Come Home

Chapter 17

"No, no, no!"

"What's wrong?" North asked as he came out onto the porch from around the back when he heard her complaining.

"Who ordered these?" Alice asked pointing at the boxes on the porch.

"The kennels?" he asked confused, "probably Gabe."

"They are wrong!" She shook her head, "Send them back, the dogs can't have these!"

"Oy, why not?" Gabe asked as he came over wiping his face with his shirt.

"Please ask me next time you try to order something for my business without my knowledge," she sighed pinching her nose. "Please tell me you can send them back."

"Yeah, I can," he nodded. "But why?"

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out then took another, "Chain link kennels can cause physical harm to dogs," she tried to explain calmly. "If a dog gets too anxious or excited, hitting their tails repeatedly on the chain links or running into it can cause them to get cut and bleed. Plus, the constant rattling of the metal can cause them to be stressed. I get stainless steel framed with tempered glass because it causes less stress and easier to clean."

"Oh," Gabe nodded, "I'll send it back."

She nodded, "thank you for trying but please next time just ask. I'm very picky of the things I get for the dogs, they are already going to be going through a lot acclimating from my place to a prison and learning to trust, I'm just—"

"Nah, I get it," Gabe nodded. "I'll get it fixed."

"So, what does your business actually do?" Silas asked as she walked into the house.

"I find dogs that I think can handle the pressure of living in a prison and teach prisoners how to care for and train dogs so they can be adopted one day. It helps prisoners, animal shelters, and of course the dogs," she says as she grabs her phone receiving a notification. "I'm sorry but I must get ready, the warden wants to see me an hour earlier than scheduled."

"I'll go find the guys so we can go with you," he nodded.

"Who?" she asked stopping on the stairs.

"I am," he said as he thought about it, "North, Raven, Nathan, Owen, and Kota."

"That many?" she asked. "Really?"

"It's for your safety and to make sure all the information is gathered," Owen said as he came into the room. "We're only doing what was asked by your fiancés."

"Very well," she nodded and headed back to her room to get dressed and prepared. She gathered all the information she need, sent a quick text to Jackson and Jasper, then double checked that she had everything she needed.

"I already sent all the information over, Boss Lady," Officer Romeo chuckled as soon as he answered the phone as she came down the stairs. "You are all set."

"Thank you so much," she sighed in relief as she grabbed her keys from the holder on the wall. "I'll call you afterwards."

"Don't forget to turn on the recorder so you don't have to worry about missing anything," he said as the keys were removed from her hand. She turned to see Owen taking the keys from her while showing he had his keys already out. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed her keys back and started to head out the door. "It automatically sends the recording to Mr. Burton and Mr. Becker."

"Thanks, Rome," she said getting into her car and turned it on. The call instantly hooked up to her speakers as she heard someone get in the backseat.

She sighed as she buckled up, "you can't take your own car?" She asked as North got in the passenger seat and buckled up.

"I'm trying to see if your car is in good condition," he replied. "I'd drive to find out, but I know you won't let me so I'm riding to see how it runs."

"My car is fine," she rolled her eyes knowing she didn't have the time to argue with him about riding with her. "Jackson and Jasper always make sure it's in the best condition, so I don't have to worry about driving it."

"That's good," he mumbled as he looked out the window. "We're sorry she showed up," he blurted out after he couldn't take the silence anymore. "We had no idea she would do that. We haven't –"

"I don't care," she interrupted him. "What you do on your own free time is no longer any of my business or concern. But if she or anyone else disrupts the family business they will pay. I will not have my grandparents' program tarnished just because you can't keep your dicks in your pants, or let your male egos get the best of you. Just because I was gone because of you doesn't mean you get to do whatever the hell you want with the ranch. I may not live there after this stupid stipulation is over, but it will still be my ranch, whether I run it or be a silent owner either way, I will fire all of you and start completely over if I have to."

North nodded, "Yes Ma'am."