A Gambling Man // Ryan x OC

3

"There's no need to be scared, Beth, if we treat our animals good, they will treat us good. Right Mommy?" 

"Your sister's right Beth." 

Beth rolled her eyes, these two could do no wrong in Evelyn Dutton's eyes. 

Kayce opened the gate and allowed their mom and Beth to go in first. Beth's horse started acting up, obviously scared of something. 

"The whole world is just waiting on you, Beth." 

Evelyn stared back at her daughter, urging her to go through the gate. 

"Like always." 

Beth finally managed to get her horse through the gate but it ran passed her mom's horse scared of something. This scared their mom's horse, who started bucking, trying to get her off. Evelyn Dutton fell down with the horse on top, crushing her. Evelyn made a pained sound as her horse got back up, standing next to Kayce's. 

"Mommy!"

Kayce helped his sister off of their horse and the two ran towards their mother.

"What do we do?" Kayce asked. 

Mae grabbed her mom's hand, tears falling down her face. 

"Beth," Evelyn gasped out. Beth climbed down from her horse, "Get your father." 

"Let me, I ride faster." 

"Please, Mommy, send Kayce." 

Evelyn looked at her two youngest and said: "She did this, let her undo it." 

Beth climbed up on her horse and set off to find their father. Evelyn and Kayce's horses running off too.

"Good thing you remember how to ride a horse." Evelyn called after her daughter. 

Evelyn used her hands to cup her two youngest children's cheeks. 

"If this is the last thing I see, so be it." 

"Mommy!" Mae shouted as Evelyn's hands fell from their faces. 

"She's gone, Mae, she's gone." 

"No, Kayce, she can't be gone."

"It's going to be okay, Mae. Dad will make it okay." 

"I'm scared, Kayce." 

"I am too, but I promise I'm always going to be here for you. Nothing will hurt you." 

The two youngest Dutton's were still alone with their mom by nightfall. Kayce hugged his sister to his chest as they watched their mom's lifeless body. 

The two kids stood up quickly when they heard growling. 

"Kayce, what's that?" Mae whimpered as she clung to him. 

"Wolves, when I say now, you're going to scream." Kayce whispered and Mae nodded. 

Kayce pulled out his pocketknife, holding it with one hand, the other holding his sister's hand. They could hear the wolves getting closer. 

"Now," Kayce whispered. 

The two screamed, trying their best to scare the wolves away.  A bright light blinded them for a moment before they saw that it was their dad and the wranglers. 

"Daddy!" Mae ripped her arm out of her brother's hold and ran to John. 

John climbed off his horse and picked up his youngest, he held her as she sobbed into his neck. Every time he tried to pass her off to Lloyd so he can walk to his wife, she screamed. It would be hours before she fell asleep and even then her arms remained tightly wrapped around his neck.