Betrayals

A/N: Only one more chapter to go after this. Thanks, everyone, for following this story. Please let me know what you thought of it.


Oh, god, he hurt. Every breath caused a stabbing pain and he didn’t have the strength to move, even to try and ease the burning in his chest. He attempted to lift his hand, but it seemed pinned, tied down somehow. What the devil happened? He forced his way through the fog that clouded his thoughts and bits and pieces started coming back.

Men, horses, gunfire. The muzzle of a gun, pointed right at…

“Heath,” Nick gasped, his eyes flying open. He felt his hand squeezed even tighter.

“ ‘Bout time you woke up, Sleeping Beauty.” The worry and relief Nick saw in the sky-blue eyes of the man sitting beside the bed contrasted with the light tone in his voice. “Thought I might have to kiss you before you’d open those eyes of yours.”

“Heath,” Nick said again, “you’re here. You’re all right.”

“Right as rain, Nick,” the blond confirmed. “But if you ever scare me like that again, I’m putting molasses in your boots.”

Nick’s heart skipped a beat. When he realized that Heath had left after the fire at Swenson’s, and when the blond hadn’t shown up before they went to Frank Sample’s the next morning, Nick was devastated to think that Heath might have left his life for good. He’d managed to bury the hurt and the disappointment by concentrating on the life and death struggle that was about to happen, but Nick had never felt the loss of another person so keenly, unless it was at the death of his father.

Then Heath showed up before the firefight started and Nick’s spirits were buoyed by hope. Hope that turned into fear when he saw a gun trained on a man he knew he’d do anything for. Fear that was now becoming hope again.

“Does that mean…?” He gripped the hand that was holding his, almost desperately. “Are you planning on staying, Heath?”

Heath shrugged. “Don’t know for sure,” he answered, “reckon your mama has something to say about that.” A slow grin graced his lips. “Think anyone else’ll want me around?”

A fit of coughing forestalled Nick’s reply and Heath helped him sit more upright, placing a pillow behind Nick’s back before pouring him a glass of water from the pitcher at the side of the bed. Heath took the glass when Nick was done and sat on the edge on the mattress.

Nick smiled at the playful light that danced in Heath’s blue eyes and his own hazel ones glinted in response. He didn’t know what kind of relationship Heath was intending, but right now, having him as a brother would be enough. Even though I don’t think I’ll ever be able to love anyone else, Nick thought wistfully.

“Oh, reckon Duke thinks you’re a hard enough worker to keep around,” Nick replied non-committally. “This is a working ranch, you know. Good hands are hard to find.”

“Reckon that’s a fact.” Heath studied Nick for a moment, and the dark haired rancher’s heart beat faster at the intensity. “I might want to stick around for other reasons, too.”

Nick froze in shock as Heath leaned over and kissed him boldly. But it didn’t take long for him to return the kiss in kind, molding his lips to Heath’s as their tongues met with long-repressed passion.

“Ahem.”

They broke apart hastily, Heath bolting to a standing position and Nick’s face flinched in pain as he too tried to move suddenly.

Jarrod regarded them with a raised eyebrow, a hint of an embarrassed smile on his lips. “Nick, you should know better, but I probably should warn you, Heath, unless you lock your door, there’s not much privacy around here. We Barkleys are a pretty close-knit and nosy bunch.” The oldest brother had to chuckle at the flush of embarrassment on both his younger brothers’ faces. “Don’t worry, boys, your secret is safe with me. You’re just lucky I wasn’t Mother.” He walked over to the bed. “How are you feeling, Nick? Or do I even need to ask?”

“You’re… you’re all right with this, Jarrod?” Heath asked hesitantly. “With me and Nick, and…”

Jarrod put a hand on Heath’s shoulder, gripping it reassuringly. “I can’t honestly say I understand,” he admitted, “but to quote a famous man, ‘There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy’. I just want for both of you to be happy and if this is what does it….” He shrugged and smiled.

“Well, reckon I’m grateful you quoted Hamlet instead of Romeo and Juliet,” Heath drawled dryly. “Nick here would look kind of silly hanging off a balcony.”

“Hey,” Nick protested, “if anyone’s gonna be Juliet…” He stopped in mid-rant and laughed along with his brothers. “Just wait, you two. My revenge is going to be long and sweet.”

“Not as sweet as you, big brother,” Heath said with a wink and Nick experienced a warm tingle as he reached up to grasp Heath’s hand warmly.

Jarrod eyed his new brother curiously. “I didn’t know you read Shakespeare, brother Heath.”

“Reckon there’s a lot of things about me you don’t know, Jarrod,” Heath said as he sat again beside Nick. “Probably all gonna be learning a lot about each other in the next little while.”

Nick didn’t miss Jarrod’s raised eyebrow at the expression he exchanged with Heath. The lawyer shook his head and cleared his throat.

“Well, be that as it may, I have something here that might interest both of you.”

It was then Nick noticed the paper Jarrod was holding as he continued. “The Supreme Court granted the injunction this morning. I don’t know how the farmers will feel, but it seems the land is theirs free and clear, under squatters’ rights, if nothing else.”

“A little too late for all those men who were killed,” Nick muttered.

Jarrod folded the paper and tucked it into his shirt pocket. “At least it’s over,” he reminded them, but the sorrow on his face over the senseless killing was reflected on both his brothers’.

After a moment of silence, Jarrod spoke up again. “Heath, Mother wants to talk to you. Something about which bedroom will be yours. Personally, I’d take the one at the end of the hall; it’s got a remarkable view of the valley.” His eyes twinkled. “But even though the room next door’s a lot smaller, it’d be a lot more convenient for sneaking over here in the middle of the night. Providing you remember to lock the door,” he added with a wink, adroitly dodging the cloth Heath threw at his head as he made his retreat from the room. “She’ll be waiting in the parlour,” he called as he closed the door behind him.

Nick gave a dimpled grin as Heath turned back to him, a shy lopsided smile on his face as well.

“Reckon we can make this work, Nick?” he asked softly.

Nick reached up and grasped the back of Heath’s neck, pulling him down for a tender kiss. “I reckon so,” he whispered back before Heath returned the kiss.

“I’d better get downstairs before you forget we haven’t locked the door,” Heath teased as he stood. “Can I get you anything?”

“Just promise me you’ll come back, Heath.”

“Never been an easier promise to make, Nick.”