Finding His Sun

Chapter Sixteen

Adam woke with Erin wrapped around his body. He could feel every part of her skin warming his body with delight. He smiled and brushed the hair on her face so he could take in her beauty. Looking at her, the memories of last night crept into his mind and his face felt flushed, then pleasure washed over him as he looked at her. When he saw her, it was like any doubts he had melted away into oblivion. He traced her delicate honey skin with his large hands as she rested. He painstakingly tore himself away from her luscious body. 

After getting dressed, Adam started for the kitchen and some coffee. He was exhausted not just from loving Erin, but from the events that had unfolded yesterday. He was still in a state of disbelief and a little bit of rage at Mason’s actions. He never thought he could care enough for someone to want to kill so easily. His eyes darkened at the thought and his body shook from within. He hadn’t been innocent, but he had never crossed that line, even when it had been asked of him. He violently shook his head, trying to subdue the memories of his family’s past. 

Adam headed outside for a morning ride around the perimeter, and to clear his head. 

Erin woke up groggy and sore. She rolled over expecting Adam to be there, but the bed was empty. She was upset at first but noticed a note on the bedside table with her name on it, and a smile interrupted her thoughts. 

Erin, 

I’m sorry I had to leave, but trust me it wasn’t easy… 

I hope you slept as peaceful as I did in your arms. Don’t miss me too much while I get some work done around the ranch. I’ll be back to kiss you when I’m done. 

Adam 

Erin looked at the note smiling so hard her cheeks ached, she read it over and over until it was etched in her memory. She never wanted to forget a single second she had with Adam. A moment of breathlessness caught her heart while she recounted their night together. He loved her with an amount of passion she never knew her heart could stand, but he did. Her heart was not broken by empty words and promises, it was being infiltrated by love. She wanted Adam to never stop loving her, and that meant fighting for him. 

Erin sat up thinking of the words Lance had divulged just hours earlier. She didn’t understand where she fit into this never-ending chaos that surrounded her father’s…. Murder? She didn’t want to believe he died at the hands of another person, she wanted to believe the roads were slick and a disaster happened that no one could have prevented. The thought of her father being taken from her because of someone else’s greed made anger well up inside her. She would find out the meaning of the confusing mess that was placed before her. 

She showered and got dressed for the day. She had brought a few of her clothes over, but Sarah had also given her a whole box of clothes she left here at the ranch, and no longer had use for. Erin’s clothes were nothing compared to Sarah’s hand-me-downs, and she was happy Sarah was so generous. She finally decided on a pair of Sarah’s dark faded boot cut jeans and her boots, but Erin matched it with one of her oversized t-shirts and a red sweatshirt. As she looked in the mirror, she was pleased that her bruises were not as prominent as before, or maybe she just wasn’t as ashamed, either way she felt more confident. 

The sun had barely risen over the mountain outside. Erin didn’t expect anyone to be awake yet, but as she walked downstairs, she heard quiet mumbles. She followed the sound quietly to one of the living rooms. She recognized Sarah and Mr. Graves’ voices, it sounded like they were in an argument. Erin was too nervous to disturb but couldn’t pull herself from listening in on their conversation.

“Daddy, I know you and Benjamin have been at each other’s throats for a decade now, but you cannot just sit there and let things go back to how they used to be,” Sarah said with an almost pleading voice. 

 “Dammit Sarah! Don’t you think I know that?!” Erin almost jumped at the anger in his voice, “this time is different. Back then I was selfish and careless… I killed just to kill, not for protection. I hurt people, I know I hurt you, but I can’t sit on my hands any longer and you know it”. 

Erin’s blood ran cold with fear at his words… Did he say kill? 

“I know Daddy, but it doesn’t mean I like it. I don’t want my son to grow up thinking he has to live like this, always fighting someone off for our land, just to live in peace,” she let out a sigh, “I’m not mad at what you’re doing, I’m mad it has to be done. I know you have to protect us”. 

Erin was steadily trying to listen when an arm caught her and pulled her away. She tried to protest, but then she saw Ben telling her to not say anything, he let go of her arm. He nodded his head for her to follow him and she did. 

