Caleb's Blessing (18 page)

I held her close all night, turning to her twice more during the night to slake my lust that seemed to know no bounds.

Something had changed, shifted in me for her. Not that I hadn’t loved her before, but now it seemed like my eyes were more open.

In the morning I was the one hovering, seeing to her every need, until it was time to check out and head back home.

“What the fuck is wrong with you lot?” The boys were acting kinda finicky if you ask me, something I knew meant trouble.

I looked at Mikey because if anything, he would be the easiest to break, but Adrian put him in a headlock and dragged him off.

I eyed the others but they had their stoic faces on. “Let’s blow this burg boss.”

I barely spared Diego a glance, before heading for the door with my girl under my arm. Outside the morning was fresh and new, a new dawning of a new day and so much more.

I didn’t question why we were in such an all fired hurry to get to the hangar and gone, I figured like me, they were all just in a hurry to get back home.

It was the whispering once we boarded the plane that told me some shit was up. I didn’t want to say anything in front of her just in case.

My boys have been known to get up to some unsavory shit in the past. Whoever she was I hope she wasn’t anybody’s wife or as in one case, the mayor’s daughter.

She was being a little quiet on the flight but I didn’t press her, things had gotten a little intense last night, and I might’ve been a little much.

Now instead of words I showed her she was loved through actions, like holding her hand the whole way, kissing her fingers every so often just to let her know that even though I was talking to the boys I was very much aware of her.

By the time we landed she seemed to be coming back to herself and was smiling and joining in the conversation more.

Back at the ranch Drake had held things down with a few of the hands from his place and there were no emergencies or fuck ups waiting for me.

I took her into the house before walking back outside to talk to him. I knew what was on his mind and will be for a while, but I wasn’t ready to deal with that shit.

As much as I might want to kill his wife for being a bitch, she was his woman and he loves her. I knew that it would fall on me to erase any tension from here on out. I just wasn’t ready to go there.

“How’d it go?” We both looked off into the distance as we stood in my front yard. He was already in her sheriff’s uniform and I was reminded of one of the reasons that I was so proud of my little brother.

Poor mom and dad, they didn’t get anything out of their kids that they’d expected. I studied business but preferred the rodeo, while Drake went all the way through law school, even passed the bar, but chose to settle for sheriff of our little town, than working in some big shot law firm in the city.

“It went fine I guess, at least the asshole knows what’s waiting for him if her ever sets foot anywhere near her again. I didn’t get to shoot the fucker though, but hey.”

“I just got a call.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, the ex is in the hospital.” I didn’t quite get it at first. I didn’t think that I’d done that damage, the ass really was a soft fuck.”

“What the fuck for? A few punches to the gut and a knee in the nuts? What the fuck was it?”

“Somebody broke his limbs.”

“Say what?” I didn’t let my eyes search out my boys as they went about the ranch making sure that everything was as it should be, but I knew. That’s what the looks and the whispers were about.

I was more upset that they got to do what I’d wanted to than that they’d done whatever the fuck they’d done.”

“I wonder who else he pissed off. Don’t look at me Drake, when I left the asshole was in one piece lying on the sidewalk.”

“The way I hear it he doesn’t know who got him. Something about being awakened in his bed and knocked around by men in masks.”

“You don’t say, well, I can’t say as I give a fuck one way or the other. Thanks for looking after the place for me.”

“No thanks necessary, now, how long before my wife is off your shit list?”

“Don’t ask me that now bro, I’, nowhere near ready to deal with that shit the way you need me to. If it was me she’d fucked with I might see my way clear to forgiving her, but she’s not getting away with fucking with Amanda, no one is.” I looked at him then so he could read the seriousness in my eyes.

“I just wanna know that this isn’t gonna cause a rift in the family, that we can get past this.”

“That’s something you’re gonna have to take up with your wife. She crossed the fucking line bro. You’re my blood and I love you, but that woman in there is my whole fucking heart, and the shit that was done to her isn’t easily brushed aside.

If I were you, I’d be more worried about what the fuck I’m sleeping next to at night than rifts in the family. Think about what she set in motion bro and then ask yourself what you would’ve done if you were in my shoes.”

I walked away because he wasn’t going to get any satisfaction from me today and I wasn’t looking to hurt him. The situation was fucked anyway you looked at it, but I wasn’t about to give in.

I heard him pull out and leave as I approached the barn where the fucks were hard at work already.

“Okay, who was in on it?”

“In on what boss?”

“You know damn good and well what I’m talking about Alex, just tell me, did you leave anything behind?”

“Do we ever?” this is true. I’m surprised the brothers actually left him breathing with their murdering asses.

“We done now, you got it all out of your systems?”

“Yep.” Simon, who I’m sure was the ringleader, didn’t even miss a beat as he moved bales of hay from one place to the next.

“Somebody wanna tell me how it went down?” I folded my arms and waited. I knew they’d tell me eventually I just had to wait them out. And besides, if they didn’t want to share they would’ve already muzzled Mikey and no one was moving towards him yet.

“It was simple, when we looked up the place we looked for his house.”

“So you had this planned before we left?”

“Actually we were planning to bury his putrid ass somewhere but we figured it might come back on you after the whole town saw you beat him to shit.”

“Hmm, and?”

“And nothing, he knows who beat the shit out of him, but unless he wants some more of the same or for his daddy to catch one to the temple he’d keep his mouth shut and stay the fuck put.”

