She shrugs as she tosses her bag to the ground and hops off the ATV. "You were right.Fuck this. I'll walk."
You've got to be fucking shitting me. Here I am, trying to keep my distance yet still be courteous, andthisis how she wants to play it.
"Typical. Run, Izzy. It's what you do."
"I said I was walking, never said I was running," she snarks back, way too proud of herself, as she picks up her bag.
"Don't be a smartass," I call out.
"Why not? When your reaction makes it so much fun?" She begins walking toward the cabin, lugging her large bag behind her as if it doesn't weigh four fucking tons like I know it does. She's so damn stubborn, and it drives me mad.
"So this is how this week will go,hm?"I ask, following alongside her on the ATV.
"Yep!" she says firmly, as she flashes me a smug look.
"We could have an actual conversation. You know, the things adults do when there's an issue," I say, sarcasm oozing from my voice.
"Or, we could not talk at all. That would be even better!" she chirps back.
Growing more frustrated by the second with this headstrong, beautiful, feisty woman, I let out a sigh of defeat and turn the ATV around.
"Don't fall and flash anyone!" I call out childishly.
"You wouldn't be so lucky twice in one day!" she shouts back.
This is going to be one hell of a fucking week.
"She's here... And yet, you look pissed?" Kasten asks with a chuckle from a haybail in the barn, a shit-eating grin plastered across his face.
Kas and I have always been good friends, and we've grown even closer over the past few years. He comes to the ranch a lot to help out and hang out, which works out well since I've been so busy lately and can never find time to step away. If he didn't come here, we'd never get to hang out.
"It's your sister, Kas. Need I say more? The woman drives me fucking nuts."
Kas snorts, which earns him a well-deserved punch to the arm.
"Does she know?" he asks, his laugh fading and his features shifting to something more serious.
"Know what?" I counter, raising a curious eyebrow.
"That you still love her..." The words pull the breath out of me like a stab to the gut. I don't respond; only nod.
Just as I turn to walk away into my office, my phone rings in my back pocket.
Phew, saved.I don’t feel like having this talk with him again. It's always the same thing when he and I talk freely about Iz. Years ago, he called mewhippedfor Izzy. Now, he’s some sappy, hopeless romantic, and feels like me and his sister are soulmates, destined for one another. I don't disagree. I'm just sick of him telling me to fight for her.
I've tried fighting for her, and look where that's gotten me.
I pull out my phone, instantly recognizing the unsaved number.
Fuck, I don't need this shit today.
If being aggravated with Izzy isn't enough, weird shit is going down on the ranch. Fences were down, cattle were missing, and six out of one of the herds were found dead for no apparent reason. I have every reason to believe it was deliberate, and now that he's calling, I know exactly what happened. This is no coincidence.
Today is not the fucking day.
"Yeah?" I answer, my tone short and clipped.
"Jett, how's your day going, buddy?" he says with a laugh. He fucking laughs. My blood instantly runs hot through my veins at the arrogance in his voice.
