Page 26 of Possessive Rancher

HUDSON

Hendrix is moving in from one side of the house while Hayden moves in from the other. Thank god for my family.

The douchebag in front of me, however, has no idea of the concept and laughs like I’m trying to play him.

“You can’t get me like that,” Walton calls back. “Just give me what I came here for. Heather belongs to me. Always has and always will. You may have-”

He’s cut off by the barrel of Hayden’s shotgun pushing against the back of his head. “Drop it.”

I smile and turn around to Heather. “Go on inside. Jimi!”

Hendrix trots up and offers his arm to her. She has worry all over her face, but I’m going to make sure this asshole gets it through his skull that he doesn’t own her and never will.

“So what are y’all gonna do? All jump on me at once? That ain’t fair,” Walton hisses with his hands in the air.

I look at Hayden and hand him my shotgun. I pull the handgun out of my waist and toss it into the grass. It takes a quick shuffle on my feet for him to understand that he’s about to get exactly what he’s asking for—a fair fight.

Walton doesn’t want fair. He wants easy as he lunges at me without warning. Letting Heather chase me around the house is one thing, but another grown man trying to wrestle me down after trespassing on my property doesn’t get the luxury of playfulness.

I take a step to the side and push him in his back, which causes him to stumble face-first into the dirt. He gets up with fury in his eyes as he charges me again. This time, I don’t move out of the way. I lean low to my right and let my right fist come up into his rib cage.

Walton wheezes just before my left hook connects to his face, and I finish him with a quick jab off my right. He falls to the ground where I get two more punches to his face before Hayden pulls me back.

“Don’t kill him. I don’t think his body will be good for business,” Hayden laughs and then looks down at the bloody mess of a face Walton has left. “Who is this guy anyhow?”

“He followed Heather out here, got her fired, probably wanted to kidnap her and do who knows what,” I shrug and nudge Walton with my foot. He’s out like a light.

“I’m going to call the cops. Why don’t you check on your girl?” Hayden says, pulling out his phone.

I move through the area, collecting my firearms and making sure Walton’s is out of reach. We tie him up until the police arrive to take him away. Thankfully, the footage of the entire incident is on camera. He’ll go to jail and I’m off the hook for an assault charge since I’m just protecting my property.

Hendrix cracks open a few beers, sliding one to me and Hayden before opening one and pouring it into a glass for Heather. I’d stop her normally, but hell, she deserves something to take the edge off.

Her face twists with disgust, “That is a flavor that might be better with some wings or a burger.”

“My kinda lady,” I smile and move by her side.

“Sounds like I should get the grill going,” Hayden says. “Mind if Halo comes too? She can bring some more food.”

“Not at all. This house is as much yours as it is mine,” I tell him.

Hendrix looks at Hayden, shaking his head vigorously from side to side. “Don’t treat it like your place.”

I throw a hand towel at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“That means,” Hendrix starts laughing, “that everyone else would do better to knock before entering. I can smell the sex in here and look at the living room. Mom would lose her shit if she saw the mess you guys made.”

Heather blushes and covers her face. “Oh goodness, this is not how I want to meet your family.”

“Tough, little girl,” I whisper to her. “Hayden, this is Heather. Heather, this is my older brother, Hayden, the bounty hunter.”

“Why do you always introduce me to people like that?” Hayden asks, running his fingers through his hair. “You know I am more than just my job.”

“I’m sure. Halo’s got you out here doing superhero shit like running across roofs and jumping on goons like a caped crusader,” I chuckle and he shoves me.

“Ma’am, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Hayden says to Heather. “I’m going to go get my wife. Y’all look around the same age so you should get along swimmingly.”

Hendrix laughs, “See, Halo’s even expanding your vocabulary. When’s the last time you heard him say, ‘swimmingly’?”

---