Chapter 39
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
TRIPP
M y mom's screams haunt the hospital hallways.
Grief is a funny thing. It comes and goes in waves. Crashing over you and pulling you under, holding on to you till your very last breath before letting you resurface for one gasp of air before dragging you straight back down again. With each pull, the tighter your chest feels. But then there are moments when peace consumes you, knowing that they're in fact in a better place, but that's only momentary. A split second maybe, before you're back beneath the waves fighting for every breath.
We've lost far too much this year, I wasn't ready to lose him too.
My dad.
The fiercest of them all. Hard. Tough. Knew what was best for all of us. But over the years, the tough exterior slowly crumbled, and the final stroke was Lainey. She broke every wall down like a wrecking ball.
No one prepares you for what it feels like to lose a parent, and for those who have lost one, I understand them so much more now. I never understood the pain that comes with it, the immense grief that tears you inside out. But here I am. Living without the man who has always been my hero.
Always imagined he would die in his sleep peacefully, next to my mom.
But he died saving Dixie.
He died saving the only girl I have loved, saved her so her daughter didn't have to grow up without her mom just like she did.
Choking on my intake of breath as silent sobs rattle through my chest, I sit beside my dad, my head resting on his blanket covered body when I hear a sound of footsteps filling the room. Lazily looking up, I see my brothers.
All a little broken, all have tear-stained cheeks.
Riggs gives me a shallow nod as he walks towards me, Pacey next to him and their hands are on my back.
“I'll take it from here dad, I’ll look after them all,” Riggs' voice trembles, “no one will get our legacy dad, I hope we all make you proud... I hope we have made you proud,” he stammers over choked sobs. “ Live by the ranch, die by the ranch,” and with that, we bow our heads and grieve our father.
The minutes slipped into hours, and I am finally being wheeled towards Dixie's room and my heart thumps when I see her eyes on mine. A soft smile gracing her lips and I know I am about to wipe it away in an instant.
Riggs gives me a soft squeeze of my shoulder before he walks out of the room, leaving me and her alone.
“I am so glad you're okay,” I whisper, pushing from my chair and kissing her on her lips.
“You have your dad to thank for that,” her smile is still on her pretty face and my heart goes from racing to aching deep inside my chest. “How is he doing?” she asks, an oxygen tube in her nose.
“Dixie...” I whisper, clutching her hand.
“Tripp...” and I hate that she has that playful tone in her voice. It’s my favorite and I am about to destroy it within seconds.
I shake my head from side to side, my lips turning down as I fight off the onslaught of tears that are about to rip through me.
“No,” she whispers, her bottom lip trembling. “No,” she repeats again, and I swallow down the lump that is burning my throat.
I nod, tears brimming in my eyes and with one soft blink, they roll down my cheeks.
And the wave of grief drags me straight back down as she cries into her hands, and this time I can't come up for air.
It has hold of me, pulling me deep into the crevices of the darkest ocean.
TWO MONTHS LATER
The warm water of the creek washes over me, slipping beneath the surface, peace radiates in my chest for just a second. It's been a hard two months.
Dad's funeral was held two weeks after he died. The whole town showed up as we buried him at the foot of the field. He had already picked his spot and wanted to be one with his ranch. My mom is growing stronger every day and having Lainey here has definitely helped. She is crawling around and causing all kinds of mischief but watching her grow is something else.
I have healed completely and my god, the first time I was back on a horse, I felt free. I felt like this is where I needed to be. I needed to be on the ranch, more than ever. I didn't want to go back to being sheriff. I loved it, but now, I had a new purpose.
To be the best I could be. To help Riggs keep Rivera Ranch going. I can feel dad wherever I am, but I mainly feel him in the soft breeze as I ride down towards the creek, and each time I pass, I feel a warmth in my chest that I can't explain. He dances with the leaves before he disappears over the mountains. I will never be over his death, it's changed me. Made me a better man and I never want to go back to who I was before.
Lucian and Wallen went down for fraud and it turns out that they were also responsible for Clay’s death. When they dug further, they contacted the coroner who gave his notes and he had found a high level of drugs that were in his bloodstream and caused the heart attack. When the Attaway's home was searched, they found the substance they had slipped into his drink that night. Lucian was the one who gave them to Wallen. They are now serving many years in Wyoming, and I hope that Clay can rest peacefully.
He never deserved to die, especially at the hands of his friend and brother.
My chest aches and I find myself rubbing it out.
And lastly, Kelcie was found guilty of arson, bribery and fraudulent documents in a murder investigation. So now, there is a new sheriff overlooking Lovelock Bay.
