“Cowboy’s been workin’ on that woman since high school. Real slow burn romance.” I can hear the smirk in Dean’s tone.
I hit a shallow dip. The truck jostles hard. Coffee sloshes from my forgotten thermos in the cup holder. The radio cracks with static before kicking back into a George Strait tune I haven’t listened to in years.
Fitting.
The path narrows ahead, snaking through mesquite and cedar brush.
I glance in the rearview again. She’s standing slightly in the stirrups now, face set, ponytail whipping back, and a sweater I don’t recognize flapping behind like a flag of war.
I tap the brakes and kick up a little more dust, just enough to cloud her line of sight, but not enough to lose her.
“I’m just sayin’, if dirty looks were foreplay, y’all’d be married twice over.” Dean’s words slide out smooth, slick with dry humor.
“They hate-flirt so hard, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a wedding and a restraining order in the same week,” Beck cracks.
I’ve about had enough of this conversation.
“One of these days, one of you is gonna snap, throw the other against a fence post, and fuck the fight right outta each other.” Leave it to Dean to drag us into the crude world he resides in.
“In all seriousness,” Levi’s voice comes through the radio, composed and carrying a subtle warmth beneath the surface. “You can let your guard down. Foxes and Wildes aren’t fightin’ anymore. I broke the cycle, ended it for good. No more blood. No more grudges. It’s over.”
His words are meant to comfort me, to help me move on. Instead, they wind my guilt into a storm that nearly overwhelms me.
My destination comes into view, and I ease off the gas and coast to a stop under the massive oak tree dominating the property. Beneath it, a peaceful pond mirrors the vast blue sky. Its surface ripples gently with the soft breeze.
“I’m at your place, Levi. Hurry the fuck up. Over and out.” I kill the engine and flick off the radio.
The sudden silence is deafening.
Then I wait.
Because I’m the master at being the bad guy to cover the hurt I caused her, and every time I think about it, that damn guilt eats me up, twisting my insides like a noose. But I can’t have it any other way, so I damn well make sure she loathes me.
Fuck, I’m a coward.
Although it wasn’t hard to be the bad guy today when she decided to do the bucket list without me. Not that we could ever do it together.
I glance in the rearview mirror.
Jade lingers at the edge of the clearing but not hiding. Her gaze locks on the skeleton frame of the treehouse. There’s something about the way she’s looking at it, even from this distance, I can see the haunted look stealing her features.
I know why.
And maybe that’s why I brought her here.
Revenge is sweet, and I find myself hurting her once again.
I know I’m the bastard, but there was a time when I had no other choice.
So I wear the practiced and perfected lie on my face before exiting the truck to face her.
“Did you follow me here?” I shout to her, snapping her attention away from the treehouse and to me.
“I followed the log you stole.” She holds herself motionless at first and then slowly guides the horse into a steady trot.
I don’t flinch.
“The log?” I say it like she’s crazy, and quite frankly, chasing me down over a log is crazy.
