by Maisey Yates
“There was no fatted-calf slaughter,” Gage said. “So you can calm down. I’m not the prodigal son. I’m not any kind of son, and we both know that. But I have been looking at all of Dad’s records and I have concerns.”
“Concerns about what?” Colton asked, dragging his hand beneath his chin.
“Dad is broke.”
“What?” Colton lowered his arm, as though he had given up on being gatekeeper between Gage and the house.
“That’s what I’m saying. I’ve been going over all of his assets, all of his debt. He and Mom don’t have any money. What they have is property. Lucky for them they own most of it outright.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. How could they not have money? The equestrian facility is doing well.”
“Yes. But he’s been diverting those funds. It looks to me like it’s probably gambling debts. At best. At worst he’s deeply involved in a very sketchy ring of high-priced hookers.”
Colton shook his head. “Or, he has more bastard children.”
Gage gritted his teeth. “You know about him, do you? I mean, do we know about the same one? I wouldn’t be surprised if the Oregon coastline were littered with secret Wests.”
Colton’s expression went slack. “I only know about the one. Jack Monaghan?”
“Yeah. That’s the one.”
“When did you find out?” Colton crossed his arms across his broad chest, and this time Gage put a little bit of thought to the fact that it was entirely possible his younger brother could take him in a fight. Well, depending on what sort of fight Gage treated him to. He was never going to fight his little brother the way he’d learned to fight on the rodeo circuits, and in the bars. He didn’t want to kill him, after all.
It wasn’t just years that stood between them. It was experience. Colton might have earned some facial lines here in Copper Ridge, but Gage had earned scars all across the country.
“I’ve known.” He could remember clearly being introduced intimately to the shady underworld of their father’s empire. Finding out who the man beneath the façade was. It was clear that his father had taken a similar approach to indoctrinating Colton into his world as he’d taken with Gage. And that made him think a little bit differently about his brother.
“Interesting,” Colton said.
“Why is it interesting? You clearly know.”
“Oh, I found out on accident. We’ve all known about Jack for about a year now.”
Just like that, he found himself reevaluating again. “So Dad didn’t tell you?”
“No.” Colton frowned. “Did he tell you?”
“It was one of the payments I needed to understand. Before I left he was priming me to take over the business. You know that.”
“I don’t see what that has to do with his dirty secrets. He didn’t tell me.”
Gage lifted his shoulder. “Yeah, I imagine he figured he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, seeing as I took off after I found out what a gigantic prick he was, I imagine he figured he wouldn’t let you in on the secret. Losing one heir is a problem. Losing two just starts to look careless.”
“That’s why you took off? Because you found out what a terrible person Dad was?”
It was damn sure close enough. “Yes. I was poised to become king of his trash heap. And it wasn’t what I wanted.”
“And you think it is what I want? Did you think for one second what kind of position it would put me in? Mom?”
“No,” he said. It was honest. When he had taken off he had been eighteen years old, full of self-loathing and anger. All that had mattered was his pain. It had been unique to him, of course. And nothing anyone else could possibly understand. Because he had been eighteen. So, he had been a dick.
“Yeah, I didn’t think you did.” He took a deep breath. “Thanks for not lying about it, though.”
“There’s no point. I didn’t come back here to be the hero of the story. But I did come back here to take care of what I was asked to. Dad’s lawyer contacted me and said that I’m still the person Dad has written down to be the executor in case he was incapacitated.”
Colton shook his head. “I’ve been the one here taking care of things.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t messed up. I’m just telling you how it is.”
“So, now you’re going to step up?”
“Yes.”
“And that’s it? Whether I think you should be here or not?”
Gage pushed his hat back on his head. “Look. Nobody asked you. And I can understand why you’re not happy about it, but that doesn’t change anything. I have some things to take care of here, and I damn sure intend to take care of them.”
“What will that entail? Are you going to deal with Mom’s emotional fallout when she finds out that she’s destitute?” Colton took a step forward. “That’s what I’ve been dealing with. The fact that Mom is always one major incident away from a complete emotional meltdown. And Sierra is pregnant.”
“I know. I mean, I noticed at the hospital.”
“She’s a woman. When you left she was a kid.”
Gage’s face heated. He felt like a fire had started in his chest and spread outward. Anger, pouring through him like molten metal. “I know.”
“Madison... You have no idea what she’s been through. The things they say about her... She could have used you here. I could have.”
“What happened to Madison?”
“She’s going to have to tell you about it. You don’t get to come in and learn all of our secrets right off the bat. We’ve been here. Taking care of Mom, taking care of each other. All you took care of was yourself, Gage. So forgive me if I can’t just accept the fact that you’re here. And that you think you have a right to step in and start handling family business.”
Gage pressed his hand against one of the supports on the deck. “This isn’t about rights. It’s about responsibility.”
“You haven’t cared about responsibility at all in more than a decade. Why are you starting now?”
“Because I was asked to.”
