“Where?” I narrow my eyes.
He turns to look at me. “Red.”
I blink, confused even more. “When? Why?”
“It was the night we got into that big fight. The night we…” He looks over at Rylee. “It was that night.”
“You went to Red that night? You told me you went for a drive to SkyView. Why would you go to Red?”
“I don’t know. I just wanted to see how it was doing. I wanted a drink. Danny was there. I spoke with him. Maybe someone saw us. Maybe someone saw us when we first met in the basement. I had bad men come in that place. Who knows who was watching?” He rubs his forehead. “The man told me to tell Moretti to stay off his turf. I don’t know who Moretti is, but this has Danny written all over this.”
“Bryce, this is scary.”
“I know.”
“Have you spoken with him?”
He shakes his head. “I tried to call him while we were in the hospital, but no, I haven’t.”
“Call him now,” I say. “Call him and find out what the hell is going on. We may have to move away from here.” I stand up and walk to the oven to remove the pasta. I look down at it, not even really that hungry now. My thoughts are running wild. Claire’s warnings about Bryce. It makes me sick.
I have Rylee to think about now. I can’t put her in harm’s way.
“I’ll do that now,” he says, standing up and heading to the backyard.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Bryce
With my phone clutched in my hand, I walk out onto the deck and take a seat on the patio furniture. The sun is setting as a float glides across the top of the pool.
I exhale, pissed that I’m having to deal with this shit. We may have to leave everything we’ve got just to get away from this city and the men who think I’m working with Danny.
I pull out my wallet and grab the card the lawyer gave me. I never put his number in my phone. I just never did.
After I put in the number, I hit call and sit back in the chair, watching as a dragonfly buzzes above the water.
“Bryce?” Danny answers.
“Hey,” I reply.
“What’s going on?” he asks. I hear people around him, but it quiets in a matter of seconds.
“Wanna tell me why I’m sitting here with a gunshot wound, my wife is healing from a severe car wreck and stress-induced labor because someone intentionally hit my car, and then yanked me from it to tell me to tell Moretti to stay off his turf before shooting me?”
The phone line goes completely silent. I wait because I know that was a lot to digest. Hell, I’m still trying to work it out and it’s been days.
I don’t know why, but for someone reason, this motherfucker likes me. Sadly, his liking me almost got me killed.
“I’ll handle this,” he says. “Don’t worry about it.”
I chuckle. “I’m afraid I can’t not worry about it, Danny. I have a child and a wife. What the fuck is going on?”
“Remember what I told you in jail? The less you know, the better, my friend.”
“Are you running drugs out of Red?” I ask. “Is that why you bought it?”
“The less you know,” he says again. “We’ll talk soon.” With that he hangs up.
I look at my phone, and I swear I feel smoke trail from my goddamn ears. I don’t trust this will just go away. I can’t risk it.
I stand up and head inside, seeing K feeding Rylee.
“We’re going to live out at Grant Ranch. After you feed her, pack your shit and hers and we’re leaving.”
“What? We just got home.”
“Don’t start, K. Just do as I ask.” I head up the stairs and pack my own shit. I’ll sell this place and live out at the ranch permanently if that’s what it takes to keep my wife and kid safe.
I’ve fucked up.
Once again, but at least this time, I can make sure we’ll be okay. K may have to let go of Mugs & Books. We can sell it, too, and start up another bookstore somewhere else. This is just the way it has to be.
We’re caught up in some fucking gang war, and that never ends well.
_____________
An hour later, Lou has come and gone with our medication and we’ve told her we’re staying out at the ranch for a little while. It all makes sense because we could use the help with both of us being so messed up, but we’re also pretty secluded so we’ll still have our privacy.
“Yeah, Dad,” K says to Mills on the phone. “We just think it’s a good idea right now.”
“Tell your dad he can come out with us. There’s plenty of room.”
“You wanna come with? Bryce says there’s plenty of room.”
She bites her bottom lip, waiting for his response. “You wouldn’t be,” she says. “The place is huge.” She holds the phone away from her mouth. “He’s worried he’ll be intruding.”
I signal for her to give me the phone.
“Mills. Come out with us. Pops has a guest house you can crash in. It’s out by the pool. You’ll be near K and Rylee. It’s a win for us all.”
He’s quiet for a moment, and then he says, “Well, I would like that. Shoot me the address and I’ll get a bag packed.”
“Good. I’ll text it to you.” After he says his goodbyes, we pile up in the truck and head out. K calls Claire on the way, informing her that we want to stay out at the ranch for a little while.
I never told K about Claire slapping me. Turns out, Claire’s had every right to worry about K, but I’d never fucking admit that to anyone.
Danny has promised me he’d take care of this. I’m hoping he does it quickly.
After about thirty minutes on the road, I pull into a gas station to fill up and grab a snack for K. As I’m walking in, I grab my phone and call Ben.
He answers as fast as he always did.
“Boss? How are you feeling?” he asks. He and Simon came to visit us in the hospital. It was weird having a gangster hold Rylee. Simon’s older with gold chains and a belly from a shit ton of beer drinking years. He doesn’t look as scary as the stories I’ve heard about him, but still.
