by Piper Stone
I enjoyed the ride, a slice of freedom from the worry and guilt that had plagued me. Maybe this was God’s country, a place where souls could find salvation. As the ride continued, I attempted to clear my mind, although thoughts regarding Caroline continued to demand attention. She was one damn handful, the kind of woman who needed to be tamed over time. She certainly needed discipline. I couldn’t help but grin at the thought.
As if she’d surrender to me on a permanent basis.
I enjoyed the remainder of the ride, wanting nothing more than for Caroline to have been by my side. While there was no sign of visitors as I rounded the land bend, the house and corral coming into view, I remained cautious. There’d been no other outward threats, but I knew it was only a matter of time. The phone call from the sheriff’s office had told me what I already knew. They hadn’t found much to go on.
After securing Bella in her stall, I remained in the barn, making certain the other horses had fresh hay and water. I’d either be forced to hire someone to help with the care and maintenance of the animals or get into a better routine.
That is, if I did intend to stay.
I still wasn’t certain what I wanted to do. Maybe it all depended on the reason for the attacks. When I walked toward the house, I was surprised I felt the need to talk to my father. Why did his opinion regarding the bar matter in the least? Maybe he had answers as to Jasper’s reasons for leaving his entire worth to someone he barely knew.
As I walked toward the house, I pulled out my phone, remaining on the porch as I dialed the number.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Cooper. I was curious when I’d hear from you. Where are you?” my father asked. Joe McKenzie had shifted his medical practice to Seattle. While I’d seen pictures of his new girlfriend, I’d spent little time talking to him on the phone. We simply had never been very close.
I almost corrected him regarding my name then knew it wouldn’t do any good. My father had refused to accept I’d entered into the military instead of following in his footsteps in becoming a doctor. “I’m in Montana.” I could hear my father’s surprise even over the phone lines.
“Why?”
It was funny how there’d been a slight hesitation in his short question, as if he already knew I was here. “Because of Jasper’s will.”
“I don’t understand.”
“He left me his ranch as well as the bar he owned. What I want to know is why.”
“How would I know?” he murmured, laughing nervously afterwards. “You know that Jasper and I hadn’t talked in years.”
“But you knew he was dying.”
The glitch in my father’s voice was telling. “I heard.”
I gripped the railing, trying to make sense of what could have occurred to keep them apart for so many years. I was determined to find out why. “You need to tell me the truth, Pops. Why did you cast Jasper out of your life?”
The hesitation was enough to put me on edge.
“Why?” I demanded.
“Because your uncle wasn’t a good man. He was in prison, for God’s sake.”
The news wasn’t shocking. In fact, I couldn’t care less. “Why would that matter?”
“It does. All right? Why rehash the past, son? He’s dead. The reason he placed you in his will is likely because of guilt. And he should have felt guilty! He didn’t give a shit about anyone but himself.”
“I’m not certain that’s entirely true. You were the one who forbid him from coming around the family. Hell, he wasn’t even given a percentage of the ranch you sold without asking if he wanted to consider buying it from you.” Maybe I was too bitter to hold this conversation right now. While every family held secrets, ours had driven me away in the first place.
“You know I had to, son,” my father said after taking several deep breaths.
“Yeah, the divorce. I get it. What did he do that was so fucking horrible you couldn’t forgive your own brother?”
“Why do you need to know?”
“Just answer the question.”
“That’s the past, son. Everything that occurred with Jasper died with him. Just keep it that way.”
There was minimal conversation after my father’s refusal to tell me the truth. After the call ended, I was just as hollow inside as the day I’d left for bootcamp. Neither one of my parents had bothered to see me off, my father’s last words more conceited than anything else.
“Don’t get yourself killed, son. That would devastate your mother.”
Not him. My father couldn’t have cared less whether I’d died on a battlefield. The realization was just as biting as it had been growing up. I could only imagine what his new place looked like. If I had to guess, I’d say he was doing well for himself, his new girlfriend little older than I was.
The last of the afternoon sun was setting, already creating shadows.
Shoving my hands into my pockets, I walked back into the house and into the kitchen, glancing down at the spiralbound notebook. A part of me didn’t want to look at the damn thing, yet I felt compelled. I eased down into the chair, fingering the cover as well as noticing the date. The final copy had been prepared only four days before Jasper’s death. The irony stuck in my craw.
After a few seconds, I flipped open the inch-thick booklet, instantly smiling. Whoever the designer was had captured the bar’s rowdy essence while altering both the interior and the exterior, including a series of decks and closed-in patios. I found myself flipping through page after page, floored at the detail. Jasper must have paid a fortune to have the design prepared.
At least I knew Jasper had been serious about his plans. Maybe his call to the promotion firm was also legitimate. Sadly, there were far too many things that continued to nag at my gut. And my instincts were never wrong. I shoved the designs aside, slowly closing the flap. Maybe I wasn’t in the mood to think about the future.
Exhaling, I tugged the piece of paper from my pocket, studying the address. I’d found the cousin’s location easily after learning her last name.