Colton didn’t say anything to that. Instead, he rocked back on his heels, looking toward the inside of the house.
“That woman is your wife?” Gage asked, suddenly realizing that he didn’t know much of anything about his siblings. Beyond Sierra’s very obvious pregnancy.
“Lydia,” Colton said. “And yes. She is.”
“It doesn’t seem right that you’re married. I remember you being sixteen.”
“Hate to break it to you, but time marched on while you were gone.”
Gage suddenly felt hideously old. And a little bit like something that might be found on the bottom of his boot. But then, he imagined that that was Colton’s goal. He couldn’t say he didn’t deserve it.
“Yeah, I guess it did.”
“What exactly are you going to do? About that debt?”
“I’m going to sell off as much as I can. My goal is to preserve the business and the ranch. I assume you’re good with that.”
He could tell Colton was good with it, and more than a little annoyed that he couldn’t disagree. “Yes. I mean, that’s what I would do.”
“I don’t have a sinister agenda, here. All I want to do is what I was asked to. And then, I’ll get right back out of your life.”
“I don’t feel like Mom is going to be very impacted. Unless she goes through and counts all the assets.”
“I guarantee you the only thing she goes through and counts is her pills.”
His brother’s stark words hit him hard. He’d known their mother was fragile. He’d always known. But this...this hurt. “That bad?”
Colton shook his head, his expression suddenly softening. “She does her best. But, Dad was bad enough that you left. I don’t know what you’ve been out doing, but whatever, you had the skills to do it. Can you imagine being stuck with him? There’s nothing else for her.”
“It isn’t like that. But she’s stuck. She’s completely dependent. And he’s... He doesn’t care about anyone but himself. You know that. Everything is justifiable as long as Nathan West is comfortable. We found out about Jack this past year.” Gage had a feeling his mother had known a lot longer than that, but he didn’t see the point in correcting Colton on that score. “We all found out,” Colton continued. “Now her husband, who I think she hates as much as she loves, has had a stroke. And you’re back.”
“She doesn’t know that yet, does she?”
“No,” Colton said. “Stay away until we’re ready to deal with it.”
Gage took a step back. This command from Colton was more convenient than he’d like it to be. The edict to stay away from his mother, from his father, for a while suited him more than he’d like to admit. “You have my word on that.”
If there was one thing he was good at, it was staying away.
CHAPTER THREE
REBECCA WALKED OUT of her bedroom door and onto the deck, wrapping her fingers more tightly around her cup as she stared out at the lake. It was chilly this morning, mist hovering over the water and on her breath.
She shifted her grip on her mug, grabbing hold of the edges of her blanket and wrapping it more tightly around her as she settled into the wicker chair she had placed in just the right spot so that she could watch the sun rising higher over the mountains, illuminating the low-hanging clouds and throwing gold dust onto the lake’s surface.
She had a humble house, but there was nothing humble about the location. Nestled in the middle of the trees, way out of town, it was her own private sanctuary. She didn’t mind the rustic nature of the cabin, anyway. It was perfect for her. After working days in the store, it was important for her to have a retreat. And days off. She had finally graduated to where she could pay a couple of employees, and that meant two days off a week like a human person.
Today, she fully intended to revel in the time off. She could take her kayak out on the lake. She preferred riding to paddling, but since the shop had left her so busy for the past few years, owning a horse had been impractical.
Of course, for the past few years running a shop had not been compatible with having a life of any kind. But, things were getting better. She had leisure time today. And she felt leisurely.
She inhaled deeply, feeling the need to soak her coffee in through every sense. The warmth of the cup on her hands, the smell and the strong, bitter taste that burned all the way down.
The sound of an engine spoiled her solace. She leaned forward, pushing herself into a standing position and trumping down the side steps on her deck, rounding to the front of the house just in time to see a black truck barreling down her driveway.
Usually when someone random drove down to her house, they were just looking for a place to turn around. The road up to the lake was narrow and windy, and if you happened to miss a turnoff, finding a way to make it right was often difficult.
She felt compelled to stand there, and keep an eye on her unexpected guest.
But, the truck didn’t turn around. Instead, it stopped. And the driver killed the engine before getting out and revealing a man she herself would like to kill.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as Gage walked toward her. He was wearing the same thing he’d had on the last time she’d seen him. Cowboy hat, tight black T-shirt and snug, well-worn denim. Again, her eyes fell to the tattoo on his forearm.
Then she forced herself to look at his face. It was grim. His mouth set into a firm line, his dark brows drawn tightly together.
“I wanted to talk to you about the shop,” he said. “And to see about getting a welcome to the neighborhood.”
“It’s not really a neighborhood, per se. Mostly, you’re in my driveway, and I need you to not be in it.”
“I just bought the place across the lake.”
Rebecca was certain she blacked out. Her rage was an epic creature, rising up from the depths inside of her and threatening to consume them both. “You what?”
“It’s a coincidence that we’re so close to each other.”
