TW: slight mention of domestic abuse (just that it occurred, nothing specific); also there is mild mention of gore in the italics section, there will be a summary at the bottom!
Sunday
Rip woke in the morning to the other side of the bed being cold, which was something he hadn't felt in a very long time. Spencer hadn't been able to sleep much the night before, despite her exhaustion, feeling the anger of her brother deep in her bones. So when the sun peeked over the mountains, bringing the first light of the day, she got out of bed and headed down to the barn where she knew Kayce would be.
He felt Spencer approaching as he readied the stallion for the day. "What do you want?"
"We should talk."
Kayce scoffed at the idea as he turned to face Spencer. "Talk? No, I think you mean lie to me some more."
It was Spencer's turn to sigh, "This is exactly why I didn't tell you Kayce!"
"That's such a load of shit Spencer!" Kayce's voice started to rise despite the early hour. "God you're really letting the asshole sleep his way into owning the ranch. Between you and fucking Beth-"
Kayce didn't get to finish his sentence, the words being interrupted by a slap from Spencer. She stood there almost as shocked as him, both surprised at the hate and anger they were giving one another. But the summer fling Beth and Rip had all those years ago was something that left an ugly wound on Spencer's heart. One that had never really been able to scab over and heal. And Kayce had just jabbed the bruising around it hard.
"I'm sorry," Spencer whispered, not looking at her brother. "I don't know why I did that."
"You need to get your priorities straight Spencer," Kayce continued to berate. He wasn't even mad that Spencer had slapped him, he knew his statement deserved it. He was just surprised it actually happened.
Spencer locked her eyes on Kayce quickly at his words. "I need to get my priorities straight? Kayce all I ever do is clean up your fucking mistakes! You're not the only member of this family with that brand burned into them. I got that because of your mistakes and the consequences they had on me. I have devoted my entire life, shit my entire fucking existence, to this ranch and you want to talk to me about priorities? Yes, I kept Rip a secret from you. Because for once in my life I wanted something for myself that wasn't ruined by my family. You of all people should realize that."
She huffed, more frustrated than when she had walked into the barn. Her initial plan had been to apologize to Kayce for not telling him, but it seemed he had other plans. Rather than let the argument escalate further, she decided to cut her losses and head back to Rip's house.
It was moments like these where Spence wished she could be just about anyone else. She had given every aspect of her life to the ranch, to her family, and yet it still meant nothing. If her father convinced Kayce and Monica to move to the ranch permanently, there would be no chance of inheriting the land she loved. That was the thing about her father. Despite Kayce's consistent disloyalty, he would always be her father's prodigal son.
Rip could see the tension pulling across Spencer's face as she walked through the door. He sent her a questioning look as he handed her a coffee, but she only grumbled about telling him later. He only nodded, knowing better than to fight Spencer's bad moods, simply giving her a kiss and handing her a packet of sugar as he walked back to the bedroom. If Spencer wasn't so pissed she would've found the action sweet.
A while later, after Rip had left to supervise the hungover idiots, Monica knocked on the door of the foreman's house. Spencer opened the door, surprised but relieved to see her sister-in-law.
"What brings you here Mon?"
"Can I ask you something?" Monica questioned, continuing once Spencer nodded. "Did your father really brand you and Kayce?"
Spencer stilled as she looked at the brunette with an unreadable expression. "Did Kayce tell you?"
"No, your father did. And we both know Kayce won't tell me anything," Monica started to ramble; "Please, please just tell me why."
Spencer sat for a moment, unsure of what to do. There were a number of reasons Kayce likely hadn't told Monica about that night, and there were even more why Spencer shouldn't tell her. But honestly, she didn't care at that point. If Kayce was so bent out of shape about lying, he'd have to live with the consequences.
"Kayce and I didn't get them the same night. He got his the day he came home with that wedding band on his finger. And Daddy knew I had helped him, helped you both, but it wasn't enough for him. Kayce's betrayal of his wishes was too much, I guess. I got mine that summer when I came back from school."
Spencer paused, looking at Monica before looking away, feeling the guilt of her actions. "I had a boyfriend at school. I thought he was enough, enough to fill that hole in my chest at least. But that semester Rip had to drop me off, since Kayce left, and let's just say he wasn't too happy to see Rip."
"Why?"
"Mon, we're literally sitting in Rip's living room right now, why do you think?"
Monica's face lit up, her mouth forming into an O as she finally realized the situation. "Oh! Oh my God I'm so stupid!"
