Beneath Dark Skies (Rolling Hills Ranch #1)

21. Farron

TWENTY-ONE

FARRON

RAKES, LIES, AND BIG BEEFY THIGHS

Day 408

I can’t help the eye roll that escapes as Trevor goes on about the infected that breached the fence line. I had just finished checking in with Theo when Trevor burst through the main house's front door to tell me what happened. Adrian, Todd, and I went to investigate the scene, Magnum hot on our heels. We grabbed Peter's and Jasper's attention on our way over here, and they ended up following. The fence had taken some damage in the past, but we’d patched it up, and it remained standing strong. A decent amount of pressure could make it fall, though, creating a sizable gap for any person–or zombie–to walk through, but I just don’t understand how it would happen.

Which is how I find myself confused as I inspect the section of the fence before me, seeing that it didn’t just fall and the zombies didn’t just make their way over it. It looks destroyed… Almost like it was kicked in. What the hell happened earlier today to cause the fence to break like this? I nearly find myself wondering for a moment if these goddamn zombies are somehow adapting, as if that isn’t the last thing we need. Adrian inspects the other side, looking up at me, equally as concerned.

Trevor continues droning on about the attack. “Don’t worry, though. I took them both out and then took them to the dumping ground afterward.” I find myself genuinely surprised that Trevor could handle everything on his own here, from start to finish. It’s not the first time he’s boasted about taking out zombies, but it is the first time I’ve seen the aftermath with my own eyes.

Color me impressed–looks like that rake can be a weapon. I catch Todd watching his younger brother with narrowed eyes but don’t comment.

“Did anyone tell Jay?” I ask, knowing we always inform him when zombies are nearby since his mom is still out there, and he wants to put her to rest.

“Don’t worry, Farron, I took care of it. Do you want me to go with you to check on him?” Trevor offers, making his way closer to me. As I try to step out of the space Trevor has invaded, I bump into a chest. Turning, I see Adrian, who’s steadied me with his hands on my arms. Without removing his hands, he responds, “We got this, Trev,” with a wink.

Trevor glares at Adrian and then looks back at me, hoping I’ll disagree with Adrian and go with him instead. Patting Adrian’s hand so Trevor gets the hint, I say, “We’re good. Thanks, Trevor.”

Trevor gives Adrian one last glare and heads off towards Peter and Jasper, who are already making plans to fix the fence as soon as possible. Realizing we’re still standing with my back to Adrian’s front, I step forward and turn to face him.

“Well, I’m going to go check on Jay,” I say, attempting to move around Adrian to walk with Todd, but he keeps pace with me, his arm brushing against mine. I come to a stop and turn to face him. “What are you doing?”

Adrian’s eyes widen with a confused look. “I’m going with you, like I said.”

“I didn’t think you were serious. ”

His intense gaze locks onto mine as he brushes a stray strand of hair behind my ear. Adrian's sudden gesture catches me off guard, his touch sending a shiver down my spine, his words sinking deep into my consciousness. “I'm always serious when it comes to you,” he murmurs, his voice low and intimate. Adrian needs to keep his hands to himself because if they stay on me for too long, I’ll want them in other places.

My cheeks flush with heat, betraying the effect his proximity has on me. I quickly avert my gaze, hoping to conceal my reaction, but my eyes inadvertently land on Todd, who has halted in his tracks, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. I shoot him a glare before dropping my gaze to the ground, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance as I pointedly attempt to ignore both men and continue making my way to Jay.

As we approach the barn on the Abel property, I see Kenji and Jay sitting on a pile of hay, chatting. From the looks on their faces, it seems Kenji now knows a lot about Jay's past.

They both look up as we arrive, Todd and Jay inclining their heads at one another, and Kenji gives Adrian and me a suspicious scowl. Magnum runs up to Kenji with an excited yip , tail wagging so hard his butt is moving side to side. Kenji seems to reach down subconsciously to pet him, causing Magnum to settle at his feet, his tail still wagging but more subdued.

