Twins for the Bull Rider (6 page)

Logan shifted at her side, ducking his head, his features firm. “We're sorry to hear that.”

Cissy nodded and a muscle twitched beside her mouth. “Crystal left the boys to me. She asked me before...” She paused, squinting hard against the sun. “I promised her I'd take care of them. I've waitressed, cashiered and had just about every menial job you can think of so I'm no stranger to work. It's just—I've had a rough run of luck lately. The restaurant where I worked nights closed down and I had to quit my day job to take care of Crystal toward the en—” Her voice broke. “Anyway, I ended up losing my apartment. So I don't have a place for the boys at the moment. And I can't afford to get my car fixed.”

Dominic felt a surge of admiration when she opened her eyes and looked at them both head-on.

“I promised Crystal I'd take care of them. And I will,” she said. “I just need a chance to get back on my feet.”

“Well, we can always use another hand on the ranch,” Logan said.

Cissy brightened. “That's what I was hoping—”

“It's hard work, though,” Logan interrupted. He frowned, surveying her small frame. “Long hours. It can be rough.”

She released the fence rail and turned to peer up at Logan. “I can do it. Whatever it takes. I've got to start somewhere soon. I have to. If I leave here now, the way things are, I know I won't have a chance. And if I lose those boys—” she inhaled deeply “—I'll lose everything.”

Dominic's stomach dropped. If there was one thing Logan would understand, it would definitely be the loss of a child. Logan's features remained blank. Whatever emotion Logan felt, he kept it buried deep.

Dominic turned away. Why the hell had he waited so long to come home this time out?

“Please give me a shot,” Cissy continued. “If I don't deliver, you can cut me loose.”

Logan studied her for a moment, then sighed. “All right. First thing tomorrow, I'll show you around and get you started.”

“Is there a chance I could start now? I can't pay you for the room last night or for our meals today. But there's enough hours left in the afternoon for me to get even if not ahead.”

Dominic couldn't restrain the words bursting from his mouth. “Cissy, slow down. It's Sunday. Y'all just got what I imagine was your first good night of sleep in a while. Give the boys a chance to settle in and enjoy a couple days' rest with them first.”

“No.” She brushed him off, turning back to Logan.

Dominic was ready to fire back but Logan shot him a sharp look before saying, “Okay. But you'll need more space with the boys if you're gonna be here for a while. We'll go move your things to Dom's old rooms on the first floor. Then we'll get started. And I've got a friend that'll fix your car up at a decent price. I'll have it towed out to him.”

“Thanks, Logan,” she said, pumping his hand and smiling brightly before ducking under the fence and sprinting toward the boys.

“What the hell are you doing?” Dominic spat, glaring at Logan. “You gonna work her on a Sunday? She just pulled off the road.”

“You heard her, Dom. It's what she wants to do.”

“Yeah, I heard. But that's when you talk some sense into her and tell her to hold off for a few days.” He watched her slow to a jog as she reached the boys. “Wouldn't it be better to let the boys settle in first before she hits the ground running?”

“Probably. But that's not what she wants, baby brother.” Logan pushed off the fence and smirked. “And my advice would be to not try to talk her out of it. She doesn't seem to be the type to pander about.”

Dominic sucked his teeth. That was for damn sure. But it was still worth a try.

His profile tingled under Logan's intense scrutiny.

“Easy, bro,” Logan said, his voice firm. “You get tangled up in this and it'll trip you up when you get ready to hit the road again. Besides, you left me in charge of running the place. So it's not really up to you. That is, of course, unless you changed your mind and intend to stay put.”

Dominic's shoulder tensed. He refused to face him.

“Yeah—” Logan's voice drifted off as he ducked under the fence and moved away “—that's about what I expected.”

Dominic flinched. It wasn't so much Logan's words that wounded. It was the way he said them. The wry tone. As though there were no other possible outcome but for Dominic to disappear again.

He could hear him now.
Typical Dom. Give him an inch and he'll run ten miles.

Though he couldn't blame Logan. He hadn't been much of a brother to him lately. Or at all, for that matter.

A crack of laughter rang out across the paddock.

Kayden straddled Pop's shoulders and whipped a lasso over his head. “Keep still, Jayden. I got it now,” he called out, his voice faint but discernible.

Pissed though he was, that wrenched a chuckle from Dominic. Less than half an hour and that boy had his hands on another rope. Pop had probably handed his rope over to the boy as easily as Dominic had this morning. Pop always turned into a sucker when it came to kids.

