"Don't start anything while you're out there, please," I told Ryan. He was going out with my brother and father to confront the Morrows.
"I will, baby," he said as he strapped on his Kevlar Livestock agent vest. "It's just a show of force."
"You sure that's all it's gonna be?" I eyed him, "That's a lot of protection you got on, cowboy."
"Don't worry about me," he pressed a quick kiss to my cheek, "Now you go have fun with your friends."
"Yes, sir," I gave him a wink and headed out to the truck. Lloyd and Jimmy had loaded up our horses in the trailer. I was riding out with Mia and Laramie to the fairgrounds to practice barrels. Girls' Day is what Laramie called it, but with Lloyd and Jimmy tagging along to help with our gear.
"You know I don't run barrels, right?" I cocked my head at the arena.
"Oh, I know. You're way too disciplined for barrel racing," Laramie teased with a smirk. "That's why Mia and I will show you what we got first," she motioned between the two of them, "then you can show us what you've been working on."
The truth was, I hadn't been working on much—just running the same routines from my last few shows. I hadn't competed, so I hadn't pushed myself.
And maybe that was the problem.
"I saw this trick rider last week jump through fire," Mia said. "You ever do anything like that?"
"No," I said, shaking my head. I'd seen girls on the circuit pull off stunts like that. "Too dangerous."
Even as I said it, I felt a flicker of something—was it doubt? Or the itch to prove to myself that I still had more in me?
I watched as the two cut around the barrel like they were walking. Leaning against the gate, with Denim's reins in my hands. He shifted beside me, like he thought he had something to prove too.
"Alright, alright," I muttered to him.
"Will you toss me a water, babe?" Laramie said sweetly to Lloyd. Who obediently grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler and tossed it to her.
"Two dances," Lloyd grumbled, "and here I am saddling their horses, sitting in the bleachers watching 'em."
"Y'all didn't.. Uh…?" Jimmy asked, I cocked my head to hear the answer to that question.
"Of course not, she ain't even 25 years old," Lloyd answered. I was relieved to hear the answer.
"Thank God," I muttered.
I sucked in a breath and lead Denium into the arena. My heart thumped wildly in my chest. I double-checked his cinching and straps. "Alright, buddy. You ready for this?" I slipped my leg into the strap and hung onto the pummel as he started to gallop around the arena. Everything outside of the thumping of his hooves on the dirt faded away. I laid across his back lifting myself up into a handstand before seating myself in the saddle.
The more I moved, the more I felt like me again. Every trick flowed effortlessly, each motion instinctual, Denim responding to my cues without hesitation. No fire, no gimmicks—just skill, just trust. Who needed flash when you had talent?
As I slowed Denim to a trot, Laramie leaned against the fence, arms crossed and a knowing smile on her face.
"Felt good, didn't it?" she asked.
I exhaled, patting Denim's neck. "Yeah, it did."
"You gotta get back out there, Alex." Her tone wasn't pushy, just honest.
"Maybe," I said, but the word felt hollow.
I thought about Ryan, about what we had built since I came back. The quiet mornings, the shared laughter, the kind of love that had settled deep in my bones. Things changed the last time I was on the road—distance had a way of unraveling even the strongest ties. But now, we were stronger. More committed.
Still… could what we had survive if I left again?
My phone rang pulling me from my doubts. Kayce.
"Commissioner Dutton," I smirked as I answered the phone, "How can I help you?"
"You busy," Kayce's voice was serious. He'd been far too serious lately.
"What do you need?" I asked sincerely.
"Can you meet me at the reservation?" he asked, "There's a missing girl."
"I'm on my way," I told him. I looked over at Lloyd, "Can you make sure Denim gets settled in the barn for me? I gotta help my brother."
"Everything alright?" he asked.
"I hope it will be," I responded.
"I'll take care of him, for you, darlin'," he replied.
Lloyd's reassurance was enough for me to swing down off Denim without hesitation. I handed him the reins, giving my horse a quick pat before heading for my truck.
"Be careful," Laramie called after me, her tone less playful now.
"I always am," I threw back, though we both knew that wasn't exactly true.