I narrow my eyes at the betrayal before turning my attention to Jay. “Hey, I wanted to check in and see how you're doing?”

Jay gives me a small, sad smile, his eyes shifting between Todd and me. “I’m fine. It wasn’t her.”

Adrian looks a little confused but doesn’t interrupt. Whenever we experience a breach and zombies come onto our property, I feel my chest tighten. Initially, it was for Jay, hoping he’d find his mom. Now, it's also for me. I keep denying anything has happened to Holden, but realistically, I know anything is possible. Yet, when the alarm signals new zombies, I don’t rush out like Jay does. I can’t face what I might find.

Jay starts to speak again, but Kenji interrupts. “Trevor either needs to get his head out of his ass or get off perimeter checks.”

“What are you talking about?” I ask. I know the guys don’t like Trevor, and I would be a liar if I said I did, but perimeter checks are the one thing he’s been capable of doing without messing up.

“What's wrong?” Kenji spits out with ire. “He can’t handle himself. He was running away from the infected and yelling out for help. What’s the point of having him run the perimeter if you can’t even rely on him?” I take in his stiff form as he sits next to Jay, but I can’t determine if this version of his frustration differs from his usual.

“He literally just told us that he took out the zombies on his own,” I say, exasperation lacing my tone as I attempt to navigate through the layers of lies and deception clouding today’s events.

Kenji scoffs, his disbelief evident, while Jay gives me a look as he shifts uncomfortably.

“Well, this isn’t…the first time something like this has happened,” Jay says reluctantly. “I don’t know how many times Trevor has been able to handle zombies on his own, if ever. I only know he’s called out for Todd or me to help him on more than one occasion…” he trails off, but I can tell there’s more he wants to say.

I turn to look at Todd, expecting him to meet my gaze, but he pointedly avoids it, his attention fixed on his fingernails. So, they’re both hiding something.

“Alright, that’s enough. James August Abel and Todd Dean Davis,” I scold, my patience worn thin. “The two of you should be ashamed of yourselves. I see the sour looks on your faces, as if you’re not saying something. Just spit it out.”

“We may or may not have found Trevor skipping his perimeter checks a few times when it was his turn on the rotation,” Todd admits, his hand rubbing the back of his neck in discomfort. “We didn’t want to stress you out more, so we would just cover for him and run the line instead.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache brewing as frustration and disappointment swirl inside me. Great. It’s not as though I had really strong feelings about Trevor’s capabilities, but I thought that, at minimum, we could expect him to handle perimeter checks on his own. I feel a mixture of frustration and disappointment. If our perimeter checks fall apart, that compromises everyone's safety.

A sigh escapes me, accompanied by a quiet laugh at my naivety. I mean, how many times did I tell Holden that Trevor was utterly useless? And here I am, finding out that he’s not only the least competent person here, but he’s blatantly skirting his responsibilities.

I take a deep breath and reply, “Regardless, he’s on perimeter checks for now. Can you guys make sure he gets paired up with someone when it’s his turn on the rotation for now? I’ll think about what to do with the rest of that news.” My mind races with potential solutions and the need to re-evaluate our security. Trevor’s issues are just one more problem to address in an already overwhelming situation.

Running a farm is challenging enough, but it’s ten times harder during an apocalypse. Sure, the amount we have to produce has dwindled to only a fraction of what it was before, but we also lack the same resources. We can’t use certain machines because they consume too much power, so everything has moved to manual labor, which takes time and effort. One of Trevor’s only jobs is to do perimeter checks, given that he seems to struggle with literally everything else, and now I have to figure out how to either move him to a different role or train him properly. Both options sound like a headache.

I can’t believe my brother ever tried talking me into giving Trevor a chance. I’m not someone who thinks a man should take care of everything. I just want a partner who can equally care for themselves and those around them. Share the burden a little instead of adding to my worries. Right now, I have to worry about everyone and everything, including picking up the slack left by people like Trevor. The farm, the apocalypse, my parents, Holden, and Trevor’s incompetence all add up. I can feel myself straining against the pressure, trying not to collapse.

