“He looked sad, so I gave him a hug.” Cassie beamed.
Damn kid! She was so sweet and innocent, it seemed nothing was immune to her charms. The asshole rooster, the one I’d threatened to kill half a dozen times this week, was a completely different animal when Cassie was around, and it appeared Gladiator was no different.
Beside me, I saw Nash move.
“Stay!” I hissed, holding up my hand.
“He’s much happier now,” I agreed with Cassie. “Are you ready to come out of there?”
“But I want to stay and talk to him.” Cassie pouted.
I had to tread carefully. The last thing we needed right now was for Cassie to have a major meltdown on the wrong side of the fence.
Spying the bucket at Nash’s feet, I had an idea. “He’s probably grumpy because he’s hungry.”
“I get grumpy when I’m hungry,” Cassie replied.
“Me too,” I agreed. “Why don’t you come and help Nash get his lunch ready then?” It wasn’t lunchtime for the bastard, but if a bucket of feed was the price I had to pay to diffuse this situation, then it was a cost I was more than willing to pay.
Cassie looked up at Gladiator, and the dumb animal looked down at her. If I hadn’t been so fucking terrified, it would’ve been a beautiful moment. But with his horns getting awfully close to her head and his hoof too close to her toes, I couldn’t appreciate it.
When Gladiator’s wet, pink tongue snaked out of his mouth and licked up the side of Cassie’s face, I swear I almost shit my pants. This animal wasn’t nice. He was a bastard, not friendly, and a big, mean pain in my ass on a daily basis. He stomped through fences, tested my patience at every turn, and didn’t hesitate to push me out of his way whenever it suited him. Yet, here he was being as gentle as a bunny rabbit with Cassie. Don’t get me wrong, I was grateful as fuck for it, but as long as I lived, I don’t think I’d ever understand it.
“Ew!” Cassie protested, wiping her face with a big, beaming smile before lifting her arms and wrapping them around his front leg, hugging him tightly.
“Ew, gross! Gladiator kissed you,” I teased, keeping things light.
“He loves me,” Cassie replied proudly.
“Yeah, he does,” I confirmed.
“I didn’t think that asshole liked anyone,” Nash grumbled, thankfully low enough Cassie didn’t hear his language.
“Okay. Let’s get you out of there, and you can help get him some lunch,” I tried again.
This time when Cassie glanced up at him, she lifted her hand and petted his nose. “It’s okay, Gladiator. I’ll get you some food. Do you want a cheese sandwich?”
That kid was so freaking adorable that it almost choked the breath right out of me.
Gladiator made a rumbling sound and stomped his hoof. Thankfully, it was one of the back ones far enough away that her little toes were safe. Standing up, I ignored the protest on my knees and took a step toward the pen.
Gladiator looked up at me, and I froze. Every movement the massive beast made was dangerous to Cassie, and she was blissfully oblivious.
“Jake…” Kellie’s voice cracked.
“It’s okay, Marshmallow. We got this. Don’t we, princess?”
“Why’s Mom sad?” Cassie asked distractedly, unwrapping herself from around Gladiator and stepping toward the gate.
“She’s not…” I started before realizing that this could be the opportunity I needed to end this standoff once and for all. “I think Mom’s sad because she wants a cuddle too.”
Cassie’s eyes bounced from me to Kellie and back again. Her bottom lip popped out. “I can give her a cuddle,” Cassie offered.
“I think that’s a great idea,” I confirmed, relief flooding my body. We might just get out of this screwed-up situation in one piece, after all. “Do you need help getting out of there?”
“Nope,” Cassie confirmed, popping the ‘p’ as she moved away from Gladiator and climbed through the bars, wriggling her way through until she popped out on the other side.
“Thank fuck,” Sawyer exclaimed, giving voice to everything I was feeling right now.
