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“So, does that include me? Because I’d quite like to grab Little Miss Judgey over there by her pretty, pink streaks and bounce her head off the sidewalk.” I say it with a smile on my face as I look across at her. Like most fake-assed bitches, I’m sure she can sense I’m talking about her.
“Much as I’d like to see that, yes, that includes you. You're stayin’ at the ranch, therefore when you're around town you're representin’ us.” Garrett sniggers.
“It also means you're gonna be in church tomorrow,” Wade informs me.
“Garrett, who made this guy your election manager?” I cross my arms and wait for his answer.
“He’s right, and that goes for everyone. We’re all in church tomorrow. You included.” He points his finger at Cole.
“Halle-fuckin’-lujah,” Cole grunts under his breath.
“So I looked him square in the eyes and I said, ‘No onespeaks to a Carson like that,’” Dalton explains to us all with his chest puffed out proudly.
“And did ya say it with that excited, little puppy look in your eyes?” Garrett lights up his smoke and smirks.
“Just. Like. That.” Dalton points his finger at the ground to illiterate his words.
“Which is why ya got yourself a split lip and one helluva shiner.” Garrett chuckles.
It’s not been all that long since we found out Dalton is one of us but it don’t feel strange. Maybe, it’s because he’s always been around. Dalton’s been known as Mitch's nephew since he came here as a kid. He wears the brand and we’ve been teasing him like a little brother for years anyway.
“Black eyes and split lips aside, I put you in charge of that cattle drive and you got the job done.” Garrett gives him his dues, reaching his hand out for Dalton to slap, and the kid smiles a little shyly as he smacks it. “Maybe next time don’t throw ya weight around with the biggest guy in the bunkhouse. You know Jonah’s a miserable bastard. Jonah doesn’t fuck around. He knows his job and he likes to get it done.”
“So why d’ya call us all out here?” Tate asks, knocking back his beer and looking curious.
“I got a favor to ask y’all.” The look on Garrett's face turns the atmosphere serious. “You know what’s goin’ down with Harvey Marston right now, and I got my suspicions that he’ll be keepin’ a close eye on us one way or another. I’m gonna be busy keepin’ up with all this phony election crap, and I won’t have my wife feel like a prisoner in her own home. Which means we have to take precautions. I want eyes on the girls at all times.”
“Even the feisty little redhead? ‘Cause I already got my eyes on her,” Finn speaks up and makes me wanna ram my fist down his mouth.
“Yes, even her.” Garrett lights himself a smoke. “If, for any reason, me and Wade can’t be around, the girls’ safety becomes your number one priority. It takes rank over any chores around the yard, ya hear?”
“I hear ya.” Mitch nods his head along with Tate, Finn, and Dalton.
“Who’s with ‘em now?” Finn asks, knowing that the line camp where we meet is a good distance away from the house.
“Jonah, He may not wear the brand but he’s trustworthy. He can watch the girls for times like this. But no one, barrin’ the men sittin’ around this fire, are to know why.”
“Gotcha.” Finn nods his head.
“Is the meetin’ over now, Garrett? I kinda got somewhere I need to be,” Dalton asks, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
“Where you gotta be this time on a Saturday night? Got yaself a date or summat?” Tate laughs.
“Matter of fact, I do.” Dalton pulls his shoulders back and puffs out that chest again.
“A date with who?” Wade takes off his hat and brushes the rim. I can tell by the smirk on his face that whoever Dalton names, he’ll have something clever to say about it.
“I could tell ya, but you ain’t gonna like it.” Dalton shrugs.
“Try me.”
“Karina Walker.”
“As in Leia’s sister, Karina Walker?” Wade gets thrown sideways.
“That piss you off?” Dalton checks.
“Not as much as it will Zayne, that boy’s got one helluva thing for her, has done for years,” Tate points out.
