14. Ricky

FOURTEEN

Ricky

She’s like an angel. Her dark hair lies like a shadowy halo all around her on the pillows and sheets. Her pale skin gleams like the purest pearl in the dim light.

I slip out the door, turning to look at her one more time. A rustle at the end of the hall brings my head around and I pace lightly down the hall.

I smile when I see Christopher. “What are you doing up, buddy?”

He leaps about a foot in the air and squeals. “Dang it!”

I lift a brow at him and smirk. “Pretty strong language, buddy. What’s going on?”

He groans and pushes the outside door closed. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It always matters. What’s going on?”

“I’m worried about Harold. What if he’s scared? Or something happens and we don’t know about it because he’s all alone out there.”

I sigh and kneel down in front of him. “Hey. Harold’s good. He likes his house. And there are other animals in that barn. He’s got plenty of company.”

“But…”. I take his hand.

“Do you want to go take a look and see that he’s totally fine? He’s perfectly content where he’s at.”

He nods his head quickly but looks around. “Where’s mom?”

“She’s resting. We can just go take a quick trip out there and you’ll be able to see that all the animals on the ranch right now are very well taken of.”

He glances around. “Are you sure mom won’t care?”

I can’t say that. But I nod my head seriously. “We’re just gonna have to be very careful and make sure that she’s alright with it. She’s super-tired. I’d like to let her sleep.”

Not for any nefarious reason. The thoughts of her being shot are still in the forefront of my brain. I cannot even believe that someone shot her. Cannot believe that I almost lost her for good and I might never have known it. The thought eats at me.

I’d like to think that if the world as I know it ended, I’d feel it. But would I? I don’t know. Realistically, I’m just not sure and that thought tears at me like you wouldn’t believe.

She’s so damn sweet that it’s enough to give you cavities. Who the hell would want to hurt her?

I grunt under my breath as I hold Christopher’s hand and open the outside door. I can tell you one thing… the motherfucker better not show up here or I will personally end him. He took something from me that I didn’t know yet that I wanted. Now I know. I want it. And I want it with that woman sleeping in my bed. And he hurt her. He deserves to fuck roast in hell for that and I’m just the guy to send him there.

My cell rings as I open the door to the barn. I open the door and then pick up the call as Christopher runs forward, Harold sleepily hanging his head over the stall and whickering at the little boy like he’s asking what he’s doing out here this late.

I feel you, Harold.

“Hello,” I whisper and then clear my throat and say again, “hello,” in my normal voice.

“Hey, Ricky. What’s going on around here? Misty and Sebastian were in town this evening and they were looking around at everyone all suspicious. Like they were looking for someone. Or something.”

I groan under my breath. The last thing I need is Louise and granny getting involved in this clusterfuck. The mind pulls away from what they could do. What kind of damage they could cause.

But I pull myself up. “Not sure what you mean.”

“Don’t you bullshit me, Ricky. Something’s up and I think it has to do with the new guy I saw in town yesterday.”

My head comes up and I growl under my breath. “New guy? What new guy? When did you see him and why didn’t you say anything?”

She huffs. “Because nobody told me a damn thing, Ricky. You’re still not saying anything. You’re just grumbling at me. Tell me what the hell is going on?”

“It’s Caro’s story to tell. But suffice it to say that there may be someone coming to town who might be a problem for her.”

“That darling girl? Well, don’t you worry. I’ll take care of him the next time I see him.”

My heart freezes in my chest so fast my head almost spins. “What does that even mean, granny?”

“It means that I know how to kill a sidewinder, my boy. I know exactly how to take care of a snake in the grass and make sure he doesn’t cause that darling girl anymore trouble.”

“Granny, you need to keep out of this. I’ve got too much going on to try and keep you out of trouble too.”

“I don’t need you to tell me how to take care of myself, Ricky. I wiped your ass when you were a baby. Don’t think you’re gonna take that tone with me.”

I huff out a breath and then run my fingers through my hair. “I’m just trying to keep you safe. You don’t realize how dangerous this guy is. He shot two women, for fuck’s sake.”

“Well then, it’s doubly important that I teach that man a lesson in manners. You’re not supposed to hit a woman let alone shoot one…er two. This guy is going down.”

She hangs up before I get the chance to say one word. Just dial tone.

“Fuck!” I growl under my breath. This is rapidly becoming a shit show.

I’m not sure what’s going on, but I know one thing. With granny and Louise involved…things just went from bad to worse.

“You used a really bad word, Mr. Rick. Mama wouldn’t like that.”

I smile and ruffle his hair, tamping down the nerves that are threatening to swamp me and my better judgement.

“I’ll make sure that I keep a lid on it around your mother. Just don’t tell on me, okay?”

Christopher tips his head to the side like an inquisitive little bird. “I shouldn’t say yes to that, you know. Mama definitely wouldn’t like that.”

“You know…sometimes you’re like talking to a fifty-year old kid.” I snort as he eyes me like I’m a lunatic. Yeah. I know, kid. I think I’ve left the reservation too.

“I’m not even close to fifty.”

I hear a truck pulling up outside and I peek out the door, sighing when I see that it’s Jace. I’m not sure how he got back here so fast, but something tells me that I’m not gonna like his answer right now.

“Can you stay in here and keep an eye on Harold? I’ve got to go talk to my buddy, but I’ll be right back.”

“Okay. Harold’s really tired so I think we’ll just sit down and take a nap.”

I don’t bother telling him that horses don’t like to lie down and nap. I won’t be long.

“Hey, Jace! What the hell’s going on? When did you get here?”

“I just got into town and I wanted to let you know that we’ve got a massive problem. Angel has been Senator Ashford’s little side piece for a while now. Possibly even a couple of years. Now…somebody just decided to let Mrs. Senator Ashford know about Angel. She didn’t take it well which means that Senator Ashford doesn’t like it He’s not a nice guy and he’s got some pretty bad connections with some very bad people. Those bad people don’t like him in the news and they sure as hell don’t like it when he starts yammering about his personal life.”

“Okay. What does that have to do with me and Caro?”

“Caro made the mistake of confronting him about shooting her sister. She’s got a small wound in her belly. Casey, well, this is Casey. She’s helping me track down Angel right now.”

I turn and look at the tiny woman who steps out of the truck. Her cool blue eyes lock on me like a she-wolf after prey.

“Who are you exactly?” I ask.

She smirks wryly. “I’m the best chance there is to get your girl out of this intact.”

“You’re pretty sure of yourself,” I scoff.

“I am very sure of what I can and cannot do, Mr. Rowe.” She nods towards Jace. “This guy thinks he’s better than me but I guarantee you…it’s not true. I’m the best there is.”

Jace smirks at her, his full lips twisting wryly. “Baby…I keep telling you that you aren’t as good as you think you are.”

The two of them glare at each other and I whistle loudly. “Hey, assholes! Let’s focus! What exactly is the plan?” I turn towards Jace and grimace. “Oh…by the way. Granny found out something’s going on and as per her…she wants in.”

Jace grimaces. “Can’t you have the sheriff lock her up? Public safety and all that.”

“Nope. The last time I asked him for help with her, she kneed him in the groin. He’s very careful around her now.”

Jace snorts. “Shit. I can see that easily. So what do we do now?”

“Start patrolling the ranch more efficiently, better coverage with y’all’s help. And pray that granny gets distracted by something else.”

“That’s a prayer I can get behind, man. Amen to that.”