Page 10 of The Earl’s Wrangler (Cowboy Nobility #3)

SAWYER WANTED to sink through the floor. Just when he thought he had gotten rid of the man, he showed up again. “I could ask you the same thing.” He turned away.

“Did you think you could get rid of me so easily?”

“I suggest you go, and this time leave town,” Randall said. “Remember what I did before. I can certainly take care of you again.”

“I’m not drunk this time.”

Randall stood. “So I won’t go easy on you. This time, you won’t be walking anywhere. Now, turn around, stop bullying your son, and go.” He sounded so reasonable.

“Where did they dig you up from anyway? Are you an extra in a movie or something?” He smiled. “You aren’t really the earl of whatever it was.”

“Actually, I am. I inherited the title from my father.”

“You need to go,” Sawyer told his father. “I’m not going to give you anything, not even the time of day.”

Sally came over to the table. “Is he joining you?” she asked.

“No. He’s leaving, and you might want to get someone to escort him to the door. He’s here to cause trouble.” Randall sat down. “Thank you for your assistance, Sally. I really appreciate it.”

“You better go. Sawyer and the British hottie are welcome here; you… not so much.” She pointed to the door.

“Don’t make me get help. You will regret it.

” Sawyer’s father leered at her, and Sawyer wondered if he was going to take a swing at someone, but he left and headed to the door.

It slammed after him, and Sally refilled their glasses. “Your food will be out soon.”

“Thank you,” Sawyer said. “For helping.”

She snorted. “My father was a real SOB too. I know how to handle assholes like him….” She pointed toward the other guys. “And them.”

“Thanks, Sally.”

“No problem, sweetie,” she said before patting his shoulder. Then she headed to the kitchen, returning with plates that she set in front of each of them.

“What’s your father’s issue?” Randall asked.

“Gambling. He can never seem to stop. And he isn’t very good at it.

He loses a lot more than he wins, and he always needs money.

It’s why my mother left him, and now he thinks that I’ll be able to bail him out of whatever mess he’s got himself into.

” Sawyer took a bite, humming at the spicy warmth in the beef.

Randall set down his fork and wiped the corners of his mouth. “What kind of people does your father owe?”

Sawyer shrugged. “Probably seedy ones. I really don’t know. Why?”

Randall set down his napkin. “Because men like that don’t care who they get their money from as long as they get paid. They may be leaning on your father now, but they could come directly to you… or to Alan and George. They don’t care who they pressure to get what they want.”

It was suddenly very cold. “His issues are his own. They aren’t mine or anyone else’s.”

“And these people aren’t exactly law-abiding citizens. They will do whatever they want to get paid.” He went back to eating, but Sawyer’s appetite suddenly sprouted wings.

“They could come after me?” he asked.

Randall nodded. “A colleague of my father’s got himself into trouble and he didn’t have the money to pay.

They threatened his kids and his wife. They even had pictures of his grandchildren playing in the park.

He ended up selling everything, including his house, to pay them.

And it isn’t like your father cares for anyone other than himself, so he isn’t going to care if you get hurt, as long as it keeps the pressure off him. ”

“So what do we do?”

Randall picked up his fork. “First thing, you eat your lunch, and then when we get back to the ranch, we have a talk with Mrs. Justice and Alan. They have to know what we think is going on so they can alert law enforcement.” He slowly ate his lunch, and Sawyer tried to do the same, but now as people entered, he kept wondering if they were coming after him. “Relax for now. We’ll figure it out.”

“This doesn’t have anything to do with you,” Sawyer said. “Why would you get involved?”

“Because I’m not as callous as you seem to think I am.” He smiled slightly, and Sawyer nodded.

“Thanks.” Stopping him from getting hit by his father was one thing, but putting himself on the line with guys like this…

that was something else. “I was thinking that maybe it’s best if I move on.

I’ve been here on the ranch for some time, but if I take off, then no one else needs to get in the middle of this shit with my father. ”

Randall shook his head. “First thing, the family is going to miss you, and secondly, these guys have people who specialize in finding folks. If they want you, they will figure out where you are. The best thing to do is tell everyone what you think. A united front is a lot stronger than you on your own.” He gently set down his fork.

“Now go ahead and eat. This is too good to let go to waste.” He continued eating, and Sawyer forced himself to finish.

