Page 85 of Wild and Unruly
Before I can argue, Bonnie squeezes my hand and speaks. “Good. Bring him back to me safe and sound, please.”
Then, she turns to me and pulls me into a kiss, giving me the strength I need to go take care of this fucker once and for all.
33
bonnie
Leather designing was an interesting hobby,one I could see myself taking on and making all sorts of fun things and additions for my saddle or belts.
But it wasn’t enough to take my mind off of what Stetson was doing right now. I prayed he was safe but knew that the more questions I asked, the more I would worry. Stetson was a big boy. So was Logan, Jax, Mitch, and CT, his apparent entourage.
Watching five large horse-training men file out of the house and load into a truck was a sight I never thought I’d see. Neither was holding hands with Dani and Thea as we watched them do it. I have no idea what the girls thought they were doing, but judging by the way Thea keeps glancing at the clock and the way Dani can’t stop rambling, I take it they know.
“So, I like to use something for tracing, just to get the fine lines exactly as I like it.” She takes a thin-tipped marker andfollows the curve of the stencil she has over the leather, keeping her focus on the leather she is working on.
I watch, my hand clutching the wine glass that was handed to me the moment I entered her house. It was a quaint house that was up on a hill above the main ranch. It had a living room, dining room, and kitchen from what I could see, and a hallway where I assumed there were bathrooms and bedrooms.
Dani’s leatherworking stuff was spread out all over their dining room table, and I assume that means there’s no office.
Thea sighs and looks at Dani. “I’m not good at this.”
“Nonsense!” Dani scolds playfully, grabbing Thea’s leather. We all stare at the leather that has several marker globs around it. I don’t say a word, but Dani frowns at Thea. “But you make such pretty menu boards!”
Thea shrugs. “I don’t. That’s Annmarie’s doing.”
“What’s my doing?” I startle at the voice and quickly set my glass right that I almost upended, glancing to the doorway where Annmarie has entered, her motorcycle boots, black leather jacket, and high ponytail on point. She holds up a grocery sack. “I brought ice cream bars.”
“Ooh, gimme!” Dani says, taking the ice cream and dutifully placing an ice cream bar in front of each person. Annmarie settles into a chair across from me at the dining table, looking me over. There’s a hint of anger behind her gaze, and I remember, again, that I’m covered in bruises and gashes.
The pain should remind me, but when I’m not looking in a mirror, I feel like I should look completely normal.
“What are you doing up here?” Thea asks, frowning concernedly at her sister.
“Stetson asked me to come up and be with this one.” She nods at me, and I blush, wishing he hadn’t done that. “No needto feel bashful,” she teases, taking a bite out of her ice cream that makes my teeth ache. “I volunteered, really. He called, told me what’s happening, and here I am.”
I clear my throat, carefully peeling off the wrapper for my ice cream. “So, you know what’s going on?”
Annmarie lifts a brow. “Do you?”
“I do.” I mean, I think I do. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what Stetson was up to. Not with that big group of hulking men he brought with him.
“You know?” Dani asks, placing a hand over her stomach, her mouth full of ice cream so her words mesh together. “I thought only I knew. I’ve been keeping quiet.”
“Me too,” Thea admits, shaking her head. “Dammit. If we all knew, I would have been talking about it this whole time!”
“Me too!” Dani says, pointing animatedly at Thea.
“Honestly, me too,” I chime in, glancing over at Annmarie. “What does Stetson think you could do if something happens up here?”
She shrugs. “I dunno. I’m not like a fighter or something, but I think he just wants me to be emotionally supportive, which if I’m honest”—she levels me with a look—“I’m not very good at.”
I think she’s better than she thinks, but I don’t say that considering that she may not be a fighter, but she sure as hell looks like one.
“So how do we feel about Stetson going all ‘knight in shining armor’ on you?” Dani asks, taking a seat from where she’s been standing and instructing us. She moves aside her leather working things. Clearly, this was meant to distract, not really teach.
“I don’t know. I mean, I feel like I’m causing so much drama,” I admit, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
“Nah, that’s how I felt when Logan helped me with something, but I was just the target of what was dramatic, not the cause of it,” Thea admits, and I make a mental note to ask her what she’s talking about. I don’t know anything about her story, but I’m guessing it’s an interesting one.
