by T. S. Joyce
The Crooked R Dude Ranch was the biggest working ranch in these parts. Trinity was still stunned that Brick worked there. He’d told her and Tucker at breakfast early this morning before he’d had to leave.
His shoulder was almost completely healed now. Part of her thought that was insanity, and part of her thought it was magic.
She’d been messing up orders at the diner all morning thinking about how much her world had been turned upside down in the last few days.
Humans weren’t top of the food chain. There was an entire culture of half-predator people trying to keep humans safe from themselves. And they were doing it in silence. Brick was literally trying to stop his lineage from continuing for the good of humankind. That was a lot to wrap her head around.
She was supposed to go out to the Crooked R after her shift and see what Brick’s life was really like. He was trying to open up, and he’d admitted he’d never shared anything about his life with anyone before her. So, she had to see where this lead, right? There was something important between her and Brick. She’d never in her life felt so attached to someone so fast. So attracted, or proud, or safe.
The bell dinged above the door and she turned to greet the pretty brunette woman who made her way inside. She gave a shy smile and a wave and asked, “Are you Trinity?”
Trinity adjusted the dirty dishes on her forearms and nodded. “I’m her.” Oh, Gosh, she was another one of Archer’s girlfriends, here to make sure Trinity wasn’t going to try and steal him back. “Do you need something?”
“Pancakes,” the woman said through a giggle. “Do you mind if I sit in your section?”
Troubled, Trinity jerked her chin toward the corner booth that Brick liked to sit in. “I’ll be right there to take your drink order as soon as I set these dishes down.”
“Oh, take your time. You look busier than a rat in a cheese factory.”
Trinity snorted. Today had been really busy, but it was mostly self-inflicted. She was slow as freaking molasses today, thanks to her whirring thoughts.
When she got a minute to go take the woman’s drink order, she introduced herself. “I’m Gwen.” She fiddled with a diamond on her left ring finger. “Um, soon I’m going to be Gweneth Bane.”
Every appropriate response flittered right out of Trinity’s head and into the universe. All that came out was, “You’re like me.”
Gwen laughed and nodded. “You mean one of the girls shaking up the Oath of Bane?”
Trinity nodded. “Yep. That.”
“I was curious, honestly. I’ve only seen Brick a couple of times, and he’s fuckin’ scary. I wanted to see what kind of woman could tame a man like him.”
“I don’t think I’ve tamed him at all. I don’t even think I want him tamed.”
A slow smile stretched Gwen’s face. “That’s what I wanted to know.”
Miranda yelled across the diner, “Trinity, table two is still needing ketchup,” like she couldn’t take a break refilling the salt containers to help her.
“I’ll get your bloody mary right out,” she murmured.
“Hey, wait.” Gwen pulled a folded piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to Trinity. It was her phone number. “I just moved here for Aux, and it’s a bit of a lonely life because I’m learning to keep the boys’ secrets. You probably have a billion friends, but maybe you could find room on your dance card for one more?”
Surprised hope fluttered through Trinity’s chest. “I don’t.”
“Oh.” Gwen’s big green eyes filled with disappointment. “I understand.”
“No, I mean I don’t have a billion friends. Um…” She grinned so stupidly big and held up the piece of paper. “Maybe we can plan for me to join you for bloody marys soon.”
“Hell yes, I’m all in. I mean, I have a pet chicken named Willamena and a pet pig named Samson, and I talk to them all the time, but they don’t talk back and I can’t take them to get my nails done or out for a night on the town without everyone lookin’ at me like I’m a psychopath. Trust me, I’ve tried, and I know the disgruntled looks firsthand.”
Trinity laughed at the mental image. “I always liked little pigs.”
“Well, we have about thirty babies to sell right now so let me know if you want one. Pretty sure I can get Aux to give you the family discount.”
“Family discount,” she repeated low.
