The Truce (Butler Ranch Book 2)

by Heather Slade

  “She’s gone.”

  “I know.”

  “How do you know?”

  “You texted me. How do you know?”

  “Found the door open this morning, and the place empty.”

  “Empty?”

  “What happened at dinner last night?”

  Maddox stepped back and motioned for Naughton to come in.

  “Hey, Alex.”

  Alex walked up behind Maddox, and put her hand on his arm. “Stop.”

  “Thanks,” he muttered, he’d been gripping the back of his neck so hard, it was red.

  Naughton looked between the two of them, and then leaned up against the wall. “That isn’t all.”

  Maddox tensed his arm, trying to keep himself from rubbing the back of his neck before he rubbed it clear through to his spine.

  “You already told me. The wine is gone too.”

  Did Naughton think Lena took it? And if she did, so what? It wasn’t their wine. They’d asked her if she knew who left it in the caves, but she was evasive.

  “It might be a good idea to contact Peter Wendt.”

  “Why?” Naught asked.

  “It’s complicated.”

  Naughton looked at Maddox, and Maddox looked at Alex.

  “There are questions surrounding how we came to own the property that maybe he can answer.”

  “He can’t.” Naught’s shoulders drooped forward.

  “Why not?”

  “He just can’t”

  “How do you know, Naught?”

  “I just know. Let it alone, Mad.”

  Maddox felt the anger travel through his body. More secrets?

  “Did you know Kade was married to Lena Hess?” Maddox asked.

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “Did you know he got the land he gave us as part of the divorce settlement?”

  “No, but it makes sense.”

  Everything Maddox thought he knew about his brother screamed inside him. Kade never would’ve taken someone’s land in a divorce. Never. But then he never would’ve believed Kade would marry without his family’s knowledge. Or marry at all.

  What about Naught? Was his reaction just typical Naughton, or did he know a hell of a lot more than he was letting on?

  “Are you sure we even own this land?”

  “Yeah, Maddox. We do.”

  “Are you certain?”

  “The deeds are in Kade’s safe deposit box.”

  Kade had a safe deposit box? One that Naughton knew about? Maddox felt like his head was going to explode. Later, when he could get Naught alone, he’d force his brother to tell him everything he knew, even if it meant putting a gun to his head.

  “How’d you find out Lena was married to Kade?”

  “Come with me,” he motioned to both Naught and Alex. He led them out the door and to the barn, where he told them to wait while he got something out of his truck. He grabbed the photo and handed it to Naughton first, who looked at it briefly, and then handed it to Alex.

  “It was in with the other photos she showed me. I don’t think she intended for me to find out.”

  “We need to tell Brodie.”

  As Alex studied the photo of Kade and Lena, only one thing came to mind—how Peyton was going to feel when she found out about this.

  She’d moved on from Kade, fell in love with Brodie, and Alex believed she was far better off, but she’d still probably be hurt and wonder why Kade never told her. Peyton needed to know about this before word spread, and Alex had to be the one to tell her.

  “Can you get Brodie to meet you over there?” she asked.

  “Where? Old Creek Road?”

  Alex nodded.

  “Probably. Why?”

  “You tell Brodie, and I’ll tell Peyton.”

  “Good idea.”

  Maddox called, and then confirmed Brodie was on his way.

  Alex texted Peyton to say she was on her way to her house in Cambria.

  Perfect timing, Brodie just left to meet his brothers. Peyton answered.

  “All set.”

  Maddox put his arm around her shoulders. “Thanks, Al.” He leaned in closer. “I love you,” he whispered.

  Alex felt as sick on this drive as she had earlier when she drove back from Carmel. There was no easy way to tell Peyton that Kade had been married when he was younger.

  She doubted Peyton would feel as betrayed as Maddox did. Kade was his brother. Finding out he’d been married without anyone in their family knowing had to hurt like hell. She’d be hurt if she discovered one of her brothers married without her knowledge.

  “Hey, Jamie.” He was out front with Finn playing basketball, and stopped to hug her.

