The Ranch Ch. 07

Completely spent, Sandy contentedly leaned against Alex as he wrapped his arms about her, burying her face into his neck. He held her tightly, stroking his hand up and down her shoulder as they both relaxed together.

"That's my girl," he soothed. Alex dropped a quick kiss to her forehead before letting his head fall back against the couch, staring blankly up at the ceiling as he recalled his predicament.

When Alex had intervened in Cory's life, albeit to save him, Cory was clear they'd never be connected again. The cutoff had devastated Alex more than he anticipated, and the long silence between them left a painful void. Caught up in a world of underground dealings, Cory had been the only part of 'normality' in Alex's life.

But Sandy was right, they were in for a world of unimaginable hurt if he crossed George. Estranged family certainly wasn't worth death, but he wanted to find a way to help Cory. Alex sighed bitterly, recalling the initial elation he'd felt upon learning Cory wanted to meet with him; the prospect they might be family again.

These musings scattered when the doorbell rang, its echo tinkling throughout the still apartment.

Alex gently shifted Sandy off his lap. Affectionately brushing the hair from her face, he cupped her cheek and intently looked into her eyes. "How was that? Are you okay?" he checked.

"Easy," Sandy smiled dizzily, her body still pleasantly humming from the encounter.

"I love you, but you're fucking lucky I was too impatient to teach you a lesson," he replied with a chuckle, and kissed her passionately. Buttoning his trousers, he checked the watch on his wrist as the doorbell went off again. "Dress yourself, it'll be Bert. He'd better not hang around, I'm taking you somewhere nice tonight."

As Alex strode to the door, Sandy quickly pulled her skirt down and adjusted her shirt, reaching forward to grab a matching grey cardigan from a nearby footstool to conceal her braless state.

Within seconds of opening the door, Alex's head snapped back and he crashed to the ground. Sandy gasped in shock, raising onto her knees. Blood brightly running down his face, Alex glared up at the man who'd hit him. Another charged past them, and was at Sandy's side in a flash. Taking her neck in a painful grip, he forced her forward to watch.

Seeing the one standing over Alex raise a gun and take aim, Sandy's eyes widened and she clawed at the hand on her neck.

"NO!! HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!" she screamed.

"I'd be more concerned for yourself, honey," drawled the man behind her. His other hand moved down the front of her shirt to painfully squeeze her breast. "Fuck, she has great tits," he called to the man covering Alex.

Keeping the gun directed at Alex's head, the man's eyes moved from Alex to appreciatively survey Sandy's chest as his companion roughly jerked her shirt up to show him. Then, smiling like a devil, he locked eyes with her and pulled the trigger.