Page 68 of Cassie
“Son?” Garrett startled and reacted instinctively, fists raised in front of him in a flash as he turned to face the man standing in the hallway. “Garrett, what are you doing out here?”
“Hoss.” Embarrassed, he dropped his hands and shook them out, the sudden burst of fear and adrenaline still pumping through his veins. He huffed out a painful laugh. “I’m just. I can’t leave. She might…” He trailed off and was silent for a handful of breaths as he stared into the face of a man he’d known his whole life. “I can’t leave, Hoss. I’m sorry.”
“You’re thinking she might dream.” Unable to speak, Garrett pressed his lips together tightly and nodded in jerky movements. “That she might need someone to help her.” Waiting for the laughter at his presumption, Garrett nodded. “You care about my girl, boy?”
That was a question he’d never be afraid to answer. “Yes, sir.” He lifted his chin and straightened as tall as he could. “I do.”
“It’s a life-altering thing, what you did today.” Garrett stared at him as Hoss scratched at his jaw with rough fingers. “You took two lives to protect someone you care about. That changes a man.”
Hoss paused and seemed to expect some response, so Garrett tipped his head to one side and nodded. “Yes, sir. I expect it will.”
“You know you’re gonna catch it from your old man eventually. He’s gonna get beyond his relief you’re alive and focus more on the how it got to that point. Because you should have told us what you found. You shouldn’t have taken off like you did, tackled something like this alone, and he’s gonna beat your everlovin’ ass in the very near future.” Hoss stared at him a moment, expression fierce, and then his mouth curled up on one side and he chuckled, the sound harsh in the silence of the hallway. “And I can see from your face, you don’t give that first shit, do you?” Garrett shook his head, because Hoss had it right. Voice rough, Hoss told him, “My girl is safe in her bed tonight because of you.” He pointed at the doorway that was just behind Garrett. “She’s in there, sleeping and breathing, because you did what you did. Took it on and didn’t think twice, just saw what was needed and you took charge, moving through the options until you found one that gave you the outcome you wanted most. Faynez alive and well.”
“It was needful.” Hoss nodded at Garrett’s words, that half smile still curling his lips. Uncomfortable, he deflected what Hoss had implied. “Anyone woulda done it.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Not anyone. A lot of the Rebels, yeah, because we’re a tight-knit crew and always have each other’s backs. But not anyone. You just gotta watch the news on any given night to see the truth. Most people would live-stream it before they would have stepped in and did a fuckin’ thing.” Hoss shook his head as he scoffed and dipped his chin to his throat, that grin growing wider on his face. “‘Needful.’ Fuck. You are your old man all over again. Cast from the same mold, Garrett.” He gestured towards the front of the house where Mason and most of the men from today were still talking, trying to sort out the politics of what had happened.
All Garrett cared about was the one outcome, which was staying close enough to Faynez that if he focused, he could hear her breathing.
“Hey,” Hoss’ voice was lighter, brighter in some way, and Garrett knew the time for talking about hard things was passing. He’d be glad to see the last of it. “What’s that paint job you had Bear do on your bike? What’s it say again?”
“Beast.” He quirked his lips to the side. “That bike can pull itself out of any bad decision I make. It’s definitely a beast.”
“Yeah, it is.” Hoss took a step closer and reached up to cup his palm around the back of Garrett’s neck. He pulled him close, until their foreheads rested together. His voice fell to a harsh whisper, aching and a kind of grief slashing through his words. “You saved my girl, and my woman. You’ve earned a marker from me for life. Anything you need, you ask. I’ll break my bones to get it for you. Whatever you need.” His fingers clamped tighter and Garrett tasted salt, his throat closing shut at the ache in Hoss’ voice. “Anything, Beast.”
The last word was confusing, even more so when he heard his father’s voice from right behind Hoss. “Fitting, brother. Downright fitting.” Garrett pulled away from Hoss’ grip and angled his head so he could see his dad. “Beast, you wanna patch in? You still want that Rebel prospect patch? You gotta be damn sure, because ain’t a single one of the men gonna go easy on you. Gonna be tough as fuck. But you want it? If you do, you’ve earned that goddamned spot. Earned the chance a thousand times over today. Not sayin’ it’s a done deal, but I know a dozen men who’d be proud to sponsor you after today.”
Waiting for the catch, Garrett stared at him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “Yes, sir. I do.”
“Done.” Hoss said before he leaned closer and reached past Garrett. He heard a metallic rattle, and when he looked, the door to Faynez’ darkened room was cracked open. “Now go on in there and be with her a while, make sure she has sweet dreams. Ease your own mind.” His face tensed, and he growled the next words. “Not a single bit of funny business, you hear me? She’s still a child. She’s my baby girl, and you’ll treat her with respect, or I’ll have your balls in my hand before you can flinch.”
“I’ll wait.” Beast promised Hoss what he needed to hear, told him the truth. “I know she’s young. So am I. But you need to know I’ll wait forever for her, if that’s what it takes. I love her, Hoss.”
“I believe you do, son.” Some of the tension eased out of Hoss’ features. “Rest. You did well today. And welcome, brother.”
Beast turned, not needing more encouragement to move into Faynez’ room. Once inside, he toed off his boots and then slowly crawled onto her mattress, careful to keep a safe distance between them. This was comfortable, known, because they’d slept like this many times, innocently keeping the other company through the night. Before the door closed, before he shut his eyes, he stared at her and did his level best to commit her beauty to memory. Then with a sigh, he relaxed, and faster than he expected, he slept, unaware when her hand found his in the night and clasped tightly, holding on.
