Chapter 16
brAY
I had no idea why Kitten seemed so nervous walking through the front door of my parents’ house. She’d been here often over the years, even having sleepovers with Lainey more times than I could remember back when they were kids. Although, she’d never arrived with me.
We made it into the kitchen before everyone swarmed us and I was forced to let go of her hand. The scent of baking cheese and barbecue sauce filled the air. The kitchen table–big enough for fifteen–was set, a huge bowl of salad, dressings, a loaf of bread, and water glasses were waiting already.
“There you are!” Ma called, before pulling Kitten in for a hug, then leading her around the big island. “It’s been too long since you’ve been by. Did you hear about the new foal?”
Zeb was there grabbing a chunk of cheese off of the snack board set on the center island. He tossed it into his mouth, then raised his hand and, as usual, Kitten gave him the expected high five.
Lainey walked past and handed off a glass of wine to her. Kitten took a sip as Ma kept her occupied.
“Dinner will be ready in a little bit but let’s get you some nibbles. You’ve had quite the day!”
Kitten choked on her wine.
Ma turned and clucked over her. Lainey grabbed the wine glass back.
I stormed over and–gently–nudged them both out of the way to rub Kitten’s back. She held up her hand and gasped, “It went down the wrong pipe. I’m okay.”
I wanted to glare at Ma for the choice of words because she was talking about the broken window, not that I’d fucked Kitten so thoroughly that she’d have cum dripping out of her pussy all night.
The idea of it made my dick hard. Again. Now was not the time.
When Kitten caught her breath, she grabbed the wine glass back from Lainey and took a big gulp. Then another.
Ma took the plate Zeb had filled from the snack tray–Ma always set out snacks before dinner to hold all of her children off until we sat at the table–and put it in front of Kitten.
“Hey!” Zeb called out, but in good humor.
I picked up a carrot and swiped it through the hummus and then handed it to her.
Our eyes met. “Thanks.”
Her cheeks were flushed and I knew what was the cause, although a coughing fit would disguise the real reason well enough.
Pops, Shep, and Cam came in through the back door. They removed their hats and set them on the row of pegs beside it.
“There she is!” Pops called. He came over and hugged my girl. He was in his usual uniform of jeans and snap shirt. “I know you’ve been coming here for years, but I’m real glad you’re here with Bray.”
My dad knew what was up, no doubt Lainey spread the word.
“Oh, I, um… thanks,” Kitten said, looking down. She absently grabbed a cube of cheddar and put it in her mouth.
“Boys, wash your hands,” Ma ordered. “Zeb, grab the mac and cheese from the oven and put it on the table. Lainey, take the foil off the ribs. Everyone sit down while it’s hot.”
Everyone started moving because when Ma spoke, we listened. Especially when dinner was ready.
“Where are the others?” I asked as I directed Lainey to sit beside me.
Trig’s, Ellie’s, Colt’s and Molly’s usual seats were empty.
“They should be here any time. Molly’s on shift at the hospital. Trig’s friend is in town for the rodeo and–oh, there they are.”
We looked to the hall as Trig and Ellie came into the room.
I hadn’t seen my oldest brother so happy since he found her.
Because of her, he’d retired from pro rodeo and was now settled in Devil’s Ditch.
In fact, they were having a baby sometime after the new year.
They’d announced it at dinner a few weeks ago.
We’d celebrated by Ma pulling an ice cream cake meant for Hayes’ birthday out of the deep freezer in the garage.
In the past, Trig had pretty much been away for half the year since I was fourteen, but that was over now.
I rarely saw him without Ellie at his side.
Other than Zeb going to Missoula for college, we were all staying close to home.
I had a feeling, he, too, would settle here and help run the ranch.
He was amazing at football, but he wanted to be a rancher.
Ellie held Trig’s hand, but went ahead of him around the table to her usual spot. His hand rested on her back the whole way and he only sat down once she was settled. At four months pregnant, she was barely showing. But Trig’s overprotectiveness couldn’t be missed.
My mind went to Kitten being pregnant with our baby, which made me see where Trig was coming from with every possessive action.
“Everyone, this is Beau Rivers,” Trig said when a man followed them into the room. “He’s tried to win as many championships as me, but I never gave him the chance.” Trig offered his friend a sly grin while slapping him on the back.
Pops went around the table to shake Beau’s hand. “Welcome.”
