Page 99 of Severed Heart (The Ravenhood Legacy #2)

Chapter Fifty-Two

T YLER

B LINK .

Barrett and I glance over the pesticide schedule on our phone screens as he nurses a beer.

“As it turns out, being alfalfa desperadoes is a lot more complex when it comes to maintenance,” I jest, nudging him where we’re perched against his Ranger. “Do you remember that day?”

“Yeah, asshole, in vivid detail .” Barrett speaks up instantly with a dead stare. “And do you know why, ‘oldest cousin in charge’ ? Because I was terrified my balls would drop right off my fucking body for nearly a year until I finally asked my dad,” he spouts before we both burst into laughter.

“So yeah, I remember the day that you not only robbed my pockets and sanity, but I damn near cracked my neck thanks to your ‘ be a man and work your own land’ bullshit before your dad caught me.”

Our conversation stalls, and so do our smiles, as it always does when Carter is mentioned.

I continue to scroll my screen, stumped on the state of some of our low-die trees.

I can feel Barrett’s weighted stare on me as he takes another pull of his beer before he speaks.

“I owe you an apology, cousin. One that’s long overdue. ”

“Nah, man, it’s not that kind of night,” I say. “We’re good.”

“Sorry, I’ve got to get it off my chest,” he says as I lift my eyes to his.

“I shouldn’t have shut you out for his bullshit.

You were going through enough. It was fucking selfish of me to hold his shit against you, so I’m sorry.

And I owe you for introducing me to the love of my life after getting her off the streets .

” He takes another sip, his tone turning heavy.

“And now that Charlie and I have our son”—he shakes his head—“and remembering who Carter was before, I can’t imagine how you felt back then. ”

“I’ll admit it stung, but we got through it. We’re good, cousin.”

“I’m glad you’re back in our lives, that you’re here,” he states, “and that Elijah really knows you.”

“Me too, man,” I tell him. “He’s my little buddy.”

“You, uh, planning on having kids?” he asks carefully. “Can you?”

“No, we can’t,” I tell him honestly. “Which is fine. I’m happy with the way things are and always will be.”

“So, really, no kids?”

“No. Even if we could, I wouldn’t at this stage in my life, and you know why.” I swallow. “Sometimes I think I should pack us up to protect yours.”

“Hey,” he snaps instantly, and I meet his gaze.

“I might not have taken you up on your invitation to ink, but I’ve benefited because you’ve paid the tax bill without fail on the entire fucking farm for going on ten years.

I can’t tell you how that’s saved us. I would have gone under by now.

This place is your fucking home as much as it is mine.

I know you would never intentionally jeopardize our family or put them in harm’s way,” he emphasizes.

“Besides, it’s common knowledge that if you cross into Jennings territory with any ill intent, you won’t have enough time to wonder if you fucked around as you fucking find out .

.. so if the time ever comes where you need us, I can guarantee you we’ll all have your back.

” He glances down at the ink on my arm. “I’m proud of what you do, and I’m behind you. ”

“So then.” I flash him a smile to lighten things up. “I can just borrow your kid when I need to scratch the daddy itch?”

“ Any. Time ,” he states without humor. “I mean that. Any. Fucking. Time . Like tonight would be good.” He breaks into a smile.

“Nah, I’m good having sex every night without a kid puking SpaghettiOs on me.”

“I puked on you once, and you act like it was trauma,” he snorts. “And fuck you, I get mine.”

“Uh-huh,” I say as the screen door slaps at our collective backs. At the sound of it, Barrett and I turn to see Delphine standing on the porch, glaring at me from feet away.

“Hey, General, what’s up?” I ask, confused that not long ago—when we parted—that glare wasn’t at all present.

I wince as I try to remember if I put down the toilet seat.

Having never lived with a woman before, I’ve been schooled by my general on a few things.

And judging by her expression, she might have a lesson plan tonight.

I bite away my smile at her open contempt as she addresses me.

“Tyler,” she clips in the no-bullshit tone she uses when she’s thoroughly aggravated, “I am your woman as you say.”

“No question, baby.” I can’t help my answering chuckle.

“Oh, no question?” she counters sarcastically.

“None at all ,” I reply swiftly, glancing over at Barrett, who seems equally confused by her sudden hostility. “What’s wrong? Where is this coming from?”

“Because I asked you to come to bed an hour ago, and you said you would be right in . And I lay in bed, waiting for you to come and fuck me , and where are you?”