Sliding behind the wheel, I wasted no time peeling out of the lot, dust kicking up behind me.
Kayce wouldn't call me for something like this unless it was serious. And if a girl had gone missing on the reservation, I knew exactly what kind of trouble we might be walking into.
I pressed harder on the gas.
I just hoped we weren't already too late.
I pulled the truck to a stop. A sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Kayce, Ryan, and Agent Hendon were leading horses from a trailer.
"I saddled one up for you," Ryan handed me the reins.
"Thanks, how did everything go this morning?" I asked.
"It went better than expected," he responded.
"That's good thinking," the reservation police officer told Kayce.
"Miss Dutton," the Chairman of Broken Rock Reservation said to me, "Wish we were meeting on different circumstances. But I appreciate you're coming out to help."
This man was supposed to be my father's enemy. But after everything that had happened over the last few years. Their feud seemed slight.
"Yeah, me too," I told him. "Wish there was more that I could do."
"It all helps," he responded.
We gathered around the officer as he called out, "Alright, listen up! Everybody stays ten feet apart. Don't just look for Sila," he put a name to the missing girl's face, "you look for clothes, footprints, a set of keys, anything. If you find something, do not touch it. Just raise your hand and shout 'Hey!' and one of the officers will come to you. Alright, let's go."
I climbed on the back of my horse, silently scanning the ground looking for any sign of the missing girl. I lost track of the miles we rode, not finding anything. My heart sank when I saw the coyote in the distance.
My stomach twisted as I nudged my horse forward, my throat dry. The coyote stood motionless for a moment, watching us approach before slinking back into the brush.
Ryan must have seen it too because he turned in his saddle, calling out, "Kayce!"
Kayce was already headed in our direction, his expression grim. I swallowed hard and swung down from my horse, boots hitting the dirt with a dull thud.
"Over here!" I shouted, just like the officer had instructed.
The others closed in, but I didn't move. My eyes locked on the patch of disturbed earth near where the coyote had been. Pieces of fabric, dirty and torn, peeked out from beneath the brush.
I clenched my jaw.
I'd been hoping we'd find signs she was still alive.
Instead, we'd found proof she wasn't.
"Tell them to stay back," Chairman Rainwater said, his voice heavy with sorrow as he addressed the officer. "The scene is yours, Ben. Let's go tell her mother."
The weight of it settled deep in my chest, sharper than I expected. If my father weren't an important, wealthy white man, that could have been me.
—-
I sat next to Ryan on his bunk, the glow of the old TV flickering across the room as Guy on a Buffalo played. After the kind of day we'd had, we needed something light and ridiculous. And this? This was peak ridiculous.
"This is the stupidest thing I've ever seen in my life," Jimmy chuckled, pointing at the screen as the man on the buffalo clumsily maneuvered through the wilderness.
"You've done a lot of stupid things, Jimmy," I teased, laughing at both him and the absurdity of the show. "I find that hard to believe."
"It's so good," Ryan added, grinning.
"You just don't appreciate quality filmmaking," Colby chimed in, his arms crossed like he was defending some kind of cinematic masterpiece.
Teeter leaned forward, eyes fixed on the screen with a lopsided grin. "I feel like he kinda looks like some kinda sexy Jesus on that buffalo, ridin' off into the sunset."
Colby shot her a look. "No one understands what you're saying."
"You understand what I'm saying, baby," she fired back with a playful wink.
"How is he even staying on that thing?" Jimmy asked, eyes squinting at the screen like the answer might reveal itself.
"Well, he can't buck," Lloyd answered, his arm casually slung around Laramie's shoulders.
"Really?" I turned to him, genuinely curious.
"They can't buck, and they can't rear up," he continued. "But they can roll over on your ass."
"I need this whole dynamic explained to me," Ryan said, glancing between Lloyd and Laramie like he had walked into the middle of an unsolvable mystery.
"Well, when two people like each other very much—" I started, smirking.
"It must be the wobble of the earth," Colby cut me off, deadpan. "Creating a magnetic shift—"
"Hey, this is where he gets shot," Lloyd interrupted, nodding toward the screen.
