by H. J. Bellus
The moment Merek stands up, the night chill covers my body. I hear him answer the phone just feet away from the blanket, and then Maverik’s words slice through the night air. I toss on my shirt and go to Merek.
“He can’t…”
“Merek, he won’t. Stop.”
I drive back out of the pasture trying to remember all the turns and different dirt roads Merek took. He’s in no condition to ask. He’s gone completely pale and frozen with fear. Just from the bit of conversation we’ve had I know his granddad is his favorite person in the world. In this moment, I know how he feels. I remember the night I rushed to the ER for my dad.
Finally, I hit pavement and recognize my surroundings on highway twenty-six. I waste no time or horsepower as I race to town. We pull into the lit up driveway of the hospital. Slamming the truck into park, I let out a sigh of relief. Merek is out of the truck, grabs my hand, and pulls me all the way across his bench seat. He jogs into the hospital, towing me behind. Hand in hand, we round the corner and come face to face with the Slatters sitting in the waiting room.
“What happened?” Merek is breathless and his voice sounds terrified. I use my free arm to run it up and down his forearm in hopes to provide some comfort to him.
“They’re thinking another mild heart attack.” Marvel is the only one to reply.
“Where is he?”
“You can’t see him right now, Merek, they’re trying to stabilize him.” Marvel stands up.
I feel Merek’s knees buckle and wait for him to hit the ground. I lead him over to the nearest chair and force him to sit, but when he refuses to I push harder until he sits. He grabs my hand and drags me down into his lap.
“Be my shield,” he whispers into my ear.
I wrap my arms around his neck and rest my head in the crook of his neck as we wait. My eyes drift shut and soon I pass out in his arms.
“Merek.”
I feel my body shake.
“Merek, your granddad would like to see you.”
I sit up straight and come face to face with a nurse and a stirring Merek underneath me.
“Excuse me,” he mumbles.
“Your granddad is just fine and would like to see you.”
I stand up and stretch out my sore muscles from the odd sleeping position. I feel even worse when I see the stiff cowboy try to stand up. He rubs out his leg and I feel like shit knowing I slept pressed to him and his injury.
“I’ll be back.” He stops in front of me and kisses my forehead.
“I’ll be here, Champ.” I send him a little wink before collapsing back down into the overstuffed chair.
I look over to Maverik, who sends me an approving nod. He seems to be the boss of the crew, so it eases my nerves a bit to know I have somewhat of an approval from him.
“Do you need anything, Challis?” Marvel asks.
“No, thank you. I’m fine.”
“Are you my son’s flavor of the month while he’s home?” An older version of Merek speaks up. “He must’ve got caught with his pants down and didn’t have time to take you home. God knows he’d drop everything for my dad.”
“Enough.” The woman sitting next to him slaps his forearm.
“Like Merek treats her any better.”
“He does.” The two words fly out of my mouth before I have the chance to slap my palm over it.
“Dad, you might want to show her some respect. We just hired her to help out with the colts.” Maverik stands to his feet.
“Do you even know how to ride?”
Now the man has me seeing red and I’m ready to tear his throat out, but before I have a chance to respond to the asshole, Maverik does.
“You bet your ass she does. She set a new record down in Newton and she’s the daughter of Cody Jones, so you might want to shut your foul mouth before we are one hand down.”
“It’s fine. I’ll wait outside. I’d say it was nice meeting you, but it wasn’t.”
I turn and leave before I hear any further stupidity and hatred fall from the man’s mouth. As I walk out, I do hear ‘that’s Tori’s niece.’
I make my way outside and think I should text Merek. Well, yeah, a novel thought if I had his number. I pull my phone out of my pocket and see several missed calls and texts from Tori. Yeah, my actions were a bit selfish.
Me: I’m fine. With Merek- his granddad got put in the hospital.
Tori: Need a ride?
Me: I’d like to wait for Merek.
Tori: I was so damn worried about you. Are you sure you’re okay?
