Chapter 50
Chapter fifty
Jett
After the morning I had, seeing Izzy's face was exactly what I needed. Even if her face completely shifted at the sight of me, which I hate, I'm glad she's here.
She's done one hell of a job avoiding me at every turn since our kiss.
What began as a conversation that I believed needed to happen turned into... everything. And everything changed for me that day.
It's as if the stars aligned perfectly, and they all pointed directly to her. Who the fuck am I kidding? They always have, as far as I'm concerned.
I haven't pushed. Hell, I haven't even tried. I don't want her to choose me because she feels pressured. I want her to turn to me because she has finally decided to listen to her heart for once.
I may not have made any further advances, but I’ve waited impatiently. My hand and I have become very acquainted over the past couple of years. I couldn’t and still can't look at another woman after that kiss, much less attempt to be with one sexually.
That kiss and the tender way she returned every emotion and movement so freely altered me completely.
Even still, now she's here again, I'm determined to keep my distance.
I've made my stance abundantly clear. The ball is now in her court, and the next move, and when she makes it, is up to her.
Izzy climbs the steps with the same assertive confidence I remember, the one she lacked the last time she was here. The way she holds herself is mesmerizing, and that's exactly what I am, as I stare at her walk away—mesmerized.
Shaking my head with a chuckle at the slip of her nice ass I just saw, I follow her up the stairs of my parents' home.
Clearing my throat, I say, "Iz, I was trying to take your bag to the ATV. You and Maverick will be staying in the cabin you were in last time. Mom already set it up for you guys."
Her features falter, but only briefly.
"Maverick isn't coming. It's just me." She pauses momentarily, and I don't miss the look that crosses her face. I can't place it. "I can stay in the main house or with Dessa, so I don't take up an entire cabin for myself."
"He's at work?" I ask the question before I can stop myself. Trying to deflect quickly, I add, "Dessa already told Abbie she could stay in the cabin with her. Abbie is looking forward to their girly ass sleepovers. Kasten and Silas are sharing the other. So that leaves yours, all to yourself."
Her eyes flash to mine, holding something that resembles anger in them. "Not that it's any of your business, but yes, he's at work."
She's lying. I know this woman better than I know myself at times, and I can tell she's lying. But I don't know why.
I don't question her. Rather, I offer a firm nod and extend my arm to take the stubborn ass woman's bag. "Hand it over, Iz. I'll bring you to the cabin."
Pulling her large bag closer to herself, she steps back from me, walking further onto the expansive front porch.
"You can bring me, but I can handle my own bag," she insists firmly, leaving no room for debate.
“Seriously, Iz?”
She nods once, and familiar irritation flares under my skin. She's the one who has been ignoring me. She's the one who broke my heart. She’s the one who doesn't know what the hell she wants. Yet, she's angry with me, and for what? For kissing her? Well, hell, I could be just as angry.
Rolling my eyes, annoyed that this is how she's playing it, I turn and walk off the porch, not looking back to see if she follows. I make my way over to the ATV and start it up. Not a minute later, she slides into the back seat, clearly refusing to sit next to me.
Fuck this.
"That’s it, we are fucking talking," I demand, cutting off the engine and turning to face her. "You're seriously angry with me?"
"Yep, so you can start the truck now," she declares in an uninterested, matter-of-fact tone as she looks around, intentionally looking anywhere but my way.
"What? Why? Because we kissed?" I ask, annoyance and confusion clearly portrayed in my words.
She shrugs as she tosses her bag to the ground and hops off the ATV. "You were right. Fuck this. I'll walk."
You've got to be fucking shitting me. Here I am, trying to keep my distance yet still be courteous, and this is how she wants to play it.
"Typical. Run, Izzy. It's what you do."
"I said I was walking, never said I was running," she snarks back, way too proud of herself, as she picks up her bag.
"Don't be a smartass," I call out.
"Why not? When your reaction makes it so much fun?" She begins walking toward the cabin, lugging her large bag behind her as if it doesn't weigh four fucking tons like I know it does. She's so damn stubborn, and it drives me mad.
"So this is how this week will go, hm?" I ask, following alongside her on the ATV.
"Yep!" she says firmly, as she flashes me a smug look.
"We could have an actual conversation. You know, the things adults do when there's an issue," I say, sarcasm oozing from my voice.
"Or, we could not talk at all. That would be even better!" she chirps back.
Growing more frustrated by the second with this headstrong, beautiful, feisty woman, I let out a sigh of defeat and turn the ATV around.
"Don't fall and flash anyone!" I call out childishly.
"You wouldn't be so lucky twice in one day!" she shouts back.
This is going to be one hell of a fucking week.
"She's here... And yet, you look pissed?" Kasten asks with a chuckle from a haybail in the barn, a shit-eating grin plastered across his face.
