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That s the plan.
Gray dropped his robe and crawled back into bed. I need to make sure Raleigh s on
the pill. Any ideas on how I broach that subject with her?
You don t have to. She s a smart girl. Ram yawned. Let me get a couple more hours
of sleep, and I ll show you a real good time.
Promises, promises. Gray snuggled against Ram s back, sharing a pillow with the
man he loved. He liked seeing Ram s clothes in his closet as much as he enjoyed having the
man s cock deep inside him.
Gray was almost asleep when his cell phone rang. Damn it. He rolled over and
grabbed his phone. Hello?
Mr Conner, this is Principal John Everett. We ve got a situation at the high school.
Gray sat up. Did something happen to Raleigh?
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SUNSET RIDGE Carol Lynne
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No, sir. Jesse Franks was found unconscious in the boys locker room. He s been badly
beaten and the phone number we have on file has been disconnected.
Have you called an ambulance?
Yes, sir, I could, but there s no insurance information on file.
Fuck the insurance. Call nine-one-one and I ll pay for it if I have to. Gray ended the
call and jumped out of bed.
What s happened? Ram asked.
Someone beat the shit out of Jesse at school and they can t find his mom.
Fuck. Ram pulled on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. Want me to find her?
Yeah. I ve got to get to the hospital. You know where he lives? Gray asked. He pulled
on a pair of socks and headed out of the room without waiting for an answer.
I know. Ram followed Gray. Think I should call Ben?
No. I ll call him after I get to the hospital and find out how he s doing. No sense in him
walking in on an ugly situation. I m not sure Jesse s told his mom.
Gray held on to the wall and jammed his feet into his cowboy boots before grabbing his
denim jacket off the hook beside the door. Got your cell?
Got it. Ram walked Gray to his truck and opened the door. Before Gray climbed
behind the wheel, Ram stole a kiss. Drive careful.
You, too. Gray got in and closed the door. He pulled out with Ram right on his tail.
As he drove towards town anger got the better of him. There was no doubt in his mind why
a guy would get beaten up in the locker room. He knew the townspeople were narrow-
minded fucks, but beating someone s ass was crossing the line.
* * * *
Ram pulled up to the single-wide trailer and got out. He struck his fist against the door
several times with no answer. Walking around the house, he looked in one of the back
windows. Allie! he yelled to the woman on the bed.
When Allie Franks didn t move, Ram forced the window open and crawled inside.
Wake up! Ram shook the woman several times, noticing the empty whisky bottles beside
the bed.
Leave me alone, she slurred and rolled over.
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SUNSET RIDGE Carol Lynne
70
Ram decided the kid didn t need a drunk at the hospital anyway. At eighteen, Jesse was
old enough to sign his own paperwork. Refusing to crawl back through the window, Ram
walked down the hall to the kitchen. He noticed the chill in the air and stopped beside the
thermostat. Son of a bitch, he drawled, flicking the light switch. Nothing happened.
No wonder it was so fucking cold. He travelled through to the kitchen and opened the
refrigerator. Beer, ketchup and a jar of cocktail onions. Ram remembered the way Jesse ate on
Thanksgiving. Although Jesse didn t make much working at the ranch, he surely earned
enough to buy food.
Looking around at the rest of the house, Ram made a decision. He searched the
cupboards until he found a small box of trash bags. Carrying them into Jesse s bedroom, Ram
opened the dresser and started emptying its contents.
By the time he was finished, he had three bags full of Jesse s possessions. He stopped by
the kitchen once more and scribbled a note for the drunk bitch in the bedroom. As far as he
was concerned, Jesse no longer lived with his mother.
He threw the bags into the back of the truck and took off. Halfway between the trailer
and the hospital his phone rang. How is he?
Couple of cuts they re stitching up. He s pretty beat up, but they ll release him here in
a few hours.
Did you call Ben?
Yeah, he s about an hour away. I told him we d take him home with us once they
release him.
Ram grinned. It seemed he wasn t the only one feeling protective. Good to hear, since
I ve got all his shit in the back of my truck.
Once you get here, I m gonna go talk to the principal. See if Jesse can finish out school
at our house.
It was the first time Gray had referred to the ranch as their house. The words warmed
Ram from the inside out. I ll be there in five minutes.
This is what I was afraid would happen, Gray said before Ram hung up.
I know.
We need to talk.
I know.
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SUNSET RIDGE Carol Lynne
71
* * * *
Gray stepped into Principal Everett s office and took a seat. Although it was a different
principal, the office was exactly the same as when he d attended the school.
How s Jesse? the principal asked.
He ll live. What I need to know is what you re going to do about it.
Jesse Franks was found in the showers alone. We have no proof of who did that to
him, the principal explained.
I bet I could figure it out real quick. Jesse s face was beat bloody. Check out the hands
of the boys who had gym with him.
The principal held up his hands. Just relax. We re looking into it. We ll need to speak
to Jesse as soon as he s well enough.
If you gave a shit about Jesse, you would ve hauled your tight ass down to the
hospital. Now tell me what s really going on here.
I have a school to run. Other students who need me to be here. I m sorry that this
happened, but Jesse purposely tries to stick out among the crowd. You can t blame teenagers
for pointing out the differences in him.
I can when they almost kill him. Gray stood and leaned against the desk, putting his
face in front of Principal Everett s. I m going to encourage Jesse to go to the police with a list
of names of the boys responsible for this.
They re kids, the principal tried to argue.
Kids who beat another kid so badly they had to bring in a plastic surgeon to sew up
his face. Gray straightened. You do me a favour. You tell those little fuckers if they want to
go toe to toe with a fag they can come out to the ranch, and I d be more than happy to take
them on.
Principal Everett s eyes rounded at the admission. I realise you re upset, but please
remember where you are.
I m done here. All I need from you is my niece. Gray hoped Raleigh wouldn t hate
him for pulling her out of school, but he suspected things in Wellington were about to get
ugly.
* * * *
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SUNSET RIDGE Carol Lynne
72
Uncle Gray, why did I just see Dr Moore help Jesse up to the loft apartment? Raleigh
asked, stepping into the dining room.
Why would you ask that? You know what happened to Jesse today. You think I m
gonna just stick him out in the bunkhouse looking the way he is? Gray filled a glass with
lemonade.
Doesn t he have a home? Why s he our problem? she continued.
Before Gray could answer, Ram reached out and covered Gray s hand. I went to Jesse s
house today to find his mother. Believe me, he s a lot better off here with us. At least we ll
know he s warm and eating.
Can you do that? I mean, won t you get into trouble? Raleigh asked.
Jesse s eighteen. If he wants to go back to that he can, but for now, he said he d rather
be here. Gray studied Raleigh for several moments. What did you hear around school after
it happened?
Raleigh shrugged. Just that some of the guys caught him looking and decided to teach
him a lesson.
Ram laughed. All guys check each other out in the locker room. They may not admit it,
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