The lasso whirled through the air and looped neatly around Jayden, who stood a few feet away, hands by his sides. Cissy unwound the lasso from Jayden. Kayden scrambled off Pop's shoulders, keeping hold of his end of the rope.

“Nicely done, Kayden,” Cissy called. “Now give the rope back.”

“Nope. Pop said I could have it.”

“Kayden, you don't need it.”

“Yes, I do.”

“No, you don't.”

“Yes, I do.”

They struggled in a tug of war for a moment before Kayden snatched it from her grasp and tore off, a cloud of dust billowing with each step. Cissy took off after him, fussing the entire way. Pop and Logan laughed, Jayden bouncing with excitement between them.

Dominic found himself inching forward. Pop was in hog heaven with those boys. And Logan's laugh was the first genuine one he'd heard in ages.

Before he knew it, he was striding toward the laughter inside the paddock.

It'd be time to go soon enough. But right now, he was right where he wanted to be.

Chapter Four

“Gahlee! How much do these things poop?”

Cissy squinted tighter and squatted lower, scraping her shovel against the stall floor. The muscles in her shoulders and arms screamed with each forward thrust. The acrid smell of manure flooded her nostrils and billowed around her.

Wrinkling her nose, she wondered the same thing herself. Every afternoon for the past two weeks, they'd mucked the stalls. And every day it seemed to take longer and longer.

“Kayden, stop complaining and help your brother.”

“But we've been doing this for forever,” he whined. “I want to do something else.”

Cissy drew upright, wincing at the ache that spread throughout her upper body, and prayed for patience. Kayden slumped against the wall, running that dang rope through his hands. Down, up and then back again. Just as he'd been doing for the past half hour.

She blinked away a fat drop of sweat that stung the corner of her eye and leveled a stern look on him. “I don't think you can really say you've been doing much of anything other than lollygagging and complaining. If you pitched in and helped, the time would pass much faster.”

“Yeah,” Jayden piped from his crouch in the corner of the stall. “If you helped.”

The shovel Jayden clung to extended several feet above him and the handle bopped against his head with each of his awkward movements. But he continued sifting through the shavings.

Kayden's face scrunched into a sour glare. “Who asked you?”

“I asked myself.” Jayden glowered back.

“Cut it out, boys.” Cissy gestured with a weak hand. “Kayden, bring the wheelbarrow closer.” She smiled, giving Jayden a nod of encouragement. “Jayden, you're doing good. Keep it up.”

Kayden groaned, then flounced out of the stall to stomp around the corner. Cissy rolled her eyes and firmed her grip around the rough handle of the shovel.

Stubborn whippersnapper
. Everything always turned into a battle with him.

Kayden knew how to push her buttons better than anyone. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get a handle on that kid. The only one who seemed to have any control over him was Dominic. And darn if that wasn't a blow to her pride.

Cissy frowned. What was it Dominic had told her the other day?
Stick to your guns and don't give in
. She shook her head, slinging the sweaty strands of her hair away from her face. Easy for him to say. He just swooped in when it was playtime. He didn't spend every waking second with them, disciplining and correcting. Lecturing and worrying.

Worrying...
Her worries had multiplied by a thousand since she'd taken Jason's most recent phone call.

She stabbed the shovel deep into the shavings. Jason knew where they were now. She hadn't been able to put off telling him anymore. He'd been strangely silent at the news. Then, he'd asked the question she'd been most afraid of.

Could he come down to meet her? They needed to talk.

She'd tap-danced around an answer but knew that wouldn't be the end of it. Jason was their father. And if she wanted a real shot at keeping the boys, she had to be smart in her dealings with him. Like it or not, one move from him could tumble her shack of cards.

“My arms are getting tired, Aunt Cissy.” Jayden dropped his shovel and rubbed his hands up and down the outside of his arms.

“It's okay,” she said. “Why don't you help Kayden with the wheelbarrow?”

He complied, taking slow, tired steps out of the stall to join Kayden.

Cissy cringed, dragging the toe of her shoe through the shavings on the floor. She had worked them hard the past couple of weeks. Maybe too hard. But she couldn't afford to pay anyone to watch them and, though they offered, she didn't want to take advantage of any of the Slade men's good nature. She didn't do charity.