Kas and I have always been good friends, and we've grown even closer over the past few years. He comes to the ranch a lot to help out and hang out, which works out well since I've been so busy lately and can never find time to step away. If he didn't come here, we'd never get to hang out.
"It's your sister, Kas. Need I say more? The woman drives me fucking nuts."
Kas snorts, which earns him a well-deserved punch to the arm.
"Does she know?" he asks, his laugh fading and his features shifting to something more serious.
"Know what?" I counter, raising a curious eyebrow.
"That you still love her..." The words pull the breath out of me like a stab to the gut. I don't respond; only nod.
Just as I turn to walk away into my office, my phone rings in my back pocket.
Phew, saved. I don’t feel like having this talk with him again.
It's always the same thing when he and I talk freely about Iz. Years ago, he called me whipped for Izzy. Now, he’s some sappy, hopeless romantic, and feels like me and his sister are soulmates, destined for one another.
I don't disagree. I'm just sick of him telling me to fight for her.
I've tried fighting for her, and look where that's gotten me.
I pull out my phone, instantly recognizing the unsaved number.
Fuck, I don't need this shit today.
If being aggravated with Izzy isn't enough, weird shit is going down on the ranch.
Fences were down, cattle were missing, and six out of one of the herds were found dead for no apparent reason.
I have every reason to believe it was deliberate, and now that he's calling, I know exactly what happened. This is no coincidence.
Today is not the fucking day.
"Yeah?" I answer, my tone short and clipped.
"Jett, how's your day going, buddy?" he says with a laugh. He fucking laughs. My blood instantly runs hot through my veins at the arrogance in his voice.
"Guess I don't even need to ask if it was you since the answer is pretty fucking obvious." My words spew out like venom, laced with every ounce of my anger.
"Do you have my money now?" he asks, still with a playful hint in his voice. But I know there’s no room for playing when it comes to him, so I tread carefully.
"As I've said before, that was never in the arrangement. We had a deal."
"The deal’s changed. You will pay the price either way. The glory of it all is that you get to choose what the price is. You should be thanking me."
He's lost his fucking mind. "Thanking you? You're fucking kidding, right? And I don't have that kind of money right now. I'll never have it if you kill off and free my cattle. If you're after money, I'll get it to you when I can if it means this shit ends. But the fucking with me ends here."
I'm sick of this shit hanging over my head.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Oh, Jett, you're forgetting you don't call the shots. We’ll talk again soon," he says with another laugh, just as the call ends and the line goes dead.
Fuck, so much for treading lightly.
I take off my ball cap, coursing a hand through my hair, and kick over the chair in front of me out of flashing anger.
"Fuck!" I shout out into the silence.
"What's wrong, bro? Who was it who called?" Kas asks as he rushes in.
"All good, Kas. I'll be out there soon," I lie, forcing my tone to stay even.
He's one of my best friends, but I can't let him know this is happening. It's bad enough he's stressing over the ranch's well-being with me. I can't let any of them worry about this shit, too.
I'll carry this burden alone, and somehow, I'll figure out a way to make shit right.
It's what I do.
“If you say so,” Kas says skeptically. He doesn’t leave. Instead, he pushes on, thankfully changing the subject. Although the subject he changes to manages to put me even more on edge. “Hey man, what’s going on with Mark?”
I sigh, really not needing this shit right now. Not needing one more person to worry about. “What do you mean?”
“Well…” Kasten clears his throat, averting my gaze. “He’s been acting sketchy, Jett. There’s no fucking way you don’t see it. I just saw him, and he doesn’t look right. He’s stumbling, slurring, spaced the fuck out. I think he fell off—”
“He wouldn’t.” My tone is clipped, leaving no room for discussion, and Kasten catches on.
He takes a step back, leaning against the wall of my office as if trying to make light of the heavy topic.
Still, he’s my best friend, so I check my tone, adding, “He’s probably just fucking tired, man.
We all are. You know we’ve been working around the clock to recover the losses. ”
“Look, all I’m saying is keep an eye on him. That’s all. I know he’s been through a lot and he’s come a long way, but if he falls off again… Just remember all the sketchy ass people he used to hang around. Jett, that could be bad for you. You don’t need that shit around the ranch.”
For a moment, I find myself questioning if Mark would turn on me. Is he using again? Could he be behind all the shit going on currently?
I shake my head, dismissing the thought. There’s no way Mark would do that. Not after all I’ve done for him. We’re brothers now.
“I’m thankful for your concern, and I’ll check in on him. But I really can’t deal with this shit right now, Kas. I’m fucking stressed enough as—”
He waves a hand dismissively, cutting me off. “Consider this conversation over. I’m around if you need me.”