"Hey, look out!" Jimmy shouted at the TV, like the guy had any chance of hearing him.
Teeter suddenly perked up, pointing at the screen. "Hey, we outta ride them buffalo out there on that field."
"What field?" Laramie asked.
"Out back, behind the corral," Teeter said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Where are your corrals?" Laramie asked, clearly trying to make sense of the sudden buffalo discourse.
"There's thirty or so back there," I added, earning a confused look from Ryan.
"Whoa, she speaks and they understand her?" he motioned between me and Teeter like we were speaking some ancient dialect. "How is that even possible?"
Mia let out a laugh.
"It's the wobble of the earth, I'm telling you," Colby repeated, shaking his head like we were all fools for doubting him.
"Girl brains work on their own frequency," I said, throwing Ryan a smirk. "Don't try to understand it."
"Wait—what buffalo?" Lloyd asked, his brow furrowing.
"The resort put 'em out there," Ryan explained. "And they got this mean old bastard watching them." He glanced at me. "What was his name, baby?"
"Wade Morrow," I said, watching as Lloyd's expression shifted the second he heard it.
"Yeah, they're his buffalo," Colby confirmed.
A beat of silence passed before Lloyd suddenly grinned. "Who feels like ridin' a buffalo?"
"Not me," Ryan answered instantly.
I quirked a brow at him. "Where's your sense of adventure, cowboy?"
"I would, but—" Jimmy gestured to his neck brace. "Doctors say I gotta take it easy."
"I'm not supposed to drink and ride buffalo," Colby added with a solemn nod. "It's a whole thing."
"Fuck it, I'll ride the buffalo," Teeter declared, standing up like she was preparing for battle.
"We'll ride the buffalo, and you ladies can watch," I said, already grabbing my jacket.
"This is gonna be fun," Mia grinned, standing with me.
"Wait—this is happening?" Colby scrambled off his bunk, looking mildly panicked.
"Looks like it," Ryan smirked, shaking his head.
And just like that, our night took a sharp left turn—from watching a guy on a buffalo to actually riding one.
"I've done some dumb shit in my life," Colby muttered as he climbed down off his bunk, trailing behind us.
"This is gonna be dumber," Ryan shot back, shaking his head.
I glanced at Lloyd, the self-appointed expert in this madness. "Alright, so what's the best way to do this?"
"Well, you can't rope 'em by the neck—you'll crush their larynx," Lloyd explained like this was common knowledge. "Gotta rope 'em by the horns."
"And then what?" Ryan asked, already regretting being here.
"Then you pull 'em to a stop, jump on, and off you go," Lloyd said like it was as simple as saddling a horse.
"I'm just here to watch," Ryan clarified.
"Alex, you go first," Laramie turned to me, daring me to back down.
"Fuck it," I shrugged, grinning. "Somebody catch me a buffalo."
Mia and Laramie burst out laughing.
"We can't be sober for this," Colby declared, taking a swig from his flask.
"Shit, what a baby bunch," Teeter snorted.
And with that, we took off into the field, swinging lassos like we had a clue what we were doing. It was chaos—buffalo snorting, horses dancing beneath us, and us hollering like idiots.
Ethan and Teeter were the first to pull one to a stop. The massive beast huffed, nostrils flaring, but it didn't bolt. I didn't give myself time to hesitate—I hopped off my horse and ran straight for it.
The buffalo lowered its head, almost like it was inviting me on.
So I climbed on.
For a split second, I felt like a damn legend. Then it took off, jolting beneath me as it tried to shake me loose. I gripped tight, laughing wildly as it darted, twisted, and finally—finally—sent me flying into the dirt.
I hit the ground hard, but I was still laughing.
"You alright, baby?" Ryan called, already making his way toward me.
"That was awesome," I grinned, brushing dirt off my jeans as I got to my feet. "Who's next?"
"Atta girl," Lloyd chuckled, shaking his head like he'd seen it all before.
"Fuck me, baby," Teeter whooped, already swinging her lasso as we galloped back into the field, hungry for round two.