Knowing that a man has murdered someone with the same hands he’s holding our baby with had me a little nervous, even though I know he’s on my side. K kept giving me sideways glances as he made baby noises and grinned down at Rylee. I wanted to laugh, but I could tell she wanted to punch me.
“Ehh, it’s going. I’m taking the girls out to the ranch to stay for a while. I spoke with Danny about the accident. He said it’ll get handled,” I say, lowering my voice as I scroll through the chip aisle.
“Good,” he says.
“Yeah. So, you know anything about a man named Moretti?”
Ben clears his throat. “He’s a kingpin in Jersey. Runs drugs and a lot of other shit.”
I narrow my eyes. “The guy who shot me—he told me to tell Moretti to stay off his turf.”
“Shit,” Ben says.
“Yeah. You know what I’m thinking?”
“That Danny’s working with him and they bought Red to run drugs?” he questions.
“Bingo,” I reply. I grab a bag of Doritos and a bottle of water.
“That makes sense. Moretti must be trying to take over the southside, too,” he says.
“And because I sold my club to them, I’m caught up in this shit.” I wait a moment before I walk up to the counter.
“You’re doing the right thing. Get out to the ranch until Danny has this cleared up.”
“Will you do me a favor?”
“Anything,” he replies.
“Watch out for Mugs & Books. They might think K is there, and as much as she gets on my nerves, I’d hate for something to happen to Claire. I’ll send you a little something for your time.” I walk up to the man behind the bulletproof glass.
“You got it,” he says.
“Twenty in gas,” I tell the clerk. I look out to see what pump we’re in front of. “On four.” I go back to my conversation with Ben. “All right, Ben. I
appreciate it. Talk soon.”
“Take care,” Ben replies. I remove my phone from my chin and shoulder, sliding it into my pocket before I grab my bag and head out.
K’s looking at her phone when I get back in. “Geez, that took long enough,” she says.
“I couldn’t find your chips.”
She grabs them from me.
“You should have eaten,” I tell her.
“I wasn’t hungry.”
I roll my eyes, start the truck, and head out to the ranch, glad to get away from the city for a while. I need some fresh air and some time to fucking think.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Kathrine
Life out at Grant Ranch is calm and less chaotic. I spend the early mornings with Rylee out on the balcony porch at the farmhouse, looking out at the land as horses graze and the morning mist moves in. We quickly realized the loft ladder wasn’t going to work with her, so we removed it and Bryce and Dad built a staircase.
You can get to the balcony porch from down below on the outside or from the loft bedroom. It’s become my favorite spot, because it stretches from one end of the house to the other. Small fans rotate to keep us cool, and there’s an awning on one half to cover us from the sun. We’ve been here for a little over a month, and I love it, but I do miss Mugs & Books and my new home.
I’ve completely recovered since the accident. It no longer hurts to sit down or pick up Rylee. It’s crazy the things you take for granted like putting on pants without wincing. Bryce’s wound has healed tremendously. The surgical tape has fallen off, and he’s not wearing his shoulder sling anymore. It’s still sore, but he manages fine.
In the evenings Bryce and I let Dad or Emily and Lee watch Rylee while we go for a swim in the pool. Mills is staying in the guest house, which is close by the pool, so we keep it PG until we get back to the farmhouse, and then we let our bodies have what they want, which is each other, always each other.
Things have calmed down, and life seems to be going on track now. Claire and Austin rode out here the other day to see us, and I feel like I finally got through to her.
She sits on the porch with Rylee in her arms as Austin stands, looking out at the land. This place is a little piece of Heaven.
“So, Harlow questioned Bryce about the accident,” I say. Austin turns and looks at me, and Clair’s eyes move from Rylee to where I sit.
“When?” she asks.
“Right when we got out of the hospital. She was waiting for us.”
Austin scoffs. “She couldn’t give y’all a moment?”
“Right?” I agree.
“What happened?” Claire asks.
I exhale and shrug. “She’s investigating it. She asked him if he knew what the man looked like.” I prop my feet up on the swing. “He didn’t see his face, though. He had a mask on.”
“Did he tell you why any of this happened?” Claire asks.
Inner me rolls her eyes. “Yes, Claire. He did. He thinks it’s because of his involvement with Bones.”
She nods. “I knew it. I told you he was trouble. I told you he was mixed up in some bad shit.”
I look over at her. “Listen, you need to lay off of this. I get you’re worried, but Bryce is my husband. I picked him to share my life with, and that means for better or worse. He isn’t perfect, and neither am I. We both have a shitload of baggage, but we understand that. I love you two more than anything, but I won’t have you bashing my husband. You don’t like him? Fine. You don’t have to, but you will be polite, and you will be respectful. Don’t make me choose, Claire. We’ve been friends long enough to be family now, and I don’t want to lose you.”
She looks over at Austin who lifts his brow. They share something between them, and I’ve known them long enough to know Austin has told her that exact thing.
Her eyes go down to Rylee, and I see her inhale. She sniffs and looks back at me as she nods her head. “Okay,” she says. “He’s your husband and I will respect that. That’ll be the last time I say anything.”
