“Yeah, it does.”
He shakes his head and looks out the window. “Why can’t I just stay in the bunkhouse at the ranch, like Ryker suggested on the first day? It’ll be easier for you. That way, you don’t have to drive me and stuff.”
I frown at him, but he can’t see me, so I return my gaze to the road. My jaw hurts, and I’m going to need some ice myself.
“I like having you with me, buddy. I don’t want to just dump you out there and leave.”
The way my mom used to do to me when I was a kid.I loved the ranch so much, and I still do, but I also knew that my mom took me there because she didn’t want me around. It didn’t feel good.
He doesn’t say anything at all to that, so I leave him be, and the car is quiet as we drive the rest of the way out to the Triple Creek Ranch.
Ryker’s pacing on the porch when we pull in, and he hurries to my side of the car, opens my door, and pulls me to my feet. He immediately frames my face in his hands, his eyes skimming over my face, and he’s scowling.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I got in the line of fire and shouldn’t have stepped so close. Uppercuts arenotfun.”
“What the fuck?” He tips my head to the side, searching for injuries. “You should have called me. I would have come to you.”
“We only talked to the cops for about fifteen minutes.”
He scowls before kissing my forehead, which sends a shiver all the way down my spine, and then he shifts his attention to Aiden.
“Whoa. For fuck’s sake. Come on, we’ll get you both some ice, and I want to hear everything.”
“I can go join the others at the bunkhouse,” Aiden says, but Ryker shakes his head.
“I said get inside,” he replies, and Aiden trudges in, his head hanging low.
Ry takes my hand, laces our fingers, and walks with me, surprising me. He doesn’t usually hold my hand. Certainly not like this.
But I’m not going to complain, because it feels damn good, and I’m still shaken up.
After he pulls out two ice packs from the freezer and passes them to us, Ryker folds his arms over his chest and leans his hip against the counter.
“Someone tell me what happened before I lose my shit.”
“We were at the gas station,” I say. “I fueled up, and he went in for snacks for the day. Hey, you didn’t get your snacks.”
“It’s fine.” Aiden won’t look at either of us. He just stares at the floor.
“When he didn’t come back outside, I went in looking for him and found him in the middle of a fistfight. I ran toward them, the kids turned, and I caught an elbow to the chin.”
Ryker’s eyes burn with anger, but his hand is gentle when he reaches over and tips my head up so he can have another look. His simple touch is warm and soothing. “How do you feel now, Trouble?”
“Sore. I saw stars for a minute. How did you do that for a living?”
“I didn’t get beat up every night,” he says with that crooked smile that sets my heart on fire. “Only some nights.”
Now he turns to Aiden.
“Who was the kid, and why did he deserve to have his ass handed to him?”
My boy’s gaze whips up to Ryker’s, and his cheeks go red, and I just want to hug him.
“He was running his mouth,” Aiden replies.
“About what?” Ryker asks, holding up a hand to me when I would jump in, as if telling me to let Aiden talk.