Pacey Rivera.
In agreement with the Mayor, Marty and me, we knew he was the right fit and I will only admit it now and here because no one else can hear me, he is a damn good sheriff... better than I ever was.
But that's okay, because I have a new lease of life.
A new dream.
Hands clasp my face as I am slowly pulled up to the surface and I suck in a deep breath.
“Hey,” she smirks as water drips from my hair and off my nose. “Thought you were staying down there,” I watch the crease in her brows, and I don't miss the worry that dances in her eyes.
“Hey beautiful,” I rasp as her legs wrap around my waist and I smirk against her lips. “And never, I prefer it above the surface.”
She kisses me, tongue just dipping past my lips before she pulls away and my eyes are still closed.
“We have a few hours before your mom and Aspen get back from dress shopping with Lainey... plus, I am dying to use the new toy that I got,” she wiggles her brows and I groan, my dick already hard as I begin wadding my way through the water, slowly walking up the bank, she grips onto me a little tighter.
“We better get back home then,” I trail my kisses down her jaw, and nip at her soft skin.
Placing her down gently, I spin her wet body and pull her back to my front, my hands rounding the small swell of her stomach and my heart thumps inside my chest knowing that she is pregnant with my baby.
She slips away and I miss her instantly as she reaches down for her towel and runs towards the house.
“Hey!” I call out, my cock throbbing as I grab my own towel and follow her into the distance.
I am knelt between her legs, my fingers buried deep inside of her as the tip of her vibrator rubs against her clit.
“Shit,” her head falls back, her muscles tensing.
“You going to come for me baby?”
She whimpers as I lift one her legs over my shoulder, and slip my fingers from her soaked cunt, gliding the head of her toy just inside her pussy.
Her hips lift as I slowly push it inside of her and her legs tremble. Lowering my smiling lips over her clit, I flick my tongue against her before sucking and her moans fill the room as she comes. Slipping from her, I drop her toy on the bed as she pants, coming down from her high. Turning her over, I stand behind her, ass in the air as I slide deep into her pussy, my cock stretching her tight little cunt out as I pull my hips back and fill her again.
Thrust. Thrust. Thrust.
“You drive me crazy,” I groan, fingers kneading the skin on her hips, her legs widen slightly sliding my cock deeper.
“Yes,” she pants, and I begin to moan as I chase my own high, desperate to fill her with my cum.
Ten more strokes and I am coming as she moans, her fingers on her clit as she reaches her own orgasm. Pulling out of her, I lean down and kiss between her shoulder blades, trailing them down until I am placing soft kisses against her pussy.
“Let's go shower,” I whisper against her skin, and she hums in agreement. She rolls over softly, and I take her hand in mine as I walk her upstairs, mindful that mom and Aspen could be home any minute.
Locking the door of the bathroom, I drag her towards the shower and turn it on. Hot water spurts out, the room filling with steam as I step under the shower and wait for her to follow.
“Always wanted to fuck you in here,” I groan, my lips on her neck, hands kneading her full tits and her head rolls back. “And the stables.”
“Then fuck me,” she whispers and my skin breaks into goosebumps.
I smirk against the pulse point on her neck, twisting her around so she is looking out the window, small palms pressed against the steamed up glass as her legs widen slightly.
“I promise I won't be long, then I will spend the rest of the shower washing every single inch of you,” I whisper just as I slip into her tight cunt again.
One hand curls around her hip, the other is in her hair dragging her head back as I pound into her, and with each stroke, her moans grow louder as one of her hands slips between her legs as she rubs her clit. I fuck her hard and fast and as promised, I spurt my hot cum deep inside her pussy as she clenches around me, her cunt pulsing as my cock throbs deep inside of her, snatching another orgasm.
We lay in bed, her head on my chest as I dance my fingertips up and down her spine.
“You ready for your show tonight?” I ask, looking down at her as her head lifts, nerves bouncing in her pretty blue eyes. “Baby,” I whisper, cupping her cheek, “don't be nervous... you were born to do this.”
Her bottom lip trembles.
“You know you were darlin',” and I grip her chin, lifting her lips to mine as I kiss the nerves away.
“I love you Tripp.”
“Do you know how good those words sound coming off your lips?” I rasp between our kisses.
“I love you,” she repeats and my heart soars.
“And I love you my little dreamcatcher,” I smile against her lips, “you're my wildest dreams,” kiss, “my wildest love,” kiss, “my wildest forever, Dixie.”
She climbs onto my lap, hands clasping my face as our kiss deepens, my hands lazily stroking up and down her thighs.
“I love you,” I choke, “it's always been you; it will only be you.”