They walked outside all the way to the bunkhouse. She hadn’t been in here before but knew this is where the cowboys slept. She expected to be met by a mess with ten men living in such a tight space, but to her surprise it was neatly cleaned with only a few posters of women on the walls. All the bunks were made, and the house was empty, with the men already starting their morning jobs. She finally looked at Ben who seemed a little stressed out, not knowing what to say to her. 

“Ben what the hell is going on?” 

“You weren’t supposed to be listening in on somebody’s conversation young lady,” he scolded her, but didn’t seem angry. 

“I wasn’t trying to… but now I have to know what is going on Ben. There are already too many unknowns in my life right now, and this can’t be one of them. I can’t have any more secrets kept from me” she told him with tears in her eyes. 

He looked at her, and knew she was right. He motioned for her to sit down at the small wooden table in between them. They sat down and he let out a sigh. 

“It’s not what you think it is. James is… well he used to be rough around the edges, with everyone. It was already hard enough getting this land, but keeping it, no one ever thought it would be this hard”. He was looking out the window like he was recounting a memory from long ago. 

“Ben, what does that have to do with everything going on? And why did he admit to being a killer?” Erin asked with almost a chuckle. She felt like she had just walked into one horror film after the other. 

“When James was just nineteen years old, he was working as a ranch hand on this very ranch, back then it was half the size and owned by a man named Bill Chambles. Chambles took James in when he was ten, after his parents died of some sickness, I don’t remember details. But James caught Chambles eye and then it grew from there, he was like another father to him. He showed him the ropes of the ranching business and James became like a son to him. James had turned nineteen a few days before Chambles fell ill. He took care of him till he died, and it broke James. In his will, Chambles left the whole lot to James, needless to say the rest of the ranch hands didn’t like it, James stood his ground,” he looked at Erin now, “he fought for this place the only way he knew how. He eventually won after one of them tried to kill James and James beat him to it, the rest fell in line. But after that he was a changed man, and he never wanted to show weakness again. When I met him he was a smooth talking, down right mean son of a b***h, I was scared to death of him, even being ten years his senior. But James was determined to take care of this ranch and grow it as much as he could. He bought acre after acre ruthlessly from innocent people at times. He tried to hide his guilt, but I think it just ate at him”. 

“So, what happened? He doesn’t seem like that now?”

“He’s not darlin’. He may have changed, but people wanting to take this land from him haven't. Year after year there was always a new threat, and we handled it as we saw fit, not always in the way we should have,” Ben was now looking at the floor. 

“You mean you got rid of people who opposed you?” Erin had a mix of shock and disgust written all over her face. 

“No, no! That’s not how we handled most of it. Yes, we were rough at times, but we never acted unless our life was on the line. I’m not innocent, but neither are other people. They can be ruthless when they set their eyes on a prize. Most of the time we just used intimidation or force to get people to back down, and these days people know not to even try… until now” he said now looking into her eyes. 

“You mean, you think Mason and his father are after Mr. James and not me?” 

“I’m not sure what they're after, but if they are after you, they are starting a war with us, and he won’t back down,” Ben said, and Erin assumed he was speaking about James. 

Her head was spinning. She didn’t want this. She never wanted to bring her world of chaos to the only place she felt comfort. Bringing pain into these people’s lives was the last thing she wanted to do. 

“Darlin’, don’t you worry okay? It’s safe here. James isn’t as reckless as he used to be, he just wants to protect his people. He won’t let anything happen to you,” he was now giving her a hug. 

She hugged Ben back and thanked him for explaining everything to her, but she needed to talk to Adam. She needed the truth from him before she could even form a thought. She didn’t think anyone here would hurt her, but she didn’t want to be the reason they got hurt. It scared her that James had a past for such a terrifying behavior, but she could see in his eyes he didn’t want to hurt anyone. Whoever he was back then, is not who he was today, or she’s sure Mason and Benjamin would already be dead. But still, she needed Adam’s clarity, she didn’t want any secrets between them. She would ask him when he got back.