Breaking Down Defenses (3rd in Breaking Series)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

It had been a long time since Thomas had felt nervous. It wasn't an emotion that he wasted time on very often since it didn't accomplish anything and oftentimes only served to get you hurt. Riding up to Atkinson Spread and seeing Brody standing there with his arms crossed over his broad chest had Thomas rethinking his thoughts on that particular emotion and just about shaking out of his boots.

He kept telling himself that being afraid of Brody Atkinson didn't make a man a coward, it made a man smart. Brody wasn't a man you wanted as an enemy.

Thomas had no idea what his reception would be. Would they welcome him back? Would they be angry over how long he'd been gone without a word? Would they let Nathan stay here? And what would Thomas do if they wouldn't? All of these were questions that Thomas had no answer for.

He brought his big black stallion to a stop and looked at all the eyes watching him. Brody, Jacob and Alice were here at the edge of the porch. Cookie was glaring at him through his crusty eyes from his chair by the barn and Frank had walked to the barn door to catch a glimpse of him as well.

Thomas remained on his horse. He wasn't going to get down until either Brody or Jacob invited him too.

"That is one hell of a horse, Thomas." Brody mused as he stuck his thumbs through his belt loops and rocked back on his heels, "One hell of a scar too, you trying to outdo me?" he added with a grin.

The sight of that grin had Thomas relaxing a little, "There was one hell of a storm and me and the mountain lion took cover in the same cave. I was ready to share but he just wasn't willing," Thomas replied as he pushed his hat back a little.

"Thomas?!" Thomas looked at the corral to see Liz standing there with a look of shock on her face. A little blond girl in a pink calico dress was wrapped around one leg and a little boy with messy brown hair was wrapped around the other.

Thomas saw Liz shake both kids off of her and then she ran toward him just as quickly as her boots would allow, "Get off that damn horse and give me a hug!" she exclaimed.

Thomas quickly slipped from the saddle, barely keeping himself upright when Elizabeth flew into his arms and clung to his neck, "Nice to see you again, Liz," Thomas said and he was alarmed to find that his voice was thick with emotion. He hadn't realized how much he had missed her or how much he had needed her hug until just now. Elizabeth was the closest thing to a sister he had ever had.

"You should be ashamed of yourself for staying away that long!" Elizabeth scolded in his ear. She pulled away and tossed back his duster coat to reveal the star on his chest, "I knew I felt something poking me. A Texas Ranger?"

"For going on five years now," Thomas nodded.

Elizabeth's eyes narrowed and she touched the scar over his eye, "What in the world happened to your face? That's worse than Brody's." Brody grunted as he ran his hand over his own scar, "Mine has a better story attached to it." he grumbled. "Much more heroic." Elizabeth rolled her eyes at her husband.

"I know how he got it!" Nathan spoke up from atop the big black stallion. "He was at the wrong end of a pissed off mountain lion. And it was a real one too!"

Everyone's eyes went to the boy on the horse, "Hi there," Elizabeth said, throwing a questioning look at Thomas. The boy was too old to be Thomas's son so who was he?

"Hi, ma'am. My name is Nathan. Ranger Cooper saved my life. He couldn't save my mama and he feels bad about it but I told him that it's just Gods plan and there's not a whole lot we can do about that. Ranger Cooper took me to the ranger base! There were lots of men there. And we've been living out of saddlebags for four whole days just to get here. He told me this ranch was big and, boy oh boy, he was right! You got a real nice place here ma'am."