The night was young, and so were we—stupid, reckless, and absolutely loving every second of it.
—-
"I cannot believe you did that," Ryan chuckled as we walked back into the bunkhouse. He handed me a beer before sitting on the edge of his bunk.
"I'm full of surprises, cowboy," I smirked as I straddled his hips.
"Watch your head, baby," he laid back so I wouldn't wack my head on the top bunk.
"Wouldn't have to worry about my head if you'd come back with me," I nodded toward the house.
Ryan smirked, his hands settling on my hips. "Tempting, but I like it right here."
I let out a soft hum, running my fingers through his hair. "Guess I'll just have to convince you."
"Oh yeah?" His grip tightened, eyes dark with amusement. "And how do you plan on doing that, little troublemaker?"
I leaned down, my lips brushing against his. "You'll see."
I rolled my hips slowly grinding into him. He smirked pressing up into me, "I'm not quite convinced."
I leaned down trailing kisses along his jaw, "If we were in my bed I could ride you like I want to."
Ryan let out a low chuckle, his hands sliding up my back. "That so?"
I nipped at his earlobe before whispering, "Mhm. And you wouldn't have to worry about keeping quiet either."
His grip on me tightened, a quiet groan rumbling in his chest. "Damn, baby," he muttered, shifting beneath me. "You drive a hard bargain."
I smiled against his skin. "So, are you convinced yet?"
Ryan exhaled sharply, his fingers digging into my hips. "Hell yeah," he rasped, "Let's get the hell outta here."
"Where are you sneaking off to?" Laramie cocked a brow, her lips curling into a knowing smirk.
"Gonna take my chances riding a cowboy," I shot back, tugging Ryan by the hand.
"Save a horse, right?" She giggled.
"Something like that," I tossed her a wink over my shoulder. "Don't wait up."
Ryan let out a low chuckle, his grip tightening around my fingers as we stepped out of the bunkhouse. The night air was crisp, a sharp contrast to the heat simmering between us. I wasted no time slipping my arms around his neck, pulling him down to me. My lips met his in a kiss that was anything but gentle—hard, hungry, and full of everything I wanted to do to him.
His hands gripped my waist tight, pressing me flush against him as he deepened the kiss, his body firm against mine. By the time I pulled back, I was breathless, my heart hammering.
"You ready?" I murmured, my fingers fisting the fabric of his shirt.
Ryan's smirk was downright sinful. "Lead the way, baby," he drawled, then narrowed his eyes playfully. "How drunk are you?"
"Only a little," I admitted, giggling as I stumbled slightly. "But I'd want to fuck you stone sober."
His thumb brushed my cheek, his expression softening for just a second. "Good," he murmured, his voice low and full of promise.
As soon as we stepped inside, he spun me around, pressing me against the door. His hands roamed my sides, his lips dancing just beneath my ear. "Still sure about this, baby?" he asked, his voice low and teasing.
I tangled my fingers in his shirt, pulling him closer. "More than sure," I whispered. "Now quit talkin' and kiss me."
"So bossy when you're drunk," Ryan murmured against my neck, his lips trailing warmth along my skin. His smirk was damn near smug as he hooked an arm beneath my knees and lifted me effortlessly into his arms.
I bit my lip to stifle a giggle, the weightlessness making my head spin. The last thing I wanted was to wake my brothers—or my sister.
Ryan carried me through the quiet house with steady, purposeful strides, shifting me slightly as he reached my bedroom door. He nudged it open with his shoulder, stepping inside before easing me down onto my feet. The door clicked shut behind him, the room swallowed in shadows and the soft glow of the moon spilling through the window.
My fingers found the hem of his shirt, tugging it free from where it was tucked into his jeans. His breath hitched, just a fraction, as I worked the buttons with practiced ease.
"You in a hurry, baby?" he teased, his hands skimming down my sides.
"Just evening the score," I murmured, my lips brushing his jaw. "You got me all flustered downstairs."
His low chuckle sent a shiver down my spine. "Oh sweetheart," he drawled, his hands slipping beneath my shirt, fingertips teasing bare skin, "you haven't seen flustered yet."
