Page 95 of Stockman's Stormcloud

‘Did you know, Finn?’ Marcus asked.

Finn nodded. ‘I think that Leo, with all his fun and games, didn’t factor in that Bree and Charlie would never lay any official complaints, like the time someone poisoned the water tanks, leaving Bree to put down all of their working dogs.’

‘Why didn’t you tell us, Bree? My team and I could have done something. Porter adores you guys.’

Bree shrugged coolly. But Dex knew she was smouldering underneath.

‘Bree rarely asks for help, but when she does, you’d better drop and run because it’s big for her to ask anything from anyone.’ Finn gave her hand another squeeze. ‘I’ll never do that again, baby.’

Bree pulled her hand free, tucking it away as she crossed her arms.

‘So, let me get this straight,’ said Cap, readjusting his hat. ‘For us to get our cattle back, it’s become part of some undercover operation where you want to enlist our brother for an illegal fight?’

‘Yeah, that’s pretty much it,’ replied Finn. ‘We don’t need you guys. We just need Dex to be the bait to get them there, and Bree to identify the thieves and your cattle.’

‘We’ll be there,’ said Ryder with a curt nod.

‘And do what?’ Dex scoffed.‘You’ve never been to my fights before.’

‘Because I couldn’t.’ Ryder dropped his elbow onto the table, to point at Dex. ‘You have no idea how hard it is for me to watch your fights. When all I want to do is jump in there and throttle those bastards for daring to throw a punch at my brother.If anyone dares to lay a finger on my family, you bet I want to kill them.’

Dex sat back, a little stunned. He’d never realised that.

‘I don’t want you to do this, Dex. And I’m pretty sure the rest of our family will agree,’ said Ryder, with Ash and Cap nodding with concern. ‘I won’t let you put your health at risk.’

‘I agree.’ Bree even nodded at Ryder.

Dex frowned at her. ‘That’s twice you’ve agreed with Ryder. In the same day.’

‘Back off, Bree, this is our business,’ said Ryder in his gruff tone.

‘Hey, I’m bringing a lot of stuff to this table, so don’t treat me like a napkin, thank you very muchly.’ She sneered at Ryder. ‘Remember, you put me in the middle of this when you called me acattle rustler.’

‘I’m sorry,okay?’ Ryder threw his hands in the air, but the bark was still in his voice.

‘How about next time you say it like you mean it, cupcake.’ She glared at him with heat and hate blending into a potent combination. There was no way Bree was letting Ryder off that easily, not with that look. ‘Right now, let’s focus on fixing this in a way so that Dex doesn’t end up eating pudding squeezed out of a mayonnaise bottle for the rest of his life.’ Her green eyes flicked over to Dex, the heat still there, but her voice had softened considerably as she said, ‘I love you like a brother, Stormcloud, but I don’t want you hogging my couch again while sucking oxygen from a tank.’

‘It’s a cool couch.’ Dex winked at her, truly touched the redhead cared.

‘I agree on the couch,’ said Marcus.

Finn arched his eyebrows at the cop ‘Lemme guess, you did the gin too?’

‘It’s sneaky stuff. Which reminds me...’ Again, Marcus, leaned forward to speak to Bree. ‘As I’ve made my wife legitimise her illegal bar, we should talk one day aboutgetting you a licence.’

‘I have a licence to drive. Nothing to see here, Detective Senior Sergeant.’

‘There’s my girl.’ Finn slung his arm over her shoulders and kissed her cheek. ‘So, now we’ve told you our plan to catch your cattle rustlers, with a chance of getting your beef back, who’s got questions?’

Thirty-one

Sophie sipped on her coffee, leaning against the dividing bench in Dex’s kitchen. She didn’t mind the sleepovers here, and the cat loved it, taking ownership of the couch, where Dex had left the TV on just for the cat. Spoiled much.

Most of all, Dex had given her the task of finding a picture to replace Bree’s yellow Kombi, plastered all over Dex’s wall.

He’d even pay her, as a real photographer. Her.

That sent her taking photo after photo. But nothing worked. She needed something that captured who Dex was, with his amazing raw strength, and his fight for survival with that element of danger that was so sexy about him.

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