Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
The voices from the three guys eventually can no longer be heard. I’m sure we’ve gone at least a mile—putting us halfway home—when Ronan finally speaks.
“Why?” he croaks out. “Why couldn’t you let me make a friend?”
Raegan puts more distance between us, but I know she’ll be fine now that the threat is literally behind us. I halt and turn to glower at Ronan.
“Those people were not friends.”
His nostrils flare and his brown eyes flicker with anger. At me. Ronan never gets angry, especially not at me. Guilt swarms in my gut, making me second-guess my actions.
“They could have been,” Ronan hisses, finally freeing his arm from my grip. “How are we expected to meet people and have families of our own one day if Dad never lets us talk to anyone?”
“They could have been lying about there being girls,” I grumble. “It could have just been the three of them.”
Ronan’s cheeks burn bright red again, confusing me further. “Whatever. You made your point and it’s over now. Opportunity wasted.”
He stalks off toward home, leaving me behind. Why is he so pissed? When it was just CJ and Jace, he was ready to clobber them with a branch. But when Logan showed up, he suddenly liked the trio. Makes no sense.
The walk back is a somber one. Raegan and Ronan go their separate ways once we’re in the safety of our fenced-in yard. I know I should tell Dad about what happened. He’ll be furious and rip my siblings a new one for trusting in them. Furthermore, I’ll get my ass chewed out for leaving my weapons at home. That whole situation could have gone sideways so quickly.
Mom won’t let Raegan ever leave her sight. No more hunting trips. No more swimming or hanging out with us from beyond our yard. If I tattle, she’ll be trapped more so than she already is.
And Ronan?
The whole encounter with him and Logan leaves me feeling uneasy. I don’t know exactly where it went weird, but I could feel it. Dad won’t like what happened at all. Ronan will probably get the belt, despite being nineteen years old. You’re never too old in this family to get an ass whipping for misbehaving.
I can’t tell Dad if I want to keep my two favorite siblings from getting in trouble.
I won’t tell.
I’m jittery as I step into the big house for supper. The house is loud as per usual, the baby howling, the little ones arguing, and Raegan yapping about Mage. Ronan, however, is somber. Guilt creeps up my spine. After our intense afternoon, we all went our separate ways until dinnertime. I’d wanted to make things right with both of them, but quite frankly didn’t have the balls to deal with it.
“The bear is back,” Rowdy states in a quiet voice before shoveling in a heaping forkful of potatoes that miraculously steer clear of his scraggly beard. “Momma grizz. Cub tracks too.”
Dad, who’d been feeding Dawson, freezes and whips his head around to Rowdy. “You’ve been leaving food out again?”
“No,” Rowdy grunts. “I don’t know why they’re interested in my cabin.”
“It’s time we build you your own cabin near your brothers,” Dad grumbles, voice stern. “You’re too far away for my liking anyway.”
Rowdy’s nostrils flare, but he nods. “Yes, sir.”
I wait for Raegan to throw a fit about boys getting cabins and the unfairness of the female life, but she shockingly remains quiet. I’m sure she’ll bitch about it to me and Ronan later.
“Can I help build your cabin?” Destiny asks, smiling toward the sound of Rowdy’s voice.
“You can’t see,” Dakota reminds her and then makes a show of waving four fingers in the air near her face. “How many fingers am I holding up?”
“Kota,” Mom admonishes. “Enough.”
When she turns away, Dakota sticks his tongue out at her. That kid’s a brat from hell. He’s lucky Dad didn’t see it or he’d be getting a well-deserved spanking.
“I can help,” Destiny huffs. “I can, Rowdy.”
Rowdy, a grouch to everyone else, gifts her a smile she can’t even see. “I know you can, Dez. Thank you.”
Destiny perks up and then holds up four fingers to Dakota. Lucky guess. It has Dakota frowning in confusion. Good. If he thinks she can really see, maybe he’ll stop terrorizing his older sister.
The table descends into silence, which has me, Ronan, and Raegan stiffening guiltily. So much for not saying anything.
Mom and Dad exchange a worried look and then Dad’s penetrating glare lands on me. Fuck. I shove a roll into my mouth—the whole damn thing—and chew like our goat, Fleabag, does with my mouth open and noisily.
Dad snaps his attention to Ronan. “Where did you all go this afternoon?”
Ronan shifts in his seat. “Huh?”
“What did you three do?” Mom asks, frowning my way. “You’re all acting weird.”
The second I finish swallowing my roll, Dad’s stare is back on mine, daring me to chew my way through answering. I drop my fork on my plate with a clatter and then blurt out my answer. “We went swimming.”