AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I need my brothers to understand that this matters.Shematters.
“Christ,” Ford says in exasperation, slugging down his beer.
“We’re picking up where we left off. I care for her. I’ve always cared for her. So, since you’re giving me the fucking third degree, there’s your answer, you fucking assholes.”
“Well, shit,” Charlie says, opening his arm to Ruby, who slips beneath it. The marmalade kitten has made a nest between her hair and collarbone. “That’s a long time, Davis.” He cracks a grin, but his eyes are soft. “Sure can keep secrets, man.”
“So you’re what?” Ford demands. “Dating? Fucking?”
“Not your business,” I tell him.
“Don’t do the no-label thing, Davis,” Ruby says, her eyes big and beseeching. She moves to clamp my bicep, and the kitten scampers up my arm. “You have to tell her.”
Ford’s jaw tightens, and he swears. “Whatever happened to not having time for a relationship? Whatever happened to priorities?”
“Priorities change,” I growl and pluck the kitten from my neck to hand it back to Ruby.
“Priorities.” He snorts. “Thinking with your dick’s your priority.”
Ruby squeaks.
“Okay.” Charlie lifts his hands. “Let’s just keep it above the belt.”
“You got sense, D,” Ford says, sounding aggrieved. “Why are you fucking with Stede’s daughter? She’s pregnant. She’s gonna have this guy’s baby and split.”
“Careful,” I warn. Ford’s skating on thin ice. Anyone shows the slightest interest in love, a relationship, and he gets a goddamn attitude.
“You’re my brother. I gotta look out for you.” He twists on the barstool to glare at me. “We need to get the ranch ready for the summer. We can’t have distractions. Not after last year.”
My eyes flick to Ruby, back to Ford. “Fuck you for using last year against me.” It’s a low blow, and he knows it. “Is this what you did with Charlie?” I snarl, anger slowly burning inside of me. “Warning him away from Ruby, telling him she had her secrets, and he was going to get hurt?”
“You’re an asshole,” Ford snaps.
“And you have to get a new MO, Ford. You have to get over the past and stop bringing everyone down with you.”
A contrite look crosses his face as his gaze flicks to Ruby. Her hurt blue eyes are pinned to the ground. “That’s a bullshit move,” he hisses. “And you know it.”
It is. But I play dirty when it comes to Dakota.
I drill a finger. “You don’t bring up Dakota again. Especially not when you don’t have anything fucking nice to say.”
“Fuck you,” Ford mutters. He slips off his stool, goes to Ruby. “Honey, I’m sorry,” he says softly. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to my dumb little brother. Us too. We couldn’t get along without you.”
“It’s okay,” Ruby whispers.
Charlie watches her, worry tight on his face. He told me last week he caught her crying in the stables. Ruby has a sweet heart and when she hurts, we all feel it.
Ford tilts Ruby’s chin up. “I’m sorry, Fairy Tale.”
A glimmer of a smile lifts Ruby’s lips. “Make it up to me. You can take a kitten.”
Ford balks.
Ruby hugs the marmalade kitten tight. “They need homes.”
“Take a fucking cat, Ford,” Charlie barks.
“Fine. Fuck.” Our brother scowls, then leans down to curl his large hands over a bounding black kitten. Its tiny mewls fill the air as he lifts the furry bundle high and scrutinizes it. “This is the stinkiest bastard of the bunch,” he tells Ruby.
