Breaking the Rules (1st in Breaking Series)

Chapter Seventeen

"No matter what, I'll be there for you." he vowed. "I think there are some things I need to tell you before we get there though."

"What?" Elizabeth asked warily. She could hear the dread in his voice.

"I have a hunch about who wanted you dead. Elizabeth. Braxton has been trying to keep me away from you since I showed up at the ranch. He told me you were a man eater who liked to have her way with men and then spit them out. He didn't want me anywhere near you. I think he's the man that your pa is leaving the ranch to. I think that's why he didn't want to risk you falling in love and getting married."

"Braxton?" Elizabeth demanded. "Braxton has been around since my pa started the ranch! Braxton helped raise me!"

"I'm sorry. I could be wrong but I don't think I am, and it gets worse. I think Anita was helping him."

"Now you're just being ridiculous!" Elizabeth exclaimed angrily. "Anita is like a mother to me!"

Brody let out a long breath, "I saw the two of them having secret meetings. Somebody had to have told Braxton that you agreed to marry Grant. That's what made him act and send those men after you. Who knew other than you and your father?"

Elizabeth felt her heart break as the truth crashed down on her like a ton of bricks, "Anita," she choked out. "All over that stupid ranch? I thought those people loved me, Brody. I can't trust anybody...."

"You can trust me," he reminded her sternly. "And I'm gonna get to the bottom of things and make sure those responsible pay for what they've done to you."

"Pay how?" Elizabeth demanded. Her mind was reeling and having trouble wrapping around the fact that Anita and Braxton would want her dead just so they could have the ranch. Anita had raised her. Anita had held her when she'd cried. Anita had changed her mind at the last minute and told Elizabeth not to marry Grant.

"They'll pay," Brody assured her.

"There is no law in Bakerstown other than that worthless little sheriff and he's Braxton's brother. I don't think he's going to listen to anything we have to say."

"I didn't say a thing about the law," Brody warned.

"What are you trying to say? That you plan on killing them!?"

"Braxton is gonna die if he is the one that sent those men after you. There isn't a man alive that is going to hurt you without getting one of my bullets between his eyes."

Elizabeth's eyes widened at the cold, conviction in his voice, "You're serious!" she gasped.

"Damn straight, I'm serious," he agreed. "I've lost too much in my life and I sure as hell don't plan on losing you too. Any man, or woman, who tries to take you away from me, is going to answer to me about it."

"Brody, promise me you won't kill anybody," Elizabeth pleaded, suddenly very serious.

Brody shook his head, "No."

"Brody Atkinson, you said you'd do anything for me, remember? This is what I ask of you. Please don't be the man you were for so long, living with anger and hate in your heart. I don't want you killing anybody else unless it's in self defense. Please promise me that you won't."

Brody was silent for a long time and she could see the tension in his jaw as he stared hard at the land in front of them, "Killing people don't bother me, Elizabeth. I've killed too many to be bothered by it anymore."

"Promise me," she repeated sternly.

Finally he nodded, "Okay. But only because I care about making you happy. I still say they deserve to die."