Shit, no! Bull’s ranch was erupting into pandemonium, and it was all his fault.
Fox was about to dive into one of SUVs to bring everything to an end, but the sound of a sawn-off shotgun blasting into the air had all of them ducking and spinning towards Bull’s porch. Fox’s mouth dropped open as Amelia stood just past the steps in her paisley apron, with her smoking barrel pointed towards the sky.
“That’ll be plenty ’nuff of that, now,” she ordered sternly. “This here is private property. I suggest you boys be on your way before things start to get ugly.”
Walker stood inside the screen door as if he were no stranger to Amelia’s method of handling the ranch when it got out of control. “I suggest you gentlemen listen to her.”
“Oh Bull, honey, I’m so sorry,” Amelia said, while standing on her step stool to replace her shotgun on top of the refrigerator. “I didn’t think they’d take Fox with them.”
Bull’s heart felt like a dead weight in his chest, like a muscle that no longer functioned. He knew it’d been a long shot, but he was hoping Fox wouldn’t have to go on any other dangerous assignments. That once he’d made up his mind about his future, he’d choose the ranch. Now after seeing his team and the way they’d battled for him, Bull knew they weren’t letting him go. Not that easily and not anytime soon.
Bull and his men had fought too. Hard. But in the end, he’d lost. Fox had gone inside, packed a small duffle bag and his violins before he kissed him gently on the corner of his mouth. Bull could still feel the heat of Fox’s breath where he’d lingered against his cheek. After a few torturous seconds, it felt as if Fox had to tear himself away when he pushed off Bull’s chest, out of his embrace, and stormed out of the front door.
None of them, not even Dale, could watch Fox get in the truck and leave as his father quickly closed the door behind him.
“Now don’t you go blaming yourself. It’s not your fault, honey.” Walker hugged Amelia to his side. “Fox still has a responsibility to his job, and we all knew who he was when he came here.”
“I thought he’d quit?” Rid frowned, his gaze bouncing between the four of them. “I thought he worked here.”
Bull dropped his chin, his boots feeling as if the heels were made of cement as he trudged towards the kitchen where the table had been set for their supper. Bull’s eyes caught on Fox’s empty chair, wondering how long it’d stay that way. His family was right there with him, but somehow his home felt empty, hollow. Or was that his heart?
“Hold your head up, son. You need to be strong for him.”
Bull nodded, knowing his father was telling the truth, but fuck, it was hard. He felt as if someone had jabbed a knife into his stomach, the sharp pain only intensifying with every breath he tried to take.
“Son.” His father was standing in front of him, but his voice sounded far away. “Dominic. Look at me… Fox will be back.”
When? What if he can’t? What if they missed the window and things turn deadly?
“Bull!”
Bull felt his back hit something solid, but he never felt his legs moving. Deadly. That’s the word Fox had used. Deadly.
“Oh my lord… what’s wrong with him?”
“Amelia, it’s all right, honey. I got him.”
Bull could hear his father, but he couldn’t see him as his vision continued to get darker around the edges.
“Fuck. Bull! Bull!” Dale gripped his face in his rough hands, causing Bull’s head to spin as if he were tipping over.
He didn’t know what the heck was happening as he fought to take in a breath, but each time he did, he felt that blade slicing deeper into his sternum.
“Go get his fuckin’ horse, Rid. Hurry up.”
Bull was gripped around his shoulders and practically dragged through the mud porch and out his back door. Dale shook him, clutching his upper arms. “Breathe, asshole.”
Bull sucked in a painful gust of night air, his head pounding harder than it ever had in his life.
What is happening?
“Breathe, damnit,” Dale growled in his face.
Bull continued to gulp air in and out of his lungs as Dale kept him on his feet. Slowly his vision began to clear, and he clutched his friend’s broad shoulders, wishing he could feel anything but the dread plaguing him.
“Don’t do this. He’ll be back. You know he will.”
Bull didn’t want to break down in a mess at his foreman’s feet, but he couldn’t keep the negative thoughts away. Now after seeing that insane task force, he was sure Fox was in danger. Things were different now. When he’d watched Fox execute those missions on television all those months ago… he hadn’t been in love with him.