Mandy was jumpy. She had been the whole evening. She’d chalked it up to her leaving earlier that day. The dining room was quiet. Her nerves were drawn so tight, she could barely breathe. She looked over at Kit, who was in the living room with Ivy. Wynn had taken Zavi up for a bath and had promised to read him his bedtime story. She should leave now. There was nothing more for her here. Angel watched her, frowning.
She heard something outside. Maybe it was just coyotes, but her gut said it was something more. She went through the dining room and opened the patio doors. The sound came again. It was Kitano screaming.
Mandy bolted outside. Kit and Angel were close on her heels. Someone was screaming with Kitano, the sound unlike anything she’d ever heard before, like a soul being ripped apart. She’d just made it around the gym building when the report of a gun boomed into the night air.
Kit ran past her. Angel caught up to her and tried to stop her. She shook him off. Oh, God, it was Rocco. She knew it. Another gunshot roared into the night.
She almost made it to the corral when Angel snagged her and spun her against his chest, blocking her from seeing what was happening in the corral.
“Jesus, Angel. Get her out of here,” Kit snapped.
Angel struggled with her. She freed herself just enough to realize that Kitano and Rocco were still screaming at each other. His fists were raised in the air. A gun was still in his hand. He fired it two more times. She couldn’t make out his words. It seemed a mashup of several languages. His voice was so raw; it was as if his throat bled from screaming.
Kitano reared up and pawed the air. Rocco hit his knees. Kit was braced on the corral fence ready to jump inside until Kitano charged forward, his ears back, his teeth bared. He would have mauled Kit if he hadn’t jumped back off the fence. As it was, Kitano slammed into the fence, then turned and looked at Rocco crumpled on the ground in the middle of the big pen.
Kitano pawed the ground, then ran to the opposite side of the corral, coming perilously close to Rocco. Mandy held her breath and forced the blood pounding in her ears to go still so that she could hear Rocco.
He was sobbing.
Kitano galloped around the fence line twice, tossing his head in an agitated way. “Let me go.” She pushed against Angel.
“No.”
“I can get Kitano away from Rocco.”
“He’ll kill you. He’s not letting anyone near his pen.”
“He knows me.”
“Not now he doesn’t.” Angel lifted his head and called over to Kit, “Four shots. He’s got two more.”
“Yeah,” Kit answered, his eyes glued to Rocco.
When Kitano neared where they stood, Mandy took a step closer. Kitano stopped and turned, focused on her. Angel pulled her against his chest again. “Let Kit handle this, Emmy. Just be still. Please.”
As Mandy watched, Kitano walked a circle around Rocco. Another circle brought him within feet of Rocco’s slumped form. He stood next to him. Shivers rippled through his shoulders. Mandy could hear his heavy breathing as he scented Rocco. He moved a step closer, now standing nose to nose with Rocco. He nudged Rocco, pressed his face against Rocco’s, snorted against Rocco’s neck.
Rocco leaned his face into Kitano’s, then reached up with both hands to hold Kitano’s head. The gun was still on the ground.
“Now, Kit,” Angel snapped.
Kit shook his head and held out his hand. “Wait. Just wait.”
Rocco reached up farther to pat Kitano’s long neck. He held on to the horse’s mane as he pulled himself to his feet. He leaned against Kitano’s chest and wrapped his arms around the horse’s wide shoulders. His sobs were quieter now. Much quieter.
The three of them stood on the outside of the corral. Mandy couldn’t stop her tears. She noticed the rest of the team had come outside and were now standing in small groups around the corral.
Rocco held Kitano and cried and cried. The horse that had feared men as long as Mandy had known him didn’t fear Rocco anymore. The horse owned the man in that moment, standing patiently with Rocco while they all waited for the storm to pass.
After a few minutes, Kit walked over to the gate and stepped inside. Kitano lifted his head and watched him. This time, the horse didn’t seem agitated by his nearness. Kit slowly walked forward until he was within reach of Rocco’s pistol. He picked it up, checked it for bullets, then tucked it in his waistband.
He set a hand on Rocco’s back. Rocco turned from Kitano, shoulders slumped, and faced Kit. The two men hugged. Mandy could hear they were both crying, which started her tears over again. Angel rubbed his big hand over her back.
Kit led Rocco out of the corral and over to them. Before Mandy could even reach for him, he hugged the both of them. Then the other guys were all there. Each of them hugged Rocco. Even Selena.
When he came back to Mandy, he looked pale and defeated, so very lost.