“You two shouldn’t have hidden this from me,” I tell them, my disappointment evident in my voice as I exhale deeply. Jay and Todd are both avoiding my eyes again, each of them staring at the ground with matching expressions of guilt and shame.

I glance over at Adrian, who has been silently watching the exchange, his eyes filled with understanding. Adrian quickly redirects the conversation to Kenji as if he can sense just how distressed I am about everything. With a smirk, he comments, “Nice boots.”

I shift my gaze downward, looking to see what Adrian is pointing out. My eyes take in every detail of Kenji, starting from his sturdy and weathered black boots. Damn it, the cowboy boots only make him hotter . As my gaze travels upward, I notice his jeans cling tightly to his thighs. Am I crazy, or are his legs already getting bigger from his time on the farm? It takes me far too long to rip my eyes from those legs, but eventually, my gaze makes its way higher. The fabric of his t-shirt hugs his torso, drawing attention to the contours of his chest and the definition of his arms, which now strain against the sleeves with newfound strength.

Before I can linger on the sight before me, Kenji’s muttered comment brings me back to reality. I catch Adrian sending a wink Jay’s way and Jay responding with a small nod. It’s clear that I’m not the only one who notices their exchange, as Kenji points down at his boots and asks, “Did you put Jay up to this?”

His question prompts a response from Adrian, who raises his hands in mock innocence. “I have no idea what you're talking about. You just look like a regular ‘ole cowboy to me,” he quips with a grin.

Kenji steps towards Adrian, pointing back at Jay. “He knew my size,” he says, eyes narrowed.

Before anyone can respond, Jay bursts out laughing, and the rest of us follow suit, except for Kenji. Jay shakes Kenji on the shoulder and tells him he’ll see him outside, getting up off the hay bale and moving to leave with Todd. They both plant a kiss on my temple as they leave, a gesture of familiar affection that doesn’t go unnoticed by Adrian and Kenji. I sense a shift in the air, the tension palpable as their eyes narrow briefly.

“You know, Princess, I was surprised you weren’t there to meet Trevor sooner. You know, with how you’ve been stalking us?” Kenji says, his tone accusatory, though he wears a smirk.

I’m flabbergasted, both at the fact that Kenji just called me out like this and at the fact that he even caught me in the first place. Damn it, I thought I was being so sneaky .

Adrian turns his full attention on me, his face beaming with the news. “Our little Sunshine has been spying on us?” I feel backed into a corner. And I don’t even want to start another psychoanalysis on what Adrian’s “our little sunshine” is doing to me right now.

“I don’t spy on you,” I sneer at Kenji. “I’ve merely been observing to make sure you guys weren’t up to anything improper or evil, especially given that Satan walks among you.”

“How has your observing been going, Sunshine? You like what you see?” Adrian quips back, his grin only growing.

“It’s been satisfactory in proving that you’re not ruining our community. Plus, I don’t always have to watch you guys to know where you’ve been. Sometimes I can just tell you were there.” I don’t know why I tell them this, but the words spill out before I can even process them.

“How do you know?” Adrian asks.

“Because Kenji smells like cinnamon.” It's an awkward response, one I immediately regret letting slip. What was I thinking?

But despite my embarrassment, there's a kernel of truth to my words. Kenji's scent is unmistakable, a unique blend of warmth and spice that always seems to linger in the air after he's been around.

I quickly try to backtrack, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I mean, I just have a keen sense of smell,” I stammer, attempting to salvage the conversation. But deep down, I know I've already revealed too much.

I’ve lost it. It’s all the male energy around me these days, or maybe a planet is in retrograde–that’s a thing, right?

My eyes ping-pong between them. Kenji's eyebrows have shot up in surprise, his expression a mix of amusement and disbelief. Adrian chuckles beside me, clearly finding the situation amusing.

My mouth flaps open and closed like a fish, “I…I…” I hightail it out of there, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.