Page 138 of Perfect Cowboy

“Cameron?” Ashley calls, her eyes light with anger at the possibility I just referenced.

“Yeah?”

“Kill him,” Ashley orders. “Please. Shoot him.”

“What?” I demand.

Brad dropped his gun and is just standing there silently, awaiting his fate. He isn’t a threat anymore, and I don’t think anyone else is coming to help him.

“Just fucking kill him,” Ashley insists. “He doesn’t deserve to breathe. He tried to kill us and Gavin gotshotbecause of him. Or get over here and apply pressure to my man’s wound so I can shoot Brad myself. I’ll do it if you won’t, trust me.”

“Babe,” I say, “as much as I appreciate you going all Rambo on my behalf, Brad is heading to jail.”

“It’s not good enough,” she insists. “And no one is going to question it. The cops will be here soon, and he needs to fucking die first or we won’t get another chance to make him pay.”

While I don’t disagree with the sentiment, killing someone isn’t a decision to make flippantly. It could very well haunt her forever, even if Brad deserves to be shot or worse.

“Gavin, I helped to raise you!” Brad screams.

“And look how that turned out,” I reply, before looking back at Ashley. “We can’t kill him, babe. You’ll regret it.”

“I won’t,” she insists. “He’s responsible for you being shot! He could have killed you! If he did, I’d disembowel that motherfucker with my bare hands.”

“You should have just left,” Brad shouts.

“And you should fucking die!” Ashley screams back. “You were so worried about your retirement and now you’re going to spend it in jail. And if they let you out too soon, I’ll make sure you spend it dead in a fucking hole!”

All of her anger bubbles to the surface, making her lose control. I’d feel the same way if she was lying in the snow after being shot.

And I would shoot Brad if our roles were reversed, no questions asked and with no hesitation. But I’m not going to tell her that fact or let her do it.

The sirens start at the same time Cade and my dad come rushing toward us. Dad tries to get to me, but I shake my head.

“Help Cade. Save Daisy.”

“Who the hell is Daisy?” Dad demands. “How much blood have you lost? Are you hallucinating?”

“I’m alright, promise. Just help Cade.”

And suddenly, the ranch is full of people. The cowhands have woken up to start their workday only to find the property swarming with uniforms.

Cops cuffing Brad.

Paramedics checking the vitals of the men lying on the ground. They’ll either be cuffed or put in body bags, and I don’t care which one so long as they’re gone.

And two paramedics fussing over me.

Ashley steps back and gets out of the way, even though I would much prefer to have her right by my side. When they move me into an ambulance, she follows.

“I can come, right?” she asks.

“Yes, but just you,” one of the paramedics reply. “Anyone else will have to meet us at the hospital.”

Cameron runs over and pulls his hoodie off, passing it to her. “You can’t go to the hospital half-naked. And I’m sorry that I scared you. I didn’t want you to get hurt, and I took your gun because I’m a better shot and there was no time to waste.”

She pulls the sweatshirt on, hugs him, and then dashes into the back of the ambulance with me.

“I’m going to text your mom, Bobby, and Victory,” she says.

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