Beau was around my age, dark hair. Goatee. He was shorter than Trig, but stockier. I imagined he could hold his own with a cantankerous bull just fine. “Thank you for having me,” he told Pops in a deep, calm voice. “Everything smells and looks amazing.”
His Stetson was in his hand as he nodded his head toward Ma in greeting, then shifted his gaze to Kitten.
Taking my hat that was hanging from the back of my chair, I settled it on Kitten’s head so Rivers knew exactly who she belonged to.
It wasn’t necessary though, because his focus quickly shifted to Lainey.
And stayed.
Lainey stared back, and for once was very, very quiet. And blushing.
Giving me an eye roll, Kitten took my hat off–not only because there was a no hats rule at the table–but because it was too big for her head. I took it from her and set it back in its spot over the back of my chair.
“Perfect timing,” Ma told them. “There’s always plenty of room and food for friends.”
The table was big, but it was starting to get tight. With Ellie, Molly, and now Kitten added to the family, we might have to add another leaf. There’d be a highchair soon, too.
Trig pointed Beau in the direction of the open seat for him, directly across from Lainey.
Just as we were starting to pass the platters of food around, Colt came in. He removed his hat as he looked to Kitten, who was beside me, then to me. He didn’t look happy.
“What?” I asked. “Did you catch him?”
The meal was temporarily forgotten and everyone was quiet waiting to get Colt’s update.
He went around and kissed Ma on the cheek. Then glanced down the table at our guest.
“Beau Rivers,” Beau said as introduction.
Colt nodded, then glanced at Ma.
“It’s all right,” she told him, reaching up and patting his hand that rested on her shoulder. “Share what you have.”
The unsaid rule was that Colt didn’t share any of his cases with us at mealtime. We were a snoopy, nosey bunch and he–and Ma–had gotten tired of telling us all to fuck off.
I set my hand on Kitten’s thigh under the table.
“The man from The Roadside and his buddies were in town for a few days for the fair. The guy’s uncle is Conrad Trout and they stayed at his place.”
Kitten went still, her muscles tightening beneath my palm. I looked her way. Her face paled. She knew Trout, too?
I could have sworn I heard Trig growl from down the table.
“I know the younger son at school,” Zeb said. “Chase. We were in the same dorm freshman year. He’s a real d– piece of work. Not surprised his cousin’s also a fun guy.”
“You think, what?” Lainey asked. “He sent his nephew to The Roadside to mess with Katie?”
“Everyone knows or is related to everyone else in Devil’s Ditch, so it’s not that big of a coincidence they’re related,” Colt prompted, flicking his gaze toward Kitten for a moment. “Hell, there are nine of us kids and someone’s always running into one of us.”
Colt had a point.
“He hates Trig, obviously, but why Katie?” Kitten sat beside me, quiet as usual, at Colt’s question.
We all knew the fucker because Trout had conspired to marry Ellie in exchange for paying off her father’s bad debts.
Not liking the idea, she’d run off into a snowstorm where Trig and Beau found her.
Trig knew after one look Ellie was his and had happily married her two days later to protect her from Trout.
Ellie’s father had died right around then, too, from a stroke, so Trout hadn’t gotten Ellie or his money back.
“I’m not a Wilder,” Kitten reminded us. “He has no reason to go after me if he’s mad at your family.”
I wanted to tell her she was part of the family now, that her last name would soon be Wilder, too, but she was right. It didn’t make sense.
It was clear by how tense she was that she’d had a run-in with Trout. Fuck, did he try to force himself on Kitten, too?
If so, I wanted to finish the fucker.
“You know Chase Trout, Katie?” Colt obviously noticed her earlier reaction, too.
The platters of food went around the table. While everyone filled their plates, their eyes were on Kitten.
She swallowed. “Not Chase. I know his father, Conrad. He, um, wants to buy my ranch.”
That was news to me. “I didn’t know you were interested in selling.”
“Yeah, Kat, you love that ranch,” Lainey added, then took a nibble from a sauce covered rib she held in her hand.
Kitten blushed and grabbed the bowl of green beans from Shep who sat on her other side. I now knew that pretty pink color matched the color of her nipples.
“I don’t want to sell,” she admitted. “I told him no.”
“And?” Colt prodded, knowing there had to be more to it with that fucker.
“And he’s… persistent.”
Colt’s gaze flicked to mine and I knew what the look meant. Persistent, how?
