Claimed by the Rancher

Soul mates who might have passed unnoticed on the highway are brought together by tragedy.Even though revenge raged through Ashton Hawke's mind and soul he allowed the courts to convict the murderer of his family. But when John Wolfgang escaped it was time for Ashton to insure justice prevailed.Brie Cassidy was a chef looking for a new opportunity and wanting to be closer to her sister. But when her leisurely drive to Amarillo turned disastrous and she was abducted by gun point, forced...
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Soul mates who might have passed unnoticed on the highway are brought together by tragedy.Even though revenge raged through Ashton Hawke's mind and soul he allowed the courts to convict the murderer of his family. But when John Wolfgang escaped it was time for Ashton to insure justice prevailed.Brie Cassidy was a chef looking for a new opportunity and wanting to be closer to her sister. But when her leisurely drive to Amarillo turned disastrous and she was abducted by gun point, forced to drive her abductor in his attempt to escape the law she thought for sure her life was over.Sometimes disaster can lead us to our destiny...EXCERPT:The second she faced him, Brie seized her opportunity to flee and swiftly kneed him in the groin. Freed, she ran toward the escape door and jerked it open. She sprung down the stairs missing two or three with each leap, the front door was within her reach. Her heart pulsed in her ears as she turned the knob. Her flight to freedom was instantly defeated. He clutched her into his grasp. She moaned in agonizing distress.Ashton had all he could take. He flipped her around, slammed her against the door and pinned her arms above her head to prevent her from scratching out his eyes. He took a step back making sure to be out of her knee range, positive his balls would be in his throat about now if she weren't so short.Face to face, the terror in her eyes blared back at him. He huffed a deep breath. "Damn it, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. Stop this shit long enough to see where you are and let me explain." He did his best to hide his annoyance but was certain he failed.His deep dark eyes burned through her, perpetuating her fear. She tried to swallow the panic but it lodged in her throat. His unyielding strength and his overbearing muscular frame looming over her left no doubt in her mind she stood no chance of fighting him off. Her only hope was to get out of the reach of this overpowering man."There was a car wreck on the interstate and you were kidnapped. Do you remember that?"She glared directly into his rugged angry face and nodded her head yes. She tried to piece together if he was her abductor. Had he been the mysterious unseen man who occupied the backseat of her car? She hadn't allowed herself to look at the man or even glance at him in her rear-view mirror. It would have sent her over the edge and probably have gotten her killed."You can see I'm not him. So quit trying to run." She desperately tried to distinguish if his voice was the same as the gruff commands from before. The memory of her hijacker's hot putrid breath on her hair and neck, her fingernails embedded into the steering wheel frozen in fear, returned. The sickening flood of panic emerged. She ordered herself to push down the tornado of terror that threatened to erupt and stay focused. "You didn't look at him did you?" Tears trailed from her vacant eyes.Shit, it never occurred to Ashton she wouldn't be able to recognize her captor let alone believe him to be the son of a bitch. However, he was a complete stranger to the petite woman he restrained against his front door and as much as he hated to admit, his actions most likely accelerated her harrowing experience."Calm down. Take deep breaths and relax. I didn't mean to scare you. My name is Ashton Hawk and you are on my ranch. You're safe here, I promise. Do you understand?"She gave a slight nod of her head so why in hell did the fear in her eyes continue to be so vivid. Ashton was perplexed, he couldn't understand why she continued to believe he would harm her. He just apologized, insured her safety and she nodded yes. Hell, he even used a comforting tone. At least he thought he had. He waited for her to speak. Any form of speech would do, excluding her previous piercing screams, those he could live without.