"Let's get your stuff outta the truck and get you guys settled," paw-paw says with a kind smile, but I can tell it's forced. "We're gonna need the paperwork, too, so we can file it with our lawyer, and keep a copy here."
Nodding, I place Emery on his feet with a tired smile as the five of us grab all the bags from the bed of the truck. Walking into the house, and as we walk through the house, I notice four very sexy men eating breakfast at the large kitchen table. One in particular stands out to me - he has raven black hair underneath his black cowboy hat, piercing blue eyes, athletic build and a nice complexion. The other three men are beautiful but that man is the most beautiful man I have ever seen in my life. One has dark brown hair that is cut very short, with hazel eyes, slight muscular build, and olive complexion. The other two men are absolutely identical in appearance, so my assumption is they are twins. They have black hair, dark brown eyes, dark brown facial hair, and holy fuck are they muscular. I swear they probably could break me in half without even trying.
Once we've place our bags in one room that has three twin beds, paw-paw introduces all of us; "Alright, these are our ranch-hands, whom without this place wouldn't run as it does. This is the foreman, Aspen Carter, next to him is Tenysi Lee, and brothers, Rowan and Rebel Owens. Gentlemen, these are our granson's Echo and Emery, and Echo's best friend, Carson Jones. They're going to be living and helping here until further notice."
Hmm, uber sexy man is Aspen, which is a very fitting name for the aurora he gives off - in control, and very down to earth.
We sit down at the table to have breakfast at papa's request, so I make Emery a plate of food after greeting the men when I hear one of the men ask; "Is your name really Echo?"
Glancing up from Emery, I realize Tenysi is the one who asked; "Yeah it is, why?"
"No reason, just that it's an unusual name is all," he shrugs, and I notice Aspen watching me with calculated eyes.
Nodding my head at him since I'm unsure how to answer him, and my focus is pulled back to Emery when he innocently asks as he wearily looks at the big men; "They're not going to hit you like Kyle are they?"
"No buddy, they're not," I gently tell him while swiping his hair from his eyes with a soft smile.
"Okay, do I have to go back to mum and Kyle's?" he asks blinking his wide green eyes at me in fear.
"Nope, we get to stay here with papa and paw-paw," I grin happily. "Now, eat your breakfast that I'm sure papa cooked."
I can feel eyes burning holes into the side of my head, and I look through my hair at everyone, and everyone but Carson and Emery are looking at me in shock. Ducking my head, I fidget in my seat as I fiddle with the hem of my shirt. Everyone thankfully starts talking as I stare down at my plate that papa placed in front of me with more food than I could possibly eat in one sitting. My eyes start fluttering shut as I come down from my adrenaline rush, and only sleeping a few hours on the ride here.
When a large hand lands on my right shoulder, I jump as I snap my head up; "Huh?"
"Go up to bed and sleep for a few hours," paw-paw gently says. "Someone will wake you by 11 a.m."
Giving my food to Carson and Emery, I take my plate and glass to the kitchen to wash later with the rest of the dirty dishes. Heading upstairs I change out of my clothes into work clothes before heading back downstairs as everyone finishes their food.
"What are my jobs?" I ask paw-paw and papa.
"Echo, you need to let your body rest a few days before working," papa gently scolds with worried eyes.
"Please papa, if I rest for a few days, I'm going to be sore and miserable," I beg him quietly.
"Fine, but answer me this first - were you checked out to make sure nothing is broken?" he returns with a smug smile.
"No, but I know nothing is broken, I'm just badly bruised," I honestly reply while starring right back at him.
He loudly sighs before his light up, which makes me nervous; "You want to work instead of resting then you're gonna let Rebel check you over. He's a medic in the Army Reserves."
"Fine, if that'll make you happy," I shrug at him, knowing when to pick my battles with him.
"Come on, kid," Rebel says standing from his seat, and motions with his head for me to follow him into the living room.
Sighing, I silently follow behind him with an eye roll. Hey, I'm a teenage, so let me have my attitude.
"Okay kid, take off any clothing that's covering any bruising," he requests with his deep voice.
Biting my lower lip in fear before slowly pulling my jeans off and then my shirt. Focusing my attention straight ahead, I keep my eyes focused on a picture of my mum when she was a child that's hanging on the wall with other pictures. I hear Rebel's slight intake of breath before his warm fingers press into my right side on my ribs. That spot is one of the biggest bruises on my body currently. When he presses a little harder, I inhale harshly, but remain still, despite wanting to move away from his probing fingers. Rebel doesn't comment as he continues, and several minutes later he silently leaves the room, and returns a few minutes later with paw-paw and papa.
"Bloody hell," paw-paw growls lowly, but I refuse to move, or take my eyes off mum's picture.
"Echo, what in the bloody hell did Kyle strike you with?" papa quietly demands, while standing in front of my, now starring at him instead of the picture.
"A spiked whip on my back and thighs, and his fists on my ribs and front," I murmur, dropping my gaze to my feet.
"I need to clean his back, stitch some of the open areas, and wrap his cracked ribs," Rebel tells my granpa's.
"I don't need my ribs wrapped. This isn't the first time my ribs have been cracked or broken, so I can manage the way they are now," I reply, completely detached, and in my happy place - when dad was alive and spent time with Emery and me.
'Dad' isn't my biological dad, but Emery's, but he loved me like his own son.
"Echo, he's wrapping your ribs, so they can heal properly," paw-paw firmly, but kindly states. "If I need too, I'll have Rowan and Aspen hold you still."
Snapping my head up to scowl at him, my anger at everything right now bubbling to the surface; "I don't feel any pain. I've learned to manage this, so it doesn't need to happen."
"Tough, you're gonna let Rebel do what he needs to do, and you're gonna let him," Aspen's deep baritone voice states as he and Rowan step into the room.
Looking away from his gaze that's filled with pity and determination, I grumble; "Emery can't see this."
Yes, I'm aware my emotions are all over the place right now, and are starting to get the best of me. I haven't seen papa and paw-paw in three years since Kyle and mum started dating, so it's hard going from Carson and Emery only loving me, and my need to protect Emery, and now I have four new people who want to help me.
"He won't since Carson has him occupied outside and the horse barn," papa assures me.
Rebel enters the room with a medical kit, and I hadn't even noticed when he left. He sits up what he needs before having me sit on the floor in front of the leather couch. He starts sewing up my back after papa snaps several pictures of my body.
"I'm going to numb the areas on your back that I'm stitching," Rebel gently says before injecting my back with a numbing agent.
Leaning forward against my raised legs, I rest my head on my knees which my arms wrapped around to hold me in place. Thirty long minutes later, he finishes with my back before helping me stand to wrap my sides for my ribs. If Rebel had taken any longer with my back, I would have fallen asleep.
"Put your clothes back on, kid," he instructs with a tight-lip smile while he cleans up.
"Okay, and thanks," I mumble, carefully do as I'm told.
"Echo, papa and paw-paw still have Vixen!" Emery happily hollers while running into the living room as I pull my shirt down over my chest.
Vixen is an Appaloosa horse that paw-paw and papa bought four years ago, and they let Emery name.
"That's awesome, buddy! Maybe tonight after dinner, they'll let me take you for a ride on her," I smile at him, while hugging him tightly when latches himself onto me.