engird

* keep serving left n right we love a REAL talented writer 

⠀⠀⠀    stepping behind her, he planted himself between her and the crowd. one arm settled across the railing while the other came around her, steadying her without making much of it. his hand wrapped around the old timber rail, weathered smooth by years of ranch hands and spectators leaning over it.
            
            ⠀⠀⠀    ⠀⠀ “don’t move.” his voice came lower this time. he swept the crowd with a slow glance, catching a handful of boys lingering a little too long in their direction. they looked about the same age as him, annette, and sev. one laughed. another nudged his friend. levkó held the stare until they found somewhere else to look. only then did his attention drift back to annette. his eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the dark strands brushing against her shoulders. 
            
            ⠀ ⠀  “you do somethin’ to your hair?”
            
            ⠀⠀⠀    ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀    ⠀⠀ ⠀@leborne.

⠀⠀⠀    ⠀⠀ a rough sound lodged in the back of his throat. not quite a laugh, nor a grunt, but something caught between the two. the rodeo grounds had become a sea of noise. boots stamped against the wooden bleachers while whistles, hollers, and cheers rolled across the arena every time another rider burst from the chutes. dust climbed with each violent kick of the bulls, hanging golden through the afternoon sun. at the centre of it all, sevastian held first place. stubborn bastard. levkó would’ve expected nothing less. annette leaned farther over the weathered railing, nearly pitching herself into the crowd below. with a sigh, levkó caught the back of her jacket and hauled her toward him before she managed to topple over. he shot her a look, though kept whatever lecture threatened to leave his mouth to himself. there was no point. she’d never listened to him the first time.
            
            ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ “sit down.” he gave the top of her head a light pat before resting both forearms along the railing. under the afternoon sun, his grin lingered with its usual crooked confidence, carrying the same shameless charm he’d worn since they were kids running wild across hackney ranch. little had changed about him in that regard. though these days, there were fences to mend, horses to break, cattle to move, and responsibilities waiting before dawn. somewhere along the years, boyhood had quietly surrendered to work.       another roar rippled through the crowd as sevastian stayed mounted, earning another wave of cheers. the spectators surged forward, shoulder to shoulder, eager for a better look. the sudden shove drove several people straight into annette. levkó reacted before he thought.

⠀⠀⠀    ⠀⠀ languidly, he lifted her as though she weighed nothing at all, carrying her out of the breeding barn without another word. the line of his jaw remained taut, easing only when he drew a slow breath through his nose. the sounds of the ranch faded behind them; the restless shuffle of hooves, the low calls of the handlers, and the heavy thud of animals shifting in their pens. once they were well clear of the ranch hands and the open gates, levkó set her back on the ground. he stepped in front of her, broad enough to block her path should she think about slipping past him again. both hands settled firmly upon his hips, his expression hardening into the same dead stare that had frightened more than a few grown men.
            
            ⠀⠀⠀     “i thought i told you this mornin’ not to step foot in that barn.” his voice remained level, though the warning settled heavier than any shout could have. ⠀⠀⠀   “it ain’t a place for you.” his gaze held hers for a long moment before drifting briefly toward the building behind them, making certain no one had followed. ⠀⠀⠀      “there are things goin’ on in there that don’t concern you, and they sure as hell ain’t somethin’ you ought to be watchin’.” he folded his arms across his chest, shaking his head once. 
            
            ⠀⠀⠀    ⠀ “if i catch you wanderin’ back in there again, so help me, i’ll have you muckin’ every stall on this ranch til’ your hands forget what clean feels like. do you understand me?”
            
            ⠀⠀⠀    ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ @leborne.

/  lowkey this needs to blow up 

/   HOW DARE YOU COOK IN MY ABSENCE