Twenty-Four
Dallas
Colt comes charging over the cattle grid with a deranged look in his eyes. His stance is tense – he looks like Dad. Laboured footfalls echo through the shed as he storms past the tractor and into my line of vision.
“I fucked up,” he tells me.
My brows crease as I rack my brain to think of what he could possibly be talking about. Knowing Colt, it could be literally fucking anything.
“Explain?”
“I think I might have done something reeeally stupid.”
“Not helpful.”
“Well, last night, I drove Ella into town for the stock show. It was going fine until her fucking ex showed up with his stupid friends.”
“Fucks sake, Colson. What have you done?”
“Nothing. They started it.”
“Started what, exactly?”
Colt’s eyes narrow on the boots in my hand, and I watch him immediately check out of the conversation. “What the hell are you doing?” he asks.
“Nothing.”
“Are those A.B.’s?”
“Fuck off.”
“Dallas, are you polishing her boots?”
“I said fuck off.”
“Man, you’ve got it bad! Have you told her yet?
” I scowl at my brother in a warning, one that he seemingly ignores.
“Just fucking grow a pair and tell her you love her.” It’s my turn to ignore him now as I continue to polish Annabeth’s boots.
I smirk to myself, hearing her laugh in my head, seeing her smile at me.
I haven’t seen Colt since the picnic last weekend, so he has no idea we’ve…
I shake my head, needing a distraction from my own catastrophic thoughts. My gaze meets Colt’s again, and in my best dad voice, I ask, “Colson. What. Did. You. Do?”
“Fine, be like that. I may have accidentally got carried away.”
“Helpful.”
“Okay, fuck.” I watch as he takes off his hat, runs a hand through his hair, and put his hat right back on his head.
“I was sitting at the bar with Ella, and they all came strutting in with their stupid leather jackets and their stupid hats. Just waltzed on in like they fucking own the joint, and slid riiight up next to my girl.”
“Your girl?” I ask, cocking a brow.
“Fuck off. Do you want to hear the story or not?” I nod, signalling to my brother to continue.
“Ella pretty much told him to get lost, and reminded them whose bar they were in. But this wise ass just kept fucking talking to her. I tried to keep my cool, but that guy just knows how to piss me off. He slid a drink down the bar to Ella, and that’s when I snapped.
” Colt shakes his head, the looming threat of what he’s done lingering in the air.
“I pulled him away from her and dragged him out into the street.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did. But don’t worry, It gets worse.” Colt runs a shaky hand through his hair again, trying to smile through whatever the fuck he’s trying to tell me.
“Colson, what happened?” I shout, my voice booming through the shed.
“I’m fucked. I’m so fucked. I’m going to die, Dallas.”
“You’re not going to die, calm down.”
“I might.”
“Why the fuck would you die?”
“Because, I may have told him that I’d kick his ass, an—”
“You what?”
“See. Immediate death.” Colson wails.
Remember how I said Ella’s ex works for the Ballantine boys and that they’re notoriously in and out of jail?
Yeah, they’re fucking bad dudes, but they’re also my late wife’s cousins.
She and I eloped, and the twins were back home in Scotland when we held her funeral.
Thankfully, since Billie was born, they’ve had the good graces to leave us out of their shit.
I knew it was only a matter of time before I had to see them again.
While I don’t know how deep their shit goes, I sure as hell don’t want my brother caught up in it.
Colt’s boots scuff against the dirt, a sheepish exhale leaving his lips as he looks back at me with a look of sheer panic. I place Annabeth’s boots on the work bench and rub my hands down my face, trying to wipe away the knowledge my brother has just instilled on me.
“Colson, what the actual FUCK?” I scream. He stifles a laugh, which only pisses me off more. “You need to sort this out. Now,” I tell him with a stern tone. If there was ever a time I wish Dad was here to kick his ass, it’s now.
“I know, I know. He left after that, and they’re coming over later.”
“Who are? The twins?” I ask. Colt nods slowly in response.
“Well, brother. You’d better pray to any god who’ll listen that blood runs thicker than money.”
An all-too familiar accent answers me. “Dallas, surely ye cannae be talking about us.” Colt and I both turn around.
Now, standing before us, is a tall, well-built man, covered in tattoos.
A leather jacket hugs his frame perfectly before resting against the thick, studded belt looped through his jeans.
His boots are black, razor-like spurs clasped firmly to them.
He looks up at us from beneath the brim of his hat, a cigarette lazily hanging from his lips, eyes glistening as he smirks.
“Been a long time, eh, cousin.”
I extend a hand to Kai, and his heavily tattooed one – adorned with a brutal array of rings – returns the gesture. I’m completely taken aback when he pulls me in for a brotherly hug.
“Kai. Good to see you.”
“Aye, it is. Now, something tells me our boy Colson here has had a wee run in with one of ours. We cannae ‘ave that.”
Colt pushes me aside, his chest puffed like he’s ready to fight his last battle. Nice one, Colson. “Look, he started it an—”
“Woah, easy tiger. I never said I was comin’ ’ere lookin’ for a fight, eh. I know my crew.” Colt’s overly bravado stance waivers long enough for Kai to flash him a wink. This throws Colt for a loop, and I have to stifle a laugh as Kai circles my brother, a devilish look in his eye.
“Where’s Alister?” I ask.
“He’s back at the station, tyin’ up some loose ends,” Kai replies, his tone darkening.
Kai is only a few years older than Colt, and despite being several inches shorter, he really can be a terrifying bloke.
He ceases his pacing, stopping directly in front of my brother, who I’m all but certain is about to shit himself, when Kai wraps his arms around him, pulling him in for a hug much like the one he greeted me with.
“Family is forever, Colson. No matter what shit you get into, you call us.” The fear leaves Colt’s eyes, replaced by a mixture of confusion, and relief. I have to say, my fear subsides a little as well.
“Wait, you’re not mad?” Colt asks.
Kai presses their foreheads together. “No. You’re one of ours.
We promised Sam we’d look out for you. Nobody threatens one of ours.
” Colt opens his mouth to protest, but Kai cuts him off.
“Don’t matter who you are, or ain’t fuckin’, Colt.
If this lassie is yours and Dale’s a problem, we remove the problem.
Simple. Plus, Ace and I really never liked him too much. ”
Kai slaps Colt on the back, a gesture I imagine was meant to be endearing, but he does it with such force that I’m pretty sure Colt is now winded.
Kai releases my brother, turning to face the both of us before giving us a single nod.
He sparks his cigarette, turns on his heels, and leaves.
The moment he’s out of earshot, Colt stares at me with a frenzied panic in his eye. “What do you think he meant by remove?”
Colt and I head back into the house, he takes a seat on one of the bar stools as I fetch two crystal glasses from the cupboard, filling them to the brim with the malt liquor on the counter before handing one to my brother.
“Colson, I have no idea, and I don’t fucking want to.”