They exited straight into chaos.

Jack was standing firm, guarding the door from the other side. His feet were firmly planted on the white floor and his legs spread a little. He was not going to be moved. Riley met his gaze and Jack nodded. Jack had this handled and for that Riley loved his husband even more. He could rely on Jack one hundred percent. Total and absolute support.

"We need to get in there to speak to Eden Hayes." The uniformed cop looked like he wanted to be in a million other places than this one. He was sweating, red-faced, and had the look of a man on the edge.

"She'll be out in a minute," Riley said.

"Sir—"

"She'll. Be. Out. In. A. Minute." Riley repeated each word clearly, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Jack. "What's the situation, Jack?" he asked.

"Sean's back in a room. Surgery was good. He's handcuffed to the bed on suspicion of assault. He's unconscious and likely to be so for the next twenty-four hours."

Riley heard every word and as each piece of news hit him he wondered what the fuck they had wandered into here. Jim intervened. Gently but firmly he guided the cop away, in full-on lawyer mode instantly. Citing one of many provisos and addendums and codes that went right over Riley's head, made the cop go from agitated to respectful in a second. When two more officers arrived, neither in uniform, Riley recognized one of them as the cop involved in Jeff's murder case. Stone or something. Great. Just fucking great.

"Riley Campbell-Hayes," he held out a hand which Riley shook, "Detective Tom Stafford." The other cop with him was in conversation with the uniform and Jim.

"Why is a Dallas PD homicide detective involved in this?" To Riley's knowledge no one had died.

Tom shrugged. "I was just passing. Heard there was a Hayes involved. You know I have a special interest in your family and wondered if I could help." He didn't elaborate any further.

"For a start you can un-cuff my sister's fiancé unless you are arresting unconscious people."

"Procedure, Mr Campbell-Hayes. Sean Harris was seen threatening a fellow patron at a restaurant—"

"Some reporters from a dirt magazine," Riley spat.

"With all due respect, everyone, regardless of their career choices, are as worthy of our protection as the next man."

Riley doubted that but he didn't say. No point in arguing any defense—that wasn't why he was here.

The door to the family room opened and a composed Eden exited, following closely by Sandra.

"Miss Hayes." Tom stepped forward. "I wonder if I might ask a few questions."

Riley watched his sister visibly draw herself tall and inhale and exhale deeply before she simply said.

"Of course."

CHAPTER 18

Robbie shut his cell with a look of determination on his face.

"What did he say?" Eli asked.

They had moved into the main house when Jack had asked them to sit with Hayley while they went at the hospital to find out what had happened.

"Not much. Just that we should just stay here with Hayley and would we mind babysitting for the next few hours. He says he's going to get Riley back home as soon as he can."

Eli checked his watch. "The rodeo guys will be here in an hour for the shoot."

"Can I help you?" Hayley wandered into the kitchen and clambered into her chair.

Eli's photographer eyes could see the beauty in Hayley. With Riley's hazel-green eyes and the elfin shape to her face he knew Riley would be daddy to one hell of a heartbreaker. She was taking the news about her Aunty Eden and Sean, the man she called uncle, very well. As far as she was concerned her daddies were handling it and in her world that was more than enough. Having seen the two men together Eli didn't dismiss this. They were formidable as a couple.

"Of course you can, sweetheart. I'll need someone to assist me and my friend Lauren with telling the guys where to stand. You want to do that?"

"Yes, please. Oh, and can I bring my own camera? Pappa said I could use his anytime I wanted."

"Go fetch it and we'll make sure it's all charged up."

A knock on the door heralded the entrance of Lauren, who had arrived with the van of equipment. She was a whirlwind of organization and when the stylist arrived it was all systems go.

"How are you going to keep it in your pants today?" Lauren whispered as they walked toward the six models clustered around one of the horses on the Double D.

Eli caught sight of Robbie in the middle of them all, animated as he discussed horses and whatever the hell else he was an expert in. Robbie's face was all smiles, and his body language was relaxed. Eli had never actually seen his cowboy as loose as this, apart from after the frankly awesome sex.

Love. In Eli's mind he was making love. Let Robbie have his little fantasy that this was just sex and that he was leaving the ranch, and indeed Texas, at the end of the year. Eli had another three months to persuade him to stay. "Not interested," he answered.

"Six buff and au naturel cowboys and you don't think you are going to get a taste. Who are you kidding?" Lauren was incredulous.

Eli shrugged. Why would she think any different? All Lauren had seen in him in the three years they had been working together was short-term hookups.

"I have my own cowboy," he said. "Why would I want another one?"

They had reached the group by then and Eli switched into photographer mode. If only every man was as lucky as to tell six cowboys to strip to their underwear in the barn.

For the fact the guys weren't streetwise models Lauren kept out of the way and allowed them to undress and dress in peace but the stylist was itching to get her hands on all of them.

"I don't want them ruined," Eli had argued.

"Just some foundation to—"

"No."

"Haircuts?"

"I'm not photographing faces. This is torso, legs, and ass work."

In fact he did end up catching the entire cowboy each time. But they wore Stetsons—real ones that were colored with age—and faces were in shadow. He grouped them on a fence and shot upward against the crisp blue sky or took them singly one by one to stand with horses. Hayley mimicked his actions and made friends with the cowboys, the absolute center of attention. She loved it and it took her mind off of where her daddy and pappa were.