“What’s your plan here, Duke?” Holden says.
I remove my cowboy hat and set it on the dashboard and run a hand through my hair.
“You gotta think through this, brother. That guy is a real piece of shit. We could get rid of him, but he’s also their dad. You can’t do jack shit about that.”
“Do you think she’d ever forgive me?”
Killing Dallas’s ex-husband is all I can think about lately. It was already an idea forming in the back of my mind, but after the drunk-driving incident and seeing how it affected her mentally, I’ve had trouble sleeping because it’s all I can focus on.
The Redfords don’t bother waiting on the justice system to pull through and actually deliver the punishment that fits the crime when it comes to abusive men.
If “justice” does ever get served, it’s never equal to the damage that was caused, and the offender is still on the loose, wreaking havoc on more lives.
Over the years, my brothers and I have bonded over our shared affinity for rehabilitating abusive men the good old-fashioned way—with a .22 between their eyes.
Sorrydoesn’t even come close to cutting it when you’re dealing with emotional trauma, physical harm, or sexually exploitative acts. The only possible retribution is bloodshed.
Blood is the only way these men can pay for their sins against women.
It’s practically biblical.
Then there’s Dallas. As far as I can tell, she hates her ex now. But he’s still the man she was married to and once in love with. And they share two children. Part of me can live with her hating me, if she and the boys are safe. I can picture myself living out my life with her right next door in the bunkhouse, the boys growing up, thinking I’m a monster who stole their father.
But they’d be safe. Nothing matters more than that.
“I don’t know. How bad was he to her while they were married?”
“You’d get a more accurate answer to that if you asked your wife.”
He pulls out his phone, and I watch Matt come back outside to his truck. He grabs something from inside it and returns to his house, unaware that he’s being watched.
“Hello?” Rosie’s voice comes through the phone speaker.
“Hey, baby. I got a question for you. How bad was Dallas and Matt’s marriage? What all did he do?”
She sighs. “I mean, she hasn’t told me exact specifics. But I know she was afraid of him and terrified to leave, knowing she’d have to split custody and leave the kids with him. I always thought he was controlling. She was weird about money sometimes, like she’d say she didn’t have enough to grab a coffee because she spent too much on groceries, things like that. I saw bruises on her forearm once that I swear looked like a handprint. She said it was nothing and changed the subject. And ever since the split, when the boys are with him, she’s a mess. Even before the drunk-driving incident she was.”
I inhale deeply, my heart rate speeding up. I’m trying to remain calm as Rosie talks. My gun is in the back seat.
“Why? What are you and Duke up to? You can’t just kill him.”
“Angel, we would never do that.”
She’s silent for a moment. I can picture her on the other end of the phone, twisting her red hair around her finger and debating whether or not she believes him. Holden and Rosie have a strong bond, but I know murder is something she’s against, until there’s no other option.
“I know what’s happening is really stressful for everyone,but what Dallas needs is an emotional support system and friends to help her through this. Not a firing squad. Y’all should come home.”
“All right, we will. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I shake my head. He hangs up the phone and starts texting someone.
“I’m not leaving. He could be in there, taking shots right now.”
“Jensen is coming to camp out here. He’s less likely to fly off the handle if Matt does try to leave.”
Jensen has worked for us on the ranch for years now. I trust him more than any of the other hands.
