She snorts. “Typical.”
“What do you want me to do? Apologize?”
She raises her brows at me in a defiant way. “It’s a start.”
I sigh and roll my eyes. “Fine.”
As I get up from my seat, Dixie’s eyes widen, and she tries to grab me, but it’s already too late. I march over to Derek, who turns around to face me while bracing too. His nostrils flare, and his eyes practically shoot lightning at me. I come to a halt in front of him and place my hand on the counter while he grabs his cup.
He holds up his hand and suddenly starts to beg, “Please, don’t hurt me.”
I frown. “Hurt you? No.” I guess that night at the bonfire really left a mark on him. Damn. “I just wanted to say sorry for the burn,” I say with the most chill voice I can muster, considering who it is.
We both glance at his hand. It doesn’t look too bad, so it must’ve healed over time.
He seems utterly confused. “O-kay?” It sounds more like a question than an answer, but I’ll take it.
“Glad we got that sorted.” I pat him on the shoulder a few times and then turn around again. “See ya around,” I add while walking back to where Dixie’s sitting.
She looks as if I just told her I saw a grandma knock out five robbers with her handbag.
“That really happened, didn’t it?” she mutters, staring at me.
“Yup,” I say, casually sitting down to continue drinking my coffee.
“That went surprisingly … well,” she says, snorting and shaking her head at the same time.
“What?” I shrug. “You wanted it done. It’s done.”
“But did you mean it, though?”
“Of course,” I say, smiling at her.
“Really?” She folds her arms and glares at me with one eyebrow lifted as if she thinks I’m lying or something. I’m not. I’m dead serious.
“I’m a new man, remember?” I say between sips. “I’ve turned over a new leaf. For the better, right?”
She smirks. “If you say so.”
“Play nice, cupcake,” I reply, licking my lips. “Or I may have to punish you for it later.”
“Hmm … I may or may not, depending on what you’re gonna do,” she taunts, wriggling her brows while deviously smiling.
Oh, it’s on now.
“Don’t tempt me, cupcake.”
“If you stop calling me cupcake, maybe I’ll finally listen,” she retorts.
She’s always hated the name, which makes me love it even more.
I grin. “Never.”
Epilogue 2
Brandon
A few months later
After we’ve renovated the Stop & Shop, there’s a grand opening. The townsfolk seem happy they can shop here again, despite the fact I’m the one working behind the counter. Apparently, Dixie managed to convince both them and the cops that it was all my uncle’s fault her family perished, and that I wasn’t to blame. That he came after us and we had no choice but to kill him before he killed us.
We both know she’s lying about my involvement, but I appreciate it, nonetheless. She wants to give me a new start, and I am happy to take it with both hands. I thought I couldn’t ever belong anywhere ever again, but she proves me wrong.
With a bit of good faith and goodwill here and there, the people in this town have grown less wary of me. Hell, even Derek comes into the shop now. He doesn’t smile at me, but he doesn’t make a fuss either. He just grabs what he needs and pays for it, like he should.
I’m surprised he decided not to press charges against me. Maybe he’s scared of me retaliating against him. After all, he’s heard the rumors and gossip about me back in the days. He knows what I did, and now he’s probably terrified I’d do the same to him. Murder him in his sleep while he’s hugging his teddy bear and sucking his thumb.
He doesn’t have to worry. I won’t waste my time on a sad motherfucker like him. But he doesn’t need to know that. I’ll keep smiling politely whenever he comes into my shop to buy stuff, just to let him know I’m not the guy I used to be.
Things have really changed. This community has accepted me now, and nothing will stand between that. Not Derek. Not me. And not anyone else.
Despite my doubts, life has given me a second chance, and I can’t help but grasp it with both hands. It’s all thanks to Dixie and her willingness to put aside our past struggles and focus on what could be instead of what has been.
I’m done looking back. All I want is to focus on the future. The future I hope I’ll have with her.
That one girl who always escaped my grasp …
Turns out, all I needed to do was bow down and accept my shame with dignity.
That little cupcake came to me on her own accord, running right back into my open arms.
Just like my papa once told me. You can’t force love. It has to happen on its own.
How fitting that it’s now that I think of him. As we make our way to the place he once loved the most. On the vast plains beyond the town, there’s a small hill that overlooks the valley. We used to camp out here all the time, make flatbread, and eat smoked fish. I remember this place and the memories I have fondly.
Which is why we’re out here building a fire. In memory of my papa and her family. For those who have perished. For those who have suffered at our hands.
This is my moment of salvation.
I take a deep breath, inhaling the smoke and fire like it gives me life.
Dixie stands beside me, and she smiles coyly as she tucks something into my hand. Frowning, I open my hand only to find my own pendant.
“Thought you might need this,” she says. “You know … to say goodbye.”
I cock my head. “I gave this to you to keep.”