I pressed my lips to his shoulder, trailing soft kisses across his warm skin as I pushed his shirt down his arms, letting it slip to the floor. The heat of him, the steady rise and fall of his breath, sent a rush of anticipation through me.
Ryan's fingers worked the buttons of my top, his touch both eager and unhurried. The fabric parted, his hands sliding beneath it, mapping familiar territory.
I grabbed him by the belt, giving a playful tug as I stepped backward toward the bed. His smirk deepened, but he let me lead, his hands settling on my hips as he followed.
"Still bossy," he murmured, amusement laced in his voice.
I smirked right back, pulling him even closer. "And you love it."
"You know I do, baby," his eyes darkened as he watched me undo my belt, pop the button on my jeans and slid them down my thighs. Trying to keep from falling as I toed off my boots.
Ryan chuckled, his hands settling on my hips to steady me as I kicked off my jeans. His gaze was heavy, lingering on every inch of newly exposed skin.
"You're impatient tonight," he teased, his voice low and rough.
I smirked, reaching behind me to unhook my bra, letting it slide from my shoulders. His eyes darkened further, hunger flashing across his face.
"You still have these on," I grumbled, tugging at the waist of his pants.
He caught my hands, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to my knuckles before letting them go. "Then why don't you do something about it?"
I pulled at his belt, yanking it free of his jeans before tugging at the button, I lowered his zipper agonizingly slow. My eyes locked on his as I pushed them down his hips. He shook his head and kicked off his boots stepping the rest of the way out of his pants.
"Much better," my arms found their way around his neck again, my lips pressed against his as I turned us, then pushed him backward onto the bed.
Ryan landed on the mattress with a low chuckle, his hands immediately reaching for me as I climbed onto his lap. His fingers traced slow, lazy circles over my bare thighs, but his eyes were anything but lazy—dark, intense, burning with something that sent a shiver down my spine.
"You got me right where you want me, huh?" he murmured, his smirk teasing.
"Damn right I do," I breathed, rolling my hips just enough to feel the way his breath hitched.
I tilted my head back and closed my eyes as I rolled my hips again, his length gliding over my clit with each movement. I let out a groan as I teased myself with him.
Ryan let out a low curse, his grip on my hips tightening as I kept up the slow, teasing rhythm. His breath was ragged, his restraint hanging by a thread.
"You're killing me, baby," he groaned, his fingers digging in just enough to make me shiver.
I smirked, eyes still closed as I lost myself in the friction, the heat building between us. "I thought you liked a little torture."
He exhaled a sharp breath. "Not when it's me suffering."
I opened my eyes, locking onto his dark, hungry gaze. A smirk tugged at my lips as I leaned forward, my hair falling around us like a curtain.
"Don't worry, cowboy," I murmured, voice laced with promise. "I know how to make you feel better."
My hand slid between us, fingers wrapping around his throbbing length. I teased the tip with featherlight strokes, feeling him twitch beneath my touch. His breath hitched, his grip tightening on my hips as I lifted myself just enough to position him at my entrance.
Slowly, I sank down, inch by inch, until he filled me completely. A deep moan escaped my lips, my body shuddering at the delicious stretch. His hands flexed against my hips, fingertips pressing into my skin as I settled over him.
"Fuck," he rasped, his voice thick with need.
I rolled my hips, savoring the friction, the way his breath stuttered beneath me. Every slow, deliberate movement sent a shiver through me, building heat between us. I braced my hands on his chest, nails grazing his skin as I found my rhythm, teasing us both with the steady, intoxicating pace.
My hips rolled, and a shudder ran through me as my walls tightened around him, the pleasure coiling tighter with every movement. His grip on my hips turned bruising, his restraint unraveling as he thrust up into me, deeper, harder—hitting that perfect spot that sent my body spiraling.
A sharp cry left my lips as the tension snapped, waves of pleasure crashing through me. My fingers dug into his chest, my body trembling as I rode out the high, gasping his name like a prayer.
