“Probably.” I sigh.
Turning my head to Eden, I expect her to be crying again. But her face is blank. All emotion gone.
Her eyes meet mine. “Good.”
34
Chaos
One Month Later
Sunrise casts a glowaround Willa. Her beauty is framed by the ranch.
She kicks the toe of her boot against the ground, staring out at the land that was her father’s. Her dark hair blows in the gentle breeze, but she doesn’t hold it back. She lets it whip her face like any little movement will interrupt this moment.
She’s leaning against the fence that marks the property line, and I walk up, caging her against it.
“You sure you’re ready to leave?” I kiss the top of her head.
She’s been out of the hospital for a few weeks now and has recovered quicker than even the doctors expected, but still, I worry about the long drive, even if we are takingthe truck. Havoc drove it to town a few days ago and dropped it off for us, riding my bike back to Vegas for me.
Willa might be healing quickly, but spending three days on a bike will push it, so we’re driving back the old-fashioned way.
“I’m ready.” She sighs, still looking out at the land. “Eden left yesterday.”
“I thought she was waiting until next week.”
Willa shakes her head. “I got a text from her in the middle of the night saying she was gone and that we can do what we want with anything left. I don’t think she could be in that house anymore.”
As much as I wanted to see Eden behind bars, paying for what she did to Willa, I respected Willa’s wishes to leave it alone. Our families fucked us up, and our siblings are a product of that as much as we are.
No one is innocent.
Tate and Gordon made a mess of the ranch—of us. And we’re left to clean it up.
At least Kincaid has helped smooth things over from a legal perspective. He made up a story that was easy to swallow, and his cop buddies happily accepted it.
As far as the town is concerned, Gordon and Tate were the only ones at the ranch when things between them went south. Gordon found out Tate tried to kill Willa, and when he confronted him about it, they turned their guns on each other.
End of story.
Kincaid wrote everyone else out of the picture, including Eden.
After all, she’s no longer a threat. Her anger and resentment died with her father.
Since that day at the hospital, Eden has been a shell of herself, hiding in the house and isolating. Which is why Willa offered Eden every cent in their father’s bank account, so Eden could travel and escape this place.
Now, Eden is gone.
I’m not surprised when there’s nothing left for her here. Not even the family ranch.
A week ago, Willa and I signed the documents finalizing the merger of Ironside Ridge and Elliott Ranch. We sold off all unnecessary assets to settle outstanding debts, and Will Harrison will help with the day-to-day operations. In return, we’ll allow their cattle to graze the land.
I’m still not sure what we’ll do with the ranch long term, but there’s time to figure it out. I have some ideas I want to run by Steel when I return to Vegas.
Even if I’m not here, I intend to use the land as Grandpa wanted—as a home for those who need it.
A safe haven.