“I know because you wanted to protect me. But I don’t need any more protection.” She wraps her arms around my waist and hugs me tight. “I have you.”
And I am fucking melting into a puddle. Dammit. Only for this woman.
I wrap my hand around her, and say, “Thank you.”
But my eyes still hone in on the fire as my mind has already strayed. This pendant isn’t only for protection. It’s a burden too. A way to tell someone you care about them so much you couldn’t bear to lose them. Only when they die is it passed on.
It’s a relic of death. Something that doesn’t belong in my life anymore.
I don’t want to leave ruin in my wake. For once, I’d like to make people happy. Starting with her, Dixie Burrell, my girl. She’s the only reason I’m still walking this earth. The reason I don’t feel as lonely as I did before.
After pressing a kiss to her forehead, I walk toward the fire and hold the pendant above it.
“Are you sure?” she asks as she comes to stand beside me.
I nod. And as I drop the pendant into the fire and watch it burn, I haven’t been more sure of anything in my life.
The past and all its grief are behind me now. I wanna look forward to the future, and all it may entail.
But there is one person I have to thank for giving me so much wisdom, even in times when I didn’t think I’d need it. “Thank you, Papa.” I swallow away the lump in my throat. “For being the best Papa I could ever have.”
I won’t say his name out of respect, and I won’t cry. Grieving would prevent a person from passing over. It’s what he would’ve wanted, and respecting his wishes is the least I could do.
Dixie’s eyes water, and she too throws memorabilia into the fire; a photograph of her together with her family. “Goodbye,” she murmurs, and I hold her tight.
I don’t intend to let go.
Not now. Not ever.
This girl and I … we’ve entwined our worlds until we could no longer live without each other. The pain we’ve endured is incomprehensible, but if we hadn’t, would we still have loved each other this deeply? Would we have appreciated each other as much as we do now?
I doubt it.
Love doesn’t just happen to people.
You do
n’t just stumble onto it.
You work at it with passion and enthusiasm. Like building a burned down Stop & Shop from the ground up.
Brick by brick.
And I can’t wait to get started.
* * *
Thank you for reading Branded! If you enjoyed, please leave a review.
Read on for an excerpt of The Hanged Man, featuring Hanson and Lillian!
Excerpt of The Hanged Man
Criminal. Outlaw. Murderer.
That’s only a few of the names people call me, and all of them are true.
I did the unforgivable. I killed a man in broad daylight.
I did it for her.
I paid my dues, did my time.
Now I’m out and I want her back, no matter the cost.
She hates me, but that won’t stop me from hunting after her.
I need her to be mine again.
And there’s a secret I have to tell …
But everything has its price.
I’m willing to pay.
Is she?
Prologue
Lillian
After
It’s finally time.
I grab one of the dull pencils from the tray and a piece of paper from the stack and place it down in front of me. Biting my lip, I stare wistfully at the sheet, wondering what I should write. If I should even write anything.
There are so many things I want to say, so much I have to explain, but none of the words in my head will suffice. She’ll never understand. She’s too innocent to know the truth.
So I opt for something else instead. Something familiar and loving, so she’ll know how much I care.
“Are you gonna start or what?” the woman across the shoddy table says while glaring at me.
I look up from my paper and gaze blankly ahead. “As soon as I know what to write.”
“You don’t get much time, y’know,” she adds, shrugging. “Suit yourself.”
I nod a few times. Advice is best not taken for granted, so I pick up the pencil and rub my lips together.
Dear Daisy,
You’ll probably never read this letter, but I want you to know that at least I tried. I’ve told your auntie Dana to hold onto the letters I send her until I get the chance to hand them to you myself. As much as I want to, I can’t be with you right now. But I promise it won’t be long. I’ll be with you again soon. Before you even know it.
I know you’ll be good. I know you’ll do great out there in the world.
And you know … I will find you again.
Love,
Mommy
Smiling, I read over the words again before my letter and those of all the other women next to me are taken by the guard as she passes us.
They’ll read the contents and decide whether it’s suitable to send.
This is how it always goes … here in prison.
There’s no choice to make, no autonomy whatsoever. Nothing but sleep, eat, work, and wait.
Wait until your time is up.
Until you can see your baby again.
But I knew the consequence when I did what I did. That I’d end up sacrificing precious time I could’ve spent with her. But it was the only choice I could make, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat if I had to.
It’s no one’s fault. Not mine or his.
Circumstances brought me here, and I accept that wholeheartedly.
Love … is what brought me here.
I made the ultimate sacrifice for my little girl.
For a man I couldn’t stop loving even when that same love ripped her away from me.
For both … I’d willingly hang.
* * *
Hanson
After
I park my green truck on the side of the road near the long, dry grass. Another truck is approaching not far up ahead, so I step out of the vehicle and shut my door. Tapping the top, I silently wait until it stops right in front of mine. The sun blocks the view as the guy steps out, but I can still make out a smile.