  “Hey to you too, Finn.” Who did the same thing.

  “Your mom inside?”

  Both boys nodded, and Alex opened the front door.

  “I thought you were out of town?” Peyton walked over and hugged her the same way the boys had.

  “I had to come back.”

  Peyton’s expression changed from happy to see her to concerned. “Why?”

  “Have a seat.” Peyton sat, and Alex poured a glass of wine from the bottle already open on the counter.

  “Kade was married once before, in his twenties. No one knew about it.”

  Peyton stood, walked to the front of the house, and looked out the window. “Are the boys playing basketball?”

  “Yeah. Are you okay?”

  “I think so. I’m more worried about Brodie though. You say no one knew?”

  “Mad didn’t know, and neither did Naught.”

  “How did you find out?”

  Alex told Peyton about having dinner with Noah Ridge, and how it came up without his realizing her connection to the Butler family.

  “And then last night, Lena Hess was showing Maddox photos of the property, and one fell on the floor of her and Kade. That’s when she told him they’d been married. According to Noah, Kade got the land as part of the divorce settlement.”

  “Lots of secrets,” Peyton murmured.

  “You sound like Maddox.”

  “Is he telling Brodie now?”

  Alex nodded. “Both he and Naught are.”

  “I feel like we should go there.”

  “You do?”

  “Yeah, don’t you?”

  Now that Peyton said it, she did. “What about the boys?”

  “I’ll call Addy.”

  Addy worked at Stave. She and their other main employee, Sam, often babysat Jamie and Finn.

  Peyton picked up her phone and sent a text. Her phone pinged almost immediately.

  “She’s on her way.”

  Peyton’s reaction surprised her, but it shouldn’t have. Peyton loved Brodie, so she was more worried about him than she was upset that Kade never told her he’d been married.

  When Addy got there, Peyton rode to Old Creek Road with Alex, since Brodie had driven his truck to meet his brothers.

  “I’m worried about Naughton too,” she said.

  “Yeah. It’s impossible to know how he feels about anything.”

  “Kade told me once that he worried more about Naughton than any of his other siblings.”

  “Did he say why?”

  “He told me it was because Naught held everything inside. He didn’t confide in anyone. The reason Kade knew was because it’s how he was.”

  “That’s for damn sure,” Alex murmured.

  There were chairs by the creek. Maddox sat in them the other day, while he waited for Naughton to show up. He motioned for his brothers to follow, and that’s where he and Naughton told Brodie about Kade, and how they’d come to own the land.

  Brodie took it much in the same way Maddox had, but wasn’t quite as emotional about it. He was shocked, he had questions, but he wasn’t angry.

  “You want in?” Naughton asked. It wasn’t something he and Maddox had discussed, but it made sense to make Brodie the offer.

  Brodie thought for a couple minutes before he sp
oke. “I want to be a part of what you plan to do here, but I don’t want to be an owner, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “Why not?”

  “This is what Kade wanted for you. That’s what he wanted for me.” Brodie looked over to where Alex and Peyton were getting out of Alex’s car. “He gave her to me because she’s what I needed. I guess he gave me to her, too.”

  Both Maddox and Naught nodded their heads.

  Last night he hadn’t been sure he could set foot on this land again, but when they drove up earlier, something inside of him told him he belonged here.

  Whatever Kade had done in his life to be able to give this land to him and Naught wasn’t as important as why he had. He did it to fulfill his brothers’ dream.

  “If there’s nothin’ else, I’ve got guys workin’ the fields.” When Maddox shook his head, Naughton walked into the woods.

  “Where’s he going?” Alex asked.

  “The north vineyards,” he answered, realizing this was her first time here. “I can’t wait to show it all to you.”

  “Hey, Mad, unless you need my help with something here, I’m gonna get Peyton out of this heat.”

  “No, go ahead, Brodie. Just let me know if you have any questions about what we discussed.”

  “Do the parents know?”

  “Not yet. That’s something we’ll have to talk about. We need to tell Skye and Ainsley too.”