Randall paid the bill when they were done.

“Thanks, Sally.”

“This was amazing,” Randall told her as she cleared away the plates. “I’ve never had this kind of cooking before.” He gave her a good tip, and they headed to the truck, then drove out of town and back to the ranch.

“WHAT’S GOING on?” Alan asked as he, George, Chip, Mrs. Justice, Claude—back from a trip to Dallas—and Randall all sat in the living room of the main house. Claude and Mrs. J held hands as they sat on the sofa, glancing at each other gently.

“Just tell us what’s on your mind,” Mrs. Justice said. “We’ll deal with it.”

Sawyer swallowed hard. “That’s just it. You shouldn’t have to.”

“Is this about your dad?” Chip interrupted.

“Yeah. You know he came here wanting money. Well, Dad has a gambling problem. He always has. Can’t stay away from casinos, horses, dog tracks, you name it.

There were times when I was growing up that he’d gamble away the food money.

” He really didn’t want to think about those times and how the only food he got all day was lunch at school. “And when he lost, he got mean.”

“And Sawyer thinks his father owes the wrong people money,” Randall explained. Sawyer was grateful that he didn’t have to say it. “And it’s possible that could put him as well as the people here in danger.”

Mrs. Justice picked up the phone, dialed, and within seconds was speaking to the sheriff. “I need you out at the ranch, Johnny.” She sounded like she expected him to jump now. “It’s not a crime, no. Not yet.” She hung up the phone. “He’s on his way.”

“Good,” Claude said, putting an arm around her as she settled next to him once more. “I can make a few calls to some friends if needed. They run a security firm out of Dallas, and they’ve protected people against worse folks than gambling debt collectors.”

Sawyer nodded. “Thank you. But I don’t want to put all of you out like this.”

“We look after our own.”

“Yes, we do,” Alan said. “Look, Sawyer, you need to move into the house. It will be safer, and there are folks close by all the time.”

“But—” he began.

“It’s a good idea,” Randall said. “These kinds of people wait until you’re alone and at your most vulnerable. Then they spring themselves on you.”

Chip cleared his throat, and Sawyer saw him and Alan exchange glances and darting looks.

“Behave,” Mrs. J told them. “Yes. We have room, and you’re not to go anywhere alone.

And if your father comes back again, we know how to deal with deadbeats.

As for his issues, we can see to it that they stay his and don’t become yours.

” She leaned back. “I’m sorry, Randall. When we invited you here, we didn’t mean to get you in the middle of a squabble. ”

“It’s not your fault. It’s mine,” Sawyer said.

Mrs. J leaned forward. “Understand that this is a family matter, and all of the people on this ranch are family. It’s how we live and why we are successful. And we look after our own.”

“We definitely do,” Claude agreed. “There are plenty of people who have your back. Your father is responsible for his own actions and his debts. You are not.” He leaned closer for a few seconds, and then the two of them stood and quietly left the room.

“Too bad Tank isn’t here. He can scare the crap out of anyone,” Chip put in. “But he and Collin are back in England now.”

“We’ll figure it out.” Alan stood and left the room as headlights pulled into the drive.

Sawyer was not at all sure how he felt about everyone knowing his family business and, quite frankly, his shame.

He had done his best to try to move beyond that part of his life and wished more than anything that the past would just stay there.

He had spent most of his childhood either avoiding his father or dealing with the aftermath of his disasters.

His mother had divorced him, and that brought some peace for a while.

But the old goat always seemed to find them and put the screws to them, one way or another.

A knock on the door startled him even though he knew the sheriff was on his way. His nerves were strung way too tight. Alan opened it, and the sheriff strode in. He was a middle-aged man who look like he had seen just about everything.

“Your mother called,” he said gruffly.

“Knock off the attitude, Johnny,” Mrs. J said as she came in the room.

“I used to babysit you when you were a kid, and I know things. Remember that.” She didn’t sit down, but held his gaze until he looked away.

Damn, she was something else. “Sawyer has some things that he needs to tell you. And know that I take him seriously, so don’t give him any of your usual business. ”

John Creiton was well known for running a tight ship. “What is it, then?” His tone grew less edgy.

“My father,” Sawyer said.

Randall cleared his throat. “We thought it important to tell you that he’s been here and was making demands on Sawyer. He didn’t get very far.”