“Thank you,” I say. “I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Our relationship hasn’t changed because of that. In fact, it’s stronger. Sometimes, when you spill your truth to people, it connects you on a deeper level. Claire’s my family and family will always press your buttons, but that doesn’t mean you have to let them run over you. If you can’t be real with them, then what’s the use in having them in your life to begin with?
Bryce spends most of his days working with the ranch hands and talking about the next horse race with Lee. Jace has come out and visited, and the boys take off on their dirt bikes, trailing through the woods up the mountainside.
I push off on the bench swing and curl my legs up when the door opens.
“Always up here,” Bryce says, walking out onto the porch.
“It’s our favorite spot,” I say, looking down at Rylee in her bassinet. I put the book down I’m reading as he shuts the door.
He looks from her to me, biting his bottom lip and looking drop-dead gorgeous as always. Bryce has grown leaner since we’ve been here. He lost weight while at the hospital, and he started manual labor as soon as his shoulder allowed him to. He might be a city boy on the outside, but deep in his bones hides a country boy not afraid to get his hands dirty.
I love both sides of him.
“Go somewhere with me,” he says.
I smile. “Anywhere. Where you go, I go.”
He grins. “Come on then. Lou’s here and wants to spend time with Rylee.”
I nod and stand up.
After we get Rylee settled with Lou, Bryce takes my hand and leads me to the shop.
“Grab you a helmet,” he says, sliding his riding gear up over his clothes. I’m in jeans, Vans, and a T-shirt. He tosses me a pair of riding gear, too. “This was Jace’s when he was a teenager. It should fit you.”
I look at him skeptically. “I didn’t have to wear this last time we went riding.”
“That’s because I took you through a field. This is different.”
“Different how?” I ask, growing a little nervous.
He grins. “You’ll see.”
I exhale and put the thing on. Bryce grabs the bike and slides his helmet over his head before kick-starting the bike. It roars to life, filling the shop with fumes. I get a bubbly feeling in my chest, because I love this side of Bryce, too.
The boy.
I picture him as a teenager, so young and carefree. Part of me wishes I would have known him then. I feel like I missed out. He pats the seat and I walk over, holding on to his shoulders as he steadies the bike.
“Ready?” he asks as I hold on to his waist.
“Ready,” I call back.
He nods and puts the bike in gear, and we take off.
We fly through the fields just like before, but then we hit the tree line and I prepare for the scariest ride ever.
We climb over branches and maneuver in and out of tree lines. I hold on for dear life, and I even have to get off when we get to the steepest part of the mountain. I’m in awe of Bryce as he easily operates the bike. I have to hold on to small trees to get myself up the mountain, and by the time we reach the top, I feel like I’ve worked out.
But then, my eyes feast on the view before me and it takes my breath. The mountain breeze slides its fingers through my hair, and I unzip the suit so it’ll cool the rest of my body.
Bryce shuts the bike off as we both remove our helmets. There’s a bench and nothing but valleys and mountains before us. No wonder the boys come up here every time they can.
This is heavenly.
Bryce has his hands on his hips when I look over at him and he’s smiling.
“Worth it, right?” he says to me.
“Yeah,” I agree, looking back out. “It’s absolutely worth it.”
We both take a seat and look out in wonder. We don’t speak, just stare. I move a little closer to my husband and lay my head on his shoulder. He grabs my
hand and we spend the afternoon on a bench in riding gear on top of a mountain, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Bryce
Every day at the ranch is filled with honest work and family. It reminds me of growing up, and I find myself wondering why I ever wanted to leave this place.
I remember the day that I asked Pops for the loan to buy Red. He didn’t say yes right away. It took time and some serious convincing. But when he finally did, he knew he’d done more than loan his son cash so I could start my own business.
He’d given me a sort of freedom that I’d always wanted.
Freedom from judgment and having to take care of my brother.
I love Jace, but it wasn’t easy being his caretaker for so many years. It was time for me to be on my own and worry about no one but myself.
Sadly, my brother didn’t see things the way I did, and to fight back, he joined the Army and left us all.
That was a tough time, and it was disheartening when he got dishonorably discharged.
My brother and I have an unspoken agreement now. We don’t talk about his personal life, and it’s fucking sad it’s come to this. He visits to see Rylee and we talk like everything’s fine, but we both know there’s a storm brewing and one day it’s going to hit land and drown us.
Until then, we’ll carry on the way we are.
Ignoring it.
Rylee has grown so much in just over a month. She’s got curious eyes and the sweetest face. I adore her with everything I am.
K has been amazing during all of this. She healed up great from the accident and proves that just because you had shitty parents it doesn’t mean you have to be one.
She’s the best mom I’ve ever witnessed. The way she cares for Rylee comes so naturally. She overfills my heart, and I find myself watching the two together shamelessly all the time.
We love it out here and we’ve grown so close as a family, but I know she’s getting anxious to get back home. Back into her return with Mugs & Books and back to seeing Claire and Austin more.
Give Me Forever Love (Give Me Series Book 3) Page 19
