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I glanced at Maddy, worried she’d think I was a bad person to have in her home, but she was smiling at me. Did she know about my history? Had Blaise let her read my background information?
“Blaise knows the truth,” she said softly. “The real truth.” Her smile was reassuring.
“We’re going to the game room. It’s time to see how good your skills are. Maddy sucks at it. Don’t let me down,” Trev said, standing up and holding out his hand for me.
I glanced at Maddy, and she nodded. Standing up, I put my hand in his, and he held it up in the air.
“Come on, you naughty little felon. Let’s go play.”
Eighteen
Huck
The past forty-eight hours had been all work. Pulling through the arched entrance of Hughes Farm was a fucking relief. I’d get some sleep. After eating and taking a shower, I might not get up until tomorrow.
Blaise was out of the passenger side of the Escalade the moment I put it in park outside the stables. He’d been texting with Maddy, and she was working in her office inside the stables today. Maddy had wanted a job, and working on the ranch was the only thing Blaise had been willing to let her do. I would have gladly let her work at the shop, but she was his, and that made her a weakness to the entire family. Having her out there, available for any attack, wasn’t smart. Here, she could work and be safe. When it came to the woman, Blaise Hughes was owned.
In the past forty-eight hours, Blaise had scared the literal shit out of a man twice his size. That was a first, having a grown-ass man shit his pants, but then when Blaise turned on the crazed look, it was impressive. He’d also tortured another man for information and put a bullet in a few others. Yet he was so damn pussy-whipped that he couldn’t get to his woman fast enough. I wondered if she’d mention the blood splatters on his shirt. He hadn’t even taken the time to change.
Stepping out of the vehicle, I headed into the stables. Maddy had only said that Trinity was with her. I had to pick Trinity up and take her back to the house. Gage and Levi had been talking about her cooking since we had headed home this morning. If I didn’t bring back their cook, they’d lose their damn minds. The stables were busy, but that was typical this time of year. I nodded at one of the jockeys, stopped to talk to Kye about a follow-up we needed done with one of our high-end dealers, then headed toward Maddy’s office. I didn’t get far when laughter stopped me.
It wasn’t just the pleasing sound of the laughter, but also the feminine huskiness in the voice. I recognized it even if I’d never heard that laugh myself. My body suddenly felt on edge as my teeth clenched, grinding together as I walked toward the sound. Trinity had never laughed for me. I hadn’t given her a reason to, but it still didn’t sit well.
“I will not!” She let out a squeal.
She was fucking squealing too. What the hell?
My hands fisted at my sides as I turned the corner. Whoever the fucker was making Trinity laugh like that had messed with the wrong man. I wasn’t in the mood for this. I needed goddamn sleep. Not another damn dick trying to get in her pants.
Then, I saw them.
Trev motherfucking Hughes was smiling from ear to ear as he pointed a water gun at Trinity. Shit. It would have to be a damn Hughes. Did the kid have to flirt with every woman he met? Yes. He was a playboy. Why hadn’t Maddy warned Trinity about him?
“Fair is fair,” Trev called out, making Trinity laugh more.
Why was he so damn funny? I wasn’t fucking laughing. Nothing about a water gun was that damn hilarious.
“I’m sorry. Truce!” she cried, holding her hands in front of her face as she turned to run. Her eyes collided with mine then, and the smile that had lit up her face vanished, and she stopped.
Just the sight of me could turn her mood. I hated the way that sat in my chest like a damn ton of bricks.
“And the rodeo squad is back,” Trev said.
The kid had no fear. Stupid fucker knew he was untouchable.
Trinity frowned, glancing back at him.
Trev dropped the water gun and walked up to stand beside her. He nodded his head toward me. “When Maddy met them all the first time, she called them the rodeo squad. It stuck.”
“No, it didn’t,” I snarled. “You’re the only fucker who uses it.”
Trev shrugged, grinning at me.
“Time to go,” I said, turning my gaze back to Trinity.
“Okay,” she replied. “My things are in Maddy’s office.”
“Go on out to the Escalade. I’ll get them,” I told her, then shot little Hughes one last warning glare that only made the fucker grin bigger.
