Page 142 of Knot Her Cowboys
Did MORE things happen since the fire and attempted kidnapping?
Riley:
YEP
WE’RE OFFICIALLY SISTERS
My phone instantly buzzed with a call coming through.
“Hey, string bean.”
“WHY ARE YOU SO FAR AWAY AND NOT WITHIN HUGGING DISTANCE? HOLY SHIT!”
I laughed. Morgan wasn’t a yeller, so it felt like an accomplishment to get her that excited about something. “I’m glad you’re happy about it because I bonded the whole pack and it feelsamazing.”
“Riley, I’m fuckingthrilled. I’ve wanted you as my sister since we were kids and it’s finally real.”
Her elated acceptance warmed me through. I loved finally getting to be official family members with Morgan and have another connection besides adoring her. The call was kept short since I was still exhausted after coming out of the heat, but I wanted her to know right away.
My pack and I spent the rest of the day after my heat broke doing nothing but eating, resting, and soaking in my amazing bathtub, but I was getting antsy.
“Can we go see the horses? I still owe Grizzy a bag of apples.”
“What did Grizzy girl do to earn that many?” Cash asked. “I know she followed, and while that’s definitely apple-worthy, a whole bag is, like, save-the-world level of treats.”
“She’s the reason you guys had time to get me. Grizzy stood between me and Darrell, gave him a good kick, and she bit Darlene. I only went with Darrell because he threatened to shoot my Grizzy, and I was never going to let that happen.”
My pack paled, the acknowledgment of my words a tight squeeze in the bond.
Cooper growled. “Doubly glad that man is dead or he’d be worm food in the back woods.”
“It’s weird to know he’s gone.” I glanced over at Dakota. “Do you think the clerk’s office would let me have a copy of his death certificate?”
“Probably not, since you’re not next of kin or a business, but we could always laminate his obituary.”
“I like the way you think.” At this point, I’d be happy to frame it and hang it on the damn wall.
My mother was still around, technically, though hopefully by the time she got out of prison she would be too old to make herself a problem. The Deckers weren’t gone by any means, but none of the others had been up my ass, so in an ideal world they would be done trying to come for me.
I took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh, all of my muscles relaxing. I had no idea what Montana was like without those looming threats, but I was more than ready to find out.
“We’ll grab clothes and meet you downstairs?” Levi suggested.
“I’ll be there with bells on.” They each gave me the sweetest kiss before departing to get dressed.
I pulled on an easy outfit of shorts and a tank top, added a flannel I’d stolen from Dakota, and padded down the stairs toroot through the kitchen for some apples. They had a few in their crisper drawer, so I gathered up as many as I could carry, using my tank top as a makeshift apron. My pack appeared one by one and I slipped on my boots.
We went out into the dark together. The ranch was quiet; the guests had gone to bed and the staff were in their rooms, though the light was still on in their building. My alphas carried lanterns that illuminated the ground so we didn’t trip, but weren’t so bright that we lost our night vision.
“Grizzy girl!” I called out when we approached the field she usually dwelled in. Her excited whinny was followed by hoofbeats. “Hello, my beautiful girl.”
She thrust her head over the fence, almost knocking me sideways when she pressed her cheek to mine. Cash kept me upright, and I cradled the apples with one hand, using my free arm to wrap around her neck.
“I hear we need to get you a hero’s medal,” Cash said to her.
I leaned my face against her warmth. Even though Darrell had still taken me, she’d bought me enough time for my alphas to get to me. I owed her my life. “She was the very best girl.”
Turning around was a feat, but once Grizzy’s head was draped down my chest it was much easier to feed her the apples. She inhaled every single one and snuffled all over me to make sure I didn’t have secret ones stashed anywhere.
