Page 12 of Chains and Vows

"I'm askin'. Can you?"

"I mean…" I take a drag, blow it out. "I don't ride fancy, but I stick."

"Good enough. You're with me today."

This time my laugh is real. "I'm not with you today. Cash. I don't work here."

Cash just ignores me like I didn't even speak. "Got a well out in the east pasture actin' up. Pressure's droppin' and the cattle need water. Gotta ride out and check the pump."

I follow his gaze to where two horses are already saddled up and waitin' by the fence. One's a chestnut with a white blaze. The other's a dark bay with black stockings that's tossin' its head like it's got somewhere better to be.

"You're on the bay," Cash says, like this is all decided. Like I don't got thirty-five bodies in the clay and a clubhouse full of scared men waitin' on me to figure out what the fuck we do about Mike.

But somethin' in Cash's voice tells me this isn't about a well. This is about whatever he wanted to talk about last night. And the horses are just his excuse to get me alone where no one can hear what he's got to say.

Cash strides over to his fancy chestnut and swings up like he's been doin' it since he could walk. Which he probably has. Then he just starts ridin' off, not even checkin' if I'm comin'.

"Fuckin' Ashbys," I mutter, watchin' him go.

I stand there long enough to finish my smoke, weighin' my options. Diesel and the boys are waitin'. The clubhouse is on fire. Mike's got his hooks in deep, and Crow's fallin' apart.

But Cash knows somethin'. And right now, information is worth more than time.

"Motherfucker," I grumble, crushin' the butt under my boot and walkin' toward the bay.

The second I grab the reins, the horse tosses its head, dancin' sideways like it's got too much energy trapped in its skin. I know that feelin' all too well.

"Settle down," I tell it, checkin' the girth out of habit.

I don't ride much, but I know how it's done. I get my foot in the stirrup and pull myself up, settlin' into the saddle. The bay immediately starts movin', little sideways steps and head tossin' that say it's lookin' for any excuse to dump me in the dirt.

Bet Cash gave me this one on purpose. Hopin' I'd end up on my ass while he laughed.

"Not today, Satan,” I warn the horse, gatherin' the reins tighter.

I never learned to ride properly, but Savannah and I spent every summer together as teenagers. I've ridden every single one of those ponies of hers. Even the horses that cost as much as a fancy car.

Not my idea, but I did it. And I liked it enough to let her give me pointers.

So can I ride a horse?

I mean… probably not.

But can I sit on one and get places? That's a solid 'yes'.

I nudge the bay forward, and it springs into a trot that rattles my damn teeth. I pull it back to a walk, catchin' up to Cash who's ridin' easy on his well-behaved mount.

My ride is fussin' pretty hard, so I'm focused on not gettin' thrown and only half payin' attention when he casually says, "I think we're gonna need to kill Marcus."

CHAPTER 4

The sound of a motorcycle pulls me from sleep. I listen, only half awake, as it rumbles, then fades. And for a moment, I'm confused. Has it only been minutes since Legion got out of bed and kissed me goodbye? Because it doesn't feel like minutes.

I turn over, rub my eyes, and look at the clock on the bedside table. It's after ten a.m.

What in the world? I sit up, swipin' hair out of my eyes, and try to make sense of things.

It wasn't even dawn yet when he left this room.