Spencer laughed as Monica apologized, not even the least bit upset with her. "But he was less than happy, and things turned so quickly. We were constantly fighting, and by the end of the semester, he had hit me a few times. So when I came home, I told Daddy and I told Rip, and I told them that I was going to be the one to fix it."
"No." John turned abruptly to look at Spencer, his expression equal in shock to Rip's. "You want it taken care of, fine. Rip and Lloyd will handle it but under no circumstance do you step foot in that house. Do you understand me?"
Spencer stared her father down, already plotting a way around his wishes. "I will not step foot in the house, I promise."
Rip knew better than to believe a word that came out the redhead's mouth. He knew by the end of the night he'd be a puddle at her feet, letting her do whatever she wanted to the sick bastard. And there was not a chance in hell Lloyd would get in her way, not when she was on the warpath.
Hell Rip would be happy to step aside and let her do whatever she wanted for what he did to her. The welts and cuts covering Spencer's arms and torso was enough for Rip to want to snap the fucker's neck.
The car ride to Eric's house was filled with a loaded silence, although it made the drive seem quicker. Spencer waited in the truck as Lloyd and Rip rigged the house to blow from a propane leak on her go ahead. Once they were set, Rip nodded toward Spencer, who finally exited the car. She walked confidently to the front door, doing her best to hide the tremble in her hands as she knocked twice.
"Spence?" Eric asked as he opened the door, the stench on his breath making it clear he had been drinking. "What the fuck are you doing?"
The concern in his voice grew, as did the size of his eyes as he watched Spencer pull a pistol from her jacket pocket. "I told you you'd regret what you did Eric. Or did you forget that?"
"Pl-please, let's-s just talk about t-this Spence," Eric stumbled over his words. "I-I fucked up, I k-know that. Bu-but this is a little extreme."
"You lay your hands on a woman, you lose the right to have a say," Lloyd called as he and Rip moved to stand behind Spencer.
"I'd choose your next words very carefully Eric," Spencer smiled at the boy as he grew pale. All she wanted was for him to feel the fear that she had felt. Feel the pain of the potential. And then she wanted him to die.
"I-"
He didn't finish as the sound of a barrel leaving the pistol interrupted him, the bullet cleanly piercing his heart. Rip knew they only had a matter of seconds to clear off the porch, so he moved quickly to kick the son of a bitch into the house and slam the door. He hauled Spencer over his shoulder, booking after Lloyd and reaching the truck just before the blast went off. Rip turned, shielding Spencer between himself and the truck door as pieces of wood and glass rained down on them.
Spencer wrestled with him a little, trying to gain enough space to look around him. Once he felt less shrapnel hitting his back, Rip obliged, letting her take in the scene. Had she looked up though, she would have seen a man willing to do just about anything for her. Willing to lay down his life in that very moment if she asked him to. But even if she looked, he wouldn't have realized what that meant back then.
When they got back to the ranch, and John saw the soot on Spencer's jacket, he immediately made the trio head back out to the woods. He knew he should've been more careful with his words, but he hoped Rip and Lloyd would have enough sense to back him up.
"You want to act like a criminal, you get treated like a criminal Spencer," he stated as he looked across the fire at his daughter.
Spencer didn't cower as he pulled the brand from the fire. She didn't shake as she pulled her jacket off, leaving her bare to the cool night air. And she knew better than to scream or whimper, biting into her belt hard. The only thing she did was look to Rip, who kept his eyes on her the entire time. He swore in that moment he would never let anyone lay a hand on her again. And she nodded like she knew.
Spencer waited for a moment, not looking toward Monica as she finished the story. She had gone off into her own world as she retold the memory, reliving the pain and sting of the brand once again.
"Sometimes there's honor in revenge," Monica stated, placing her hand on Spencer's knee. "I think what you did was worthy of that honor."
Spencer nodded, a tear sliding down her cheek that she hadn't been able to hold back. "I would never take back what I did for myself. And I'm sorry I couldn't protect Kayce."
Monica shook her head as she cut Spencer off, "He has so many demons beyond that mark. I will never understand this family."
"You and me both Mon," Spencer laughed, "You and me both."
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author's note. Here's a summary of the italics/TW section...
Spencer had a boyfriend in college, who became irrationally upset when Rip dropped her off at the start of a semester. Things escalated, resulting in Spencer telling her father and Rip. John made her promise she wouldn't go in the house, which she did. Rip and Lloyd rigged the house to blow and Spencer spoke to the ex, Eric (no hate to Eric's). He tried to apologize, she wasn't having it. Spencer ends up shooting him before the house explodes, Rip throws her over his shoulder and protects her from the explosion. When they get back to the house, John realized she had participated and branded her.