Mara shook off her shock, then turned her gaze to Jacqueline and made a delighted sound. “Oh, I love her.”
“That was fast.”
“So was you moving into her ranch,” Dot returned without missing a beat, obviously over her surprise as well.
Jacqueline coughed on a laugh, and I tapped the center of her back until she recovered, my palm lingering there because she settled under the touch like she liked it.
“I have church.”
Jacqueline’s fork paused halfway to her mouth. “Wait, did you say church?”
Mara snorted, and Dot giggled because they knew how that sounded to outsiders.
I rested my hand at Jacqueline’s waist and turned her stool slightly so she faced me instead of the plate that had clearly become my competition. “Club meeting, baby. We discuss business, patches, protocol, problems, and anything that needs a vote.”
Her eyes filled with understanding, but a smile tugged at her mouth, saying she wasn’t done with me. “So not a chapel.”
“No.”
“No hymns?”
“Closest thing you’ll get is everybody cussing in unison.”
She laughed, making my mouth curve up again before I bent and pressed my lips to Jacqueline’s forehead. Her lashes lowered as she leaned into the kiss, and the small movement of acceptance hit me on the left side of my chest.
“Eat your pie.” I brushed my thumb along her jaw before straightening and giving her braid a quick tug.
“Yes, bossy,” she murmured, soft enough that only I should’ve heard it.
Unfortunately, Mara had ears like a surveillance array. “Oh, we are keeping her.”
I left before I smiled openly again and gave them a fucking heart attack. The sound of Jacqueline’s laughter followed me down the hall, and walking into a meeting felt less like carrying weight and more like having something worth returning to when the doors opened again for the first time in years.
My office sat at the end of the hall, large enough to hold crowded meetings, but comfortable enough to take a break on a couch and have a drink when business gave me a fucking headache. A heavy walnut desk faced the door, and a conference table sat off to one side, while the other side of the room held a leather seating area and bar.
My men were already inside, waiting for me.
I took a seat at my desk and waited for the conversation to die down before I spoke. “Situation changed at Rutledge Ranch.”
Judge leaned back in his chair. “That may be the shortest summary of an obsession I’ve ever heard.”
I ignored him and kept talking. “Most of you know the plan to purchase the ranch is dead.”
Nobody looked surprised. They knew enough about what had been happening over the past two days to figure out that buying the place had stopped being the objective the second I’d met Jacqueline.
“She’s keeping it. So we secure the ridge, run patrols, and keep eyes on the property until I say different. Make damn sure nobody steps foot on that land without her permission or ours.”
I paused, and my gaze hardened along with my tone. “I’m gonna be very fucking clear. Jacqueline Rutledge is off limits.”
Silence settled over the room for all of two seconds, then Cipher glanced up over the edge of his tablet. “How off limits?”
My expression was deadly. “Use your imagination.”
His mouth twitched, but he wisely stayed silent.
However, Zero decided to push his luck. “Do we define off limits as ‘don’t be stupid’ or ‘update your will before being stupid’?”
“The second,” I growled at our captain.
