Page 74 of Doozer

“Fuck,” I hissed, pulling my cut away from my body and lifting my shirt. “If I hadn’t been wearing my leather, that little bitch coulda broken my ribs.”

Duke grinned, holding a hand out to me and helping me to my feet. “I knew that little girl was gonna do somethin’ great.”

I scowled as I pressed a hand against my side and tried to catch my breath. “How the hell are we gonna get her back?”

“Give it a minute,” he said, setting up the card table and two chairs. “Take a seat.”

I gladly fell onto the metal folding chair and downed the glass of bourbon he’d set in front of me. Duke let out another whistle and then sat down and waited for Bubba and Penny to make their way over the hill again. Penny looked at me like she wanted to kill me, but maybe I was projecting.

“Are we gonna try again?” I asked.

“Weain’t doin’ nothin’. You’re gonna keep your ass in your seat and let a professional handle it.”

I didn’t argue as Duke made quick work of chipping the filly.

“Okay, brother, you gotta name her,” Duke said, once he was done.

“Name who?”

“The filly. You were her first kick, so you get the honor.”

I chuckled. “Well, since there’s only one other woman who’s kicked me close to my heart without killing me, I’m gonna name her after her. Trouble.”

Duke grinned. “I think that’s entirely appropriate.” He released Trouble’s lead and she trotted back to her mother as Duke joined me at the table again.

We drank until the sun started to set, then Duke drove us back to the house where Pearl had prepared enough food to feed an army. Despite the pain in my ribs, I ate until I nearly exploded, falling into bed, happier than I’d been in a while.

All-in-all, the day ended better than it had started. Little did I know, my happiness was going to be short lived.

* * *

A pounding on my door pulled me from my sex dream about Trouble and I snapped out, “What?” as I forced my eyes open.

“Call for you,” Duke called through the door.

I glanced at the clock beside the mattress. One A.M.

Groaning, I slid gingerly off the bed and dragged on sweats before pulling open the door. “Who the fuck’s callin’ me at one in the mornin’?”

“Minus,” Duke said. “He’s on the land line. Phone’s in the kitchen.”

“Okay,” I rasped. I needed to get a new phone, stat. I headed to the kitchen and picked up the receiver. “Minus?”

“You need to come home. Right now,” he said.

“What’s going on. I thought you needed me to go to Savannah?”

“I’m sending Tacky instead,” Minus replied, in a low tone. “You need to come home, Doozer. It’s your father.”

My heart sunk. “What’s wrong?”

“He’s in the ICU at Legacy. He was attacked but we got to him before they could…do anything worse.”

“Attacked? By who? And what do you meanwegot to him? Minus, what the fuck is going on?”

“Just get home, kid,” he said softly. “I sent a car to take you to the airport. It should be there soon. I’ll be at the hospital when you get here.”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I hissed out once I’d hung up the phone.

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