“Thanks boys.”

“No thanks needed.”

“Yeah well I’m doing it all the same, though I wish you’d let me in on it.”

“Nah boss, that would’ve defeated the purpose, you would’ve killed the fuck. We barely restrained ourselves.”

“So what exactly did you do to that fool anyway?”

“Nothing much, we just broke his arms and legs in a couple places, he’ll be good in about a year maybe. Dumb fuck.”

What the fuck could I say to that? I was about to ask something else when my phone went off on my hip.

“Dad?”

“Boy what’s going on with your mother?”

“What, I don’t know what you’re talking about, what’s wrong with mom?”

“I don’t know that’s why I’m asking you. She has that look she gets when something’s going on with one of her kids and I can’t get shit out of her.”

“Did something happen?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Shit I have to go, that Cecily girl just pulled up, and your mother’s loaded for bear, shit.” He hung up the damn phone as I ran towards the barn door and my truck.

I called out to the boys that I’d be back and made a side trip into the house.

She was already busy in the kitchen when I walked up to her and took her in my arms.

“I’ll be right back baby, I have to go see about mom right quick.” I kissed her hard and released her with a slap on her ass.

“Wait, what’s going on?” she dried her hands on a tea towel as she followed me to the door.

“I’m not sure yet, she’s not hurt or anything so stop worrying. I’ll call you when I know okay.”

I kissed her forehead, gave her tummy a little rub and ran back out to my truck.

I hadn’t had time to tell mom about the baby, but if she’d got wind of what had gone down with Cecily and the asshole ex, Cecily was in a shit load of trouble.

She beat me to the fucking truck. I just saw a shadow go by and heard my truck door slam. It was so sudden that at first I thought it was my imagination, but when I got to the truck and ducked my head in, sure enough my little peach blossom was siting in the passenger side looking determined.

“Amanda what’re you doing?”

“I’m coming with you.”

“No you’re not.”

“Am too.” She folded her arms and looked straight ahead.

“Who the fuck...?” I lifted my brow at her as I climbed in beside her. I should really be scolding her for disobeying me, but my lips were twitching instead.

She had gumption. “I don’t have time to fight with you because the other crazy female in my life seems to be on the warpath but you watch yourself you hear me?”

“What does that mean, watch myself?” she gave me the ‘don’t be a male asshole’ look. Damn, already?

“It means do what I say or else.” She actually sniffed and looked out her window.

“Caleb you need to drive this truck and go where you’re going, the faster you do that, the sooner we’ll be there to see about your mom.”

Well shit, it didn’t take her long. I never saw this stubbornness before; it looked good on her, let’s hope I was flexible enough to let her keep it though. I’m one of those do as I say types.

She looked good and pissed as I flew through the streets and I had to wonder if she knew what was going on, though I didn’t see how.

By the time we pulled up to my parents’ home seven minutes later, it looked like we were too late.

I jumped out the truck in time to hear mom lighting into Cecily, not a regular occurrence to be sure, unless someone fucked with one of her kids.

They were standing outside and dad had his arm around mom’s middle, while Cecily was holding the side of her face with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Dad rolled his eyes at me when he saw us coming as he tried to hold onto his little warrior.

“Mama what the hell is going on?” The words were barely out of my mouth, before Amanda moved past me and knocked Cecily on her ass.

“What the fuck? Dad, take these two in the house.” I pushed her towards my dad who was struggling to hold onto mom.

“You fucked with my son and my grandkid, let me go Avery let me at this little bed hopping who...” Dad covered her mouth before she could go any farther.

I’ve never heard my mother swear before that I can recall. She’s said things like shit and damn before, but never anything like this. I had the fleeting though that maybe I should call and warn Drake to protect his idiot wife, when mom gets like this no one is safe, except her kids of course.

“I’m not leaving.”

“Shit! Amanda, baby I’m proud as fuck that you found your voice, but not now okay, let me take care of this. Just go on in the house and I’ll be right there.”

She seemed like she wanted to argue but one stern look was all it took to get her ass moving. Too much!

I turned to the idiot that was still trying to pick herself up off the ground. If I didn’t hate her so much I would feel sorry for her, but fuck that.

“I really don’t care what happens to you, but I’ll give you a piece of advice. The first kid to hit me in kindergarten still crosses the street when he sees my mama, and his parents aren’t any better.

If I were you I would go home and pack whatever I need and light the fuck out because she’s not going to stop. I was planning to destroy your social life in these parts and leave it at that, lesson learned. That one will eat you alive. Now get the hell outta here before she comes back.”

She limped her way to her car and I wondered what the hell mom had done to her before we got here.

Mom was still going strong by the time I made it inside and dad was still vainly trying to calm her down.

“And you, why didn’t you tell me what was going on? I had to find out like this?”

“Who told you and what were you told?”

“Diane came running to me with her stupid self. She’s lucky she did it over the phone or Drake would be looking for a new wife.”

“Okay mama bear calm down before you make yourself ill.”

“The next time you tell me to calm down Avery Dunbar somebody’s gonna get hurt. Is that little bitch gone? What are you doing here anyway Caleb?” She gave dad the stink eye and I stayed out of the line of fire.

I had to cover my mouth to hide the grin because she’d probably brain my ass, but she was too cute.

Her five foot four frame was all but trembling with righteous indignation, and her designer wear and well coiffed hair just didn’t go with the Annie Oakley attitude.