“Did he hurt you?” I asked, my voice low and even, trying not to scare my girl. I had eight brothers at this table all ready to go to the state prison and deal with Trout if she said yes. “Is he forcing you into marriage now?”
The Camden property was smaller than the Mann ranch, but equally valuable. Water access, grazing, views.
She shook her head. “Nothing like that. Only threats. He blocked the creek above my property line. Cut a fence, although I have no proof it was him who did either. It’s not like I have cameras or can watch every section of my ranch.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked. No one threatened my girl. I’d have to deal with him, but seeing Colt’s gaze, I knew that wasn’t going to happen in an illegal manner.
Kitten looked my way. “Why would I?”
I clenched my teeth. “Because you’re mine.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m Lainey’s friend. I can take care of myself, Bray.”
“Of course, you can,” Pops piped in, buttering one of Ma’s famous homemade rolls. I looked at him and he arched a brow.
I had no idea what the fuck that look meant. Back off? Toss her over my shoulder and show her she didn’t need to take care of herself any longer, that I was there to protect her from now on?
If dinner wasn’t hot and I needed to ensure Kitten ate something, I might do just that. She needed to eat. Something filling and healthy. She needed to feel like she wasn’t alone any longer. As mine, she got all the Wilders.
Colt pushed on. “Well, the man from the bar last night, the nephew, he left this morning with his two friends and are back in Boise where they live.”
“You sure?” I asked, even though I knew he was. Colt was good at his job and wouldn’t have left anything to chance, especially if it came to someone fucking with our family.
And Kitten was family.
“I went to the Trout place. Conrad Trout’s in Aruba.
” He added the first name to keep all the people in that family straight.
The two sons who were close in age to Shep and Zeb and a daughter I didn’t know much about.
I didn’t know about the nephew either and had no idea if there were any other members of that family. I wondered if they were all assholes.
“While I believed the housekeeper, I checked flight records, which confirm it,” he continued. “As for the nephew and friends, their plane’s manifest had them on the nine a.m. flight, which means–”
“None of them could have tossed that rock,” I finished for him.
“What happened?” Beau asked.
“Someone threw a rock through the front window of my house,” Kitten told him.
“What a mess!” Lainey added. “I want to find that guy and–”
“You were there?” Beau directed his question directly to Lainey. His voice went deeper and he had a glint in his eye I recognized. Possessiveness.
Lainey bit her lip and nodded.
“Maybe they paid someone to do it?” I asked Colt, tossing a possibility out there. I wanted whoever did this found. I needed Kitten to know she was safe in her own home. Hell, I needed to know she was safe.
Kitten didn’t look up. She had her eyes on her loaded plate, her fork still resting beside it, shoulders curled down, as if trying to be small.
“Doubtful,” Colt replied. “Not enough time for any of them to figure out who Katie is, where she lived, then find someone to mess with her. They might be ass–ahem, jerks–” Ma gave him a look “–but they don’t seem that smart or organized.”
“But if Trout wants Katie’s land–”
“I’m sure the guy from the bar doesn’t even remember me,” Kitten murmured. “Why would he? I’m just a server in some random bar. I bet he hits on all the waitresses that serve him.”
Why would he? Because how could anyone forget my kitten?
Colt went to his usual seat and dropped into it. Shep passed him one of the dishes of mac and cheese.
“I’ll check into it further, but I think Katie’s right. The guy’s just a jerk and was handsy with a waitress. Just a coincidence it was Katie.”
I nodded, although agreeing meant it was a dead end. “Those idiots didn’t seem the type to work that hard if they were that upset about what happened. Plus, I was the one who punched his lights out. He should’ve been pissed at me.”
“Maybe it wasn’t Katie they’re upset with,” Beau offered. He’d been quiet and observant to this point. “Maybe it’s Lainey.”
Everyone froze, then looked to Lainey. She flushed at the attention, but her eyes were as wide as saucers, as if she’d never considered the possibility. “Me?”
Beau only offered a small shrug, but his gaze still pierced through Lainey like a pin through a bug.
Shit. I hadn’t thought of that. When I looked to Colt, it seemed he hadn’t either.
“If it wasn’t the man from the bar, then who did it?” Ma asked, picking up her glass of iced tea.
That was what I wanted to know. He wanted the same answers. We all did. But now things opened up a hell of a lot. Who really was in danger? My kitten or my sister?