Gwen’s eyes softened. “It’s a hard life we’ve chosen, Trinity. But it’s also the most beautiful and exciting life you can even imagine. If you’re on the fence about jumping in with Brick? Trust me when I say, if you allow a bond with him, your life will be a good one. There is no devotion like the kind Brick can give you. And if you ever have questions, call me. The boys aren’t close, but that doesn’t mean we can’t lean on each other.”
Gwen’s expression was so kind and open, it was impossible not to feel relief right now. She did have questions. Probably about sixty-nine of them. Brick had done so good at answering what she needed last night, and then Gwen had showed up as an extra resource and more surprise support, and Trinity let off a little sigh.
“I’m really glad you came in. I’m actually going to see where he works tonight with my boy.”
“You have a son?” Gwen asked.
“Trinity!” Miranda yelled. The restaurant went quiet around them.
“Um, excuse the tits out of me?” Gwen popped off. “Is anyone in here starving to death right now?” she addressed the restaurant. There were a lot of “no, I’m fine” and shakes of the head. She slid an angry glare back to Miranda. “Then why on God’s green earth would you yell across the restaurant at your server and take away from these nice people’s breakfast? I’m ordering food. This is my first time in here, so perhaps I’m confused. Is there a time limit?”
Trinity bit back a smile and swallowed the damn laugh bubbling up her throat right down. Miranda looked like a deer in headlights.
Miranda cleared her throat and told everyone, “Go back to eating.”
“Oh my God, that was awesome,” Trinity whispered to Gwen before she scurried off.
Cheerfully, Gwen called behind her, “Pancakes, no syrup, extra butter.”
“I’ve got you!” Trinity called back. And she did. Someday, she was going to pay Gwen back for her kindness. It had been a long damn time since anyone had stuck up for her like that.
She liked Gwen, a lot.
And now? She didn’t feel so alone with the heaviness of Brick’s admissions, and that was another gift in and of itself.
Brick didn’t realize it yet, but he’d given her the prospect of a friend.
Chapter Nine
Brick had a horse. A real-life, blue-roan, trained as all get-out, horse.
“I’m pretty sure I’m never going to stop being surprised by you,” she told him as he hefted Tucker into the saddle.
Brick chuckled and she reveled in the deep baritone of the contented sound. “Hold onto this right here, Tuck,” he told her son as he pointed to the saddle horn. She’d never heard anyone call him Tuck before, but her boy lit up like a Christmas tree at the nickname.
“Mom said we get to spend the night if I want to,” he said.
Brick lead the horse, named Denim, toward a gate in the fence. He reached back and grabbed her hand as they walked side-by-side. “I set up a cot in the loft just in case. Figured you would like to try sleeping higher up.”
The flashback of Tucker falling off the ladder rippled across her mind. “Eeee, maybe you can sleep on the bottom floor instead.”
“I like being up high,” Tucker said.
Brick opened up the gate and led the horse through, and Trinity closed it back behind them. It was sunset, and his small one room loft cabin looked pretty surrounded by pines and clumps of melting snow. It would sure be pretty up here in the spring. “Your home is like a postcard,” she murmured.
“Oh, it’s nothing fancy. It’s quiet though, and comes with the job. I take care of the cattle when they’re in the wi
nter pastures way back here. We drive them closer to the main property of the dude ranch in a couple of months. Clients pay a lot of money to help with that part.”
“How long have you done this?”
“Six years. I bought Denim from an auction the first year I was doing this so I didn’t have to use the damn four-wheeler anymore. It’s too loud for my ears. Denim is quieter and he’s a good companion.”
“I imagine it would get really lonely out here,” she murmured, slipping her hand back into his.
Brick cast her a handsome smile under his black beanie. “I was used to it until you two came along. Now it seems too quiet up here sometimes.”
Trinity looked back at Tucker, who was definitely not holding onto the saddle horn like Brick instructed. “What if he falls off?”
“I won’t,” Tucker answered for Brick.
Brick pulled her against his side and walked with her all hugged up against him. “Buddy, why don’t you tell your mom what you were really doing on that ladder the other day.”
