Under His Guard Read Online Free

business, but the nosy old son of a bitch wouldn’t pay me any attention at any rate.
    â€œSo your boy—”
    â€œHe’s a man.”
    â€œI’m mighty happy to hear dat, the way you coddle him like he’s still in a romper one minute, then run from him like he’s gonna jump dem big bones of yours the next.” He plugged a wad of raw tobacco inside his lower gum so his speech slurred even more. “Your young man got taken from you up in Beta and you went off your rocker. And when he came back, he din’t remember you.”
    I was hit by all the memories I didn’t want to relive.
    â€œBut y’all decided after a fashion there was a good way to play dat mind-scrub thing of Leon’s, yessir. Keep dat son of gun at arm’s distance ’cause you’re too damn scaredy-cat to get close to anyone again.” At the mention of cat , the dog’s ears perked up, and her long, wet tongue rolled out. “Ain’t no cat here, Gal. Jest me and Darke settin’ things straight.”
    â€œWhere’s this going, Tommy?”
    He spat a line of brown juice onto the rough wooden floor and scrubbed it in with his boot. “See now, I don’t rightly know. You were fixin’ on lettin’ Leon go all this time. In fact, ya never did claim him as yer own. But you ain’t cut him loose yet. I know dis ’cause I see the way you watch him, and so does ever’one else with eyes in their head.”
    I exhaled a frustrated curse. Tommy the goddamn gossipmonger was good for nothing but telling me my fucked-up love life was the talk of the town. “I should probably be on my way. Make sure he’s all right.”
    Tommy locked a wiry hand onto my thigh. “I reckon you ain’t ready to face dat demon yet, son. Leon’s got dat sickness now, and you fell apart as soon as nobody was watchin’. Ain’t no good for him if he sees you like dat.”
    â€œDammit! Have you got the whole fucking commune wired or something? Yeah, I lost it.” I shoved his hand away and jumped to my feet. “He’s gonna die. Do you get that?”
    He didn’t blink in the face of my outburst. Gal growled at me but put her head back down on her paws when he petted her. “Cool dem heels and sit down. Won’t do if Gal takes a bite out of you. We don’t need to add rabies to the list of ailments.”
    Dropping beside him, I rested my head in my hands.
    â€œDo you want dat boy to remember you? Because it sure do look like he loved you before and he’s fixing to get dat way again.”
    â€œThat doesn’t really matter now.” My hands curled around my head, but there was no use blocking him out, not when he hit me with the bare-knuckled truth.
    â€œNever thought I’d see the great warrior Darke defeated.”
    I lifted my head and glared at him. “Fuck you, old man. I’m not defeated.”
    Leaning over to spit again, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “And I never thought I’d see you get attached again. Not after Tam and Wilde. That was some love right there between the three of you. Don’t imagine I’ve ever seen the likes of it before; nor will I again. Dat don’t mean there’s not enough room in dat big ol’ chest of yours for someone like your boy to be given some space. I seem to think he might deserve it, and you’re just a stubborn jackass.”
    â€œI am not attached,” I spat.
    Tommy went right on ignoring me. “Don’t know what’s happenin’, all dis love in the air.”
    â€œI’m not in love.” My demeanor quickly changed from defiant to defeated. “Leon scares the shit out of me.”
    â€œ Mm-hmm . There’s some truth right there.” His gnarled hand moved to my shoulder. He squeezed and then patted me, like I was his dog. “What’re ya gonna do about dis here Plague business?”
    â€œKeep him alive.