Me: Fine and actually not giving up the fight. Slatters hired me to train some colts and I’m going to do local rodeos with Merek.
Tori: I love you, but I just don’t want to see you get your heart broken over all this.
Me: I know
Tori: And I’m not talking about Merek.
“You okay?” The deep voice of Maverik startles me, causing me to toss my phone into the bushes.
“Jesus.” I clutch my chest and listen to his deep chuckle. He bends over and snags my phone for me. “Well, not now, I just shit my chaps.”
“My dad is a dick.”
“I see that.”
“He and Merek have never seen eye to eye. It’s always been Merek and Granddad. Then Marvel and Mom. I’m the loner.”
I shrug. “It’s fine, really. I’ve been around my fair share of asses in my life.”
“Well, it’s not fine, and I hope it doesn’t make you change your mind about the job offer.”
“Nope, already told Merek I’d take it, plus I need the money really bad.”
Maverik nods to me and then we both hear the whooshing of the doors opening behind us.
“He’s going to be okay. It was only a scare and they’re adjusting his meds. He just wanted an update on hires.” Merek pauses for a moment. “Why are you two out here?”
“Dad,” Maverik blurts out.
“I just needed fresh air.”
“That son of a bitch.” Merek’s hand is on the door, but I get to him before he rips it open.
“It’s not worth it.” I tug on him. “Take me home, so I can shower and get ready for my first day on the job.”
“I’m so sorry, babe.”
“It’s fine. Really. Tensions are high with everyone, but please take me home or actually to the bar, so I can get my truck and we can start working the colts.”
“Got it.” Merek grabs my hand. “I’ll see you back at the ranch in twenty, Mav.”
“See ya two.” We both watch as he heads back into the hospital.
“Was my dad that bad?”
“Well, not the friendliest of people I’ve ever met.”
“What did he say?”
I ignore his question, round the front of his truck, crawl in through the driver’s door, and settle in the middle.
“Challis.”
He roars the engine to life but doesn’t move. Instead, he stares me down.
“Basically that you’re a man-whore and I’m just the flavor of the month.”
“He didn’t.”
“Don’t.” I grab his wrist, stopping him from vaulting from the cab. “Let’s both focus on the tasks ahead of us and not let the evil people in our life ruin it for us. It’s a waste, Merek.”
“How dare that dickhead talk to you like that?”
“Who cares? I’ve been raised around asshole cowboys my whole life. Water off my back, and I’d settle being your flavor of the month if that means I get one month with you.”
Now that gets his attention, Merek quizzically stares down at me. “Did you just admit that you’re into me even a little bit?”
“Maybe.” I shrug.
“Shut up and kiss me, Challis.”
I giggle when I hear him use my line on me, but do what I’m told and kiss his perfect lips.
Chapter 9
Merek
“What a last twenty-four hours.” I slam down my shovel.
“You can say that again, litt
le brother.”
“You guys, I don’t know what I’ll do the time Granddad doesn’t come home from the hospital. I don’t know that I’ll survive it.”
“You will, because you have us,” Marvel says.
“I still can’t believe the shit storm Dad has us in. I mean, who in the hell can blow nearly a quarter of a million betting on the horse races and be fucking dealing with Saint?”
“Merek, I think this has been a long time coming with Dad. He’s blown everything and now we are here to pick up his mess.”
“The colts that Saint’s hired hand dropped off are gorgeous,” Marvel adds.
“Yeah, probably bought with drug money,” I add as I tip back my longneck.
I can’t fucking stand the man, and everyone in the great state of Texas knows he’s a fucking criminal and has basically fucked over every large rancher at some point in time. He’s the pimp of the land and no one crosses him, except for my greedy ass dad who’s gone into debt with the rotten son of a bitch. I’ll be damned if I’ll let my dad put Granddad’s ranch up for collateral. I’d rather work for the fucking devil himself.
