Sitting on Harley I look over the land, waiting for the four men to finish getting tacked up. "Do you have all of the supplies loaded up?" I turn to see Ryan walking out of the barn swinging keys around his finger. Giving him a nod I turn Harley to face the approaching man.
"Yeah, I made sure to keep it all on the trailer after doing inventory. Do the ranch hands have a list of what needs to be done?" He nods, stopping to pet my horse's nose.
"I filled your Dad in on the plans. This will take two weeks going slow, did you plan on anything else?" I shake my head looking towards the rising sun.
"That's the plan I need to get these four acquainted with the land. The in's and outs of it all, when I get back I might send you out to the hunting cabin to see how things are going, show them some more shit." I can't spend more than two weeks away from training horses, even that's stretching things a bit. The ranch's safety comes first, always has and always will.
"Makes sense, they'll be talking to you directly?" I look back at him, seeing Ryan squint up at me.
"Yeah, Dad knows I can handle the security better than he could. I have the training, and the ability to ride this land better than he can with his shit hip." I don't bother to mention the fact of those ops we pulled out on the land. I've felt myself fall back into my military mode, prepared to defend this land with my life.
"Good thing you went military then huh?" He chuckles, making me chuckle softly with an easy nod. Yeah the military kept me from ending up in jail, I was rowdy, I'll admit I started my share of fights. I shake my head thinking of Axel, he's still pissy that I broke his jaw in front of the whole team.
"Kept me from dying." Ryan nods, before giving me a look.
"It almost killed you too." I can only shrug in answer, he's not wrong. But if I lived in fear of everything that could kill me you might as well just lock me in a padded cell. The world is dangerous, no matter what you do or the precautions you take. You make good memories to make up for the bad ones, keep the lessons and end the day with a smile. That's all you can do some days.
"I'm too stubborn for that." Ryan stares at me for a moment longer before chuckling and shaking his head.
"What's up with you and the biker?" Giving him a lopsided grin.
"I don't know, we're hooking up. Nothing more and nothing less at the moment. Let me guess you heard the rumors Spiffy's Mom has been spreading?" He nods, shoving his hands in his pocket and I roll my eyes. The woman is a low life that likes to stir trouble.
"The woman just can't keep from stirring the pot, I don't think anyone believes her." I can only shrug, that's one part that backfired on Spiffy. "He had too many witnesses at the rehearsal dinner. Too many know the truth of what happened." He nods slowly, rubbing his lower lip with his thumb.
"Do we know why he's working with Mr. Callgarey?" I feel a scowl form on my face as I look away, slowly shaking my head.
"No, I still don't know what shit's going down on that front. I have some people looking into that. By the time I get back from the ride, I hope to have some answers. Dad's right, something is going on, shit's gonna be hitting the fan." I just don't know when, or how. And that worries me, I hate not knowing, the uncertainty of it all.
"What could he gain from marrying you?" I scratch my head shrugging my shoulders.
"Nothing yet, I mean the place still is joined to both Dad and I. We have to make decisions together. It's not like he'd get much from a life insurance policy from me. I'm too much of a risk for anyone to give me one." Ryan stops and looks over the land, in thought.
"It has to be something with the land. His business chain would grow because of association. Spiffy probably thought that he had more of a hold on you." I nod slowly, in thought, it doesn't make sense right now. Maybe more will come to me after this ride. After I get more information from my resources. Because right now, I'm shooting in the dark, and missing every damn target.
"I'll know more soon. You know me, I already put the word out. I'm talking to people who know people, who have a clue." Ryan nods, patting Harley as he looks around seeing two of the newest ranch hands riding with me. Wyatt and Sawyer lead their horses closer, both pulling off the classic old western cowboys. Wyatt, Sawyer, West, and Levi all ran in a branch of Military, each of them having their own skills. Wyatt and Sawyer, aren't new to town, having spent the past few years here, keeping to themselves.
I'm thankful I could talk them into calling West and Levi in to help with the situation. Each of them can ride decent enough, I've seen their records, I wouldn't be mad having them back my six. "What's the plan Kode?" Turning I watch as Sawyer mounts his mare, Wyatt waiting for my answer.
"We'll wait for the other two to be mounted and ready. Y'all have you gear together?" Looking over their horses I nod seeing their packs rolled neatly, bundled and packed like the military taught us.
"Yeah, all in order and ready to be used." Giving a nod, I glance back at Ryan as he pulls my attention towards him.
"Do I still need to search for another group?" Nodding I grab a drink from my canteen.
"Yeah, every good soldier needs time off from his post. What kinda leader would I be making them work double time?" He chuckles, nodding, pulling out his phone to check something.