Barrett immediately sprays the two of us with the beer in his mouth as I do my best to keep the threatening laughter from bursting out of me. Laughter that she can clearly see I’m fighting as she narrows her eyes even further, crossing her arms in a dare for me to release it.

God, how I fucking love her.

As predicted, fighting with her when we do, which is rare, is as fun as I thought it would be.

The sex always fucking fire, after or during.

Always fire, period. Maybe because, as it turns out, she’s highly sexual and a little high-maintenance and has been since we got physical.

A job I take great pleasure in taking seriously.

“And where are you now? Laughing like a hyena and talking with this imbecile .” She stops herself instantly, regret clear in her eyes at her lash out, and immediately addresses Barrett in a rush of Regina Jennings’s brand of therapeutic apology.

“I am sorry, Barrett, you are not an imbecile. I am angry with Tyler and should not take it out on you.”

“No offense taken, sweetheart,” Barrett immediately replies, doing his absolute best to maintain his composure as he begins to inch toward the driver’s door of his Ranger.

“I think we’re good, cousin. I’m going to—” he thrusts a thumb over his shoulder.

“It’s getting late, so I’ll be taking my leave now.

” He turns to me, his whisper low and goading.

“You better, uh, get to tending to your woman.”

I nod and turn back to my tiny, agitated, and apparently sexually frustrated terrorist, my love for her brimming as the fire brewing in her eyes ignites mine. Closing in on a year back in one another’s lives, every day confirms what I’ve always known—she’s my match, my soulmate.

A match who narrows her eyes at me, muttering under her breath low enough that she knows I can’t hear it before she turns, and the storm door slaps closed behind her in her wake.

Unable to hold my grin, I lift my chin to Barrett, who’s full-on belly laughing now that she’s safely out of earshot as he takes the driver’s seat of his Ranger, shaking his head.

“You’re a lucky son of a bitch,” he chuckles.

“Always have been. God, what I wouldn’t give to have Charlie coming out of our house demanding dick in front of other people. ”

“Eat your heart out, fucker,” I taunt. “See you tomorrow.”

Firing up, he gives me a salute as he takes off.

I eagerly stalk toward her, managing to catch up with Delphine before she attempts to shut the door in my face.

Unable to help it, I burst into laughter as I block it with my boot, and she all but growls at me.

“Get out, imbecile. You have ruined my good mood.”

“I have, huh?” I glance around to see candles lit on our dresser and nightstand and that she’s recently changed the sheets—the room smelling clean, the ambiance purposefully romantic.

It’s then I truly take her in, recognizing she’s wearing the silky white robe I got her for Christmas and suspecting the matching negligee beneath.

“Shit baby, I’m sorry. I got distracted going over the spray schedule with Barrett and didn’t realize what you were cooking up in here. ”

“Save your stupid metaphors,” she snaps. “I don’t like being ignored.”

“That’s obvious, but I assure you, you have my full attention now.”

“Well, you get no more of mine tonight,” she says. “I’m going to bed. You can go sleep with your stupid new horse.”

Pressing my lips together to hold my smile, when the fucker breaks through, she instantly picks up a paperback and hurls it at my chest. It hits me square in the stomach as my cock hardens further and further at the sight of her.

So full of fight. Olive skin tinted by the spring sun, curves full now that she’s at a healthy weight and looking like every damned thing I’ve ever wanted.

It’s the strange energy coming from her that has my apology coming again.

“I’m sorry, really. I didn’t realize you were setting us up for this kind of night. ”

“No, you didn’t because I wanted to surprise you and went to great trouble for you. I went to see Layla for a fresh wax yesterday, did my hair, painted my toes, and put on the lotion you like so much, only for you to ignore me.”

“Your efforts weren’t for nothing,” I say, taking visual notes of everything she listed, “I assure you.”

“Well ... now I’m not in the mood.”

“Liar.”

“Get out, Tyler. Go back to Barrett. I am fine,” she sighs.

“Not a fucking chance,” I retort.

“I’m warning you, Tyler. I’m not in the mood for jokes at my expense.”

“I can see that now, so I plan on kissing and making it better.” I lift my chin in prompt. “Now, unhook that robe and show me what a fucking fool I am.”

“Non,” she replies instantly.

“Baby, I swear I just lost track of time and missed the signals. Can’t you forgive me for that? I’m ready to make it up to you.”