“And?”
“It worked,” Brandon says as he whisks an envelope from his back pocket. “You were right.”
“They wouldn’t follow you from her sister’s place,” I say as he walks toward me.
“I didn’t even see her. She just left a key on her porch and sent me to a PO box to get this.” He holds it out to me.
As I reach out to grasp the envelope, he maintains his hold, looking me straight in the eyes. “I’m doing this for you because I’m your friend, but—”
“I know,” I say, nodding. “I know what she sacrificed.”
“Good,” he says, licking his lips. Then he releases the envelope and turns around.
“Thanks,” I say as he walks back to his truck.
All I get is a quick glance and a hand going up in the air before he climbs back inside and drives off. But it’s enough to know our friendship is still alive, even after everything that happened recently.
Besides, I have other things to worry about now. There’s a whole world out there begging me to explore it.
It’s what she would’ve wanted me to do.
I bear the burden now to live a fulfilled and happy life because I owe it to her. To the woman who gave me my freedom back … in exchange for her own imprisonment.
Chapter One
Hanson
Present
I run through the thick fog, zigzagging through the woods, avoiding stumps and rocks as best as I can. I trained for this all these months, so I have to give it my all. I have nothing to lose.
Nothing will stop me from reaching my goal … Freedom.
I know I don’t deserve it, but damn, did I hunger for it.
And now I’m finally out here in the real world again.
This was unplanned and completely outrageous. I didn’t think I’d succeed, but now I don’t want to stop. The more I run, the bigger the grin on my face even though I know it’s wrong. The farther away I get, the bigger the taste for more. The outside world is waiting for me.
Despite my brain telling me to go back, to surrender, to fight this selfish desire, I can’t stop myself from putting one foot in front of the other and doing everything I can to stay out of their claws.
Even when I’m being chased and forced to run and swim for miles on end, I can’t give up.
The primal need inside me is too strong to ignore.
I must escape.
I have to see her.
* * *
Lillian
A few weeks later
The onions are strong, but they’re not making me cry. Maybe because I refuse to ever cry, not even for the onions. There’s only one exception … her.
I chop the onions into tiny pieces. They smell good today. Perfect for the pasta I’m making with homemade tomato basil sauce. A vegetarian dish with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Daisy’s favorite.
I never used to like cooking much, but I do it with love for her. Especially when she gives me that sparkly eyed look when she peeks into the pot to see what I’m making. She grins and squeals. “Pasta! Yay!”
“Go set the table, honey,” I say, smiling back at her.
She tiptoes around the kitchen, trying to open the cabinets that are just out of reach, so I give her a hand by lifting her. “There you go.”
Her face is radiant as she grabs the plates and carries them to the table, so proud of every little thing she can do to help. It’s as though she’s catching up on every little thing she missed. It’s sweet, and it definitely reminds me of myself, always wanting to be a little more grown up than I was. Boy, do I miss those days with no work, no drama, and no bills to pay.
I sigh and dice the garlic before adding it to the sauce while Daisy places the utensils and two glasses on the table. She runs back into the kitchen and washes her hands under the sink, but as she runs away, she forgets to turn off the faucet.
“Daisy! You left the water running,” I call out.
She doesn’t reply.
; Then the screen slams shut.
I place down my knife and gaze outside when I notice her running through the grass. My eyes narrow. She’s chasing something … a paper plane.
My heart begins to palpitate.
There shouldn’t be a paper airplane here.
We live on a farm in the middle of nowhere. My nearest neighbor lives miles away.
Shit.
I drop everything and run after her, but as I exit the house, I stop dead in my tracks. A man in the distance captures my attention; his short black hair in stark contrast with the bright afternoon sun. The look on his square face dead serious as he stands there, his feet firmly planted on the soil.
Only his eyes follow her …
“Daisy!” My voice is primal. Like the call of a lioness whose cub is in danger.
“Look! A paper plane!” Daisy holds it up in the sky like some kind of trophy.
I want to rip it from her hands and shred it to pieces. Burn it to the ground. But I can’t take my eyes off her and neither can he.
“Come here, Daisy,” I say with a stern voice. It’s harsh enough to make the smile disappear from her face.
She comes to me slowly, but when she’s within arm’s reach, I grab her tight and hold her close to my body. I cling to her as if he could take her away at any moment. Maybe he could. Would he?
The mere thought makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“Go inside,” I say, still glaring at the man standing on my property.
I can’t let him get any closer. I have to stand my ground.
However, the moment I release Daisy, and my eyes briefly follow her inside, he’s already taken five steps forward.
“Stop,” I say.
I’m not afraid. I’m not afraid.
I repeat that mantra over and over in my head—as if hearing it often enough will make me believe it—but my knees are buckling with each step he takes.
Branded Page 28
