Sunshine

7. i know what you did that summer

"Do you realize how many strings I had to pull to make sure you three idiots didn't get into trouble?" Jamie screamed at the girls through the bars of the holding cell they had been forced into. His head leaned against the cool metal rungs. "Thin ice, you are on such thin fucking ice right now, do you understand that?"

Spencer smiled up at her older brother, the grin growing in size but darker. Her lips were still caked with blood, and she was sure her teeth were still coated as well. "Consider it payback, dear brother, for every ounce of bullshit you put me and Beth through growing up."

Jamie's eyebrows scrunched in confusion, and he opened his mouth to ask Spencer what she meant, but she continued on. "A fucking hysterectomy, Jamie? Are you a fucking idiot or just plain stupid?"

The eldest Dutton shrunk back from the bars as a cop walked up with the keys. Sawyer and Teeter filed out first, leaving Spencer alone with Jamie. A terrible position for him to be in.

"You aren't dead right now because you are worth more to me alive than in a ditch. But if you move one fucking hair out of line, I'll take you to the train station myself."

Jamie's normally pale skin grew paler, his eyes growing wide as he nodded once at his sister.

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~72 hours earlier~

"What's a girl gotta do to get a hand around here?"

Spencer and the rest of the wranglers stared off in the distance at the sudden break in quiet that had come over the ranch. Squinting against the sun, Spencer's eyes grew wide as she realized who the voice belonged to. She took off, her hat flying to the ground and letting her red hair tumble over her shoulders.

"Sawyer." Spencer breathed, the word whispered from the lack of breath she left herself with. It had been months since the girls had seen one another, but now Sawyer was back from tour and the real summer shenanigans could begin. The girls fell to the ground as they hugged with such an intensity, laughter flying from them as they fell.

"She's my girlfriend, you know!" Ryan hollered as the rest of the ranch circled around.

"Piss off Ry, we all know she had the hots for me first!" Spencer yelled back over her shoulder. Ryan looked to his girlfriend, but Sawyer only shrugged, not necessarily denying Spencer's statement.

"What can I say, I love me a strong woman," Sawyer smirked as she and Spencer stood. She put an end to Ryan's misery, however, when she planted a kiss on his lips, taking his hat as well. "But I love you more, bub. I promise."

Ryan smirked, flipping Spencer off as his grin grew. Spencer merely chuckled as Rip closed his arms around her. "I'm really going to be competing for your attention now, aren't I, Darling?"

"I could think of a few ways you could keep me entertained." Rip's chuckled rumbled through Spencer's back as he pulled her closer. It was the first time in a very long time Spencer actually felt relaxed and at peace. Like the puzzle pieces that her life had been at the start of the summer were finally becoming the whole picture. And it scared her that it could all come crashing down. And the somber look Kayce was giving her was looking to be the likely cause.

"Don't tell me or ask me anything," she cut her twin off before he could speak. "If it's not something you can handle, ask Dad because I'm tired of putting out fires. Regardless of who set them. Come to me with a plan and I'll help you, but that's all I have to give you right now, Big Brother."