Page 12 of Roughstock
Now, two days later, having her pack up to drive alone into the northern part of South Dakota had me on edge. She had taken a prospect with her early this morning to get her granny’s monthly groceries but refused to let one tag along on her visit up north.
She and I nearly got into a screaming match when I told her one of the prospects was going to follow her up. Her contention was she wouldn’t stop until she got to the reservation, and then only at her granny’s. She had no plans to see her uncles or cousins while she was visiting, but that didn’t make me feel any better.
The reservation was a beautiful place, but it had issues. Cell service was spotty, most houses didn’t have landlines, and some were without running water and septic needs. Granny was one of the elders, so she was granted a better home out of respect, but it still needed work. I wished I could get her to move down here with us, but she refused to leave the rest of the family. I could respect that, but having Cheyenne out there, all alone on the road for hours, made me antsy.
The tailgate of her SUV slammed closed after we loaded the last cooler. There was enough food in the vehicle to feed five people for at least two months, but I’d never stop her from taking extra. We knew Granny gave food to others in the tribe, so Cheyenne always took more. She looked up at the porch of the house and back to me.
“I need to pack a quick bag, then I’ll get on the road,” she said and went to walk around me.
I reached out and stopped her, grasping her elbow gently, causing her to bring her eyes to mine. The pain and worry in her beautiful gaze was enough to make me do something that I rarely did.
“I’m sorry, darlin’,” I said, and she cast her eyes down. “I don’t mean to be an ass, but if anything happened to you . . .”
I let the painful words die on my lips. She was my world, and without her, I didn’t think I’d stay sane for long. Cheyenne made the bad days better, the cold nights warm, and the loneliness bearable.
Clearing my throat, I whispered, “I love you.”
She brought her glassy eyes to mine as she said, “I love you too, and I’m sorry.”
Pulling her into a hug, I inhaled her scent, allowing it to fill me as she squeezed her arms around me tighter. Kissing the top of her head, I said, “Go get your stuff packed so you can get going.”
She released her hold on me and nodded before walking up the stairs and disappearing into the house. One of the prospects walked up to me and lowered his voice as he asked, “Do you still want me to take a truck and follow her?”
I’d already decided that I wasn’t letting her go alone, but I was rethinking that idea. If she saw a prospect, she’d be pissed-off to a level she’d probably never been before, and the last thing I wanted was to deal with her when she’s pissed. Her temper was buried deep, but she wasn’t afraid to let it rise to the surface when something was egregious enough to set her off.
“Stay back and be ready to go if she needs anything,” I said then exhaled before continuing. “But for the time being, she travels alone.”
He cut his eyes to me, and I glanced sideways to see his worry and confusion. “Are you sure?”
He was new, so I was going to let his questioning me slide since he wasn’t aware that I disliked being questioned. Trying to tamper my frustration, I explained, “She’s capable of taking care of herself. The quicker you learn not to underestimate an ol’ lady, the better your future will be.”
Slapping him on the back, I walked away from him and up the stairs, needing as much time with her as I could get before she left for the night. I’d offer to go with her, but I was needed on the ranch this weekend. Carl was in Pierre with his mother for the evening, so I needed to stay close in case there was an issue with the livestock.
Faint music wafted down the stairs as I walked inside and closed the door behind me. Taking the stairs two at a time, I walked to the doorway of our bedroom and leaned against the frame, watching her as she moved around the room.
She was singing under her breath as she pushed another piece of clothing into her small overnight bag. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched her flitter around the room, not paying attention to me. When she turned and finally saw me, sheshrieked out loud and placed her hand on her chest as she scolded me.
“You scared the crap out of me,” she said, and I pushed off the door and approached her.
“Didn’t mean to,” I replied and kissed her cheek. “Do you have everything?”
She nodded and turned to zip up her bag when I stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. I walked around the bed and reached into the nightstand. Pulling out my .40 caliber, I checked the clip then grabbed the extra clip and a box of ammo before closing the drawer and walking back to her.
Looking at the weapon in my hand, she chewed her lip as I explained. “I’d feel better if you took a weapon with you.” She went to speak, but I talked over her, needing her to hear my worry. “I know you don’t plan to stop, but what if something happens to the car? I want you protected since you refuse an escort.” Lowering my tone, hoping the softness would persuade her, I added, “I don’t want any surprises, and until we determine who wrote that message in the bathroom, I’d like for you to carry a weapon.”
Reaching out, Cheyenne took the gun from my hand and tested the weight. She was proficient with weapons, so I wasn’t worried about her not knowing how to use it, but seeing her hesitation, I worried she would refuse.
I was pleasantly surprised when she looked at me and asked, “Can I have the Glock instead? This one has a little more kick than I like.”
Smiling, I kissed her soft lips and replied, “Absolutely. Let me get it, then we’ll get your stuff into the truck.”
Placing the weapon on the bed, I picked up her overnight bag before linking my fingers with hers and walking out of the bedroom. There was another small bedroom down the hall that I hoped to turn into a nursery one day, but for now, it was my armory. Pressing the code into the lock, I waited for the beep before it disengaged. She followed me inside and shook her head with a chuckle as she eyed the guns lining the walls.
There were three safes along one wall, and I punched the code into one and spun the wheel to open it. She reached in and grabbed her Glock as I took a box of ammo and the extra clip from the accessory shelf above the guns. She was checking the weapon, removing the clip, checking the barrel, and securing the safety as I loaded the second clip.
I hated having to do this, but it wasn’t like the Royal Bastards were without enemies. There weren’t many left, but I wasn’t delusional to think there wasn’t a bullseye on our backs. And not just us in South Dakota but across the country and around the world. Every chapter had to deal with drama, enemies looking to take over our territory, and the occasional old vendetta that someone wanted to settle.
When I finished loading the clip, I handed it to her, and she unzipped her bag and placed the box of ammo and the clip inside before closing it up. I watched her lift the back of her shirt and tuck the gun into her waistband before covering it.
