Gutsy, page 25
“I won’t be shooting Pious. I will keep track of that necklace,” Journey said, and I could hear true anger beginning to snap in his words, which was bad. We’d discovered over the last few weeks that the creature occasionally pressed against the cage of my body, from the inside out, if it thought Journey’s anger meant it was needed, or at least, that was the closest I could come to describing the sensation. It wanted to bite whatever was making him upset. As much as I thought I might be able to take a chunk out of Journey, I didn’t think I ever would, even if I transformed again. Of course, that might be wishful thinking.
“Tone it down,” I said carefully.
Journey narrowed his eyes on me. “You might as well say that’s enough, darling, and be done with it.” He smirked to take some of the sting out of his words. “Understood. Still, I’m not shooting my boyfriend.”
I couldn’t help but grin as he said that word out loud. I loved it. I held open my arms, and he snuggled up against my front. One of the men helping out with the planting this year walked between the barns and waved at me, and I returned the gesture. I’d quickly decided not to hide anything between me and Journey because I didn’t want to have the kind of men working for me who would care that the boss had a man in his bed, rather than a woman.
It was only because of Journey’s confidence that I’d decided to bring people back. He assured me he would keep me from hurting anyone, and whether that was with checking the necklace or putting a bullet in me, we’d agreed he was capable.
“I want to go with you,” Amos said, and we’d heard that about a hundred times this morning. He tugged his hat low on his head and pouted. Unlike Esau, he was in overalls and a long-sleeved shirt—and positively coated in work grime.
Esau sighed. “I would take you, but Oma needs someone out there nearly every day, and there is a lot to do here at the farm. I’ll be gone, so I need you to stand in for me with my family. I trust you to do that. I’ll hurry home as soon as I find a solution to Pious’s problem, I swear.”
“Please,” Amos begged, and Esau took his hand, leading him around in front of the Gladiator for a private conversation.
Journey beamed at me, and I gave him a bear hug. “What has you in such a good mood this morning?”
“Oh!” He tugged his phone out of his back pocket and turned the screen toward me. I frowned and took it. “Mum sent me this. They think they finally know what happened to Eddie and the cop I. . . ate.” He winced. The headline certainly caught my eye.
Local Mob Hitman Arrested for Suspicion in Four Deaths
“Do you think he actually killed any of them? I find the whole thing odd, since I know he didn’t kill two of them.” Journey leaned closer to glance at the screen as I skimmed the article.
“I don’t know.”
“I know you don’t, but what do you think?” he asked, with a little huff that had me smiling.
I shrugged.
“I’m relieved.” He glanced down toward the ground and tapped the tips of his fancy shoes against my boots.
“But you feel guilty?”
He nodded, and I gave him another hug. I would never get tired of being able to reach out and touch him after the month of missing him. Esau came around the Gladiator with Amos following him, and my brother slung his arms around me and Journey.
“Take care of Amos.”
“We will,” Journey shot back quickly. “I promise.”
He broke away and gave Amos one last tight squeeze, then went to hop in the driver’s seat of his Gladiator.
“I’m afraid he won’t come back,” Amos said.
We turned as a group to watch the departure, a farm ritual that had always been and probably always would be. It was rare for people to leave for any length of time, and they almost always got a sendoff committee, mainly comprised of family or anyone else around who wanted to be lazy and watch the vehicle pull away.
“He’s going south to Appalachia, near the border of West Virginia and Pennsylvania, not to fight a war. He’ll be back.”
Journey gave me a glare.
“I promise,” I said to Amos, and tucked him under my arm. He was small and shaking, and I felt bad. I didn’t think things had gotten physical yet between him and Esau, but it was clear something was brewing between them, and I hoped like hell I hadn’t lied to him. “He loves us. He’ll come home.”
Journey pinched Amos’s cheek, and that chased away some of the rainclouds hanging over his head as he squawked and swatted at him. “I rather suspect he’ll miss you most of all.”
“Yeah?” Amos smiled, and we all waved as Esau drove his ridiculous blue truck down the lane and out of sight.
My gut made a loud, unhappy sound, and I rubbed it as pain shot through me.
Journey patted my stomach and shushed it like it was a barking dog. “I do hope he hurries. Does it hurt, love?”
“Every second, but I deserve it.”
He nudged me with his elbow until I laughed. “Enough of that. Show me how to do the milk order. I refuse to do barn duty, but I can take care of the paperwork.”
I hugged him close and rocked him in my arms. “Thank you for coming back.”
Journey hummed and tilted his chin, so I couldn’t do anything except kiss him. I never wanted to stop, but eventually he laughed and leaned away to smile up at me, and the sunshine gleamed in his eyes. It didn’t matter what was wrong with me, I was the luckiest man alive.
NEW GOTHENBURG WORLD
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Kings of Men Motorcycle Club Series
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M.D. Gregory
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The Reyes Cartel
Ki Brightly and M.D. Gregory
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Ki Brightly and Kiki Jested
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Ki Brightly & M.D. Gregory
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Other Books in New Gothenburg
Santa’s Bratty Elf by Ki Brightly
The Promise by Ki Brightly and Meg Bawden
Bent, Not Broken by Ki Brightly and M.D. Gregory
Curved: A Bent, Not Broken Novella by Ki Brightly and M.D. Gregory
You’ve Got to be Kitten Me by Ki Brightly & Meg Bawden
Yes, Sir by Ki Brightly & Meg Bawden
Dirty Secret by Ki Brightly & M.D. Gregory
Best Belly Buddies by Ki Brightly & M.D. Gregory
Bound to Him by Ki Brightly & M.D. Gregory
Speak and Obey by Ki Brightly & M.D. Gregory
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Sin & Supplication by Ki Brightly & M.D. Gregory
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No Peeking by Ki Brightly
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