Chapter One

      Addie Crockett heard the footsteps behind her a split second too late.

      Before she could even turn around and see who was in the hall outside her home office, someone grabbed her.

      She managed a strangled sound, barely. But the person slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the scream that bubbled up in her throat.

      Oh, mercy.

      What was going on?

      This was obviously some kind of attack, but Addie wouldn’t just let this person hurt her. Or worse. She rammed her elbow into her attacker’s stomach, but it did nothing to break the grip he had on her.

      “Stop,” he snapped. “I won’t hurt you.”

      Addie wasn’t taking his word for it. She turned, using his own grip to shove him against the wall and into an angel Christmas wreath. The painted wooden angels went flying. But not the man.

      Addie tried to get his hand off her mouth so she could call out for help. Then she remembered her brothers weren’t at the ranch. Two were still at work, and the other was Christmas shopping in San Antonio. Only her mother was inside the house, and she had a sprained ankle. Addie didn’t want her mother to come hobbling into the middle of this.

      Whatever this was.

      “Stop,” he repeated when she kept struggling. His voice was a hoarse whisper, and he dragged her from the hall into her office.

      Addie gave him another jab of her elbow and would have delivered a third one if the