“Okay. Here.” Kayden rounded the corner and plopped the wheelbarrow down with a rocky thump. “Can me and Jayden go do something now? I bet Mr. Dominic would let us paddleboat again.”

“No. You're not to interrupt the men during the workday. You know that.”

He kicked the ground and slumped. “Well, can we at least take a break?”

“All right.” Shavings sprayed as they took off. “But stay in the barn,” she shouted at their backs.

“Okay, Aunt Cissy,” Jayden whooped back.

Kayden, as anticipated, did not offer any promises.

Cissy waited until she heard their footsteps stop. The slap of the rope against the barn floor started up and their sporadic laughter chimed out. Relaxing, she turned back to her task.

Scoop, shake low and then tip out into the wheelbarrow. Repeat. Over and over. She plunged back into the job, sweat streaming down her nape and tickling her spine. She followed the barn manager's directions to the letter and angled each toss of the shavings so the smaller balls of manure would roll out separately.

Scoop, shake, tip, repeat. Again. And again. And again. Then move to the next stall.

A tired laugh burst out on her next exhale. Who would've thought she'd become such an expert on manure? She shrugged her shoulders with the last heave of the shovel. Who cared? As long as it brought in money. Her small pile had grown over the past few days, but she needed more. Every job counted.

“You making an art out of this or what?” Dominic's broad shoulders filled the entrance to the stall. His sexy rumble and come-hither stare commanded the small space.

Cissy's belly warmed. His T-shirt, snug as ever, clung to every bulge of muscle in his upper body. His long, thick legs were encased in denim and the ever-present buckle and boots just added to his appeal. He was the coolest, most intoxicating drink of water she'd seen in years.

And here she was. Sweaty, dirtied up and reeking of manure.

She lifted her chin. It didn't matter. There was no room for him in her life. Job, money and a new home. That was all she would think about.

“Someone has to do it,” she returned. “It may as well be me.”

His brown eyes skimmed down the length of her. “Yeah, but you could take a break once in a while. Let one of the hands help you out. You look just about dead on your feet.”

Her lip curled. “Gee, thanks. What a charmer you are.”

Dominic smiled, white teeth catching his lower lip, dimples popping. “I do my best, baby.”

Sexy devil.

Dominic reached out, snagging the wheelbarrow with his large hand and rolling it closer to her. “Seriously, you need to take a day off. You've been working from sunup to sundown for two weeks straight.”

“Yeah, well.” She dumped the last wet clump of waste into the wheelbarrow. “I need the money.”

“All you have to do is ask, you know? It's okay to ask for help every now and then.”

She was sure her expression reflected her disdain.

Sighing, he shook his head. “Well, it's nice to see you took Pop up on his offer to watch the boys. That's something at least.”

“What are you talking about?” She froze, tilting her head and straining to hear the slap of the rope again. “They weren't out there?”

“Out where?”

“Out in the barn,” she stressed, pushing around him and dropping the shovel with a clatter. “I told them to stay put.”

She scanned the entrance. No sign of them. Spinning, she darted back to the other end of the stalls, poking her head over the tops of each as she passed.

“Boys?” She hated the anxious tremble in her voice but she couldn't tamp down her worry.

“Relax, Cissy.” Dominic caught her elbow, slowing her steps. “They're probably just out roaming around. Boys do that from time to time.”

“I know that,” she snapped. “That's the problem. There's no telling what they're up to.”

“They're probably just out at the paddock helping Logan. It's time for the last trail ride to come in.”

“No, they know they're not supposed to bother any of you when you're working.”

Her mind raced to settle on the greatest likelihood of where they would go. Back to the main house? No. Ever since they'd arrived at the ranch the boys had wanted to stay outdoors.

Think, Cissy, think
. What had Kayden been harping on lately? He hated work. Nothing new there. He wanted to tag along with Dominic. Well, Dominic was standing right in front of her and he wasn't with him.

She bit her lip. What had he asked about earlier? Paddleboats. But those always got anchored by six, and it was almost eight o'clock now. Surely they wouldn't try taking one of those out? There'd be no way they could get anywhere since the boats would be tied down.

Her blood rushed, pounding through her veins in frantic bursts. There'd also be no one there to make sure they didn't attempt it. Or fall into the water trying...

“Kayden mentioned something about paddleboats earlier.” The words broke past the lump in her throat.

Dominic's brow furrowed. His mouth opened but no sound emerged, a worried glint in his eyes.