“Sure it is, Edward Cullen.”
“What?”
“If you start watching me when I sleep, I’m going to shut your dick in the open window.”
“I have no interest in watching you sleep,” he said.
“Then what is this? What is all of this? If you’re interested in using me to appease your conscience, then you’re shit out of luck. Because I’m not going to provide balm for your wounded soul. I’m not going to stand here and tell you that I forgave you years ago when I didn’t. And I’m not going to suddenly grant you absolution now.”
He paused for a moment, looking past her, his eyes fixed on the lake. “That isn’t what I’m here for. I think you need a soul to be forgiven. I think you need a conscience in order to soothe it. I don’t have either. Not anymore. I’m here to make things right, though.”
“You can’t. So, you might as well stop trying.” She crossed her arms, staring him down. She didn’t owe him anything. Not reassurance, not some kind of absolution. Because, whatever he said, he must be after that.
“Let me finish what I started.”
“No problem. Right after you return full range of motion to my arm. My scar tissue is a little bit thick...makes it difficult to straighten completely.”
He didn’t flinch. And in that moment, she had to wonder if he was right. If he didn’t have a soul or conscience. But if that were the case, why was he back at all?
Of course, if he had either of those things, why had it taken him seventeen years to come back?
“You’re too proud to take help from me? Is that it?”
“Yes. I am too proud. I’m too a lot of damn things, Gage West. Everybody has monsters in their closet when they’re little. You were mine. You are the reason I was in physical therapy. The reason I endured months of recovery. The reason that I had to have more than one surgery to try and restore the skin on parts of my body.”
He tilted his head back, as though her words were physical blows. “I know.”
“And it doesn’t matter,” she continued, her voice shaking, “that it was an accident. It was an accident that could have been prevented if you would have just used a measure of common sense. If you weren’t driving too fast. If you hadn’t been horsing around with your friends, or whatever you were doing. And maybe it’s something that all teenage boys do, but when you did it, you crashed into me. And congratulations, you got to walk away. You got to walk right out of town and never look back. But I had to stay. I had to live in this body, and exist in your consequences.”
His eyes darkened, her words touching him for the first time. “You think I wasn’t affected? I changed my entire life because of that accident. You’re right. I was a spoiled, entitled, selfish ass who didn’t think of anyone but himself. I didn’t have respect for consequences. I didn’t think for one second what my behavior might do. I’ve spent every day since then thinking about it.” He looked down, brushing his fingertips over his forearm, over the dark band that was inked there. “This is a reminder.”
Rebecca was shaking. Rage all but consuming her. “That’s lovely,” she spat. “You got a tattoo. So that you would be permanently scarred by all of this too. Well, here’s a news flash for you: I didn’t get to choose a designer scar. I’m marked by it even if I don’t want to be. Even if I want to forget, I can’t. I’m so very glad that my suffering has become a monument to your change and betterment.”
“Would you prefer that I didn’t change at all?”
“I would prefer that I didn’t know a damn thing about you. I would prefer that I had no idea if you felt guilty, if you had changed or if you had drunk yourself into oblivion. Because I don’t want your life touching mine. Not again.”
If he had been human, he would have been reduced to ash by her
rant. She was breathing fire. Instead, he simply lifted a shoulder. “I can understand that. But that isn’t the way things are working out. I’m back. I’m dealing with my parents’ property, and your building happens to fall under that umbrella. This is the situation. You can self-destruct because you hate me, or you can accept my help.”
She gritted her teeth, refusing to back down. “Where’s that self-destruct button? I’ll hit it now.”
“You haven’t had any trouble spending my money for the past ten years—I don’t know why you need to stand on principle now.”
A line of frost bloomed down her spine, leaving a painful prickling sensation on her skin. “I’ve never taken anything from you. And if you’re talking about that payoff from your father—”
“I’m not. When you were eighteen you received settlement money.”
“From the insurance company. From your insurance company. That was what the letter from the lawyer said.”
“Yeah. That’s because he lied to you. I sent you the check.”
“And the adjustments after that?”
“Also from me.”
Her knees wobbled, threatening to give out beneath her. She turned sideways, leaning up against the rough-hewn side of her house, trying to keep from collapsing onto the ground. She was such an idiot. But she had no idea how insurance worked. She had no idea how any of this worked. Not beyond the way it had worked for her.
She had gotten a letter from a lawyer claiming to work for the West family, along with a check for an obscene amount of money that had allowed her to cover the start-up of her store. Those payments had given her the livelihood she had, especially in the beginning. Without it, she would have nothing.
That meant that Gage West owned her business. He owned her. In every way that mattered.
Is it any different than if it were insurance money? Isn’t it all money off of your suffering?
It felt different then. Different when it was an arbitrary sum of money that Gage had decided to bestow upon her. Different when it had seemed like an insurance company had decided it was official damages, or something to do with her hospital bills.
Why did everything always come back to him? Why was everything so tangled up in the West family so that she couldn’t escape?
