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“You aren’t taking her back, I will.”
I gave the man a hard look. “I’ve got her.” My tone was sharp.
Keisha looked at her father and at his nod, she moved to take my hand. I pulled my foot from the stirrup, giving her a place to get a hold, then with a push, she was up. Her arms went around me. I may have had to bite back a groan as her warmth pressed into me.
Inferno shuffled where he stood, his head shaking as the other man got closer. Okay, so it wasn’t just me that didn’t like the way he was creeping toward us. The horse shied; his front hoof stomped into the ground.
“Back up, he doesn’t like the feel of you,” I snarled.
“Easton, back off,” someone called out. The man gave me a look that would have cowed anyone else. Not me. All it did was piss me off more.
“Take it slow, yeah?” Tater took the reins, drawing my attention to him.
I nodded. “Yep, slow.”
He made sure I was in control of my temper before stepping back and nodding. I clicked my tongue and squeezed my knees. Inferno took the silent command and started walking back the way we’d come. His gait was smooth just as it had been before.
“You’re good with him. He’s tossed everyone else to the ground. What’s your secret?” Her soft voice in my ear had funny things happening to me. My heart skipped a beat, my breath sucked in, and my dick—if she did that again this ride was going to be very uncomfortable.
“No secrets, I’m just good with horses. Learned from the best, ya know.”
“Hmm…if you say so, cowboy.”
I smiled at her playfulness. If she only knew what she was doing to me right now. Shaking my thoughts back to her horse trouble, I looked over my shoulder, catching her watching me.
“What were you doing before your horse took off? Out there I mean?”
“Trying to find myself.”
“What do you mean by that?” My brows tugged together when she refused to answer. “If you need to talk, I’m still a good listener.”
“I know, Danny boy.” She was quiet as we walked up to the barn. She slid off the horse then looked up before I got down. “Thank you.”
“I smiled. “Nothin’ to thank me for, darlin’, just being your faithful friend. As always.”
Her smile grew at my words. That bright, beautiful smile lit up her face. I was halfway down when she gasped. The fella called Easton had a hold of her bicep and tugged her a few paces into the shadow of the barn. Now, see that right there just pissed me the fuck off. No one deserved to be manhandled like that. It was unfair for someone his size to yank her around like a ragdoll. I hurried to her side, shoving the big bastard away from her.
“Don’t touch her!”
“Fuck off, kid, this has nothing to do with you!”
“Danny…”
My mistake was turning to her as she called my name. His punch landed hard against my jaw. Good for me that I was already turning. Too bad for him that I had older brothers who were a lot meaner than him. I’d learned to fight long ago. I charged him, ducking, putting my shoulder into his gut. I bodily slammed him back into a tree. The leaves shook and rained down on us as he grunted.
“Don’t touch her again,” I called out as I returned his jaw punch with one that had him stumbling back.
I was pulled away from him, my brother’s arm over my chest, as Cody moved to stand before me. “I’d rethink that pig sticker, Easton, or that horse won’t be the only one needing a doctor today.” His voice was low, menacing. No one liked a cheater in a fight. If you couldn’t win it with your fists, then you shouldn’t start a fight.
“What’s going on out here?”
I pushed away from my brother and walked over to where Keisha stood and pulled her into a tight embrace. She was shaking, and if it wasn’t for not wanting to leave her, I’d go beat the shit out of him for real.
2
Keisha
Why was this happening right now—here—in front of God and everyone?
