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“Yeah well, Zayne ain’t ever had the balls to ask her out, has he?” Dalton makes a fair point back.
“Speakin’ of the River Boys, where are they tonight?” Mitch changes the subject.
“Havin’ one of their parties, I assume. I didn’t need them here for this. It’s you guys that are here around the ranch and the girls, and it's you guys who need to be alert on this.”
“You still trustin’ them in all of this? We can’t forget that they worked for Harvey way before they worked for us.” I shrug, toking back on my cigarette.
“And let’s not forget that they wear the brand.” Garrett looks pissed at my suggestion. “They don’t workforus, they workwithus. Anyone else here got their doubts?” he asks the men around us, and all their heads shake.
“I got no doubts, so can I—”
“Get the fuck outta here,” Garrett interrupts Dalton before he can finish, then waits for him to get in his truck and drive away before he looks toward Finn and Tate.
“I thought I told ya to speak to the bunkhouse boys and explain that they listen to him.”
“We did,” Finn answers for them both. “It was all going well until he threw his weight around with Jonah.”
“Well, next time make it a little clearer. He’s a Carson, he gets treated like one, okay?” Garrett warns.
“Ya want me and Finn, here, to give Jonah a taste of his own shit?” Tate asks.
“Nah, lessons like that won’t hurt the boy.” Garrett shakes his head. “Besides, I figure you're gonna wanna be headin’ to this River Boys’ party yourselves?” Garrett checks with the two of them.
“It has been a long week, Boss.” Finn winks.
“Then I guess this meetin’ is over.” Garrett stands up to stomp out the fire while Tate and Finn clear up the empty bottles, putting them into the box on the back of the truck.
When we get back to the yard, I offer to check on the horses so Garrett and Wade can get back to their women. Jonah nods at us as he steps off the porch where he’s been sitting and heads back toward the bunkhouse. I wait until my brothers are through the door before I follow after him, grab the back of his shirt, and drag him between the stable and the haybarn.
“What the…?” He looks scared when I push my forearm up against his throat and pin him to the wall.
“I’m tellin’ ya this because I happen to like ya,” I start, using my free hand to take out my Swiss Army knife and flick up the sharp blade so I can press it on his cheek. “You ever lay a finger on my brother again, I will cut out your eyes and make ya swallow ‘em. Ya got that?” I wait for him to nod before I release him and march off to check the horses.
It’ll be pointless headin’ back to the bunkhouse now. Mitch ain’t been there since Jimmer sent that girl here from Colorado, Tate and Finn are heading to the lake house, and everyone elsein there is too scared to speak to me. All I’d end up doing is lying on my bunk and thinking about Savannah. So instead, I find myself some jobs that will keep me out here.
“Sure you don’t wanna come? Your girl’s gonna be there.” Finn pokes his head around the door, he must have sprayed on some cheap aftershave ‘cause he don’t smell like he’s from round here, anymore.
“I don’t got a girl,” I remind him, patting Rebel’s nose and wondering what the hell Savannah’s doing going to a River Boys’ party.
“Bullshit. I know that little speech you gave us all about her bein’ off limits when she first got here didn’t come from Garrett. I asked him about it.”
“And whatwasyour business askin’?” I bore my eyes into his.
“Because she’s hot as fuck,” he answers me square on without any apology and I figure I’m making this far too easy on him.
“Then why ain’t you takin’ her out tonight? Even Dalton’s got the balls to ask the girl he likes on a date.”
I take a brush and start brushing Rebel’s neck. It don’t need doing again, but it gives me something to do with my hands rather than smash them into Finn’s skull.
“This ain’t about me not havin’ the balls and you know it. This is about me respectin’ my brand. Whatyougotta remember, Cole, is that there ain’t many men in town who wear it, and right now that girl ya like is at a party with no idea how you feel about her and lookin’ for a good time.”
“She ain’t my girl,” I correct him again, getting even more frustrated.
“Whatever ya say.” He slaps his hand against the stable door before he heads toward his truck.
I continue to groom Rebel, taking my anger out on the long, sharp strokes of the brush while I let Finn's words sink in. I can’thelp picturing her there. Everyone knows what goes on at River Boys’ parties, girls go wild, and the guys go wilder. It’s all drugs, liquor, and free fuckin’ game. Eventually, I give up trying to distract myself, switching off the lights and closing up the stable for the night. My blood is pumping as I storm across the yard toward the bunkhouse. The bunkhouse I now sleep in so she could have my room. Since Mom came back into our lives the house has been far too crowded, up to now I’ve always liked the idea of Savannah sleeping in my bed. I don’t like the idea of her sleeping in my bed after she’s been fooling around with another guy. The idea of that makes me want to throw things. I pause when I get to the bunkhouse door, closing my eyes and taking in a deep breath.
“Fuck!” I ball up my fists as I admit defeat, then turning my ass around, I head for my truck.