“I still can’t believe this shit we’re knee deep in.” Maverik pops open a longneck and takes a seat on a straw bale.
“Me either, but we need to keep the details from Mom.” My eyes shoot to Marvel’s. “She thinks Dad’s been just dabbling in the races, but he actually lost all the money on a couple lots of fat cattle.”
“Again, how in the hell are we going to survive this shit storm?” I ask.
“That’s how you’re going to get through it while we both nurse a cold beer.” Maverik points his finger.
When I look up I see Challis walking toward us in tight as hell and sexy as sin blue jeans, a white tank, and a blinged out ball cap. Pieces of her wild hair dance out the back, but it’s her tits that hold my attention.
“Hey, boys.”
I drop my gaze down to her boots not to be rude, and the damn designer boots of hers even turn me on. What in the fuck was I thinking hiring her on? If I’m popping a boner just watching her walk into the damn barn, what will I do when she’s on horseback?
“Merek.” She waves a hand in front of my face. “This is where you say ‘Hello, Challis.’”
I snag her hand and drag her into my lap, shove up my cowboy hat a few inches, and give her a proper hello with my mouth and tongue. I take a few seconds to really enjoy her sweet lips before I pull back.
“Or I’ll take that as a hello.” She taps on my nose and bounces up from my lap. “But I’m here to work and won’t be just eye candy. Marvel lead the way.”
Marvel jumps from the straw bale and walks out into the pasture with Challis chattering away.
“That shit’s good for him,” Maverik says.
“Sure is.” I agree.
“And I think it’s best you two aren’t working side by side.”
“No shit. I might die of an erection or go blind at the bare minimum.”
“I’m going to head into town and order enough grain for these colts and pick up some other supplies.”
“Sounds good, I’ll get to work on fixing the motor on the exercise machine, and I guess those two,” I point to Challis and Marvel standing out in the pasture, “they’ll create the plan of attack on how we are going to get these thirty colts broke and in shape in three months.”
I give Maverik a brother slap-hug combo on the back before walking off and can’t help but take one more peek over my shoulder at Challis. It was a massive mistake, because I catch a glimpse of her just as she climbs up on my favorite childhood horse and trots off. The damn girl is going to break my dick if we don’t get some alone time real quick!
***
“Everything is set for tomorrow. Colts are lined up to start training, equipment is running, and all hired hands have checked in today.” Marvel’s on the phone with Satan himself. It kills me that my fucking father has put our baby brother in this position. Marvel’s always been the business savvy one out of us brothers and loves the ranch life. He doesn’t have any of the rodeo blood pumping through his veins like Mav and I do.
After several minutes, he ends the call and offers all of us a weak smile. “Everyone, listen up.”
All the hired hands keep chattering at a low level and don’t pay one ounce of respect to Marvel. I watch as he tries to continue talking and wait for the man to stop mid-sentence and rip into their asses for being disrespectful pukes. I glance around for Challis and don’t see her.
I nod to Maverik and as if he seems to know what I’m looking for, he points to the front entrance of the barn where Challis is on her phone and kicking some gravel up as she talks.
“Listen up.” My voice booms through the barn. “You are here to do a job and when your boss is speaking I suggest that you listen up or you’ll be hitting the road.”
It takes everything inside of me not to drop the F bomb a time or two but know that would floor Marvel. He’s all business and the utmost professional when dealing with employees.
And like magic the ignorant assholes shut the fuck up while Marvel goes on. “Every morning you’re to be here at six a.m. We will have a nutrition team who will feed and water the horses, while others of you will be mucking out the stalls and putting down fresh bedding. We’ve selected three of our best riders to spend their day training colts. Any problems come to me. No questions asked. If we don’t get this job finished then no one gets paid. See you in the morning.”
The group quietly disperses in all different directions. Some going to their home for the night while others are staying in the bunkhouses since we brought some in from out of state.
“Nice speech, little bro.” I pat Marvel on the back, proud as hell of him.