Ryan rolled me onto my back, his body pressing firmly against mine as the aftershocks of my release still rippled through me. His breath was hot against my neck, his movements desperate, hungry—driving into me with a force that stole what little breath I had left.
My nails raked down his back, leaving faint trails along his skin as he pushed me toward the edge again, my body responding instantly to the relentless pace. His rhythm faltered, a strangled groan escaping his lips as he buried himself deep one final time, his release spilling into me.
For a moment, neither of us moved, our bodies tangled, hearts hammering in sync. His breath was ragged against my skin, his grip on me unyielding, as if letting go wasn't an option.
—-
I was still asleep when Ryan slipped out of my bed. I clung to the warmth of his side of the bed for an hour or so longer before I finally got up. I showered and looked at my phone as I brushed my teeth.
Hey baby, didn't want to wake you. You looked so beautiful sleeping there. Had to get to out to the field. Love you.
A soft smile tugged at my lips as I read his message. My heart swelled, warmth spreading through my chest. I ran my thumb over the words before typing a quick response.
Love you too, cowboy.
Setting my phone down, I rinsed my mouth and finished getting ready. The house was quiet, the kind of peaceful stillness that only came in the early morning hours before the day truly started. I padded barefoot to the kitchen, the scent of coffee lingering in the air. Pouring myself a cup, I leaned against the counter, staring out the window toward the fields.
I could just make out Ryan in the distance, working alongside the others, his movements sure and effortless. The sight of him, so at home out there, sent a warmth through me that had nothing to do with the coffee in my hands.
Maybe I'd ride out there later. Or maybe I'd just let him come find me when the work was done. Either way, I knew where I belonged.
"What's going on with you, Alex?" Jamie's voice asked from the kitchen island. I was so lost in my own bliss I didn't even notice him sitting there.
"Just trying to be happy," I turned back to look at him, "as long as I can. What are you working on?" I quirked a brow. "Don't tell me, it's some deep government secret you can't tell me about 'cause I won't understand it, right?"
Jamie sighed, rubbing his temple as he glanced at the stack of papers in front of him. "It's not a secret, Alex. Just politics."
I snorted, taking a sip of my coffee. "Same thing."
His lips twitched like he wanted to smile but was too weighed down by whatever was on those pages. "It's a land dispute. A pretty big one."
I rolled my eyes. "When is it ever not a land dispute?"
Jamie leaned back in his chair, studying me. "You seem different."
I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. "Maybe I just don't want to be miserable like the rest of you."
His jaw tightened. "That's not fair."
"No?" I crossed my arms. "Dad's been fighting the same war since before we were born. Kayce's drowning in it, and you—" I motioned to the documents. "You're knee-deep in the legal version of it. I get it, Jamie. But I don't want that to be my whole life."
He stared at me for a long moment, then sighed. "I hope you get to keep that happiness, Alex. I really do."
Something in his voice made me pause. He wasn't just humoring me—he meant it. And for the first time in a long time, I saw something in Jamie's eyes that wasn't ambition or resentment. It was exhaustion. Maybe even regret.
I softened. "You should try it sometime, you know. Being happy."
His laugh was short, humorless. "I wouldn't even know where to start."
I took another sip of my coffee, watching my older brother drown in responsibilities I had no interest in carrying. "Maybe that's the problem."
The door swung open hard, slamming shut behind him. I started to say Good morning, but the look on Dad's face stopped me cold. His jaw was tight, his eyes burning with something more than anger—disgust, maybe. Hatred? Whatever it was, Jamie was in for it.
Jamie, oblivious, looked up from the papers in front of him. "Oh, good. I wanted to talk to you about something. Market Equities made an—"
Dad cut him off with a sharp, bitter laugh. "Of all the promises I've made in my life, son…" His voice was dangerously low, edged with something I hadn't heard in a long time. "If I didn't love your mother so much, I'd break it. I swear to God, I would."
Jamie stiffened, eyes darting up in confusion. "Did something happen? I don't understand."
I took a cautious step back, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire. Whatever my brother had done, it was bad.
Jamie, sensing the growing storm, inched around the kitchen island, using it as a barrier. He was crowding me into the counter now, as if I could somehow shield him from our father's wrath.
