Page 31 of The Finding Series: Vol. 1

Both officers looked at each other, then Rollins crossed his arms and said, “Follow me, Mr. Tellar.”

Rhys made a move to do as the deputy directed, but Callan grabbed him by the arm and said, “No.”

Rollins looked positively giddy and said, “Mr. Tellar, failure to comply means immediate revocation of your parole.”

“He’ll take the test. But not here. Dr. Meyer’s office is down the street.”

“That’s not protocol, Mr. Bale,” Rollins said as he pulled out his handcuffs. Callan stepped in front of Rhys.

“You touch him and I will drop you like the piece of shit you are,” Callan warned.

“Rollins, what’s going on here?” came a voice from the back of the office. Both deputies immediately straightened and if Callan hadn’t known better, he would have sworn they were preparing themselves to salute the older man as he moved into the room.

“Sheriff Granger, I didn’t hear you come in,” Rollins mumbled.

The sheriff looked to be in his late forties and moved with the ease and confidence that came from years of earning respect. “No doubt,” the sheriff commented, apparently unsurprised that his deputies were so oblivious to their surroundings.

“Mr. Tellar was ordered to submit to a random drug screen as part of the terms of his parole, but he’s refused,” Rollins gushed as he motioned to Rhys.

“That’s not what I heard, Rollins,” the sheriff said. “I believe they asked for the test to be administered by a medical professional.”

“It’s against protocol,” the younger deputy murmured, but then snapped his mouth shut when Granger’s hard eyes shifted to him.

“If either of you had bothered to read the fucking protocol, you’d know that Mr. Tellar’s request is appropriate.” Both men shut up at the venom in their superior’s tone. The sheriff turned to Rhys and Callan.

“Mr. Tellar, Mr. Bale, I’m Sheriff Bill Granger.” They each shook the man’s hand. “I apologize for my deputies here,” Granger sneered as he cast the two officers another hard look. “I was voted into office a few weeks ago and inherited the prior sheriff’s…leavings.” The deputies flinched at the crude term, but remained silent. “Rollins, Hargrove, get your asses out on patrol, now!”

Both deputies stared mutinously at Callan and Rhys, then hurried out the back entrance.

“Mr. Bale, I understand you’ve had some issues with vandalism on your property in the past couple of years. Why don’t we discuss that on the way to Dr. Meyer’s clinic?”

* * *

Callan shook the sheriff’s hand and watched him head back towards the police station. The man hadn’t said much other than asking a lot of questions about the incidents that had plagued the ranch for the past two years, but Callan considered it small victory that the new sheriff had at least listened.

Anger and frustration rolled in his stomach as he watched Rhys sign some paperwork and head towards him. The man refused to get out of the funk he was in and it was pissing Callan off like nothing else. They left the clinic and began walking down the sidewalk to where the truck was parked. Rhys walked a step behind him and his shoulders were slumped, his eyes downcast. It was like all the fight had left him.

And Callan was fucking done.

“Fucking son of a bitch,” he said, then grabbed Rhys by the collar of his shirt and slammed him back against the brick wall between the clinic and the hair salon next door. He ignored the women coming out of the salon and covered Rhys’ mouth with his. A gasp sounded behind him, but he was more interested in the man struggling under his hold.

“Callan-” Rhys started to say, but Callan pressed the advantage and thrust his tongue past the other man’s lips. Rhys tried to push him away for a few seconds before he finally submitted and relaxed in Callan’s grip and opened wider. Callan sucked Rhys’ tongue into his own mouth and moaned when Rhys lovingly explored him.

“Oh my,” they heard behind them and Callan finally released Rhys and prepared himself for the next battle. Two women with freshly done hairdos were watching them with their mouths hanging open. One was Mrs. Greene.

“You boys sure do know how to put on a show, Mr. Bale,” Mrs. Greene said with a sly smile. “Evelyn, close your mouth, dear,” she said to her companion. “You look like a fish.” Callan felt Rhys stirring behind him. “I don’t believe we’ve been introduced,” she said as she reached her hand around Callan towards Rhys.

“Rhys Tellar,” Rhys managed to get out, though he was still out of breath from their kiss.

“Harriet Greene,” Mrs. Greene said. “This is Evelyn Turner.”

Callan winced as he realized the other woman was a friend of Dolly’s. So much for telling his aunt what he’d done before she heard it from someone else. Not that it mattered since several other people had been witness to his show of rebellion. Some looked flabbergasted, a few curious. Not that it mattered – he was just getting started.

“Would you excuse us, Mrs. Greene? Rhys and I have some errands to run.”

“Of course, dear,” she said with a knowing smile.

Callan grabbed Rhys’ hand and dragged him down the sidewalk.

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