“Looks like someone needs to get their ass kicked. That was some bullshit if I saw it,” he growled. He glanced around and I saw his eyes take in Embry across the yard.
“You’re safe this time,” I commented, zeroing in on what he was thinking. “You don’t have to hand out any more money right now.”
Most of the time we would all laugh at that, but our minds were somewhere else and the animosity was rolling off each one of us in waves.
“I don’t know that girl and didn’t even get a chance to meet her, but that crap doesn’t fly with me. Just point me in the right direction and I will take care of it.”
That got a smile out of all the men.
Yup, Bodie fit in perfectly.
* * *
A sigh leftRuby’s lips as she lay in my arms.
The gathering had finished and everyone parted ways. It went well, but after discovering the bruises on Gemma, all the men and ladies were a bit more subdued. We worked hard to make it a good time for everyone and not make Gemma feel any more embarrassed than she already seemed.
My blood boiled each time I took in the marks on her.
Ruby had said that Gemma didn’t say much but told them she’d handled it and it was over. Jurnee told her nobody gets to touch her and that she needed to come to them if anything else happened. She was also told that the guys wanted to know who did that to her and she clammed up.
When things ended, Jett, Patience, and her son drove home in front of us in Jett’s car and Gramps rode with us. There wasn’t much talking until Gramps decided he had something to say.
“Whatever happened to that sweet girl needs to be taken care of. If I need to get my shotgun out just let me know.”
Nobody replied, it wasn’t needed. Gramps said what he meant and everyone took it in. He was a smart man.
My woman slid her leg up and down mine as we talked about the day.
“You guys will keep an eye on the situation with Gemma right,” Ruby asked.
“Baby, don’t worry, every guy there including Bodie, is all over that if we need to be. And we will see what we can find out.”
God, my woman was so full of love. Once again with so much still going on with herself she couldn’t stop thinking about Gemma and worrying about her. But then again, I was sure everyone in our group would be. The usually bold spitfire had something diminishing her spirit.
“Bodie? He doesn’t even know Gemma.”
“Sweetheart, that doesn’t matter. It is how we men are wired. We won’t let someone hurt an innocent person, especially someone close to us. It doesn’t matter if he just met her, he is already one of us.”
And unlike when he saw Capri, I saw something else in his eyes when he took in Gemma. But I wasn’t getting in the middle of that. Bodie had just moved and had two kids. Gemma had something going on and she was a lot younger than him.
But that didn’t mean I didn’t notice a flicker of something in their eyes.
Something the ladies hadn’t even caught.
“You guys are the best and the ladies are amazing. How they help anyone who needs it is something you don’t see every day. I just want you to know how much I love and appreciate you.”
“Yeah, well care to show me how much,” I asked her as I slid my hands up under her shirt and ran them up her sides.
“I could be persuaded to do that,” she teased.
So I got to persuading her then.
But later as we fell asleep, it was Gyth’s voice I heard in my head. “You all could make it official.”
I asked him during the gathering earlier in the day when he’d gotten to be so smart. I couldn’t deny that he was.
Because it wouldn’t be long before I did just what he’d said.
