“It’s part of farm life, Light,” I told her. “You can’t save them all. Right now you’ll be lucky if you can save one ornery heifer,” I warned.
She nodded, then looked back at Warrant. “I won’t ask to keep the rest. Or any other animals,” she promised.
“Why don’t I believe her?” Warrant asked me.
I bit back the grin. She was going to end up with a menagerie. Only they’d be living in Wyoming, so that was fine by me. I justhad to deal with one Rottie. That was enough, though. Flir would flip his shit if I brought home a cow. Ruck might too, so it was best for everyone if Warrant agreed to take Mocha home with him.
Warrant sighed heavily, then nodded. “Fine. Just the one, though.”
“She has those dark rings around her eyes, long eye lashes, and soft ears,” Rue told him.
He looked between her and me in a way that I couldn’t tell if it was disbelief or disgust. “Soft ears…”
“That’s right,” she said with a smile so innocent I was able to see him physically swallow back any retort he might’ve had.
“Got it,” he muttered. “Can we get this done?”
That was for me, so I nodded. “Why don’t you wait in the truck while we get them situated?”
It didn’t take too much time before we were standing there, Rue tucked under my arm as she waved as Warrant and Demo drove off with the cows. I honestly wasn’t sure if she was waving at my friends, or the cows. I wasn’t about to ask because deep down, I had a feeling.
“Ready to get back home?” I asked her once they disappeared over the hill. They’d left us their truck and taken the big rig, cattle trailer, and cattle with them. We’d get them back their pick up soon enough.
“Okay. When can we go visit?” she asked, looking up at me.
“Soon,” I told her with a laugh. I knew right then, I was signing up for a life of her bringing home stray animals. And I was perfectly fine with that.
CHAPTER 29
Rue
Wincing, I looked away from the boxing ring they had set up in one of the downstairs rooms in the new building. The whole lower half of the building was the new clubhouse and the floors above were all apartments. Bolo and Relay’s family had done an amazing job with the construction. It was beautiful.
The gym had everything a person could want, if they were into lifting heavy objects, doing cardio, and beating the crap out of each other. None of that really appealed to me, but I could see why the guys liked it.
“He’s fine, Rue,” Ruck said from beside me.
“He’s bleeding,” I said under my breath so my brother didn’t hear me and shoot me one of his famous glares. I’d gotten many of those over the years.
“He needs this.”
“I don’t get it,” I said, cringing again as OD’s fist slammed into Ryan’s side. “How is OD beating him up going to help him?”
“He’s not beating him up,” Ruck explained, his tone the epitome of patience. “He’s teaching him to fight. Kids like Ryan and Teddy feel out of control because so much has happened in their lives that they had no choice in. Giving them something to do, like fighting, gives them a purpose. A way to control things. Teaches them discipline and self-control.”
“But now I’m worried they’re going to constantly be in fights,” I sighed.
“Not how that works.”
“How does it work then?” I asked, curious.
“You teach them a code of conduct with the fighting. When you know you’re stronger and more skilled than most others, you don’t go straight to beating the shit out of them. You have to exercise control and discernment. There’s no honor in kicking the crap out of those who are weaker than you. So you learn to control your temper. Control your reactions. It actually helps kids like this more than you know.”
I gave him an appreciative look. “That’s why I’m so grateful to you guys. You seem to get Ryan on a level I don’t think I ever will.”
“That’s because most of uswerehim at one point or another,” Ruck told me with a grin. “We know what worked for us. Makes it easy to help others.”
“Hopefully it’ll help Teddy, too,” I said. “His doctor thinks he’ll be able to release him soon. The meds have helped him so much.”
