Page 32 of Tack’s Bounty

Tack shook his head at them. “The fire department’s going to be here for at least a couple more hours. Shield, you good with staying here until we can move them? I’ll send Stinger over to help.”

“Sure,” Shield replied.

Sophia wondered if he’d get in trouble for not telling Tack where they were going, but man, Ruthy was scary when she was—what had Shield called her? Oh yeah, Ruthless.

“Let’s head back, ladies. Maybe slip the masks off before we walk across the street,” Tack directed. Ruthy slipped hers off, kissed Tack’s cheek, and hurried down the stairs.

“You have fun?” Tack asked, smiling at her after she pulled her mask off. She nodded as he slipped his arm around her waist. She knew later, when she thought about Jolene and her parents, the tears would come, but for now, she was safe because Jolene and Rufus couldn’t hurt her.

Chapter Eighteen

Sophia sat at a table in the clubhouse. It had been a week since her date with Tack and the fire at the barn. Tack’s time off had been up yesterday, but he’d promised as he kissed her goodbye that he’d meet her at the clubhouse for a get-together, barring any calls late in the day.

She understood. They both had jobs that entailed other people. If one of her clients had an emergency with their animals, she would leave the gathering and take care of them. When her dad was alive, they rotated on-call weekends. Maybe it was time to see if there was someone with whom she could share her clinic or even another clinic with which she could trade covering each other’s patients on the weekends. Having Tack in her life had her reconsidering how much free time she had.

Adley walked in carrying a huge pile of presents, with Ruthy and Tack’s Aunt Charlie following behind with a cake and trays of cookies.

Adley laid the presents on a table. “Anybody seen Justice?”

Ariel walked in the front door, pushing a double stroller with the cousins sitting side-by-side. “The guys just pulled in. I want a good seat for this.”

Sophia wondered what they needed a good seat for and why.

“Oh, because a year ago today, I saved Justice when he was arrested. I decided that we should commemorate it. I bought myself presents from Justice and made a cake and cookies,” Adley said, dusting her knuckles against her Property of Justice cut.

Sophia couldn’t wait and got up to see the cake. She chuckled. The cake had a stick figure stuck behind bars. Another stick figure with a skirt and a cape flying behind her was outside the bars with Adley saves the day written across the top of the cake. “I love that.”

Adley grinned. “I was pretty proud of myself.”

Tack, Justice, Pit, and the other members walked in together. Tack spotted her and made a beeline to her, tugging her into his arms to give her a kiss. She fought a moan at feeling his full lips against hers after not getting to wake up beside him this morning. She’d gotten used to having him next to her and waking her up with a kiss and a cup of coffee. He pulled away, sighing deeply.

“Missed you, babe.”

“I missed you too,” she admitted softly, texting Lake and Freedom to head over. They were bringing her surprise slash ambush. She hoped no one would be mad.

Tack looked over at the cake just as Justice turned toward it after greeting Adley the same way Tack had greeted her.

“Happy Adley saves the day,” Adley chirped.

Justice laughed, shaking his head. “And the presents?”

“For me, of course, because without me doing my magic and saving you from prison, we wouldn’t be married. Well, one of the presents is for everyone,” Adley said.

Justice slipped an arm around Adley, kissing her cheek. “Let’s celebrate Adley saves the day because she’s right. Without her, I’d probably be serving time for a crime I didn’t commit.”

Oh, now Sophia would need to find out about that because everyone had been asking questions about all her issues. Adley and Justice’s story sounded interesting, and she loved a good love story.

Ruthy and Charlie served everyone cake and cookies. Everyone settled into seats to watch Adley open the gifts she’d bought herself.

“Oh, my, look—Justice bought me that new leather backpack I wanted for court. It’s exquisite,” Adley cooed.

Justice shook his head. “Laying it on a bit thick there, aren’t you?”

“Well, this is the only year that we’re celebrating, and I’m buying my own gifts. I expect you to learn this year unless,” Adley said, turning her hand until she was flipping him off.

“No, no, no… I’ll learn. I do not want to go back to you ignoring me and flipping me off as you drive away,” Justice said.

Sophia grinned. “Did that really happen?” she asked Ruthy.