  Alex hugged Peyton, and then kissed Maddox’s cheek when Brodie and Peyton walked away.

  “You missed,” he said, turning to cover her lips with his.

  “Go get in the truck and I’ll try again.”

  As screwed up as everything was, just having Alex with him today made it manageable.

  Maddox climbed in the driver’s side, leaned over and put his arm around her shoulders. “Thanks, Al.”

  She pulled him close, spun around, and sat on his lap. “You can do better than that, Mad-man. Kiss me like you mean it.”

  “Gladly.” Maddox didn’t hesitate, at the same time his tongue found hers, his hand crept under her shirt and teased her nipple. “I gotta get you out of the clothes.”

  “Everyone gone?”

  Maddox looked around, and when he didn’t see any sign of his brothers or Peyton, he didn’t waste any time getting her shirt and bra off. He flung them over the seat, and feasted on her breasts. “Too damn long since I had a taste of you.”

  “What, an hour?” She laughed, slid off his lap and pulled at his belt. “Me, too, Mad. Get these pants off.”

  “Goddamn, Alex. What you do to me, girl.”

  Maddox closed his eyes, and concentrated on the amazing things Alex could do when she took him in her mouth. This was another thing he taught her, and she’d learned well. It didn’t take long before he felt himself on the edge.

  “Let yourself go, Mad. Quit thinkin’.”

  As soon as she put her mouth back where it had been, he did what he was told.

  Alex looked around for her shirt and bra.

  “It’s behind the seat, darlin’.”

  Alex turned to reach over the seat, but he stopped her.

  “I’ll get it.” Maddox could reach her clothes almost without trying.

  “Shit!” Alex hunched down on the front seat.

  “What?” Maddox turned his head and saw why she had. Her brother Gabe was pulling up behind them.

  “Shit, shit, shit,” she said again.

  “Can I do anything to help?”

  “Got anywhere I can hide?”

  If Gabe found her half-naked in the front of Mad’s truck, she’d never hear the end of it.

  Alex was dressed before Gabe got out of his truck, but it hadn’t been a moment too soon. He stormed toward them as Maddox opened the door and got out.

  “Hey, Gabe—”

  Before Maddox could finish, Gabe had him by the throat, and knocked up against the truck.

  “Gabe!” Alex screamed. “What the hell?” She opened the door and ran around to the other side of the truck. “Let him go! What are you doing?”

  “Where is that no-good, fucking brother of yours?”

  Maddox pried Gabe’s fingers from his throat, and pushed him back. Gabe came back swinging, and Alex jumped in front of Maddox.

  “Jesus Fucking Christ!” Alex heard Mad yell as she hit the ground. Instead of hitting Maddox, Gabe’s fist landed squarely in her abdomen. She struggled to catch her breath, but the pain in her stomach was so severe, she thought she might pass out.

  “You stupid, fucking asshole,” Maddox yelled at Gabe. “She just had surgery.”

  Mad’s arms went around her, and he picked her up. He gently laid her on the back seat of her car, while Alex slipped in and out of awareness.

  “Go around and get in. You’ll have to hold her while I drive,” Maddox yelled at Gabe. It was the last thing she heard.

  20

  “Are you immediate family?” the nurse in the emergency room asked.

  “Emma, it’s me, Maddox Butler. You’ve known me your whole life.”

  “Don’t yell at me, Maddox. I’m supposed to ask.”

  “He is.” Maddox slammed his finger in Gabe’s chest.

  “Can you sign this please?” Emma handed Gabe a clipboard and showed him where to sign.

  “How is she?” Maddox asked.

  “The doctor is with her right now. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”

  When Emma went back through the emergency room doors, Maddox turned away from Gabe, and went outside.

  Neither spoke on the way to the hospital, and hadn’t said anything directly to each other since they arrived. If Gabe approached him, Maddox wasn’t sure what he’d do. It was safer to keep his distance. One Avila in the hospital was enough for today.

