Being a Knight isn’t easy; the weight of our name alone pushes a burden onto our shoulders, but none of us would change. We come from generations of hard workers, from men and women who helped build this town up when it was first founded during the Gold Rush. It would have died along with the rest of the towns that did after the Gold Rush ended if not for what the Knights had built.
I make a note to give Remy a call later, just to check in on him.
By the time I pull up to the ranch, the light of day is slipping away, the mountains rising up like sentient guards standing tall as the peaks reach for the dusty, cloudless sky. Rosie and Caleb bundle out, sprinting toward the main house, but Juni is slower, hesitant to get out.
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to be here? I don’t mind heading back.”
“Juni, you’re welcome here.” I assure her, reaching for her hand so I can link my pinky with hers. She drops her eyes to where we meet, a breath passingher lips before she reaches for the handle and breaks the connection. I try to pretend my skin doesn’t burn where her touch just was.
Fuck. I’m so goddamn toasted here.
Inside, I can smell dinner cooking in the kitchen; my brother having whipped up a full three-course meal like he always does. I do it sometimes, but it’s rare, and I can hear Niamh with the kids in the living room as the little bell around their cat’s neck jingles as she darts around the room.
“You made it,” Niamh greets Juni, immediately taking her away from me to talk while I seek out my brother.
He’s in the kitchen already pouring me a helping of the whiskey.
“An investigation has been opened,” my brother says by way of greeting.
I’d let Roman in on the details I’d found while being on Calvin’s ranch, and I’d handed over the information I’d dug up, though it had been little. While I can get information, Roman’s able to do more with it. He has connections I don’t, people in higher places he can call in a favor with. Calvin will be shut down, there’s no doubt about it; I just need to be patient and wait for the call. We have space here for some of his horses, and I can hire extra workers to care for them, but I’ve also already started calling around to other ranches in the area who may have space for them too.
It won’t be a simple process, but I’ll accept no other outcome.
“They’re moving quickly,” he continues, “I know a few officers were dispatched today to perform checks.”
I nod and sip my whiskey. “There’s one horse there I need to get as soon as possible.”
His eyes flick behind me, but I know she isn’t there; I’d have felt her presence.
“Hers?” he asks.
I nod, “Not sure how I’m going to do it without tipping Calvin off on Juni’s whereabouts.”
“You can’t hide her forever.” He says.
“No, but I can give her a couple of weeks of peace.” I sigh, “It’s the least she deserves. If he doesn’t know where she is, he can’t intimidate her to go back.”
Roman nods, “Give it a couple of days, see what happens with the investigation, then we can figure out the situation with her horse. We need to stay on the right side here, Silas.”
I grunt in agreement even if I’d rather fucking trash the place and take the horses. It would harm the case and possibly Juni if I let my anger talk instead of my head.
“Pop down to the bar tomorrow,” Niamh hugs Juni before she steps onto the porch to join me. “I can schedule you in for a few nights a week.”
“Thank you,” Juni says, waving goodbye. The walk back to the truck is quiet; the kids are tired and ready for bed, the ranch around us silent and settled for the night. The air is still warm, a gentle breeze swaying the long grass in the field beside us.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay working two jobs?” I ask her once I’ve got the kids in the back. It’s only a quick ride back down the driveway, but I still demand they buckle up, regardless.
“I’ll be alright,” Juni whispers, “I need the money.”
I fucking hate it but I don’t say anything. She needs this, and who am I to take or ask anything from her?
When we get back to the house, she helps me get the kids inside since they both promptly passed out. So while I carry Caleb, she wraps Rosie up, following me inside where I show her through to Rosie’s bedroom. Once Caleb has been changed and tucked in, I return to find Juni sitting on the small chair set up in the corner of Rosie’s bedroom, my daughter curled up on her lap.
“I wasn’t sure what to do,” Juni whispers, “I didn’t want to wake her.”
“It’s okay,” I begin the process of unwrapping my daughter from her, shifting her until I can take her weight and then cross over to her bed. Juni lets herself out while I get my daughter changed into herpajamas and then tuck her in, turning on her nightlight on the way out.
When I return to the living room, it’s to the woman who seems to have stolen all my thoughts. She has her back to me, facing the window and the darkened landscape beyond. The silhouette of the mountains looks far more ominous and threatening now they are dipped in shadow, only the sharpest edges highlighted by the silvery touch of the moon. She tilts her face toward me, barely glancing over her shoulder, but I feel the brush of her eyes, the way they land on me and drag, looking over every inch before they return to the window.
