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“Who ate all the strawberries? Was it… you, Mr. Beau Cutler?” Devyn asked while tickling the bellies of Coy’s kids. “Or you, Miss. Dally Lane?”

The children let out deep belly giggles as they sat at the table, being teased by their aunt, who was getting out the ingredients needed for breakfast. The rest of the family and guests trickled into the kitchen just as the sun was warming the sky for another full day of questions and very few answers.

“No, Aunt Devvy.” Dally laughed and pointed to the youngest of Cut’s children, who sat in his highchair, waiting for Nora to feed him. “It was Tuck. Tuck ate all the bewwies.”

“Tucker Benjamin?” Devyn playfully scolded. “Did you eat all the bewwies?”

The toddler grinned and squealed while clapping his hands at the attention.

“Welp, sounds like we know who did it. The one in diapers.” Devyn said, grabbing a large metal bowl from the nearby cabinet. “How are we supposed to have strawberries on our waffles for breakfast if Tuck ate them all?”

“I know. I know.” Beau jumped up and down. “We can pick some from the garden! I know the way!”

“Me too! Me too!” Dally said, dancing around, twirling her little sundress.

“You think we can pick enough for everyone and be back before Auntie Dill finishes making the waffles?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” the two tots said together.

“Looks like I’m on waffle duty.” Dillon snickered, plugging in the waffle maker. “Oh, goodie.”

“Sorry. You snooze, you lose.” Devyn shrugged and grabbed a can of whipped cream. “Unless you want to go berry picking with the four and under club?”

“Not a chance. Too much… energy. I haven’t had my coffee yet, and they’ve clearly had too much of something.” Dillon snorted as the kids were bouncing around. “You’re more their age anyway.”

“Ha ha.” Devyn put the can of whipped cream down, then shielded her hand with the bowl she held and flipped her sister off.

“Please do not do that again with those two within a two-mile radius of you.” Nora warned, waving between Beau and Dally, “Hiding it doesn’t help. They see, hear, and repeat everything.”

“Crap,” Beau said, when he noticed his shoe untied.

“Case and point,” Nora said. “Beau, is that a nice word or a naughty word?”

“I got it.” Cut knelt down and talked with his son as he tied his shoe for him.

“Sowwy, Mama,” Beau said over his shoulder to Nora.

“That wasn’t my fault, was it?” Coy asked while filling everyone’s cups with much-needed coffee.

“Nope.” Nora smiled, “You’re angel of a brother did.”

“Which one?” Coy, Dillon, and Devyn said in unison.

“Probably both of them.” Nora glared at Nash and Cut, who were standing side by side.

“Wasn’t me. I never say that word.” Nash said, grabbing a coffee cup and putting it under the stream of coffee Coy was pouring into Ransom’s cup. “I much prefer, shhh….”

“Nash!” They all said in unison.

“Shucks. I was going to say shucks.” He grinned.

“Sure, you were.” Devyn laughed as she grabbed the can of whipped cream again and held it over Dally’s mouth, “Open, kid.”

She pressed the valve, filled her mouth with whipped cream, and quickly had Beau standing at the ready, mouth open.

“Your turn, squirt.” She followed through and repeated the gesture. “Now, you two like that?”

The little ones nodded their heads vigorously.

“Good. You behave, pick all the berries we need for everyone, no goofing, and you can have more as soon as we’re done. Deal?”

“Deal!” they shouted.

“When they don’t go down for naps from all that sugar, you’re on duty, Aunty Dev .” Nora threatened.

“Oh… and you have to take a good nap later or… no dessert tonight.” Devyn bargained.

“Do we have to close our eyes?” Beau asked.

“Most people do when they sleep.” Devyn reasoned.

“Do we have to sleep?” Dally asked.

“How about this… you have to lie down and try to sleep, but if you can’t close your eyes, you can quietly read a book and have a quiet time while Tuck naps and your Mama takes a break. Can we do that?”

“Yep!”

“Yepper!”

“Someone has her negotiating skills down. Anyone who can reason with tiny terrorists like that will have no problem in the courtroom.” Cut joked. “Good luck with the quiet part.”

“Don’t worry,” Charlotte chimed in, jumping in at the stove and scrambling eggs. I’ll jump in if they don’t hold up their end of the deal. Mama will get her break.”

“You don’t have to…” Nora started.

“I’m here for a while. Use me. I have all sorts of bedtime stories and songs my Mama used to sing to me growing up. It’ll be fun to share them with the little ones.”

Nash put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her, “You are going to fit in nicely around here.”

“You’re hired.” Nora teased, sitting back in her chair and rubbing her very pregnant belly.

Charlotte smiled, “It’s no problem at all. It’ll be fun.”

