooing her.

  “Yes. What would you like me to do?” I ask the most important question. There are a lot of lines I won’t cross no matter who it’s for, celebrity or not.

  He grips the steering wheel tightly and then lets it go before taking a deep breath and turning back to me. “Keep an eye on her. Follow as much as you can and report back to me. Once I’m healed, I’ll go get her myself.”

  “Does she have a restraining order against you?” I have to ask because there’s no way I’ll be a part of something I know too much about. No woman needs a stalker that they can’t get rid of.

  “No. No fucking way.” He throws his head back as if he’s been slapped hard.

  “It’s not meant to be offensive. I just need to know these things.”

  “If I had a restraining order against me, it would be all over the internet.”

  Nodding, I tap my pen on my notepad, eager to get all the necessary details. “I understand. It’s still a concern. Where is she located?”

  “Sammie’s living in a small town in Texas called Steeleville. It’s like all small towns; the people there all tend to know one another, but if you stay under the radar and appear to be new in town no one will be the wiser, especially because you’re a female.”

  It explains why he wanted a woman, but we have two others besides me and they have so much more years on the job than me. “Why me? Wouldn’t you want someone with more experience?” Or any experience at all.

  His eyes are shrewd as they scan the surroundings. “No. I want someone who can blend in. You don’t have that hardened cop look that most PI’s have, and you’re young.”

  “You seem nervous,” I remarked, catching him looking at a parked car adjacent to us multiple times in the past few minutes.

  “My image made the papers for all the wrong reasons, and I don’t want anyone seeing us together.” It makes sense considering if an image gets out my cover’s already blown.

  “We should have taken the meeting inside. Still, I’ll do it, but we should wrap this up before Richter gets a little too nosy and comes looking for me.”

  He snarls toward the doorway of the Richter’s building. “I could belt that fucker if I wasn’t worried about a lawsuit.”

  I let out a giggle. “Or murder charges. You’d annihilate him.”

  “Thanks.” He smiles that killer smile that causes most females to lose their heads.

  “So the details?” I ask, getting back on track.

  “I’ll pay for your apartment for the next two months. It’s a month-to-month lease already in the works.” I make my notes frantically as he tells me about the motorcycle club in town that has some trouble, but everyone there is a former serviceman or buddy of theirs, so they’re the good guys or that’s the impression that they give off. I doubt it though.

  “She works at the movie theater in town as the manager, so most days she’s working, but it’s the times that she’s off that I’ll worry. Her brother’s a doctor and always busy, leaving her alone too often. Coincidentally enough, he’s after my sister as well.” He huffs at that part which I do my best to hold in the laughter at the irony of his annoyance.

  “Wow, that’s interesting. Text me her picture.” I give him my number, and he sends it through. She’s beautiful. I wonder if he’s jealous that someone’s going to steal his woman away because she’s definitely on men’s radar.

  This should be an easy job for my first actual assignment. Fingers crossed I don’t fuck this up.

  We part ways, shaking hands so at least if anyone sees us it looks like a clandestine business meeting and not a sexual rendezvous. I head into the office as he drives away.

  “Angel, in my office now,” Richter bellows. All eyes look worried, so I’m betting he wasn’t silent after I stepped outside for that brief discussion. I have a feeling he’s going to ream me for taking a private meeting after he had been dismissed by Daniel “The Beast” Miller.

  “Don't embarrass me like that again.”

  “I’m sorry, sir. I was just trying to please a very important client.”

  “Bet you were,” he sneers with such lechery in his eyes that I get his drift.

  ****

  Goodness, he’s truly wasting his money on my services. I roll my eyes as I head down the road to the ranch as dust kicks up behind me. Samantha’s a freaking boring person, and I don’t mean that in a bad way, but it is a very good way when it comes to this kind of business.

