Page 20 of Rain or Shine
Me:It’s Tyler. We need to talk.
I don’t bother waiting to see if she reads it or even responds right away. I shove my phone back in my pocket and climb up on the back of Onyx. I need to get back to the barn and see to the rest of today’s task list. Being the manager of a ranch, there’s always something that needs to doing.
Stopping right outside of the closest pasture, I hop off the back of Onyx and lead him the rest of the way into the barn. I make sure to give him a good brush down after removing the saddle and blanket from his back. Once he’s good, I treat him to some honey oats and apple slices, his favorite treats.
I set him out into the pasture with his friends, including Della’s horse. Garrett or one of the others will make sure all of them are put up later and head to the office in the back of the barn. Maddox has his office in the house, while I use this one. We used to have papers scattered all over the place in what had once been chaotic organization, but when Della moved back and started helping, she changed up the system. I guess you could say it’s for the better, but it’s taken some time to get used to. I’m not one who’s good with change. Granted, it’s a whole lot simpler and less headache to deal with the new program. Definitely less paperwork. Though when it comes to lists of tasks to be done, schedules, and things that need to be picked up, we all still write them down and pin them to the board here in the office.
Throwing myself in the chair behind the desk, I let out a sigh and check my phone—still nothing.
Frustrated, I toss the phone on the desk and lean back. I figured she’d have texted me back by now. Maybe she doesn’t want to talk to me. That’s fine, I suppose. It’s not like she owes me anything. It’s the other way around.
"Who the fuck pissed in your grits?"
I startle at the sound of Maddox's voice. He leans against the door frame, crossing one foot over the other as he stares at meintently. The last thing I need or want is a therapy session from him.
"No one," I grunt, straightening in my chair.
"Bullshit." He pushes off the frame and enters the office, kicking the door closed behind him. "Your head has been up your ass this whole damn week."
I take offense to that. "That so? Because everything that needed to get done around here, got done."
"I'm not disagreeing with you. But I know you, man, and I know when your head is elsewhere."
Maddox knows me better than anyone, and he's not gonna let me skate by without an answer. He knows my past, had a front row seat to the shitshow I went through with my ex.If anyone can understand my frustration, it’s him.
"Megan's getting released from prison," I tell him. "Just found out at the end of last week."
He quirks a brow, letting out a low whistle.
"Fuck, man, I'm sorry." He shakes his head. "I didn't realize she was up for parole."
"She didn’t have a parole hearing. They released her due to overcrowding. According to Barnes, she was an honorable inmate." Just saying the words out loud has me wanting to spit. They leave a bad taste in my mouth.
"What do you need?"
"I don't fucking know, man." My fists curl at my sides. "She ain't getting Dash. I'll fucking kill her first."
"Well, she ain't getting anywhere near him as long as he's on this ranch. We'll alert the guys to keep their eyes open, and I'll put in a call to Lucifer. Ask him to beef up security around here more than it already is."
"Appreciate it, Mad." I nod, trying to block out the thoughts in my head and sigh. “I don’t know what’s going to happen withthis shit. I know I’ll have to go before the judge soon, I just don’t know when.”
“Just let me know when you need the day for that,” Maddox grunts, eyes searing into me with laser focus. "Something else bothering you?"
My eyes spring open, and I meet Maddox's stare.
"I slept with a woman I shouldn't have."
He cocks an eye brow. "Who?"
"Mammon's sister. She’s also Dash’s teacher."
Maddox whistles and lowers himself into a chair. “Let me get this right. You slept with your son’s teacher at a time you didn’t know she was, and now you’re freaked out that you have to see her again. You see old lays all the time, what gives about this one?”
That right there is the question of the century. Why do I care so damn much?I screwed up where that woman is concerned more than I should. To the point it’s screwing with my head.
Before I can speak my thoughts out loud, Beau steps into the office with a knock as he does so.
“Sorry to interrupt, but you’ve got company.” He grins in my direction.
