Chapter Forty-Three - Westin

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

WESTIN

We move through our rituals. She keeps to the rules in our contract as best she can. I tie her up and eat her out until she cries from coming so hard. Then, I rub her back, tell her she's a good girl, and put lemon candy on her tongue until she melts into me.

She blossoms.

Her face fills out first, and then her body follows. At some point, she went from being underweight to soft with gentle curves. Her breasts are full and teardrop shaped. They fit so well in my hands. Her hips and thighs fill out until they shake when I fuck her on her hands and knees.

I eat those curves up. Her skin is soft like flowers, her mouth sweet, her pussy like heaven.

I thought I was in love before, but it had nothing on what I feel now.

We race through winter, both too distracted and drunk on each other to do more than work and fuck. Then, suddenly, I go out to do chores, and the air smells like spring. The soggy snow pulls back to reveal dark earth. I have to leave my muddy boots in the hallway before going upstairs .

Sovereign and I planned for an early calving season, following the trend of last year. We bring in the expectant cows and keep an eye on them. More often than not, I wake to a knock on the door and end up digging a breech calf out. It's unpleasant, but that's business on a cattle ranch.

The cows don't birth easy this year. They struggle, and the calving season is full of bloody nights. I tell Sovereign it's on account of the mothers born during the drought being small.

He says he thinks that's true. Maddie washes the windows of the barn with Florida Water and says she'll pray about it.

The losses hit hard. It's thankless work. The ranch hands and wranglers assist where they can. Whoever is awake helps, but usually, it's Sovereign, Jensen, and I who end up with the midwifery.

Sovereign wakes me at three one night, and we head to the barn. There's a dappled shorthorn cow in the back stall. I check the brand and flip her tag. This is her first year having a calf. I run my hand down her nose, shushing her as her sides heave.

"She's gone on too long," Sovereign says, stripping off his shirt. "She needs help."

I unlatch the gate and enter the warm, dark stall. He runs his hand down her spine, and I hold her head while he checks her progress. I hear his heavy sigh as he straightens.

"Fucking breech," he says.

"I'll get the shit," I say, leaving the stall.

We work quickly and silently. The cow is quiet, which I don't like. A loud cow is a fighting cow. Silent means all the strength has leached out of her. We work hard, and it's thirty minutes later when we get the calf out and cleaned up. I mix a bucket of sweet molasses with hot water and urge her to drink it, but she just watches me with glassy eyes.

Sovereign stands in front of her, his hands on his hips. His head drops, and I hear him swear under his breath. I've never seen him like this before.

"She's alright," I say .

He shakes his head once. "Keira and I are going to start trying for a baby when I get unsnipped. This shit gets me now, feels real."

The pieces fall into place.

"Keira will be fine," I say. "She's strong."

He nods. "I've always liked being so far out, away from town. But now, I wish the hospital was closer."

I clap my hand on his shoulder, giving him a shake.

"I'll get this cow fixed up," I say. "You go to bed."

He nods, finding his shirt and leaving. In the quiet of the barn, I ease the cow into the back of the stall and dip my fingers into the water. Slowly, I get her to taste it, then to drink. Then, just as the morning sun cracks through the window, she starts eating. Her eyes go from glassy to watching her calf with interest.

Relieved, I settle with my back against the wall and close my eyes. For right now, the world is right.

"Westin."

I crack my eyes open to find Diane leaning on the door. A shaft of sunlight cuts through the window and makes her golden hair glow.

"Good morning," I say wearily.

"Long night?" she asks. "Keira said Sovereign left at three and didn't come back till five."

I nod, rising. I'm streaked with iodine and afterbirth, but my heart is light. I kiss her, and she unlatches the door to let me out.

"Want breakfast at the ranch house?" she asks.

"Let me shower. I'm filthy."

She cocks her head as we head back to the gatehouse. "Want company?"

My dick twitches. "I'd never turn that down, darling."

Nothing feels better than stepping into the hot shower after a night like that. I stand under the water with my head back and just let it beat down on my chest. She takes her time pinning her hair up. It's gotten so long, it hangs to her waist. Then, she slips in beside me and grabs the soap.

