Page 14 of Stockman's Stormcloud

His mother quickly downed her knitting and picked up the cup, holding it to his lips like she was spoon-feeding him again, as if he was a kid.

Dex wasn’t a kid, for flips sake, he was a grown-arse man. ‘Thanks, Mum.’ He took the cup and drank the sterile water that tasted like it had been trapped in some metal tank for a century. At least it was cold. ‘When did Bree leave?’

‘She didn’t.’ Ryder’s cold eyes bored into Dex. ‘Bree refused to leave the night she brought you in.’

That part he remembered, while remembering to slip the mask back on. He also remembered how Bree said she’d kept his brothers away to not crowd his space that night—like they were now in the small hospital room with its grey walls and tiny window with thick glass that even the sunshine struggled to shine through. ‘I made Bree promise to stay.’

‘I know.’ Ryder’s jaw ticked as if he was gritting his teeth. ‘And I know how much you hate people breaking promises, so Bree kept hers. For you.’

Why was Ryder so upset? It’s not like he was the one stuck in a hospital bed to play his part as the breathless piggy in the middle.

Thenhe remembered there was a cat and a cute blonde nurse he’d nicknamed Nurse Kitty. Or was that part of a dream? Because he sure as hell had woken up to some sort of nightmare.

‘I really like Bree, she’s a real take charge kind of girl. Bree gave me so many seedlings to take home.’ Cammie’s knitting needles click-clacked as her fingers wove the line of blue wool into a weave. It was the sound he grew up with. ‘Your father loves Bree’s morning tonic. It’s got hemp seeds, which is so new to me—it’s said to be good for the heart. I’ve got the recipe to make at home for the father-in-law, too.’

‘I can’t believe you fell for one of Bree’s witchy potions.’ Dex lay back, surrendering to the pillow, closing his eyes to avoid his brothers’ pitying looks, while trying to control his breathing. With each inhale and exhale, he’d never been so aware of his lungs like this.

Click-clack. Click-clack.‘You should come home with us.’

‘Thanks, but no. I have a home.’ That he was fighting for. Hold on, where did he put his cash to pay for that home?

‘Well, that leaves you with only one other option of where to camp.’ Ryder’s deep voice slammed against Dex’s brain like a bulldozer tearing down a dam wall.

‘Where? I’m not going to the dogbox. Those yapping dogs would drive me nuts. No offense, brother,’ Dex said to Cap, the man in charge of so many rescued muster dogs, retired police dogs, and guardian dogs, it was impossible to keep up.

‘None taken,’ said Cap. ‘Besides, we weren’t expecting you to. There’s no room for anyone else, not until we finish building.’

‘You’ll wanna hurry before the wet season comes,’ said Ash.

‘I know. But my builder is kind of…’ Cap shrugged at Dex, who couldn’t build much from a hospital bed.

‘Well, where do I go then?’Breathe, brother. Breathe.

‘Somewhere you’ll get bed rest,’ said his mother in her cheery voice. ‘You’ll get fed healthy meals to help you recover in a safe environment where someone will always be around.Kinda like a day spa—’

‘Sorry, Mum, I can’t stay with you and I’m not staying here.’ Like hell that was going to happen. He’d break out if he had to.

Breathe, brother.

Flippin’ hell, now he sounded like Darth Vader behind the oxygen mask.

‘It’s Bree’s couch.’ Ryder’s upper lip twitched into a sneer.

‘What the flip!’ Dex ripped off his mask again and matched Ryder’s scowl.

‘Mia swears it’s the best couch on the planet,’ said Cap.

‘Think about it, bro, you’ll get the meals we all wish we could eat every night,’ said Ash.

‘Which means you’ll get the healthy nutrients to help you recover,’ said Cap.

‘No. Bree will fill me full of some witchy woo-woo nonsense, or we’ll probably kill each other in the first twelve hours.’ He inhaled and exhaled. Even if he was angry, his lungs just wouldn’t behave.

Breathe, brother.

Dex hated that they were ganging up on him like this, when normally he was on the other side of their family interventions as the muscle. ‘You’ll never get Bree to agree to this.’

His brothers shrugged. Some nodded. Except Ryder, who remained cold and expressionless as always.

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