Page 66 of Gotta Dig Deep
“Honey, this is Texas. I’ve got quite a lot.” Horse smiled at her quip, not surprised she was holding it together well enough to joke. “I’ll just bring out everything I’m familiar with and we can divvy them up. I’m going to leave two rifles in here, though. I’ll prop them next to the window.”
“They’re moving away.” There was a bright yellow splash on the screen, and he looked out the window to see a truck’s interior lit up. Two silhouettes climbed into the cab and a single red blob slipped into the truck bed. He heard another gunshot, and the muzzle flash showed it was pointed it up to the sky. “That’s a parting salvo.”
Once he was convinced the men were gone, he flipped to the secure app to see a half dozen responses. Most would be able to make it to the ranch within a couple hours. He sighed in relief. No matter the assholes had already bailed on their initial attack, he suspected strongly that wasn’t the last they’d hear from the MDMC.
Another message came in and he groaned when he saw it was from Gunny.
*Be there in a flash. Already on my way, so I’m about a hundred miles out.*
He thumbed a thanks and sent it in response.
“What’s wrong?” Glenna walked into the living room with three rifles tucked under one arm, and a small bag held in her other hand.
“One of the men coming isn’t my biggest fan. That’s all. I’ll be glad for his help, but Gunny seems to always be in a place to bust my balls. I like him, and he’s one loyal son of a bitch, but—well, you’ll see when you meet him.” He met her in the middle of the room. “Show me what you’ve brought.”
Chapter Seventeen
Glenna
It felt a bit surreal to be staging loaded guns around her house while waiting for an outside force to come back. More like a movie than real life. But the fact they’d fired at the house was enough to make her a believer, especially when Horse mentioned how close one of the rounds had come to him.
Surely God won’t do something like that to me twice, will he?
She knew even thinking that was akin to tempting fate. So instead of following the thought to any kind of conclusion, she focused on making sure each gun had ammunition placed nearby.
Horse was on the phone again, as he’d been intermittently since the first volley of gunfire subsided. Someone in Alabama was organizing everything, and apparently there were men coming in from as far away as Florida and as near as Longview. The first of them should be arriving any minute.
She finished with the guns and looked around the room. Everything was done as Horse had requested, with blankets fastened halfway up the windows, rolls of duct tape close to each of the guns, and battery powered lanterns positioned on strategic tables.
“I’m going to make coffee.” Glenna was proud that her hands didn’t shake as she measured the grounds and poured the water before flicking the switch to start the brewing cycle. She opened the refrigerator and surveyed the interior. “What does one cook when defending one’s home?”
“Darlin’, it’s going to be okay.” Arms swept around her middle, pulling her back against Horse’s muscular chest. “Coffee’s good, though. Thanks for thinking of it.”
“I hate this waiting. It’s been a long time since they left. Why would they start something and then just sail off in the middle?” She pounded the back of her skull against his shoulder. “Failure to launch? Maybe they were out past curfew? I don’t understand.”
“They probably got a recall back to the Snyder place. Leaders over there are likely going through open options, knowing that I’m not going to be standing on my own. If they’re even sure I’m here. But I’m not alone.” She smiled when he squeezed her tightly. “And neither are you. You’re not alone in this.”
“Well, the trouble landed in both our breakfast bowls, so I think it’s only right we stand together.” Resting her hands on his forearms, she relaxed into his hold. “And I’m banking on you. In fact, I’m betting on you. I think it’s going to be a one-and-done meeting at some point and they’re going to hightail it out of town.”
“We can wish, but we’ll also prepare. I think we’ve done all we can except wait.” His lips laid claim to her ear, teeth nibbling delicately as he pressed his mouth against the sensitive point behind her ear. “I don’t think I thanked you for your sweet, sweet attention earlier.”
“No thanks needed.” She turned her head and smiled up at him. “You don’t understand how much I enjoyed myself. Seriously, no thanks needed.”
“Yeah? Liked it, did you? Liked takin’ me apart like that? Enjoyed wrecking my world?” He rubbed the tip of his nose against hers, whiskers tickling her face so she laughed.
“You have no idea.”
***
Horse
The sun was barely breaking the horizon when Horse watched Gunny roar up to the house in a scatter of gravel, barely getting his kickstand down before he was off and running to the door. Horse opened it, let the big man push through, and then slammed it shut behind him.
Things had remained quiet until about fifteen minutes ago when three vehicles had staged along the road. Horse had sent out updates every few minutes and gotten back info from Retro as the situation evolved.
“Well met, brother.” He greeted Gunny, moving to take up his post at the front window again. “This is Glenna.” He indicated towards where she stood stationed at another window. Stretching out a hand, he trailed fingers across the back of her neck. “She’s mine.” His declaration was met with deep laughter, and he glanced at the man standing in the kitchen.
“Yeah, I kinda got that from the ‘all hands’ text with an address I’d never seen associated with the club, man. You wouldn’t call us to somewhere that you didn’t have a stake in the outcome.”