Her hands are soft and careful as she lathers it over my torso.

"Sorry I have to keep leaving you at night," I say .

She shrugs. "I grew up on a farm. I know how it is."

"This spring has been hard."

Her face sobers, her soapy palm stilling on my upper abdomen.

"Spring is here," she whispers, "which means, they'll start building the road soon if no one stops them."

I lift her chin. "Deacon and I are going to take care of it," I say. "It's in his interest to stop the people doing this as much as it's mine."

Her forehead scrunches. "Is that what you talk about with him?"

"It's some of it."

"Can I know what you're planning to do?"

I shake my head, using my thumb to smooth the worry wrinkles from her brow. "Trust me, darling, I'll always come through for you."

"I'd bet a lot on you two," she manages.

"That's my girl." I kiss her forehead.

Her eyes close. She takes a deep breath, and they open again.

"You're both wild cards," she said. "Please get my farm back, but don't do anything that will kill you. I need you. If I have to pick, I'll take you."

I'm speechless. I know how much that land means to her, and I never thought I'd hear those words from her lips.

"You won't have to pick," I promise.

She sniffs and starts rubbing soap into my skin again. "I just want you to know that."

I pull her into me and rest my chin on her head. "I know it, darling."

We end up fucking in the shower, as usual. She wraps her legs around my waist, and I take her hard against the wall. Then, we dry off and get dressed, walking hand in hand to the ranch house.

The main hall is full. Everything smells like sausage gravy and biscuits. Diane goes to find us a seat and I head to the table to fill our plates.

I sink down at Sovereign's side, Diane on my right, and take a sip of black coffee. He has dark circles under his eyes. I doubt he went back to sleep.

"Cow's fine," I say. "She just needed a little patience. "

His shoulders sink, and he nods. "Fucking hate this time of year sometimes," he says.

"It's not all bad," Keira says softly, linking her arm through his elbow. "Some good things are happening."

For a second, I think she's implying she's pregnant, but that would be strange, given that Sovereign has been snipped for almost two decades and he hasn't gotten it reversed yet.

"We thought we'd get married soon," Keira says. "Here, at the ranch."

Diane's face lights up. "Really? That's exciting."

It's a relief to me that Diane gets along so well with Keira and Maddie. She needs the companionship of other women. I have my doubts that David ever let her go anywhere, and I know Thomas only let her out to shop, so it's good to see her warming up to having friends.

Sovereign clears his throat and leans back.

"I was hoping you'd marry us, Westin," he says.

"Polygamy's not legal in Montana," I say. "You'll have to take turns."

He gives me a withering stare, but I see a muscle in his cheek twitch. Keira smirks over her coffee, and Diane elbows me in the ribs and rolls her eyes. For the first time in a while, the mood is light.

It feels so fucking good.

"Sure," I say. "I'd be honored to officiate."

Sovereign sits back, reaching in his pocket. He comes up with a crushed pack of cigarettes and gets to his feet. "I hope you know what you're doing, Westin."

I glance up, unsure what he means.

"Deacon Ryder just walked his ass into my house," he says.

I turn, and sure enough, Deacon Ryder stands by the door talking with Jensen. Sovereign and Deacon aren't enemies, but they're natural competitors. We do business together when we need to and go our separate ways.

I follow Sovereign across the room, leaving Diane with Keira. I'm glad to see they're both talking, their heads together. I hate leaving her alone sometimes, especially on days when I know all she wants to do is lay in bed and turn over her worst memories in her head.

"Let's talk outside," Sovereign says.

We leave the hall and head out to the barn. The ground is thick with mud in the yard, but it dries up as we circle to the back pasture. It's warmer now that the sun has risen, and it feels good through the fabric of my shirt. Deacon stops and lights a cigarette, offering one to each of us.

"The road got the green light," Deacon says.

"I assumed it would," Sovereign says.

"How much time before they start building?" I ask.

Deacon shrugs. "Maybe a month or two. There are still building permits being processed. David Carter got an offer on the land from the gas company."

Fuck.

"Alright," I say grimly. "He hasn't signed it."