A name I remembered.
A girl from my past.
A link to the present.
And only adding to the mystery as well as the number of questions I had. This was some kind of vicious game that I’d been shoved into the middle of, only more of the players had just been revealed, increasing my level of anger.
It was time to get some answers.
Nobody played me.
* * *
I shoved the door against the threshold, stepping just inside. The door would not be closed on me. Not now. Not ever again.
“Scorpion.” Caroline’s entire body was tense, but she refused to back down. “What’s wrong? Please tell me you’re okay.”
“Oh, I’m fine, but I think you know exactly what’s wrong.” Grabbing her arm, I pushed my way inside, kicking the door shut behind me then crowding her space.
Her eyes remained fiery as she glared up at me. “Why don’t you tell me, Scorpion.”
I continued walking until I’d pushed her up against a wall. Damn if her scent wasn’t more provocative than before, my longing for her immediate, my cock throbbing. She didn’t try to pull away, she simply refused to blink as she stared up at me.
“Where’s Brandy?” I demanded.
“She’s not here. She’s... working late.”
“Uh-huh. Then why don’t we start with telling me where the hell the file you took from the bar is?” I growled, lowering my head until I could almost taste the sweetness of her lips.
She finally placed her palms against my chest, digging her fingers into my shirt. “Yes, I took it.”
“Why? And maybe while you’re at it, you can also tell me who you really are.”
Caroline faltered slightly, the shimmer in her eyes dimming. “You know exactly who I am.”
“Do I really? Did you just conveniently forget to tell me your cousin’s last name? You see, I know a Brandy Alexander from a hell of a long time ago. But I think you already k
new that, didn’t you? What did the two of you do, concoct some story regarding Jasper and the bar? What are you getting out of it?”
She kept her eyes locked on mine, the same rebellious attitude that had drawn me to her in the first place. “You’re right. I did take the file, but I only did so because you deserve answers. Brandy finally told me that you two shared a past. I didn’t know that before I agreed to come here.”
“You’re damn right I deserve answers and it’s time I get them.” I slammed my hand against the wall, leaning even closer. The second she tried to shove me away, I snagged her hand, fisting it in mine. “You’re not getting away from me, sweetheart. Where did you take the file?”
“To Brandy at her office. I already told you she’s an attorney. I figured she might be able to provide answers.”
“Why would she do that?”
“I...”
Our lips now dangerously close, her breathing was just as ragged as mine. I wanted nothing more than to devour her.
Somehow, she managed to give me a hard enough shove with her other hand that it broke the connection. She slipped out of my hold, taking several long strides away. “I don’t know how much I can tell you.”
“You better tell me everything.”
Shaking her head, she seemed exasperated. “Jasper had her draft a new will and some other agreement.”
“What?”
“It’s true, although she refused to tell me what either one of them says. They haven’t been executed.”
I shifted into the living room, uncertain of what to make of her statements. “Why would my uncle do that?”
“From what I gathered in my conversation with Brandy, Jasper wanted you to stay in Montana. I think the new will had incentives based on his other businesses.”
“Other businesses?” I began to understand what she was getting at. “The holding company.”
She nodded. “Although Brandy isn’t certain, that’s her guess. He also had land, quite a bit of it. That’s all she would tell me, but before I left, she was deeply disturbed about something. I was hoping she’d be home by now so she could tell me if she found out anything.”
“And when were you planning on talking to me?”
“When I knew something concrete. I know you don’t believe me, but I do care about you. Yes, Brandy did circumvent a portion of the situation by convincing my father I should come here, likely to entice you into staying.” She finally turned around to face me. “Another question she didn’t seem to want to answer but for some crazy reason, I think she believed that I would be good for you.”
I had no idea what to say. Even the memories from years before seemed blurred, as if I’d lived someone else’s life instead of my own. “Why was it important for her?”
“Because of Jasper’s request. And because of the posse.”
“The posse?” I laughed. “We were kids. This is something else entirely.”
“While that may be the case, this posse had a profound effect on you as well every other one of your friends, including Brandy. The reason Brandy wants you to be happy is because she’s in love with you.”
Chapter Thirteen
Caroline
Love.
I’d seen it in Brandy’s eyes when she talked about Scorpion. I’d also heard it in the fear in her voice, the anxiety from taking a quick glance at the agreement. As soon as Scorpion had walked by, she’d ushered me out of her office and the building quickly without divulging anything else. While she’d assured me that we would talk, she hadn’t indicated when.
I’d seen the hurt in Scorpion’s eyes, as if I’d betrayed him. I had no idea what to think. Scorpion had said almost nothing after insisting that we go out for a drink, refusing to take no for an answer. What I also didn’t know is how he felt about Brandy. Maybe she’d broken his heart. Maybe he’d left her waiting in the wings as Brandy had mentioned. Either way, I refused to get in the middle of whatever was between them. That wasn’t going to happen, no matter how much I cared about him.
No matter how much it broke my heart.