  PIs see some of the worst of humanity in the most compromising situations, but Samantha Morris is a peach. I’ve been following her for two weeks and learned nothing worth noting. She’s a good girl who goes to work and then home and then once a week she goes to the ranch to ride for an hour. Nothing about her is blatantly flirtatious with anyone and there are hunky men everywhere especially the cowboy she rides with that one day a week.

  I try to hold back the simmering jealousy the way he smiles at her. The lines from years of time in the sun form and I groan because he’s full of honesty. The man screams sexy with every movement in his body and I want to cross the distance, introduce myself, throw my body in his path, beg him to claim me, but I won’t. Never, still I watch. Two weeks on the job and I go to the ranch, ducking out of the way as they make their way down to the stables.

  He's tanned from the sun and his hair is a medium brown and cut short like he used to be in the military. It makes me wonder if he’s a part of the Steele Riders too. I’ve done my best to avoid looking into him. I tell myself it’s because my assignment is Sammie, but it’s more because I don’t want to know the truth since there can be no us. Instead, I ask myself questions that will keep him out of my dreams. Does he have a wife? Kids?

  It shouldn’t matter to me because I have my mission and that doesn’t include a handsome cowboy with a wicked grin and muscle hidden under his white tee and blue jeans.

  I do my best to stay out of sight while he moves down to the stables and the man tempts me to crawl to his side. For the first time, my body responds to a man violently. It’s too much so I keep my distance and try to hide and hope that he doesn’t find me lurking on his property. Thankfully, I’m far enough out of his line of sight.

  Chapter Two

  Cowboy

  “That should do it,” Cyber says, checking the computers in my office before spinning around in my office chair to face me with a self-satisfied grin.

  “Thanks. So how many cameras do I have access to on the ranch and what’s the actual range?” I need to know what I’m working with given the climate in Steeleville over the past two months. Ever since Boomer’s wife came into town we’ve had problems in one way or another. The biggest trouble came from the cartels infiltrating the border towns and moving north through the southern US. Drug mules have been lurking and we need to keep them out of our area.

  “There are twenty-eight cameras, sixteen on the perimeter of the ranch from the roadway through the pastures and back around to the backside of the barn and main house. There are two exterior cameras for each of the buildings.”

  “Good.” I nod, taking in all the tech he’s spitting out as best as I can. I know some shit, but I’
m not a computer guy. I work the land.

  “Here’s how you access them all. They’re labeled based on their locations and what you told me the area is called. If you need to change the names let me know and I’ll teach you how to go in and change them securely.” I read through each title as I view the images and they’re labeled correctly. Thankfully, because my ass doesn’t have a fucking clue how to do it on my own.

  “This is good. I hope to hell it’s an unnecessary expense.”

  “So do I, but it’s for the best either way. Now I’ve got to head out and see what the hell is going on with the clubhouse. There’s always something going down and someone needing my help.” Cyber looks a little worn because Boomer has him spread thin. He could use some help even though he’d hate it.

  “Of course. It’s the day and age of tech and you’re our tech guy. Maybe we need to find some more tech guys.”

  “Watch your mouth,” he snarls, glaring at me. It’s like saying I’d prefer having another ranch in the area.

  “I’m just kidding.” I put up my hands, surrendering without a fight.

  “You better be. I might have to get my beef from the store.”

  I roll my eyes. “You do.”

  “I’ll shop in Dallas.” He sticks his tongue out.

  “You’re too lazy for it. Now get off my land. I’ve got shit to do including preparing for Sammie’s riding lesson.

  “How’s that going?”

  “She’s a natural. Although something’s bothering her and she’s not speaking about it.”

  “You don’t know about Crystal’s brother? I think he stole her heart.” I had a feeling it was a guy that had her upset, but that’s not my business and I didn’t press the issue because if it was one of our own, we’d all have to deal with it.

  “You sure?” I ask. I liked the guys. Not that I knew which brother it was because Crystal had two brothers and another sister. A sister who Doc happened to be in love with.