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“You’re a part of this now, Val. I want you with me,” I declared softly, my thumb stroking her skin.
Her green eyes bounced back and forth between mine as her lips parted at my declaration. I gave her a gentle tug, pulling her to my body. Her breasts were pressed against me, her arms snaked around my waist. I brushed the lock of her hair back. “You good with that?” I murmured, my eyes dropping to her lips.
She nodded. I pressed a kiss to her lips and then spun her to face the door. “Let’s get this shit over with.” Valerie headed into the dining room, and I went to the door. After putting my hat on and checking my pistol, I opened the door, shoving the gun in the waistband of my jeans.
Joseph Grayson was standing on my porch, his back to me as he leaned against the post, staring out into the night.
“Evening,” I greeted.
He didn’t move as he replied, “Mr. Langston.”
I hired the man two day ago after leaving Cathy’s apartment.
Diana, my lawyer, had come over immediately to look over at the contract I’d found. It was a binding and valid contract, no bullshit, which meant that since Cathy’s dumb ass decided to sign it, she has no choice but to do everything Mr. Moonie tells her to. If she didn’t, he would collect all of her assets. Not that there was much left anyways.
My lawyer proceeded to tell me that normal people wouldn’t get away with contracts like this, but Mr. Moonie is far from normal. Things were heating up and I need Hallow Ranch to be defended—by everyone.
Which led me to calling the bounty hunter standing on my porch.
Mags recommended me to him a long time ago. A few years back, there was a harsh winter, and I needed my brother. As usual, he never answered or cared. My friend told me that he knew a guy who would bring him home, if need be. I never made the call. Until two days ago.
“Come on in.”
The man turned then, and I got a good look at him. There was a scar on the right side of his face, starting at his temple and disappearing into his scruff. He was dressed in back cargo pants, and a T-shirt. There was a gun strapped to his waist and a bag sitting by his black combat boots.
I stuck my hand out. “Thank you for coming out.”
He picked up his bag and swung it over his shoulder. “I was in the neighborhood,” he mused, shaking my hand. “Good to meet you.”
Three minutes later, we were walking into the dining room. Valerie was cradling a cup of coffee in her hands, staring out the window.
“Valerie,” I called softly. “This is Joseph Grayson.”
She stood to greet us, stopping to set her cup on the table first. My woman held out her hand to Mr. Grayson. “Hi, I’m Valerie. Thank you so much for coming,” she greeted.
I looked to the man, who was staring at her. Tension settled over us. Mags had warned me about this. Grayson had a past, like all men do, but his involved a woman. A woman nastier and meaner than Cathy. A woman who fucked him up so badly, that after getting out of the military, he never went home.
After a moment, he blinked and took her hand. “Yes, of course.”
My eyes swung to hers and I saw the hesitancy in them. She cleared her throat, hoping to break his stare. He did, muttering an apology to her. I gestured for him to take a seat and put my hand on the small of Val’s back. My lips found her ear as I walked her to her seat around the table. “You alright?”
She nodded, giving me a slight smile.
After taking my seat at the head of table, in my father’s chair, I turned to Mr. Grayson. “I wanted to thank you again—”“Mr. Langston, you are paying me. There is no need to thank me. You just give me the target and I’ll do my job,” he said, cutting the bullshit. I felt a smirk wanting to form on my lips, but I suppressed it. We were going to get along just fine.
“I need you to find my brother,” I stated.
He stared at me, his left brow slowly raising. “Mason Langston?”
“Yes.”
He braced his tattooed forearms on the table, and I took a moment to look at them. They were two snakes starting at his wrists and wrapping up each arm, disappearing under his sleeves. The one on his left was black and the one on his right was dark red. My eyes snapped up to his eyes.
“I wasn’t aware he was missing,” he said incredulously.
“He isn’t,” I sighed, sitting back in my father’s chair. Memories of happier times-simpler times flashed before my eyes. Memories of Mason and I fighting, throwing food at each other while Pop listened to Momma. Memories of Christmas dinner and birthdays. Laughter once filled this room and bounced off these walls. Now this room was rarely used.
I planned on changing that.
