Damn.It had been that long?He hadn’t been able to attend, but he’d gotten an earful from his mother.Apparently, his cousin Jared had done a damn fine job of putting it together.
“Well, as long as I’m not in charge, I’m sure I’ll be there.”
Travis rested his boot on the bottom porch rail.“I heard about Kieran’s partner.What they did to her.”
It was brutal and vicious.So much so, Brantley wanted to end those bastards simply so they couldn’t do it again.And he wanted to make it painful.
“What happens next?”Travis asked, his voice low.
“We’re goin’ after them,” he said simply.“I’m gonna get RT and Z to help.These people are ruthless, and while my team is brilliant, they haven’t gone up against anything like this.I’m not takin’ any chances.”
“Let me know what I can do.I’ll stay outta your way,” he tacked on quickly.“But I can do what needs to be done.Just say the word.”
“You need to focus on your family right now, Trav.”
His gaze swung out to where Kylie was sitting.“Trust me, I am.It took my daughter remindin’ me that we can’t give up, can’t stop hoping for somethin’ better.That was when my hope returned.And then my wife did.”
They stood like that for a few minutes until Curtis came out to round everyone up for dessert.Travis took the lead, wrangling everyone toward the house.The kids barreled inside, leaving the adults trailing after them.
Brantley was standing back, watching the excitement, when Reese joined him.
“That’s a lotta kids, huh?”Reese drawled.
“Oh, yeah.A lot.”
“I don’t know how they—” His words cut off as the sound of tires on gravel announced the arrival of someone else.
Brantley turned, watching the SUV pull down the driveway, inching slowly closer.Through the windshield, he saw two familiar faces.
“What are they doin’ here?”Reese asked.
“No idea.”
“Were they invited?”
Brantley shrugged.“Not that I know of.Go get Travis.”
While Reese went in to get his cousin, Brantley started down the porch steps toward the driveway.He intercepted Meredith and Decker before they could get too close to the house.
“What are y’all doin’ here?”he asked, keeping his voice smooth and even.
Meredith looked at Decker.
A commotion sounded behind him, causing him to look back.Travis, Gage, and Braydon had barreled out of the house and were walking toward them at a fast clip.
“You can’t be here,” Travis bellowed.“Not today.”
“We aren’t here to cause problems,” Decker said.“I swear it.”
“Then you need to go before my wife sees you.”
The screen door on the side of the house slammed.
Too late.
Jessie and Kylie were coming toward them, their father, Joe, not far behind.
“Why are you here?”Braydon asked, sounding as though he was ready to strangle the woman.
