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“I want you to stay in the house, Ruby.” He says it forcefully, his brows furrowed deep as he stares down at me.
I let out a deep breath. I don’t like the look in his eyes. “Where are you going?”
As if in answer, the front door swings open.
A minute later, Ford, Davis and Wyatt are in the kitchen.
Ford points the baseball bat he’s carrying at Charlie. “Y’all ready to go hunt some wolves?”
I look at the bat, frown as hard as I can at Charlie. “What’re you doing with that?”
Ford pretends to knock one out of the park. “Practice.”
Davis shakes his head, rolling his eyes at his twin. “Leave the bat, Ford.”
Ford heaves an exaggerated sigh and leans the bat up against the wall. “Ruins all my fun.”
“That’s my job, brother,” Davis drawls.
“Don’t worry, Ruby,” Wyatt tells me, leaning his athletic frame on the kitchen island. His black eye’s faded to a dull yellow. He wiggles his brows. “It’s small-town legal.”
Teeth gritted, Charlie turns to his brothers. “Let’s finish this.”
The dangerous tone of his voice sends a chill down my spine, and I wrap my hand around his bicep. “Charlie.”
His face softens as he turns to look at me.
I bite my lip, eyeing the pack of angry cowboys ready to snap spines and break bones. “Don’t kill anyone on my account.”
A faint smile tugs at his bearded lips. Then he kisses me, once, twice. “Stay in the house, baby. And lock the door.”
“I will,” I lie. Adrenaline has my heart hammering.
He stares at me and I try to keep my face neutral so he can’t read what I’m about to do.
I wait for them to leave, and when I hear the rumble of the pickup truck echoing across the ranch ...
I pick up Ford’s bat.
Runaway Ranch is alive and electric on this sunny Wednesday afternoon. The guests are happy. A cool breeze blows. Sam waves people into the lodge, a surly smile on his sun-weathered face.
Baseball bat in hand, I sweep the hair out of my eyes as I trek across the pasture to the barn.
Charlie may be going into town today to pound someone’s face into hamburger, but I’m pounding pavement.
Curiosity and determination overtake rational thought. What would my father think? What would my brother say? Then I realize it doesn’t matter.
It’s not about them anymore. It’s about me and the choicesIchoose to make.
I have to do this.
I want to know why Colton and this woman are fucking with Charlie’s ranch. I have a personal stake in it.
Because by being here, I feel like I’ve made this all worse.
Colton’s in the barn, adding new bedding to the stalls. The horses are gone, out on rides or being cleaned by a farmhand.
I slip inside, leaving the door open. Just in case.