"If I need to reach you, I'll patch into your station on the two-way." Nodding I watch as he walks back towards the barn. Looking up towards the sky, I roll my shoulders feeling myself get tense. I need to know what's going on and soon.
"KOTA!" Hearing my name shouted from the porch, makes me turn Harley towards the house in confusion. My father jerks his head angrily, the veins in his neck pushing against his skin. Turning Harley, I make him walk towards the house.
"What's going on?" He turns his head to the side, looking down the steps towards two people. A sleek black Porsche sitting behind them, arching my brow, I look back at them only to glower. Kevin standing next to a woman, blonde hair and dark green eyes.
"Dakota, it's good to see you again." Kevin speaks up, and I stare at him.
"You got some big fucking balls showing your damn face here." Turning Harley towards them, I rest my free hand on my thigh real close to my holster.
"Dakota this is Isobella Borenstein, she's making an offer on the land." Raising an eyebrow I listen as she gives a giggle pushing off of the car to wrap her arms around Kevin.
"It's a beautiful property, I have plans to turn it into-"
"Get the fuck off my land." The words slip out of my lips with a deadly calm. The woman raises her eyebrows before letting out another laugh.
"I was worried you might say that, listen, I'm willing to offer $15,000 - per acre. It's a steal really. It's insane to not take the offer." I arch a brow, letting a slow chuckle slip past my lips nodding.
"Woman, I don't know if you heard a stutter. But I said get the fuck off my land. I ain't interested in selling, not now, not ever. Take a piss elsewhere will ya?" I've seen enough crazy broads to recognize one at a distance. A cold look comes into her eyes as she gives a chilling grin.
"I'm trying to be nice here."
"Well I'm done being nice here. Y'all got ten seconds to get back in that damn car, and get outta my sight. Don't make me fill your bumper with some lead." Pulling my pistol from my holster she looks down, narrowing her eyes.
"So that's how you want to play it, fine. Come on honey, we got things to do." She pulls Kevin's face down to hers attacking his lips, laying claim. Adjusting my grip on my pistol I feel my blood boil. She can have the lying scumbag, I'm sure they're perfect for one another. With one last look at me she winks, and I just raise an eyebrow as she leads Kevin to the passenger side door. After she's locked away he walks around the car stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"Dakota, baby I still love you. Why don't you dump that roughneck biker, he ain't gonna be able to give you what you need." Flicking off the safety of my pistol, I flex my fingers, adjusting my grip.
"One." Kevin stands there, staring at me, frustrations raising onto his face. "Two." Beginning the countdown, I wait till I get to five, before I raise my hand aiming it right at the car. Spiffy finally catches the hint that I'm not playing around and shakes his head, walking to his door.
"Maybe we can have a civil talk in town." Changing my target I fire into the ground right at his feet.
"Next time, I'm not missing your ass." Kevin slips into the car, slamming the car into reverse and peeling out of the driveway.
"That's a new one, she's bolder than the rest. I don't like it." Clicking the safety back on I holster my weapon looking back at my father.
"I don't trust her. We got one hell of a shit storm coming our way." That's one of the biggest offers we've received.
"Do you know her?" Papa speaks from behind me, making me shake my head slowly. That's what bothers me the most, who the hell is she? And why the fuck is she in town looking to buy this piece of land? My mind racks through names, Borenstein isn't a name that's common. Neither is Isobella, I have quite a few calls to make about this new development. "We need the security in place and now. Get those four trained, shaped, and in place." He walks away, heading inside.
I pull out my phone making a call to a close friend of mine. "Kode, what's up?" Hearing my nickname slip out of Brad McBryan's mouth I get a slight smirk. An old military buddy that went into the private sector.
"I have a slight issue on my hands, a blip on the radar that ain't looking like a friendly."
"That is an issue, what game is tryna be played at the moment?" Brad gets right into business. Nudging Harley to walk on back towards the four waiting on me.
"This issue showed up with another issue of mine, home grown. I don't know the game, but I know crazy." He chuckles, and I hear a creak, probably him leaning back in his chair.
"Yeah, I know you know crazy, you are crazy." I chuckle nodding, yeah, it takes crazy to know it.
"It takes one to know one, listen, remember my other job I had for ya?" Brad hums, just as I stop Harley, keeping distance from the group. "You might find a connection there. I know a shit storm is headed my way, I just need to figure out a baseline for what I'm gonna be taking care of."
"You gonna need some extra hands?" I know Brad likes the private sector, but sometimes he wishes he had a bit more excitement.
"I don't know just yet. I need answers, and I'm thinking I needed them yesterday at this rate. I'll be outta range for about two weeks but if I get you a name can you do a deep dive on them, their family, and anything that stinks connected to them?"
"I'll have everything sent your way before you're back. Just give me a name." I grin, I know I can trust that man to cover my ass.