42. Chapter 42
Chapter forty-two
Maddox
When the door closes, and Brady and Cooper are safely on the other side, I immediately wrap my arms around Ivy from behind. I hold her close, dropping a kiss into her hair before she spins in my arms.
“You ok?” I ask.
“I guess.” She shrugs. “I’m not sure how I feel about that bastard burning down my home.”
“I hate the guy as much as you do, but we have to be smart about this. You know he isn’t sloppy if he even did this.” I rub my hands over her shoulders. “Ryder is the one we need to worry about. His fuse has been short lately.”
“Lately?” She scoffs. “He’s been one spark away from detonating as long as I’ve known him.”
I chuckle. “True.”
She presses a kiss to my cheek. “I’ve got some errands to run.” She smiles sweetly, and I know what that smile means.
She’s up to something.
“Ivy,” I warn.
“What?” She tiptoes around me.
“You’re not going over there,” I grit out.
“Where?” She picks up her pace as I follow her to her bedroom.
Her old bedroom. As of today.
“To Bernard’s.”
“And why do you think I would do that?” She snags up her favorite pair of boots, the ones she wore last night. I momentarily lose my train of thought as I picture them secured around my waist.
“Promise me,” I say, crossing my arms.
She pauses, her shoulders sagging. “I just want to talk to him.”
“And what? Ask him if he set your parent’s house on fire?” I ask, my voice growing.
Rocky is bad news, and I plan to keep her as far away from him as possible.
“I don’t know," she says as she shoves the other boot on her foot. “I’m kind of in a panic here.” She springs up from the bed. “If there’s an investigation this halts the insurance money. I’m not sure how much longer the ranch can hold out.”
“And you think confronting him is going to make a difference? We don’t even know if it was him.”
“Who else would it be?” She shouts. “Come on, Maddox.”
“Ok.” I raise my palms. “Baby, all I’m saying is you don’t need to be the one to approach him. Let me, Coop, and Ryder handle it.”
“Fine.” She huffs. “But if I see him out in the wild, he’s free game.” She stands, pulling her hair up on top of her head, twisting it up into a bun. “I do need to get to the hospital. I need to help mom and dad get settled.”
She steps up to me, her hands sliding around my waist. “What are you doing today?”
“What I do every day.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “Why don’t you take Dakota with you.”
“I’ll ask her. She usually doesn’t have sessions on Sunday’s.”
Dakota is a horse trainer. A damn good one. She’s even better than Cooper. I just don’t want Ivy alone until we figure out what the hell is going on.
“Ok. I’m going to make my rounds.” I lean back, watching the way her eyes hesitantly drift from mine. “Goldie.”
“Mmhm," she responds.
“Do you want to talk about last night?” I ask, knowing her mind is reeling. Mine is too.
Brady showing up first thing this morning isn’t helping either of us.
“Later?” She asks.
I nod. “Later.”
The sun is already beginning to scorch the earth beneath it and it’s barely nine in the morning. The air is still today, which is why I can clearly see the dust forming behind Laiken’s SUV as she winds down the drive to the ranch. I had promised Trace he could come out once the fire had been cleaned up. She comes to a stop, and the back left door swings open. I can already hear her scolding him when his boots hit the dirt. Then he’s in a full on sprint in my direction before she can even exit the vehicle.
“Trace Sheppard.” She hisses. “You know the rules.”
Dressed in his jeans, boots, and one of my hand me down cowboy hats from when I was a kid, the boy in question comes to a screeching stop when I cross my arms and lift a brow.
His big brown eyes widen when he sees my disappointment, and he hangs his head when my sister places a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“Sorry, mama,” he says quietly before he looks up at her. “I just get excited about being a cowboy.”
“I know that.” She removes his hat and ruffles his copper-tinged hair before she drops a kiss there. “But you can’t be a cowboy if you’re in the hospital with a broken leg.” She drops his hat back on his head with a quick look in my direction.
Laiken works at the local clinic, and in the summertime, instead of having to place Trace in daycare, he spends a lot of his days here with me. If I’m doing something where he can’t tag along, he will spend time with Ruthie up at the big house or sometimes he even goes with Dakota. We all pitch in to help Laiken in whatever way we can. He hasn't been here in over a week, and I knew he was getting antsy.
“She’s right buddy.” I meet my sister’s eyes, and she gives me a small smile.
His little brown boot kicks at the gravel before he sighs. “Yes ma’am.”
“Alright. I’ll pick you up this afternoon. I love you.” Laiken turns to leave but Trace darts out, wrapping his slim arms around her waist.
“Love you more, mama.”
Pride swells in my chest.
“Be careful.” She narrows her eyes at me. “No bulls.”
I lift my hands. “This is a ranch, Laik. I make no promises.”
She shoots me a glare, but it’s not heated.
With a pointed finger she backs up. “Take care of my baby. I don't want my deep cleaning day interrupted.”
“Always do, sis,” I counter before I reach down and grab Trace by the waist, flipping him upside down and over my shoulder.
He squeals in delight, his laughter making everything I work for worth it. Making this shitty week receive a little light.
“What are we doing today, Uncle Mads?” He asks.
I drop him to his feet and right his hat. “How do you feel about cleaning stalls?”
He shrivels his nose. “I gotta shovel shit?”
“Trace,” I scold.
“What? I told mama you say foul words.” He blinks up at me.
“Yeah. Because I’m a man.”
“I’m a man too.” He puffs out his chest. “Mama says I’m the man of the house.”
Damn. There’s that pinch. Pisses me off his dad didn’t stick around to see what a good kid he is. He deserves better.
I crouch down. “How about this? You clean those stalls for me and after we can take a ride on Tater Tot.”
He eyes the barn, then shoves his palm out to me for a firm handshake.
Just like a man.
“Deal.”