“Practicing.”
Trinity frowned. “Practicing what?”
“I can’t tell you. Maw-maw and Pop-Pop said I have to mind the rules.”
Oh, she didn’t like that at all. “What rules?”
Brick cut in. “Have you learned to fly yet?”
What? Brick’s face was serious and he didn’t seem to be teasing. Trinity looked back at Tucker just in time to see him nod and say, “Yes.”
Chills rippled up her arms. “What do you mean you know how to fly?”
“I’m not supposed to tell anyone,” Tucker said. “Not even you. Maw-maw and Pop-pop said there’s rules.”
Well, those little sneaky fuckers Maw-maw and Pop-pop were going to get an earful from her for teaching her son to keep secrets from her.
“Tucker, what are you talking about?” she demanded, pulling everyone to a stop.
“He can’t tell anyone what he is,” Brick said low. “Tuck, I think the rules don’t apply to your momma though. She’s on your team, and your grandparents shouldn’t put a wedge between y’all like that.”
“They said no humans can know. Mom is human.”
Tears stung her eyes. Anger and confusion and frustration swirled inside of her chest. “What are you?” she asked her boy.
Tucker dropped his gaze to the saddle, and his little lip poked out.
“You say it proud,” Brick told him. “There’s no shame in what you are. Lift that chin up and tell your momma what you are.”
Tucker looked uncertain as he lifted his green eyes to her. Soft as a breath, he said, “I’m a crow.”
A dozen things clicked into place in a matter of seconds. All of Brick’s talk about Tucker or his daddy being crows. Tucker knowing Brick was a bear. How many goddamn times had her son jumped off every piece of furniture she had flapping his arms around?
“You can turn into a bird?” she asked.
“I’m only supposed to with Pop-Pop. Not even with Dad. He is mad I got crow blood.” His eyes rimmed with tears. “Are you mad, too?”
And there was this split-second where she wanted to tell him yes. Yes, she was pissed she’d been lied to. Was his dad a crow, too? Had he lied to her this whole time? Had she so easily been tricked? If what her boy and Brick were saying was true, her son wasn’t human.
But…
This was a huge moment, and Tucker was looking at her with those big, solemn eyes. Eyes that were the same color as hers. And blond hair he’d inherited from her, because he was her boy. Her son. Her baby. And he was silently asking her to be okay with what he was.
Even if she didn’t know what all of this meant, she had to take this moment back and swallow her fears and frustrations for Tucker.
Two tears trickled to Trinity’s cheeks as she held her arms out. “Come here.”
Tucker slid from the saddle and into her arms, and she crushed him to her. She looked to Brick and his eyes were full of some emotion she didn’t understand.
She pointed to the sky and mouthed, Because of him?
There were ten crows flying above them, at least.
Brick shook his head. “They’re here for me. And you.”
“I wanted to tell you a hundred and fifty times,” Tucker told her, his little fists tangled in her hair as he hugged her so tight.
Was this real? Bear people and crow people? Her son was saying something that didn’t make sense to her logical brain. But she’d seen Brick heal in a night, and his eyes were too bright, and his voice too snarly, and the man was too strong, and her boy…her boy…
He wasn’t a crow. He wasn’t a crow. He was just her little boy.
“I can tell you are so confused, and that’s okay,” Brick murmured. “This is a lot. He’s young so he can’t change but once a month or so right now, but you’ll see him someday. And with me? Well, you can see me soon too. Not in front of the boy though.”
“Why can’t I see you?” Tucker asked.
“Because your people and my people are not supposed to like each other. It’s been that way for a long, long time. I don’t want my animal scaring yours.”
Tucker shrugged up his shoulders. “I like you.”
Brick smiled and dropped his gaze to the snowy ground. He kicked a clump of the frozen stuff and she could see it. His cheeks were turning red. Was he blushing? “I like you too, boy. I guess that’s why I don’t want to startle you. I’ll let you see the bear when I know you’re ready.”