“Alright, squirts, let’s get to pickin’.”

Devyn marched out the door with Beau and Dally on her heels, heading to one of the gardens closest to the house.

“Last one there’s a rotten egg.” She announced playfully and skipped off, the kids running ahead of her to the strawberry patch.

Once there, Devyn made a game of it and a lesson in counting to see who could pick the most and the fastest. A regular activity during the season, the little ones knew what to do, which to pick, and which to leave. They also snacked on a few choice strawberries while hard at work picking enough for everyone.

“Our bowl is almost full,” Devyn said. “Let’s pick…”

A noise from the nearby tree line had Devyn’s attention. She’d been watchful all along but not worried as they had agents strategically placed around the property. Until now, when the hair on the back of her neck stood tall at the subtle sound of crackling branches in the distance. They weren’t alone. If it were an agent, he would have made himself known.

“Okay, guys, I think we have enough.” She said, guiding them away from the tree line and out of the strawberry patch. With her body strategically between the kids and dense woods, she focused on the area where the random and intermittent sounds were coming from.

Wildlife wasn’t uncommon for their area, but at that time of day and that close to the house, it was.

“Hey, Beau.” She said calmly. “We’re going to play a game, okay, buddy?”

“Yes! I like games!”

“Me too!”

“Good. Now, grab your sister’s hand and walk her back to the house as quickly and safely as you can so she doesn’t fall. Stick together. I’m going to stand right here and count to see how long it takes you, okay?”

“I can do that.”

“Good. You’re such––”

The crackling debris on the wooded floor was becoming more frequent and at multiple paces, causing her breath to catch as panic threatened to settle in. There wasn’t one predator. There were multiple. Coyotes weren’t uncommon in the area, and they tended to travel in packs, depending on the time of year, but they never saw them during daylight.

“Such a good boy.” She finished. “Now hurry. Safely.”

Devyn looked over her shoulder and saw the two little ones making their way toward the house. Then, she began to slowly walk backward in that direction herself.

“Aunt Devvy, you aren’t counting.”

“Good catch, baby Beau. One, two…” she gasped when she saw a shadowy image move between the trees and the sound of movement growing louder. Her voice trembled, “Three, four…”

She looked back once more, and the kids were still too close to whatever –– or whoever –– was coming right at them through those trees. Devyn stayed put to provide a barrier or obstacle. She would use herself as a shield to protect her niece and nephew.

“Hurry, buddy. Keep going.” She hollered. “Quicker, okay?”

“Okay, Auntie Devvy.” The little boy yelled back. “We’re almost there.”

Devyn confirmed his report and picked up her pace, trying to keep the panic threatening to overcome her at bay. The last thing she wanted to do was frighten the children, much less put them in the line of fire. But just as she’d convinced herself that they were safe, that it was her overly active imagination and that nobody could get on the property without the agents interceding, a six-foot-something image breached the edge of the tree line.

Devyn froze in fear as he came out of the shadows and into the light. His hair was long but shaved on the sides, and tattoos covered any visible skin. His clothing was dark, hugging a larger-than-life muscular frame. His beard covered a menacing look, and sharp, piercing blue eyes fixed on her.

“No,” she said under her breath, noting he was wearing at least two guns, holstered under each arm, held a black bag and a knife and other tools that were strapped to his waist.

She didn’t recognize him from Ransom’s detail, nor did he appear friendly. This was the shit that made the bumps in the night feel like a fairytale. He was the kind of vision everyone feared as they walked by a dark alley. Menace and mischief rolled off of him if his deep, penetrating stare was any indication of who Devyn was staring down. To make matters worse, a large dog was at his side wearing a dark vest with words she could not read, a cage-like muzzle over his snout, and a thick metal prong collar around its neck, staring her down. Devyn could almost hear a growl but wasn’t sure if it was from the man or the dog.

“Beau. Run!” she dropped the bowl of strawberries and screamed. “Run, baby!”

When Devyn began to run, she first stumbled and then got back to her feet, only to see the man running right for her. Adrenaline replaced fear, and she ran as fast as she could toward the house, sensing him getting closer by the second. It didn’t matter, though. She just needed the children to get to the house and for her to get close enough for her family to hear her and come running.

“Coy!” she screamed. “Help! Coy!”

Beau stopped and looked back, eyes wide, when he saw the scene behind him.

“Run, Beau! Run! Dally, go, baby! Hurry!” she screamed again, “Somebody, help!”

Beau held his sister’s hand and pulled her along, making it the rest of the way to the house and up the steps just as Coy and Dillon emerged from the back door, weapons drawn. Cut and Nash scooped up the children and ran them inside, and Devyn could finally breathe. They were safe, even if she wasn’t.