“Thanks.” He shrugs and collapses on a straw bale.
“You wear your fucking heart on your sleeve.” Maverik steps up to him. “Tuck that bitch in your back pocket and make this happen.”
“You’ve got this, Marvel, and we’ll be here every step of the way,” I add.
“Until the circuit starts back up and you hit the road, Merek. I’ve been doing this shit the last two years. Little fucking stunts like this to pull Dad out of debt. Do you know how fucking tired I am? And out of all the brothers, I’m ready to quit.”
His words shock me. I know he’s been working his ass off here on the ranch but had no idea that Dad had him tied up in other shit.
“What are you talking about?” I finally ask.
“Enough.” A deep familiar voice comes from the entryway of the barn.
We all look up to see Granddad walking toward us. He’s using his cane today and that’s not a good sign at all. I’d offer to help him to a seat but know he’d whop me upside the head with that cane and then threaten to stick it up my ass. He may be old as dirt but still wakes up every morning, feeds some cattle, and is always dressed in his Wranglers, button up shirt, and ol’ straw hat.
We all wait for him to settle in on the straw bale and none of us dare question him. We’ve all had our fair share of ass whippings with the willow branches at his hands, and I’ll admit it was all well-deserved whippings.
“We are going to make it through this, boys, and when we do, your dad is being removed from the business permanently. It breaks my heart to do this. I made the decision the other night I was admitted to the hospital.” He pauses for a moment as his voice cracks. “He’s my blood, my only son, and this isn’t easy, but I will not have his addiction ruin the empire I built for you three. Once Silver Star is back into the black I’m putting all of it into all of your names. So, enough fighting. Figure it out, boys.”
We all sit in silence. I’m stunned shit has gotten so bad for him to kick our dad out of the business. Silver Star has always been Granddad’s. He’s claimed that he’s been waiting for the perfect time to pass it on, and I guess this is it.
“But we just can’t…”
“Merek, let go of the damn past before it eats you alive,” Granddad sc
olds.
I digest each of his words, realizing how true they are. The sound of footsteps distracts all of us, and when I look up from dirty boots I see Challis entering the barn.
“Am I interrupting?” she asks with her green eyes widening.
I can’t help but smile back at her innocent beauty. She’s been on horseback all day, mucking out stalls, and everything else she’s been asked and looks like Miss America to me with her olive skin, dangerous green eyes, and wild brown hair flying everywhere. I force my gaze to stay away from her tits with Granddad sitting in front of me.
“No, miss, I’m just leaving.” Granddad hoists himself up off the straw bale and Challis immediately grabs his elbow helping steady him. I cringe as she tries to help the stubborn old fart.
“Well, thank you, sweetie.” He looks up to her and smiles. My jaw drops in shock as I look over to my brothers—they seem to be having the same reaction.
“I’m Challis Jones. I will be working here for a few months.”
“I’m Marve Slatter, or as most call me, Granddad.”
“Oh.” She covers her mouth and then she looks at me. Granddad doesn’t miss any of her reactions.
“You must be the young beauty Merek’s been talking about.”
She shrugs her shoulders and blushes, and I cross my arms, lean back on the post, and watch this scene play out.
“Well, no disrespect, sir, but Merek does talk a lot of shit.”
Granddad’s deep chuckle fills the barn. “That he does, but I’ve heard enough about this green-eyed beauty who’s turned him down too many times to count and is the only thing he can think about.”
“Okay, okay.” I push off the post. “Enough talking, you two.”
“No, really, tell me more.” Challis hooks her arm in his elbow. “May I walk with you?”
“Why yes. To that white house over there, please.”
“What the hell?” Maverik tosses his hat into the dirt. “You’d beat our ass if we tried to help your crippled ass.”
Granddad turns back to us three. “If I’ve taught you three boys anything it's that you never let a pretty little lady escape.”
I don’t miss the quiet stare from him and know from those simple words he’s telling me so much more.