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Dante narrowed his eyes as he stared pointedly at his handsome, deadly bodyguard. “You seem to know a lot about it.”
“I can relate. I have two older brothers, much older, and they constantly treated me like a kid. Bullied me, maybe a little, but their friends were worse. So, I started taking karate when I was six. Then other disciplines. I joined the Army Special Forces. I learned to fight for myself, but more importantly, I learned to not have to fight.”
“What? You broke cinder blocks instead of faces?”
“Yes, something like that. I see that in you, Dante. Surely, you’ve had to prove yourself as the gay younger brother of the head of the family, and you did. Did you kill everyone that didn’t think you were worthy of the Carrillo name? Fight them all?”
“We wouldn’t have had a family left if I’d have done that, so no.”
“Proving yourself, you had to. He has to do it now, Dante. You were the younger brother, and he’s the third in line, the son. The gay son, to boot.”
When Selestino had come out to the family, he’d done it with Dante at his side and his chin high in the air. Defiant, even to those who would support him no matter what. “I guess he has to prove himself, eventually. What do I do?”
“Nothing. I’m guessing he’ll show up here. Maybe even under your nose. Let him, just…make sure he’s safe.”
“You’re a good friend, Bruno.”
“I’m just a gay kid brother to two very straight men who had to figure out the hard way I wasn’t an easy punching bag.”
When they got to the ranch, he was greeted by a weary Dallas McIntyre, the ranch manager. A lovely man with a shock of white-blond hair that barely showed under his hat, he shook Dante’s hand as he said, “This place is sure coming along.”
“It is, it is,” Dante sighed. “I’m pretty happy with the progress. Importing more workers, given what happened to the others, wasn’t easy.”
“You were upfront, which was good. The ones that came aren’t shy to show they’re brave about it,” Dallas admitted, laughing. “Any word on Brooks?”
“None. My contacts with the government say the feds are at a loss as well. The last spotting they think was real was in New Mexico. Straight shot to Mexico. I have a lot of contacts there who are on the lookout for him.”
“Good to know. I’m still comforting Ruben from nightmares,” Dallas whispered, then looked over to see his partner coming toward them. “Don’t mention it.”
“Of course not, Dallas.” To Ruben, Dante greeted, “How is my favorite ranch hand?”
Ruben’s bright smile hid his constant fear of the man who’d terrorized them all. He’d come close to being a victim of him. His dark eyes were always clouded, and it was one reason he wanted to be the one to catch Brooks. To take that from the handsome Latino sweetheart.
“I’m great, Mr. Carrillo. How are you?”
“Dante, Ruben. Dante, remember?”
“I’m sorry. I was raised with manners,” he laughed.
“Well, Ruben, Blaine and I will join you and the other workers soon, with a roof over our heads. The house is almost done and if Blaine has anything to say about it, we’ll move in before the paint and paneling is on the walls.”
“I’m guessing he’s tired of that little trailer?”
“It was a rough, cold winter in that thing. No matter that we had the heat on the entire time, that wind…”
Ruben nodded once and confirmed, “It can freeze a person quick.”
“Where is Marius?” Dante asked of the couple’s third, effectively making them a throuple.
“He’s around here somewhere,” Dallas said,
“He’s at the bunkhouse, talking to Vic about how the sheriff gig is going.”
Victoria Meyers was the bunkhouse den mother who recently ran and won the job of sheriff for the small town nearest the ranch, Redbud. “Vic, yes, she’s a keeper. Hired another deputy, she told me.”
“She’s got the place organized better than anyone thought it could be. It frees her up to still work here.”
“Good! I’m happy to hear it. Does the ranch need anything?”