Tucker scrambled out of her arms and launched himself at Brick. “I’m a war bird!” he cried.
She’d never seen a bigger smile on Brick’s face as he caught her son mid-air and tossed him up high. Tucker whooped and spread his arms out before he sailed back down to earth. Brick caught him and swung him smoothly up on his shoulders. “Someday you might be a war bird. Don’t go after me though, kid. Okay?”
Tucker had his little arms wrapped around Brick’s neck as he bounced up on his shoulders with each step the giant man took. “I’ll keep you safe.”
A chuckled escaped Brick’s throat. “Until then, I’ll protect you. Deal?”
Trinity had this moment as she watched the two of them meander off toward a huge herd of cattle, the sun setting over the snowy mountains in the background. Their voices and laughter echoed through the valley. Brick held Tucker’s legs in place at his chest with one hand, and with the other he held onto the reins of his horse.
Fast as she could, she pulled out her camera and snapped a picture because she wanted to remember this moment for always.
It was the moment she felt true happiness for the first time in her life.
Brick turned and came to a stop, then held his hand out for her, waiting…
She wasn’t alone.
She should be worrying over what Tucker had admitted, but she wasn’t alone. She had confidence in Brick.
She didn’t know all the answers right now, but that was okay. She would figure everything out…with him.
He’d told her he wasn’t supposed to touch her skin…
But he’d broken that rule.
And somewhere along the way, he’d touched her heart as well.
Chapter Ten
Brick would never get enough of touching her.
He couldn’t stop. Couldn’t help himself.
She stood over the stove in his little kitchen, dressed in pink plaid pajama pants and a white t-shirt that was the perfect amount of see-through. Her blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was chattering on about her best friend, who had moved away last year.
He came up behind her again and slid his hands to her waist, pushing up her t-shirt just enough to feel the softness of her hips. She reacted so well to him, leaning back into him and nuzzling her cheek against his beard as she flipped the salmon she was cooking in the cast iron skillet.
“You like fish, right?” she asked suddenly. “I researched what grizzly bears eat, and it said the main source of protein during certain months is salmon.�
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He couldn’t help his smile. “I like any meat. I was supposed to cook for you tonight though.”
Trinity turned around and rested her hips against the counter beside the stove. “You can cook for me next time. I like my steak not mooing though.”
He chuckled. The sound still surprised him. “Want to know something strange?”
“I want to know everything.”
This was a big admission, so he blew out a steadying breath before he murmured, “I don’t remember smiling before you.”
The humor that had been dancing in her green eyes faded to a softness that made his heart thump unevenly. God, she was so beautiful.
Trinity reached up and cupped his cheek. “Everything will be better now. For both of us.” A thud sounded behind him as Tucker must’ve jumped off the last few rungs of the loft ladder. Trinity laughed at whatever she saw behind him and amended, “For all three of us.”
Brick cast a glance over his shoulder at Tucker, who was wearing a pair of old cowboy boots that were so big they came up to his thighs, with a flannel shirt he’d tucked into his little jeans and fastened into place with an old, worn-out tool belt. The clothes and belt swallowed him whole, but Tucker looked proud as a peacock as he tramped toward them in those bigass boots. He nearly tripped twice. “I’m really hungry.”
“Where did you find those clothes?” Trinity’s voice was stern, but Brick could hear the laugh that lined the edges of her words.
“In the dress-up chest upstairs.”
That chest was full of his dad’s belongings. It was the only thing he’d thought to keep when Moore had killed him. He didn’t even know why he’d kept it. The lid hadn’t been opened since the week his parents had passed. A memory of his dad teaching him and his brothers to split logs washed across his mind. He’d worn that tool belt and that flannel shirt the day Brick had learned about cutting firewood.
A pile of logs he’d cut this morning lay by the wood burning stove. He’d always thought his dad a useless lesson-teacher, but that wasn’t true. At least he’d taught him that.
“Tucker, you shouldn’t be going through his things.” Trinity admonished him.
