Caramel | Rip Wheeler

Caramel - Chapter Twenty Two

"Good morning." Maria strutted into the kitchen from the bedroom, noticing Rip sitting with his head in his hands. "What's up, baby?"

He sighed, lifting his head as he sniffed. "Just ranch drama."

"Ranch drama, huh?" She sat across from him, crossing her arms. "Try harder than that."

"Nothing, darling." He shook his head, taking to hit feet. "Good morning." He walked around to her side of the table, kissing her head softly.

She reached for his wrist, tugging him as she stood. "I'm gonna need more than that."

Rip sighed yet again, pinching the bridge of his nose before reaching for his hat that lay on the table. He set it on his head before speaking. "I have to take care of something, I can't tell you what it is." She glared at him, shaking her head softly and at that point he gave in. "You're not ready for this part."

"You can't tell me what I'm ready for." She set her hands on her hips. "So if you don't tell me I'll just go ask–"

"There's a hanging." Her mouth clamped shut, her eyebrows grew confused. He watched her expression go from annoyed to worried. "Happy?"

She took a couple of steps away, he watched her curiously as she reached for the hat that hung near the front door. She set it on her jet black hair, licking her lips nervously. "Let's go."

"No." He stated simply, shaking his head as he began to walk in the other direction.

"If you can do it, why can't I?"

He shut his eyes for a second, turning to face her and set his hands on her shoulders. "I won't let you become this monster."

She squinted her eyes at him, setting her hands over his scarred knuckles. After a few seconds of staring at each other, she turned her head and pressed a short kiss to the side of his left hand. "Don't worry about me." She said. "I'm good."

"You're hard headed." He brushed a piece of hair out of her face and behind her ear. He then leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you, darling." He began to shake his head softly again. "But, no."

"I'm not asking." She removed his hands, letting them fall to his sides.

"Maria." He lifted his hands, cupping her cheeks. Her face became squished in his hands and he smiled gently at the child-like behavior. "I'm afraid.." He huffed, looking up for a second to form his sentence in his head. "Of the person you will become if I let you do this."

"Who and why?"

He set a frustrated hand over his eyes, pressed against his forehead and the other he set on his hip, scratching his hat-less hair. "A man did something bad to two of our hands." She glared at him, waiting for more context. "Teeter and Colby got trampled. We have the man locked in the barn."

She nodded. "Okay." Was all she said. He gazed at her, waiting for another reaction or even a slim chance she didn't want to do this. There was none at all.

Minutes later, he was following her down the hill toward the barn. She almost looked like a professional and that scared him. She swung the barn doors open, looking around to make sure nobody saw her, then she shut them behind her and Rip.

She heard a faint voice coming from
what was once Rip's room. They were pleading quietly, as if they had given up hope already.

"Anybody know he's missing?" She glanced at Rip and he raised an intrigued eyebrow.

"Kids are grown and long gone." He crossed his arms. "Wife is dead. Only person he has is his oldest son."

"Okay." She gave a sarcastic nod. "And where is he?"

Rip smirked softly, striding toward the door before pulling a set a keys out of his pocket and unlocking it. When he opened it, he let out a soft chuckle. There was a pair of men sitting on the old, torn up bed. "Right there with him." He said. She hummed, nodding her head. She reached for the door, shutting it with a stone hard expression. "Kayce will be joining us." Rip followed after her. She furrowed her eyebrows but kept her head straight so he wouldn't see her face. The thought of Kayce made her skin craw and her craving for alcohol to spike through the roof.

Nonetheless, she said nothing. But he noticed her demeanor change. He didn't know how to take it, because he had nothing to link the actions to. Just a couple of phone calls but big deal, Kayce being blindly in love with Maria wasn't anything new to him. So for the time being, he left it alone.

She pretended she didn't notice it was bothering him as she exited the barn. Mostly because she really didn't care about Kayce and him being a borderline stalker. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by the slamming of the barn doors and Rip calling her name so she'd stop wait. She turned, nodding at him as a gesture. "What's up?"

He took a few steps toward her until he was standing directly in front of her. He sighed, offering her a grin. "I want to give you something."

"You already did." She teased, a playful smirk on her lips. "All last night."

He blushed, but hid it by bowing his head and clearing his throat. "No baby." He shook his head softly. "I mean, yes." He licked his bottom lip, a shit eating smile forced its way onto his lips. "What are you doing to me, woman?"

She set a hand on his chest, looking up at him. "Nothing you wouldn't like."

"Great." He shuffled uncomfortably, setting his hand on top of hers. "I have to go take care of something." He raised his eyebrows and she giggled, dropping her hand to her side. "But before that, what I was saying was..." He reached behind his back, pulling something from his waist band and held it out to her. "Here."

She looked down at the item, confused. "What?"

"Take it." He offered it again. "This part of the business is ugly." It was almost as if the conversation they were having seconds ago never happened, his eyes were serious and his face was cold. "This is for when the ugly turns to revolting." She reached for it and he nodded, anxiety building in his chest. "Tends to take the pretty things first."

She tucked it into her waist band, pulling her t-shirr over it to conceal. "I'll be alright." She reached for his wrist, offering a squeeze to reassure him. "Thank you."

"Yeah, you're welcome." He set his hands on his hips. "Now the other thing I had to take care of." He looked around to make sure the coast was clear, before scooping her up and throwing her over his shoulder. She giggled frantically as he began to walk. "Let's go, darling."