Page 51 of Rancher's Heart

The discussion continued, and while I was listening I also zoned out. I just needed my boy back.

“What am I supposed to do while you all run off into the darkness?” I asked, feeling worse than useless.

“You stay here and wait for us to come back with Parker.” Griff reached out and cupped my cheek. “I’ll bring him home, safely,” Griff whispered, and I nodded as tears rolled down my cheek.

“We’ll keep her close.” Griff’s dad said as he walked into the room, with his mom trailing close behind. Griff’s dad hugged his son. “Be careful.” He said quietly and Griff nodded.

Glancing at Troy I moved to where he stood and hugged him. It was awkward and likely the first time we’d touched in years. “Get our boy.”

With one last look at each other, Griff winked at me, and he left Kipp’s house. Suddenly the dread that filled me eased slightly. I didn’t have to imagine what this man would do. He told me what he did, and I had no doubt he’d do it again for my son.

“Come on, we’re going to need a lot of coffee to get through tonight Julie said as she led me into the living room of the house.

Gwen sat down beside me and Wes sat on the other. “He’s good at what he does,” Gwen said as she patted my leg.

“I know.” I tried to smile but I knew it didn’t meet my eyes.

CHAPTER 28

GRIFF

Darkness enveloped the street as Ryder hacked into the power grid. Most people wouldn’t even notice at this time of the night. Sitting in wait behind the rundown house was the most painful thing I’d ever done. I wanted to storm the place, make hell rain down on these two fuckers.

“Nora said the door at the back of the house never closed properly,” Kipp whispered. The fact that Nora lived here with Cooper made my stomach turn. The best thing for those two was Kipp firing the old cook we’d had on the ranch.

There was no movement inside the house. Surely they knew we’d come after them. I couldn’t imagine they’d be asleep. “I’m not waiting anymore,” Troy said from beside me. “If my son’s in that house, I’m getting him now.” He went to move, and I pulled him back to my side.

“We move, you wait.” I looked over and was met with anger, but Troy nodded.

“He doesn’t have his implant in,” Troy whispered. Of course he didn’t.

“Stay behind me. When we get to him, you take him, get into my truck, and get back to the ranch. Understood?’

“Understood. What are you going to do?’

“Don’t ask. Let’s move.” The six of us moved together silently, except for our footsteps along the broken sidewalk, careful not to kick any of the debris scattered around.

Climbing the rickety stairs, I froze when one groaned under my weight, but there wasn’t any movement from the people inside. The screen door hung limply off one last hinge, which made it so we didn’t have to open it and risk it alerting anyone.

One by one we entered the dwelling and I motioned for us to split up. The others cleared the rooms to the left, and Troy and I went right. Billy was passed out on the couch, with a woman sleeping face down on his lap. Billy’s brother was slumped over in the corner with a bottle of booze in one hand, and pills scattered around him.

“Get her out of here,” I said when Nash came into the room behind us. He pulled her off Billy’s lap and tossed her over his shoulder.

“Griff,” Ryder’s voice cut through the silence. Rushing to the room he was at, I looked over his shoulder and saw Parker curled up in a ball against the wall, his arms wrapped around his legs. His breathing was even, and while he had his head tucked I could see the corner of his eye, and it was closed. My heart ached thinking that he had no idea what was going on.

“Go get your son,” I whispered to Troy. He nodded and moved past us. He knelt down by the bed and ran his hand over Parker’s hair. How the boy was able to sleep was amazing to me. He startled and crawled back on the bed, until he realized who he was looking at.

Parker’s eyes flew open wide as he stared into his father’s face, registering who was in front of him and he threw his arms around Troy’s neck before noticing me behind Troy. I want to be the one he’d seen first, but it wasn’t my place. Parker’s eyes flooded with relief. “Troy get him out of here,” I said and signedso he would know what I was saying. The boy had been out of the loop enough not being able to hear the idiots that took him.

Did they hurt you?I asked without speaking and Parker shook his head. My heart flipped and I let out a quiet sigh of relief.I’ll see you at the ranch.Again Parker nodded, and Troy walked out of the house.

“Griff, let’s get this done.” Ryder said as he walked into the room where I was standing.

“Get out, I’ll handle it myself.” Now Kipp, Nash, and Linc had come into the room. They all looked at one another and started to shake their heads. “Let me do this. Alone. I know what I need to do, and I can’t have any of you in here.”

“We don’t do things alone,” Kipp said and I looked at the four men and nodded. Pushing past them I walked into the living room. Kicking Billy’s foot, I wanted him to be alert when I did this.

“What the fuck?” He said as he sat up. “Where’s Nat?”

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