Nathaniel #2
Terrence’s ass was grinning from the back of his horse as we rode around the edges of his family’s property.
We were going through and doing perimeter checks to ensure there weren’t any surprises.
With the gala being this weekend, we were all going to be preoccupied for multiple days.
We’d been setting additional cameras and trip lines so that if anyone trespassed on any of our land, alerts would sound.
We weren’t taking any chances. The men who had been sniffing around were part of a larger group that was looking to buy up as much land as they could.
I was sure the fact that Black Gold Valley had so much land with access to water was lucrative to them and the surveillance state they wanted to build.
So much of the Valley was still large swaths of property that could be turned into anything someone wanted.
We’d battled developments for generations and it looks like the fight was still raging.
“Who said anything about tricking?”
I’d brought Riot out to ride today and he was prancing around, wanting to race. The mundane, easy pace of checking fences and ducking through trees wasn’t enough excitement for him.
“Yzzy told me about what you’d done with Charisma to ensure she was ready for the gala.
Just handed over your card no questions asked.
” Sampson was grinning as he rode with a shotgun laid across his lap as a precaution.
Terrence and I were both heavily armed because these people had shown they weren’t above stealing or trespassing.
“That’s my girl, what else was I supposed to do? And, Samp, your ass couldn’t wait to fuckin’ gossip to somebody about what I do with my damn money.”
Terrence and Samp were almost as close as the two of us were so I should’ve known they would link up and talk shit. I couldn’t wait until T found someone that he cared about so that I could give some of this teasing right back to his ass.
“I’m proud of you, Buck. I knew you would fall hard when you fell but damn, I ain’t think you were going to go this fast. Terrence was shaking his hat-covered head and I’m surprised his ass covered up his handiwork with a hat.
I scanned my area of the fence before I turned to my brothers and shook my head. “So you had faith in me but thought I was gone half step? That’s fucked up. Samp you should’ve told him that ain’t how we do. Well, your ass did for like multiple years. I ain’t like that.”
“You just gone harp on that shit forever ain’t you?” Samp rolled his eyes like his pussyfooting around was ancient history. The shit was literally a year ago and even his wife joked with him about it to this day.
Riot’s ass was still sniffling the tall grass as he walked, and I held on tight in case something spooked him.
“You shouldn’t talk shit with the big dogs if you can’t hang, big brother.”
We all stopped our horses scanning the last of the fencing. Everything was still intact but that didn’t mean it would stay that way. We were all on edge and I knew my tension wouldn’t ease until after the gala.
“You ready to get back on the bull this weekend?” Terrence used to rope but hadn’t done it in years since he made his money with his hands. He still came out to support my team, which I appreciated.
I grinned because I wasn’t worried about getting back on the bull, but I wanted to impress my girl something serious.
“Nah. I had to get treatment on my shoulder the other week—”
“And I heard Charisma was cussin’ out your physical therapist for hitting on you.”
“You mean Rachel? Damn, I forgot you said you crossed that line.” Terrence was shaking his head at Samp’s comment and my Black ass was just waiting on the two of them to finish their color commentary so I could get back to what the fuck I was saying.
“Y’all done?”
Sampson just laughed before he turned his horse back the way we’d come. “Thought you were the big dawg, baby brother.”
We both followed behind him eyes scanning to make sure we hadn’t missed anything.
“Anyway, yeah, Charmy was about to dot that girl’s eye but she wouldn’t keep her hands to herself.
Mitch’s ass was eager to come and apologize for Rachel’s behavior.
As long as she stays away from me I’ll be good from now on. ”
“You can’t make me believe that sweet-faced girl that was floating around like a bee looking for pollen was about to fight. Not over your ass.”
My chest puffed out because Charmy had my back despite these niggas wanting to tease me. “Was and I wasn’t surprised. The night I met her, if I wouldn’t have stepped in she would’ve been good. She had a bottle in her hand ready to knock dude over the head with it.”
“Damn, she’s just as wild as Black.”
My brother’s tone was full of admiration but Charisma wasn’t out here castrating men like his wife was. “I don’t know if anyone is as wild as Black, Samp.”
“True.” He was grinning as his horse ambled through the grass probably thinking about his wife.
“Bucky getting serious means my mama gonna be looking at me next.”
“Don’t just settle for anybody, T. You gotta meet you a good girl that’ll fit in the Valley.”
“Everybody can’t be like y’all and just have their women falling into their laps and shit.”
Me and Samp looked at each other cause that sounded like he already had someone he wanted but couldn’t get her. I wasn’t about to touch that because I still didn’t officially have my girl. I would worry about his love life when I got mine.
“Hopefully your ancestors are on the other side working as hard for you as they were for us. I’m just glad everything is looking good here.”
“‘Preciate y’all coming out.”
“You know we wouldn’t be anywhere else but here, T. You’re family to all of us.” Sampson’s ass had learned to be more expressive since he’d finally dropped Ana Mariá and found joy. It took some getting used to because even Terrence looked kinda surprised.
Terrence smiled before he spoke again. “Hopefully everything stays calm but I know if it doesn’t we got this.”
“We’re going to protect our land and legacy by any means necessary. But for right now, my mind is on this rodeo and we’re going to have fun this weekend. Everything else can wait.”