Cowboy Kind of Love

Pissed

Next morning I walked out seeing everyone standing around Rip sitting on his horse.

"Where the hell is Kayce?"

"On his way."

"Why aren't they mounted up?"

"Kayce is in charge."

"So am I."

"Alexis." I sighed looking at dad. "You gotta let him do it and learn." I stormed off jerking the rope for Knight from Rip and getting on him.

"Fucking bullshit."

"Should we mount up?" Jimmy asked looking at Rip

"Not up to me, Jimmy." He muttered. I knew he was upset, hell I could see it on his face last night even in the dark. I knew everyone was questioning it and I saw Kayce walk up and dad talk to him. Kayce looked so unsure of what to do as he mounted his horse and trotted up.

"We'll push them over the valley and then over the saddle to East River Road. We'll take that up the canyon. Ryan, you and Colby got point. Walker, Cowboy your on swing. Avery, Jimmy you got flank" He looked at me and I shook my head and he nodded. "Alexis, you Rip and Lloyd are riding drag." That meant we were in the fucking back. I reached in my saddlebag and grabbed a bandana tying it around my face, help keep the dust out.

"Hell's going on?" Lloyd asked.

"Bullshit" I replied walking Knight off as he and Rip hung back a second.

"Lex!" I paused turning my head as Rip trotted up

"What?" I said trying to not be angry.

"You ok?"

"Pissed off."

"What happened?"

"You know what happened. Dad wants him to learn so he tossed him in the deep end."

"Don't let it get to you."

"Don't baby me Rip, I can handle it." I rode off doing my job. Once we were done we got back to the arena and Kayce hopped off his horse pissed. I knew something had gone down between he and Rip I just didn't know what. Rip got off his horse handing me the rope to him before walking to my brother. Kayce tossed his hat as Rip swung but Kayce moved and hit him. They traded shots back and forth and I looked over seeing dad watching it. Rip picked up Kace and slammed him before punching him. Kayce tackled Rip and hit back before Rip grabbed his face and Kayce yelled rolling off him. As they stood he hit Kayce again knocking him down.

"Fuck this, here Lloyd." I said handing him two ropes as I handed him Cole's rope before going to his other side and giving him mine as I got down. I knew this needed to happen but I was over it. I walked between them and dropped to a knee as Kayce had swung at Rip but I got in the way.

"Shit Alexis I-"

"Motherfucker." I swung hitting Kayce before Rip moved me and they started fighting again.

"Had to hit her huh."

"Not my fault she got in the way and I said sorry."

"Sorry ain't good enough."

"Why cause you fucking my sister." I felt someone grab me and looked at Colby. Kayce hit Rip and knocked him down before he grabbed his hat. Rip stood both of them bloody at this point.

"Ain't no fighting on this ranch, you want to fight you come fight me." Rip stood as I walked to dad who looked at me.

"Should have stayed out of it, you ok."

"I can take a hit and it's still bullshit."

"You don't have to agree with it you just got to follow it." Rip walked up bloody and dirty as he spit out blood.

"We made him earn it. Thank you. Now I need you both to get along with him. He needs to be able to expend on you Rip and Alexis you are his sister, you already know how to run everything he needs you to help guide him and show him."

"Well I hope you can depend on him cuz' I've never seen a shred of proof that you can but I guess you see something I don't." Rip said

"He's my son, that's what I see."

"Jamie's your son to sir, just seeing him." Rip walked off as dad looked at me.

"You gonna have to help both of them. They both need you." Beth came home for dinner and then walked out. I left not long after and walked outside. I saw someone sitting in the grass and knew who it was. Walking up I saw on the ground across from him looking at him

"Things are becoming a little clearer to me, quite the sacrifice."

"Yeah, well it's what your father wants."

"I remember first time I saw you, wild, angry. It was like a wild horse becoming tame, the way you looked to him with such devotion. He may not say it but he looks at you like another son, always has."

"Doubt it."

"I don't and if you do your blind handsome." I touched his face looking at the cut on him. We had both gotten cleaned up. "Don't leave." Part of me was stupidly thinking this might break him and he'd walk away. He chuckled looking at me.

"This is my family, whether any of you all think of me that way or not." Rip stood and started to walk away.

"Where you going?" I asked

"Home" I sighed watching him walk away. I walked to the cabin that night, Kayce on the porch.

"Big man huh?"

"Couldn't run the bunkhouse while living in it. You ok?"

"I'm fine Kayce, I can take a hit and get back up, not like you deliberately hit me."

"Still sorry"

"I know."

"Why couldn't you live in the main house?"

"Grown men don't live with their fathers."

"They also don't kick a man out of the only home they've ever had."

"Well, he could use some humility. He ain't nothin' but a bully and it's all he's ever been."

"No, he's not a bully Kayce. He's who dad made him to be and who he's turning you into and Rip is a damn good man. Wanna call him a bad man but he didn't walk away from a life he worked so hard to build like you."

"She doesn't want that life anymore."

"You are a dumbass if you can't see that all she fucking wants is you Kayce, she's scared of what happened to Lee happening to you and you got arrested. She was scared, what you need to do is fight cause all she is thinking about is Tate, you need to let them see it is ok. You ran here instead of fixing it and made her nightmare a reality I will stand behind you because you are my brother and I love you but you got a lot to fucking learn, and the first thing is to respect Rip and not be a dick."

"Why cause you're fucking him?"

"No, not because I fuck him because he has busted his ass and earned it. While we are in that arena or on those fields it's work, I check the personal shit at the front door. Bring it up again I'm punching you in the fucking face." I walked off going back to the main house and to bed Rip had always been in the barn or bunkhouse and finally had something he could call his own and Kayce comes back and dad hands it to him. I was annoyed but would do what I needed.