“Man up,” he said. Wright continued to stare at his hands, his mind and body going numb. Everything was painful. It was all he could feel. All he heard in his mind was his own voice screaming that he needed to get away. But there was nowhere to go.
The truck screeched to a sudden stop and Wright’s body shot forward, his nose connecting with the dash. His vision went black for a second. It came back just in time to hear shouting and feel someone grab his arm and twist. He was on the ground, crumpled in on himself. There was dirt flying around him and more than one set of boots much too close to him. He whimpered, curling more in on himself. He wasn’t going to survive this, whatever was about to happen to him.
“Fix him,” his dad said, shoving the toe of his boot into his lower back. Wright bit his bottom lip to keep from crying out around whoever was standing over him.
“We’ll take care of him.” That was a deep voice, gruff. It sounded nothing like Wright’s dad, but he didn’t dare move his head to see who it belonged to. He just wanted the pain to end.
Chapter Two
~ Xander ~
The wedding was beautiful. He’d met the two grooms before, but it wasn’t until he moved back to the ranch that they became friends. William was the young Interior Design graduate with a heart of fucking gold, in Xander’s opinion. He had created and designed the entire idea for Found Family Ranch. A refuge for individuals that needed a place to stay. He designed each of the tiny houses that were quickly booked as soon as they officially opened. He hadn’t been around much for the building process but his older brother, Patrick, kept him in the loop. It was only a few months ago that he moved back to stay in the guest house when Brett and Wylon found their own place just inside city limits. It was easier for Wylon to commute to work since Brett wasn’t on any set schedule with helping to run the FFR.
Clark stood by the makeshift altar. It was really just a small wooden stage, a few feet long, that they’d had for years. Tracy had outdone herself with the decorations and timing of the ceremony. Even outside, the flower arch and the white runner down the aisle were beautiful. The land around them was cast in a warm glow of light from the setting sun. They held most events in this field for that reason alone. The sun set just over thesecond pasture of the ranch. Their friend Gabe’s little girl was walking down the aisle, throwing red rose petals on the runner, smiling, and twirling in her dress at all the attention.
The field was set off the side of the main house and road leading into the ranch, but not far enough that Xander missed the truck speeding down, kicking up a cloud of dust behind it. Xander turned his head toward his brother with a questioning look. He mirrored the same expression, letting Xander know that this wasn’t a planned guest.
“I’ll handle it,” he whispered and stood from his chair in the back row. He knew all eyes were on him as he started to jog across the field. He passed William and a few of his friends standing behind a white sheet that had been erected to ‘hide’ him, waiting for Tracy’s call to start walking down. He only stopped long enough to tell William that whatever was going on, don’t worry about it and enjoy his wedding day. He looked amazing in the matching white tux his almost-husband was also wearing. Xander told him so and then continued back toward the house.
He picked up the pace when he realized the truck would make it to the house before he would. The field was several acres, but the wedding was closer to the house so guests didn’t have to walk through the grass and they didn’t have to use the four wheelers or horses to get to and from. He thanked his training regimen and growing up on the ranch that he wasn’t winded by the time he made it. But then his stomach nearly emptied itself when he saw the scene before him. An older man, untidy at best and a definitive beer gut, was pulling a young man out of the passenger door. The kid, couldn’t have been older than twenty, crumpled to the ground and curled in on himself. As Xander rounded the hood, he stopped short in his tracks and looked from the kid to the man.
“… -aggot living in my house. I want him fixed. Fix him!” The man pulled out his wallet and threw money on the ground at Xander’s feet. He didn’t know what was going on but was starting to piece it together. The man’s foot connected with the kid’s lower back and Xander watched his face scrunch in pain and he bit his lower lip. “That should cover the cost of whatever this camp charges.”
“We’ll take care of him,” Patrick’s voice said beside him. Xander wasn’t sure when he started following him, but he was glad his older brother was there. The man was huffing, like he was out of breath from the obvious beating he’d just given the kid. Patrick’s voice held some sort of emotion that Xander had never heard before. His brother was the kindest soul on earth, but right now his words were sharp, like he understood what this man was saying and was agreeing.
Had he heard the words the guy said just before? Or could he not see the state the kid was in? “X, take the kid and get him into the house. We’ll deal with him in a moment.”
“Good luck with him,” the man grunted. “And watch him around your phones. He likes to watch disgusting videos.”
Xander didn’t move an inch as the guy backed his truck up and sprayed gravel as he spun out and back up the dirt road. The kid was still curled, laying way too still for his liking.
“Get him inside somewhere and check him over,” Patrick said. His voice was the usual full of concern and kindness again. “I’m pretty sure the entire wedding has halted. I’m going to go back. I trust that you can handle him for a couple of hours. If he needs the hospital, call me.”
“I’ve got him,” Xander said. His brain switched from stunned to work mode. He worked as an EMT for years in the city, filling in at the local ER from time-to-time. He knew what to check for, how to carry a patient. “I’m taking him to the guest house. It’s closer. I’ll text you.”
“Once we find out who that piece of shit is, we’re sending Raegan after his ass.”
“We should just let him in the pasture with the longhorns,” Xander muttered. Yeah, he was in the business of saving people, but some people didn’t deserve it. He moved to the kid and laid a hand on his shoulder as gently as he could. He had gravel in his hair now, mixed with clumps of dirt. His nose was bleeding and there was a cut just above his left eye.
“Please don’t,” the kid said quietly. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, but he kept his eyes screwed shut. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“You’re safe,” Xander whispered. “No one is going to hurt you here, sweetheart.”
The term of endearment came naturally as Xander brushed the hair from the kid’s face. He needed to assess him, see if there was any damage deeper than the skin. He was beat bad, that much was clear. His shoulder was hot to the touch, even through his clothes. It was swelling for sure.
“I need you to open your eyes for me,” he whispered. He tried to keep his voice low and calm. His hands were shaking with rage. “I need to make sure you don’t need a hospital. Can you open your eyes?”
“I’m sorry,” he whimpered again. “I just want to go to sleep.”
“I can’t have that,” Xander said. The last thing he needed to do was go to sleep right now. If he did, Xander would be calling an ambulance. “Please, gorgeous, open your eyes for me.”
Under the dirt and red handprint on his cheek, Xander noted that the kid had a soft jawline but prominent cheekbones. His nose was a bit pointed on the tip, sloped evenly from his eyes. The perfect size for his face. It took another long minute before the kid finally opened his eyes. As much as he could, anyway. That cut, like his shoulder, was starting to swell. His good eye,though, was the color of liquid honey. Probably brown, but the still setting sun was hitting them.
“There you go.” Xander smiled. He brushed more pieces of gravel and dirt from the guy’s face. “You’re going to be okay. I’m not going to hurt you. Can you sit up?”
“It hurts.” Fresh tears started falling down his cheeks. Xander let his knees hit the ground beside him, getting to work on checking him over. He lifted his shirt just enough to see a fresh bruise forming on his ribs, also on his left side. It looked bad, but he would have to examine him closer to see if he had any broken ribs. He wanted to get him inside first.
“Can I carry you?” Xander asked. “I want to take you inside, but you can walk if you think you’re able to.”