Dad rounded the island, relentless. "What happens in thirty years when you, your brother, and your sisters are too old to fight for this place? When Tate has to fight for it alone?"
Jamie swallowed hard. "What—what are you talking about?"
Dad's voice grew harsher, his fury barely contained. "Lee wouldn't marry. Didn't want kids. I doubt you ever will, either." He shot Jamie a glare like he was looking at a stranger. Then, his eyes flicked to me. "Now your sister can't. And she can't—because of you."
The world seemed to tilt under my feet.
Jamie went pale, the realization hitting him like a freight train. "Dad, wait." He shoved past me, putting me between him and our father.
"Quit moving," Dad barked.
I stood there, stunned. Trying to piece together what he was saying, why Jamie was so scared.
Jamie stumbled over his words, panic setting in. "I didn't—I didn't—fuck." His hands trembled as he scrubbed them down his face. "She came to me. She was scared. I was scared."
Dad's rage exploded. "How could you take that from her, Jamie?" His voice shook the room. "Who the fuck did you think you were?"
"Hey, hey, hey," Kayce's voice cut in as he entered the room, eyes scanning the scene. "What's going on?"
Dad didn't even look at him. "Ask your brother." Then he turned and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
I turned to Jamie, my stomach twisting. "Jamie?" My voice came out unsteady, pleading for answers.
Jamie didn't answer. He turned, eyes wild, and drove his fist straight through the stained glass window of the door.
Kayce lunged for him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "What the hell, man?"
Jamie's breath came in ragged gasps, his shoulders shaking. And then, like something inside him cracked wide open, he sobbed. Loud, gut-wrenching, broken.
"All I do is give," Jamie choked out, voice raw. "I hate him. I fucking hate him."
From the corner of my eye, I saw movement in the doorway.
Beth.
She leaned against the frame, arms crossed, a smirk playing on her lips as she watched our brother unravel.
And suddenly, I understood.
Whatever Jamie had done—whatever Dad was furious about—Beth had been waiting for this moment.
And from the look on her face, the fallout was exactly what she wanted.
This scene carries so much weight—it's the quiet aftermath of the storm, where reality settles in. I refined it for better flow and emotional impact:
I left my brothers behind, shoving past Beth without so much as a glance. I couldn't deal with this—not now. Not when, for the first time in so long, I had felt like my life was finally falling into place. But the illusion I had built—the fantasy that we could ever be a happy, whole family—was starting to crumble.
Barefoot, I stepped out into the cool grass, my breath hitching as I spotted my father. He stood there, shoulders heavy, head bowed as if the weight of the whole world had finally become too much.
I slowed my steps, watching him stare out over the land, the very thing he'd sacrificed everything for.
"Everything I've fought for," Dad muttered, voice rough, "was for nothing."
"It's not for nothing, Dad." My voice was quiet, but the words carried. I could feel the burden he bore, the weight of the legacy he had tried so hard to secure for us—only to watch it slip through his fingers.
His gaze didn't waver from the horizon. "You're so caught up in dreaming, sweetheart," he said, softer now, almost tired. "And not working on what's right in front of us."
I swallowed hard. "Having a bunch of grandkids running around here—that was your dream, Dad."
His lips pressed into a thin line before he exhaled, nodding. "I know." He let out a hollow chuckle, shaking his head. "Seeing a part of me live on in you, your brothers, your sister… and in their children. That's all I ever wanted." His voice was thick with something I couldn't quite place—grief, maybe. Defeat. "But I don't even know if that's what you want."
I hesitated, my heart hammering. "That's because you never asked." The words slipped out before I could stop them, but I didn't regret them. "I haven't had a chance to stop fighting long enough to think about if I want kids. Or if he does."
Dad finally turned his head, meeting my gaze. Something unreadable flickered in his eyes.
"Don't wait too long, honey." His voice was quieter now, resigned. "You only have so much time."
I stood there, staring at the man who had built an empire only to realize he might not have anyone left to inherit it. And for the first time, I wondered if he was right.