That was enough to warrant her fears. She jerked out of his grasp and flew from the barn, her jeans pocket snagging on the handle of the wheelbarrow and tipping it over in the process.

“Cissy, wait.”

Ignoring Dominic's call, she tore across the field back toward the paddleboat dock. It was fast approaching dark, making it difficult to discern more than just the outline of the boats in the distance.

Please let them be all right
.
Please
.

“Kayden?” Cissy struggled to shout. Her chest burned. She panted and pushed forward, ignoring the shooting pains in her thighs. “Jayden?”

“Aunt Cissy!” Jayden's frightened voice drifted on the air whipping by her ears.

She reached the dock, her shoes pounding across the wood slats. Two yellow-and-white paddleboats were tied down on the right side of the dock. Her eyes fluttered shut as she sighed. They were still anchored.

She rushed to the other side of the dock, shoulders lowering at the sight of another anchored paddleboat. Then she saw a loose rope rising and falling with the swell of the water. Panic surged through her again.

Cupping her hands around her mouth, she shouted, “Jayden?”

“Over here.” It was a breathless gasp.

Cissy ran around the dock house to the edge of the platform and peered across the pond.

Jayden's head bobbed above the water several feet out, his arms waving above him. “Kayden fell. Hurry.”

She choked on a panicked sob and scanned the area around the paddleboat. Swift splashes broke out against the surface of the water. Kayden's drenched head appeared for a moment before it sank beneath the surface again.

Cissy plunged headfirst into the pond. She stabbed through the murky depths with her arms and legs, ignoring the sting of the water that splashed into her eyes. She couldn't afford to lose sight of them.

She reached Jayden first, gripping his arm tight and tugging him to the paddleboat bobbing nearby. A painful heave and he tumbled safely into it. She darted back through the water toward Kayden, his broken struggles becoming a dark waterlogged blur.

“Kayden...” His name spluttered out with a mouthful of water.

It became harder and harder to move. The heavy pull of her soaked jeans weighed her legs down, and her arms had about as much strength as jelly.

She kicked harder, crying out when her calf muscle cramped up. Instinctively, her body curled in on itself. Her hands wrapped around the lower half of her leg, and her head tipped back, leaving her to gasp for air.

“Ka—” The water rushed in, filling her ears and mouth. She spit it out, kicking her free leg to rise another inch out of the water. “Kayden...hold on...”

Kayden's splashes subsided. The surface of the water no longer sprayed with his movements. He was sinking. And she couldn't move.

“Aunt Cissy, help him,” Jayden cried. He leaned over the edge of the paddleboat, his outstretched arm shaking.

“Kayd—”

“Help him,” Jayden sobbed.

Cissy's chest tightened to the point she thought it'd rupture. Kayden was feet away and she couldn't move.
No, please, no...

A loud splash sounded in the distance. Followed by another. She gulped in one last deep breath before the water rolled in over her face again, struggling with her free leg to kick back to the surface as the murky darkness swirled in.

The waistband of her jeans jerked back and up, digging into her belly. A firm grip yanked her to the surface before letting go.

“Get her in the boat,” Dominic rasped, giving her bottom a hard shove before he turned and dived beneath the water.

A strong arm wrapped around her chest, underneath her arms, and pulled her backward.

“Breathe, Cissy,” Logan instructed against her ear.

She craned her neck, straining to catch a glimpse of the stretch of water where Kayden had disappeared.

“Lie back.” Logan's voice turned firm. His grip tightened when they reached the paddleboat where he lifted her arms up to the edge. “Can you pull yourself up?”

Cissy nodded shakily. Her throat burned. She wrapped her fingers around the edge and strained, Logan's hands lifting at her waist. Jayden's fingers dug into the collar of her T-shirt and pulled until she fell in a heap inside the paddleboat.

Jayden whimpered at her ear, tears pouring down his face. “I can't see him anymore,” he whispered.

Cissy gulped in deep draws of air and pressed on Jayden's shoulders to lift her head and stare down at the dark depths.

Her stomach heaved. She couldn't see him, either.

* * *

D
OMINIC
THREW
HIS
arm out, grappling around underneath the water in a desperate attempt to locate Kayden. His lungs seized and sharp shards of pain shot through his chest.

He hung motionless as clumps of mud and algae danced around him. Kayden's small lungs would hold a lot less air than his. He kicked hard and dived deeper.