"No," Deacon says. "I'd say he's reluctant."

I'm sure it's a bitter pill for David to swallow that his farm is being forced out from under him. He didn't want the road put through, but now that the Garrisons are gone, he has no choice. I know him well enough to guess that he'll reap all the money he can from the farm as it goes down.

His heart's not soft, not like Diane's.

"I can't buy it," Sovereign says. "Like I said, I'm cash poor until the season is through."

Deacon shakes his head. "Don't think it's for sale for anyone but Vince Cassidy and Corbin Buchanan."

Sovereign takes a slow drag on his cigarette. The smoke drifts to the sky.

"It sounds to me like you two have a problem," he says. "A joint problem. Maybe one that could be solved the way I solved my last one."

I glance sideways at Deacon. "We've talked about that."

Deacon relates our conversation in the cafe to Sovereign. I stand there struggling not to let my anger get the best of me. Ever since she told me what David did, rage has sat in my chest like a barely-contained wild animal.

Head down, but ears alert, waiting for a chance to lash out.

"You think you can get Cassidy and Buchanan into a car together and force them off the bridge?" Sovereign asks slowly.

I shake my head once, jerking out of my reverie. "Yeah. We need to find an excuse to invite a shit ton of people up here. Everybody knows you carpool so you don't have fifty odd trucks parked on the hill."

"What if that doesn't work?" Sovereign asks.

"I guess we can always slice a few tires."

He thinks about it for a minute and then shrugs. "If that's what you want. But just know, if I die and go to hell, it'll just be me waking up to a shit ton of people on my ranch."

"I know," I say. "But I helped you get your girl."

He stabs out his cigarette. "And I'll help you get yours."

We part ways, and I go back to the gatehouse. Diane is in the bath when I return. I pause in the doorway, just taking in how pretty my girl is. For a moment, the heaviness of what I have to do weighs me down. Then she turns, offering me a smile, and my head goes empty.

I lean over the tub, bending her head back, and kiss her mouth.

"Hello, sir," she whispers.

"Hello, darling."

Her gaze is sober as it lingers on me.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

She chews her lip. "Do you still want…to marry me?" she whispers.

I crouch down, taking her chin between my fingers. Her big eyes with their sexy droop are soft. My chest is tender; I just want to take her to the bed and fuck her gently and kiss her mouth, to try to get her to understand how deep my feelings for her go.

"Of course," I say, my voice hoarse. "I wanted to give you time, but I'd marry you tomorrow if I could."

Her lips tremble. "Really?"

"Anytime, anywhere. "

She stands, and I rise with her. Her wet body presses to mine, and her hands wrap around my neck. She's so soft now; not just her body, but in the way she touches me, the way she trusts me. I carry her out to the bed. In the top drawer of the dresser, where I keep our toys, is the ring I bought her in the winter. I take it out and cross the room.

"Hold out your hand," I say.

She does, her brows rising when I slip it on her finger. Her breasts heave and her throat bobs as the ring glitters in the dim light.

"It's beautiful," she whispers. "How long have you had it?"

"A while," I murmur, kissing between her breasts. "When can I marry you?"

"The summer," she says. "I want Keira to have her moment."

"Do you want to just go to the courthouse?"

She shakes her head. "No, I want a real wedding. Everyone at the ranch, anyone else you want there, can come. And I want David there as well."

Shock ripples through me. Did she just say that? I lift my head. "What?"

She purses her mouth. "I want him to see that he didn't break me. Maybe I'll never have Carter Farms, but I will be happy. Fuck him."

I hesitate. She gives me a sharp look.

"I am that petty, Westin," she says.

My heart thumps as I bend down and kiss her deeply. "It's not pettiness, darling. He deserves it."

I let her go back to bathing, and I head downstairs. The wild animal in my chest is jerking at its leash, raring to go. Time to let Deacon know I just got my opportunity to invite a shit ton of people up to Sovereign Mountain.

Now, all I have to do is decide what I feel like doing to David Carter. Fuck figuring anything else out. Getting Carter Farms in Diane's name can wait.

I want blood.