  He heard the automatic door open, and could sense Gabe standing behind him.

  “Don’t say a word, Gabe. I’m warning you. I came out here for a reason. You get an inch closer to me, and I swear I’ll kill you.”

  “Alex has internal bleeding. They’re taking her straight into surgery.”

  “If anything…” Maddox couldn’t continue.

  He was sitting in the waiting room when Peyton ran in, followed by Brodie and Naughton.

  “What happened?” Peyton asked.

  “How—”

  “Gabe called Lucia, who called my mom,” Peyton explained. “All she said was that Alex was in surgery.”

  “There was an accident,” Maddox began. He couldn’t remember the last time he saw Gabe, but if the son-of-a-bitch left the hospital while his sister was still in surgery, it would just give him another reason to kill him.

  “Maddox?” Brodie put his hand on Maddox’s shoulder.

  “We’ll talk about it later. Okay?”

  “Okay. Whatever you want to do.”

  “You see Gabe Avila anywhere?” Maddox looked at the three of them who all shook their heads.

  “He showed up at Demetria wanting to know where my brother was. I’m paraphrasing, given I’d rather not repeat the string of curse words that prefaced ‘my brother.’”

  “Demetria?”

  “The property on Old Creek Road.”

  Brodie nodded his head.

  “Another subject for later. Okay, Brodie?”

  “Whatever, Mad. You don’t have to explain anything right now.”

  “I can’t think about anything other than Alex right now.”

  “I get it. Have they said anything about how the surgery is going?”

  Peyton’s phone pinged a few minutes later. “My mom texted that she’s with Lucia and Gabe in the surgical waiting room. She’ll let me know as soon as they hear how Alex is.”

  An hour later, Peyton’s mother walked in with Lucia. Maddox stood, and Lucia put her arms around him.

  “Alex is going to be fine. She’s in recovery now, but she’ll be moved to a room within the hour. She’s asking for you, Mijo.”

  “When can I see her?”

 
; “The nurse said she’d call down here as soon as Alex was moved.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Wolf.”

  She brought her hand to his cheek. “Dear, Maddox. Please call me August.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Peyton, her mom, and Lucia laughed.

  “Sorcha raised you to be a gentleman. My Alex is a very lucky woman to have you in her life, Maddox.”

  “Thank you, Lucia.”

  Lucia put her hand on his cheek, like August had. “Dear Maddox,” she teased. “Please call me Mama.”

  When he smiled, so did everyone else. It was a nice moment in a few days of what felt like a bad dream. He only hoped Gabe wasn’t around the corner. Seeing him would turn his bad dream into Gabe’s nightmare.

  “Hi, Emma,” said Peyton. “I didn’t know you worked here.”

  “I’ve been here about six months. It’s a nice hospital. Sometimes it’s difficult since I know so many people who come in. They make it hard for me to follow the rules.” She looked at Maddox, who shrugged.

  “You can see her now. She’s in room four-twelve. Take the elevator and turn—”

  Maddox was on his way to the elevator before Emma finished. He knew where to go.

  Alex tried to roll to her side, but it hurt too much. She closed her eyes, and rested back against the bed. She must’ve drifted off, but the sound of the door opening woke her. Instead of Maddox, Gabe walked in.

  “Get out, Gabe.”

  “Alex, I—”

  “Get out. I know it’s hard for you to muster up any respect for me, but maybe just this once you could do what I ask and leave me the hell alone.”

  Alex turned her head and closed her eyes, praying Gabe would be gone before Maddox came upstairs.

  “Hey, sweetheart.” Maddox ran his fingers through her hair, and kissed her forehead.

  “Hi, Mad. I’m so glad you’re here.”

  “Where else would I be?”

  “Keep me awake, would you? I’ve been having some weird-ass dreams.”

  “Yeah? About what?”

  “Kade.”

  “Talkin’ to you?”

  Alex nodded.

  “What did he say?”

  “He told me to leave things alone.”

  Maddox scratched his beard, and Alex’s eyes focused on his hands.