Page 21 of Rancher's Strength

“It’s your wedding day. You shouldn’t be in here doing all this,” a man’s voice said from the doorway. I didn’t need to turn to know it was Kipp, so I slowly dried my hands and turned to find a scowl across his face.

“Kipp,” I said politely. He’d been mysteriously quiet when Ryder had taken the kids and me to the main ranch.

“I need to say something, and then I won’t bring it up again. When you leave, because let’s face it, you will, I won’t let you near him ever again. I don’t know why he's doing this or if you’re holding something over him, but we almost lost him last time, and I won’t let that happen again.” He clenched his jaw, the muscle straining against his cheek. “You won’t be the reason I lose one of my best friends. Understood?” All I could do was nod, but I didn’t understand. What was he talking about, almost losing Ryder? Without another word, Kipp walked out of my house.

“Kipp found Ryder at the lake,” Griff said from behind me. I hadn’t even heard him come in. “We hadn’t heard or seen him in days. We knew he was depressed, but we didn’t realize how bad things were until that day. If Kipp had been five minutes later, you’d have buried your husband because the papers weren’tthrough the courts yet.” Griff’s voice was harsh, and my heart ripped open.

I gripped the counter and closed my eyes as the tears slipped between my lashes. His heavy footsteps approached and stopped when he moved to my side. “We’ve all dealt with our feelings about that day, but I don’t think Kipp will ever be able to forgive you for what you did to him. You were all he had. You were his family, and then, all of a sudden, you kicked him to the curb like everyone else before you. Just so you know, I don’t hate you for it anymore, but I don’t trust you either.” Without another word, he walked out the front door of the house, and I collapsed onto the stool behind me.

I didn’t know how long I had sat there, and I didn’t know how many tears I’d cried. “There you are,” Julie’s chipper voice said as she entered the kitchen. Her quick footsteps to my side stopped, and she wrapped her arms around me. “It’s okay, child, get it out.”

“I didn’t know,” I sobbed, my breaths coming in short bursts as if I were hyperventilating.

“Shh, it’s okay now,” Julie said over and over as she held me.

“What’s going on?” Ryder’s voice was filled with rage, and I looked up at the man I’d hurt so deeply.

“Nothing, just the day catching up to me.”

“Julie, can you give us a minute, please,” Ryder spoke calmly, but I knew that simmering beneath that calm was anger that could explode at any moment.

“Of course, I’ll make sure everyone stays out of the house.” She kissed the top of my head before she left.

“It’s not the day. What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t know, Ryder, I swear. If I’d known, I would have ripped up the papers and come home.” I couldn’t look at him.

“Fuck,” he spat before rounding the island and hauling me up into his arms. Involuntarily, I wrapped my arms around him andsobbed into his chest. “I need to take care of something. Come out when you’re ready.” He was eerily calm as he let me go and stalked out of the house we now shared. I wiped my face with the towel and ran out the door, following him.

“You fucking asshole, you had no right,” Ryder yelled before he pulled his arm back and hit Kipp with a right hook. “That wasn’t your story to tell, you fucking son of a bitch.” He threw another punch, this time aiming for Kipp's stomach. The women hurried around and gathered the kids ushering them to the back of the house. Phil and Wes stood from the porch swing and walked over to the stairs but didn’t try to stop what was happening. Linc and Nash stood quietly on the periphery, watching their business partners hash this out.

“Ryder, man, come on, stop,” Griff said as he walked up as close to Ryder as he dared.

“Fuck you too, and I saw you walk out of the house just a few minutes ago. What, did you both plan this and team up on her?” The only sound in the yard was the frogs at the creek. “You’re lucky you’re hurt, or I’d be hitting you too. So much for being my best friend.”

“Ryder.” His voice pleading, his face filled with anguish.

“No, no. I’ve had people talk behind my back all my life, but I never thought I’d have to deal with it from two of the people I trust most in the world. Fuck you, Griff.” Ryder shook his head before turning back to Kipp, who was standing straight again. The vein along his temple bulged the way it did when he was angry, his breathing ragged, hands clenched into fists. But Kipp never attempted to fight back or move towards Ryder. “Both of you get off my land.”

Nora and Elle both came to stand beside me. “Nora, let’s go,” Kipp said as he turned to walk away.

“No, you were the one asked to leave, not me. You’re wrong this time, big man.” Nora’s voice was firm, and he just stood there, mouth open, before shaking his head and walking away.

“I suppose you’re staying too?” Griff asked Elle.

“Yep.” She tightened her grip on my shoulder, and I leaned against her.

“Don’t feel like you have to stay. I don’t want to cause more trouble.” I looked at the two women who I’d only met days ago but already felt a strong kinship with.

“Lexie, we don’t know what happened, but we don’t follow our husbands blindly. They’ve caused this; they can deal with the consequences,” Nora said calmly before she turned to me and wiped the tears from my face. “They’ll figure it out. I’m sure this isn’t the first time the five have had issues. I swear they’re worse than women.” She giggled, and I couldn’t stop the smile from forming.

“Well, I can tell you this isn’t the first time punches have been thrown. This might be the first time it was one-sided, though.” Sighing, I thought back to the night they’d all gotten a little punchy, with five men sporting various frozen vegetable bags on their faces sitting in the kitchen at the main house. I couldn’t remember what had caused the fight, but I did remember that the next day, with black eyes and split lips, they all went back to work and were laughing and joking with one another by supper time.

Chapter Twelve

RYDER

Kipp and Griff had put a damper on the day, although there hadn’t been much celebrating before the fight. Everyone understood this wasn’t what it appeared to be, but we couldn’t risk everyone knowing.

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