The dog began to bark, closing in on her, and she felt the man so close as if the ground quaked with his every step from his sheer size, letting her know just how close he was. When the man’s arm snaked around her waist and lifted her from the ground, the air in her lungs escaped her. He was still running toward the house, holding her like she was nothing more than a rag doll under his arm.

A blood-curdling scream escaped her as her instinct to fight kicked in. Devyn put every ounce of muscle she had behind each punch and kick. Despite hearing the man grunt with each impactful hit, he continued on, headed straight for Coy and Dillon, unaffected by Devyn’s assault.

Confusion set in when she looked out in front of her and saw Dillon and Coy lower their weapons despite her captor pulling his with his free hand. Were they afraid to fire and hit her? She didn’t care about the risk and only wanted this man stopped before he could hurt their family.

“Shoot him!” She yelled. “Shoot him!”

But they didn’t shoot. They just… stood there.

“Damn it!” she yelled, realizing they weren’t going to sacrifice her even though she’d damn near said the words.

Devyn squirmed under his grip and reached across his body to pull the weapon from the holster under his opposite arm. He didn’t try to stop her. Amateur , she thought. She aimed the weapon…

“No!” Dillon yelled, catching Devyn’s attention as they approached.

The man sat Devyn on her feet in front of Coy and Dillon, turned his back to them, tucked Devyn protectively behind him, and raised his weapon as he scanned the area.

Devyn pushed Coy and Dillon toward the house, “Go!”

“Dev…” Coy hollered, but he was too late.

A loud BANG rang out, and the man fell to the ground, his face hitting hard at Devyn’s feet. He rolled to his back, gasping for air, staring up at the end of a barrel in Devyn’s grip.

“Shit,” Coy yelled as agents started to move in slowly, tactically. Coy waved them off and yelled, “We’re clear. All clear.”

“Don’t fucking move,” Devyn said, her breathing heavy and tone seething, unaware of what was progressing around her. His dog was at his side, barking incessantly.

When the man reached a hand in her direction and gasped, trying to mutter a word, she put a heavy foot on his chest, pressed hard, and said, “I said don’t fucking move, or the next one goes in your damn head.”

The dog growled with warning, then continued barking.

“I-I thought you said,” he gasped, trying to catch his breath, “A law-lawyer.”

Coy grabbed her hands and immediately aimed the weapon toward the sky before removing the gun from her grip. “What the hell, Dev.”

Dillon dropped to a knee right beside the man, brushing Devyn’s foot away as she felt around his chest, “How bad is it?”

When the agitated dog approached Dillon, she immediately returned to her feet. “Can you deal with your friend before he takes a bite out of someone?”

“He’s just being protective and doesn’t know who he’s supposed to protect.” The man said, “Diesel, leave it. Easy.”

Diesel sat at the man’s side. Though calm and not snarling, he didn’t miss a single move made by anyone in his view.

Tucking Devyn’s weapon in the back of his pants, Coy reached a hand down and helped the man to his feet with Dillon’s help. Finally standing again, the man hunched over, bracing himself, hands on his knees as he tried to take deep breaths.

“Just knocked the wind out of me.” The man said. “I thought she didn’t serve.”

“She didn’t,” Dillon answered. She stood behind the man, lifted his tight black t-shirt, revealed a flak jacket, and plucked the bullet Devyn had fired from it. She held it up, analyzed it, and shook her head. “She grew up a Stone.”

“Paranoid?” he asked.

“Paranoid?” Devyn clasped her chest as if she was suddenly offended. “Someone please explain to me what the hell is happening here?”

She turned to see the back patio hosting an audience of onlookers who’d rushed out at the sound of the commotion, Kenzie standing among them.

“Kenzie? Aren’t you going to cuff him?” Devyn asked, “Why are you all just standing there? Coy? Dill? What…”

“He’s a friendly.” Coy interrupted, “A damn friendly.”

Confusion filled her expression, “Friendly? Hardly. He literally came from the woods and…”

“And what?” he said, still hunched over.

“You look…”

“Uh-huh? I look?” Rip’s eyes widened with surprise as he waved his hand in a rolling motion as if to tell her to continue.

“Well, like… that.” She waved her hands in front of him as her eyes filled with emotion. “Can someone please explain what’s going on here before I lose my damn mind?”

Kenzie stepped forward and extended a hand, “I take it you’re Rip.”

Diesel let out a warning growl.

“Diesel.” Rip scolded, calming the dog, accepting the handshake. “Sorry, he’s working right now, and though I have a profile on everyone that’s supposed to be here, Sheriff, he doesn’t.”

“Understood.” Kenzie nodded.

Rip looked to the rest of the family, standing near, and offered a quick nod acknowledging them.