We sat in the darkened bar, his eyes planted on the lone television set in the small joint. While there were only a handful of other customers, he’d purposely chosen a table in the far corner.
And he still wasn’t talking.
The same brooding cowboy soldier that I’d met. All brawn and heart without an understanding of what to do with it.
“You were right,” he said out of the blue.
“With what?” A tremor skipped into my heart.
He smiled although his attention was still on the damn television. “Designs. I found the designs for the renovation in the attic. They are... amazing, although expensive. I brought them with me for you to take a look at.”
“Maybe the new will leaves you with more of an inheritance.”
“I don’t know if I care about that. But I do care about the bar, although I still am uncertain what to do.”
“You follow your heart.” Elated, I could barely keep the joy out of my voice.
Another awkward silence settled in.
“She was like our little sister,” he stated in a hushed voice.
“What? Who?”
He narrowed his eyes, giving me a wry smile. “Brandy. We were such stupid kids, thinking we could use our muscles to push our way into or out of any situation. We also thought we were kings of the mountains. Real bad asses. That attracted a few of the girls, including Brandy. What I remember about her was that she was the good girl. Straight A student from a wealthy family. You know the kind. Mommy and Daddy gave her a car at sixteen. The finest clothes. However, she was pushy as hell, refusing to be shoved aside.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “The time she spent with you affected her more than you know.”
“Yeah, well, it did for all of us.” He took a gulp of his drink, finally looking me in the eyes. “She wasn’t in love with me, Caroline. She was in love with Snake.”
“What?” Now I realized the reason for his reaction, as well as why Jasper’s request was so important to her. Scorpion was her hold onto memories from the past.
He nodded, his eyes glassing over. “I honestly thought they’d get married. She even skipped her first year of college, which didn’t make her father the judge very happy. That’s when he came down hard on all of us. And trust me, we were heading down that bad path, especially Snake. He was trying so hard to provide for his parents that he came close to breaking the law. I think every single one of us in the posse appeared in Judge Alexander’s courtroom at least once.”
Chuckling, he lifted his glass as if in reverence.
“Why didn’t she tell me?” I asked absently. Because we didn’t know each other. We’d grown up thousands of miles from each other.
“I can only venture a thought, but my guess is she didn’t want to betray Snake’s memory or maybe it was too painful. They were very much in love. When he finally left for bootcamp, they were both devastated. While Snake never told me the truth, I always had the feeling that her father gave him an ultimatum. Maybe if he’d come home safe...”
His eyes glistening, he took another gulp.
Reaching out, I gripped his hand, refusing to let him to pull away. “He’s always going to be in your heart, Scorpion. You have to let go of the guilt.”
“If only I could.” He took several sips, signaling the bartender to provide another round. I was surprised when he began to talk, his words so hushed that I was forced to lean forward.
“We’d been stationed in this shithole for sixteen fucking months. Sixteen. As contractors, we provided intel and strategic planning, rarely seeing the front line. Unfortunately, we were tossed right in the middle of it. An Afghan informant provided some intel that our team believed was true. Hawk was the leader and he did everything he could to confirm it. We learned a group of Afghan soldiers was holding prisoners while they prepared for an attack on our compound. In addition, it was believed they were going to annihilate a small tow
n full of women and children because of misinformation that they helped the Americans. That was horseshit.”
I squeezed his hand, my heart racing.
“Under Hawk’s orders we went in. We were all incensed, fucking pissed off, especially Snake. He was a lone wolf, furious about the shit we’d heard. The strike was decent, but we hadn’t counted on the number of soldiers who’d been prepared for our attack. The damn informant was a traitor. Snake ventured too far against Hawk’s direct order. Within minutes we were attacked. The majority of soldiers got out safely, but Snake hadn’t returned from driving straight into the heart of them. I refused to leave his side. I have no idea how many of the fuckers we killed, but I... I faltered. Froze. He thought I had his back.” He looked away, closing his eyes, his entire body shaking. “I fucking froze.”
“I’m so sorry.”
He took my hand, pulling it to his mouth. “Snake disappeared into the smoke while I was dragged back toward the helicopter. Hawk waited, trying to keep the assholes at bay, but another group was getting too close. He had a decision to make. Leave Snake behind and get the rest of his men to safety or remain and either get all of us killed or captured. To this day, Hawk blames himself.”
“There’s no one to blame. You were at war. You’re all heroes,” I managed, trying desperately to find the right words.
“I’m no hero, Caroline. Don’t you see? I’m nothing but a horrible bastard.”
“Stop it. You’re an amazing man, someone with a heart as big as the entire state of Montana. That much I’ve seen. And you care about your friends. I could tell by meeting Hawk and Mustang. Every one of you would die for the other. Snake knew that. Stop blaming yourself.”
“But I am the person to blame,” he said as he leaned closer. “I’m the reason Snake was captured. I’m the reason that he was treated like an animal, beaten for days, tossed into a horrible prison camp. I’m the reason he was burned alive. I’m the reason Snake is buried in the damn cemetery near the ranch. He’s dead. My friend is dead because of me.”
