“Pleasebe careful,” she told him.
Curtisgave her that sexy grin that still made her insides tingle. She loved him withthe same passion she’d had when they first met. Although her heart had grownmuch more attached over the years and when she thought he might step in todefend their boys, she couldn’t help but worry.
“Iseverything ok with Sawyer?” she asked, knowing the answer before he said it.
“He’shaving a hard time with what’s going on with Ethan.”
Rightfullyso. Sawyer had been the one to take care of Ethan, to nurse him back to healthwhen the worst had happened. Although Ethan didn’t know it, Lorrie had checkedin with Sawyer daily, making sure that her boy was being taken care of. Sincethen, she knew Sawyer had become extremely protective of Ethan.
“Callme when you’re on your way home,” she told Curtis, making her way across theroom. Grabbing the edges of his jacket gently, she pulled him close and went upon her toes when he leaned in for a kiss.
“Willdo.”
Lorriereleased Curtis, watching as he walked out the back door. Despite her husband’sneed to keep her sheltered from the trouble that seemed to be brewing when itcame to her children, she knew something was going on. She might not have thespecifics, but she fully intended to find out.
Afterall, what kind of mother would she be if she weren’t prepared to ensure herboys were safe? All of them.
??
Curtispulled into the parking lot of Moonshiners, his gut churning after the storyhe’d heard from Travis just a short while ago. Even though Travis insisted thathe should stay home, Curtis wasn’t having any of it. He’d raised his boysright, taught them to stand up for themselves and those who needed standing upfor, but Curtis believed whole-heartedly that not all lessons could be learnedthe easy way.
Andapparently Jimmy Reardon needed a good hard lesson.
Notthat Curtis was a violent man. Quite the opposite, but he believed in fightingfor his own. And what had happened to Ethan at the hands of Jimmy had managedto go unpunished for far too long.
Ashe headed into the bar, Curtis located Travis’ truck, Kaleb’s truck, as well asSawyer’s car. He didn’t see the others, so he assumed the twins and Zane hadother plans for the night. That was just as well.
“Hey,Pa,” Sawyer greeted him when he stepped up to the bar, the overly loud countryand western music making it difficult for him to hear. Curtis grinned. No, hewas not getting old, he told himself. The music was just loud. That’s all.
“What’sup, boy?” he asked as he signaled for Mack to bring him a beer.
“Nota damn thing,” Sawyer said, glancing behind him as though he were looking forsomeone.
“Something’sup,” Curtis stated, not believing his son for a single minute. Sawyer was onedge, his shoulders tense, his muscles geared up for a fight. A quick perusalof the bar told Curtis who was there and exactly where they were located.
Travisand Gage were near the pool tables, watching a couple of guys play. Looks likethey left Kylie at home tonight. Another thing to be grateful for. His boysweren’t stupid, that was for damned sure.
Henodded his head at Travis, acknowledging him before doing a three-sixty to seewho else was in the place. “Charlie,” he called out to his buddy who wassitting in the far corner.
“Curtis,what brings your old ass down here?” Charlie hollered with a gruff chuckle.
“Samething that brought yours down here,” he answered, lifting his beer up.
“Gladto see you.” Curtis heard the underlying meaning of Charlie’s comment, andthat’s when Curtis noticed the four men who were sitting at a table near thedoor. Jimmy Reardon was one of them. Curtis would never forget that man’s face,would recognize him anywhere. After what he did to Ethan, he had studied hisface, prayed that he never caught the man in a dark alley or that one of hisboys didn’t either.
“Settledown, Pa,” Sawyer mumbled from beside him. Curtis glanced down and realized hishands were balled into fists at his side. Damn, he was pretty sure he hadn’tbeen this riled up for at least… well, since what happened to Zane. And now thehorrifying nightmare of what happened to Ethan had risen to the surface onceagain.
“Woohoo!You’re up, Travis! Show that boy what you’ve got!” Some cowboy in the back ofthe bar was yelling along with the other hoots and hollers around the pooltable.
Curtissipped his beer and turned to look at his oldest son. The grin on Travis’ facemade his heart swell. Curtis had wondered for far too long whether that boywould ever find true happiness. And now he had. In abundance, which was what hedeserved.
“Fuckingfaggots.”
Curtis’head snapped toward the front of the room where the foul language had eruptedfrom at the same time Sawyer got to his feet. Instead of indulging thedimwitted little shits, Curtis grabbed Sawyer’s arm and pulled him up shortbefore he could get far.
Sawyerstared down to where Curtis’ fingers were clamped around his ropy forearm andthen back up to meet his eyes. “Not yet, son. Not yet.”
Someof the tension relaxed in Sawyer’s arm and Curtis let him go.