“A profile on everyone? You knew, Kenz?” Devyn looked to Coy, “What the hell?”

“Sorry. I was just briefing everyone on his arrival, but you were out here with the kids. I didn’t expect him to emerge from the damn forest like some kind of savage outlaw looking for trouble. What gives, man?”

Rip stood taller, stretching his back, finally able to catch his breath, “I just finished a perimeter check and got the lay of the land, is all. I placed a few new cams in blind spots, too, while I was out there. Met a few of Ran’s agents…”

“Am I invisible?” Devyn asked.

“Not even a little bit, ma’am,” Rip said with a piercing stare.

Diesel laid down and put his head on Devyn’s feet.

“He doesn’t seem to think so either,” Rip added. “Just tell him to leave it if he bothers you, and he’ll go away.”

Devyn reached down to pet his head.

“Don’t…” Rip tried to stop her, “I was going to say not to pet him yet. He still thinks he’s working, but I guess he’s already picked his person.”

“His person? Wouldn’t that be you?” Devyn took to her knee to scratch his ears, and Diesel licked her through his muzzle. “Can we get this thing off him? He looks like a serial killer being moved to a supermax prison.”

“Yes. I’m his person, but like I said, he’s a working dog. He’s trained to protect just like a human operative would. He’s choosing you. And no, we can’t take that off of him. It’s how he knows he’s on duty. The gear comes off, and he’s just a regular dog. Just the muzzle comes off, and he thinks he’s supposed to take someone down, and you don’t want to meet his bite.”

She rested her forehead against his and rubbed his ears, “Aww. You gave me quite the scare, but you’re forgiven.”

“Thank you. I assumed you knew who I was and took your reaction as a sign that you were being threatened in some way.”

“Not you.” Devyn glared at Rip before turning her attention back to Diesel. “I forgive him. He didn’t know. You, on the other hand, should never assume anything. Who trained you?”

Devyn looked between Coy and Dillon, who shrugged.

“He came to us that way.” Coy chuckled.

“Not funny, brother,” Devyn warned, taking to her feet.

“I forgive you for shooting me… in my back,” Rip said, full of snark.

“Okay. Whatever makes you feel better. I’m fine with my decision.” Devyn admitted. “You’re lucky you had that vest on under there.”

“Are you kidding me? While I was protecting you, you stole my gun and shot me.”

“You picked me up and ran two acres with me under your arm. That can be classified as kidnapping, and you’re lucky I’m not pressing charges.” Devyn warned. “You do realize you were protecting me from… you, right?”

“Pressing charges? You’re lucky I don’t press charges for attempted murder.” Rip fired back. “And theft for stealing my gun… and it looks like my dog is next.”

“It would never stand.” Devyn rolled her eyes. Texas is a stand-your-ground state, and I felt threatened. I had every right to protect myself with any weapon of my choosing, and I can’t help it if your dog agrees with me.”

“With a stolen gun?” Rip snorted.

“Can you prove I stole it? I’d just argue it was readily available, and I used it.”

“She really is a lawyer.” Rip sneered, surprised by Devyn's sharp words, but couldn't help but engage in the banter as they exchanged pointed jabs back and forth. “Look, it isn’t my fault that you…”

Devyn put up a hand to interrupt Rip, “I know you all think I’m fragile and just a kid because I am and always will be, the baby of the family, but I really need you to trust that I’m none of those things. I’m a grown-ass woman who can handle herself pretty damn well, given my latest performance. When you just stood there, I shot the bad guy with his own gun… or, perp, or… unsub. Whatever it’s called. You know what I mean. So, I’d appreciate it if you’d stop protecting me, babying me, placating me, and be straight with me from now on. Understood?”

Devyn scanned the group, and they all nodded, “Good. Now, I’m going to go sit on the patio, by myself for a moment, and get my ever-loving shit together because this has not been my week, in case you haven’t noticed. Feel free to fill me in on who Rip is, and why he’s here, when you get your shit together. M’kay? Come, Diesel.”

Devyn walked off, Diesel at her side, as she made her way to the covered patio. She plopped on an outdoor sofa and buried her face in her hands while Diesel sat in front of her and rested his head in her lap.

“She’s right,” Dillon said as Cut and Nash approached. “She’s tougher than we give her credit for.”

“She grew up watching all of us.” Cut shrugged. “Of course she is.”

Nash extended a hand to Rip, “Nash. Nice to meet you. Welcome to Stone Valley Ranch. My place is set up for you to stay. I’ll show you the way when you’re ready. And, uh, sorry, my sister shot you. She’s a little feisty.”

“I can see that.” Rip’s focus never left Devyn. “She just stole my dog.”