Page 108 of Branded Betrayal

I wander over to the window and stare out at the endless stretch of farmland beyond the hospital perimeter. The sun shines bright over the fields, peaks of the Bighorn Mountains popping against the blue sky.

It looks so peaceful, the complete opposite of the chaos that’s about to infiltrate my brothers’ lives.

But they need to hear it all.

“I left Whiskey Creek because I had to get away from Wilkerson and Dad. I needed a way to regain some control over my life. So I enlisted. And Wilkerson was pissed. On the night I told him, he ran Savannah off the road. She could have been killed. It was a warning. I figured if I left, he’d just leave everyone alone. But I was stupid to think that. And Dad led Wilkerson right to me while I was overseas because he wasn’t finished with me. He had me smuggling military equipment and selling it on the black market to settle more of Dad’s debts.” I let out a deep sigh. “I got caught. Kicked out of the military after being court-martialed. I was hiding out down south after serving my time until Dad fucked up again and needed a bailout. So Wilkerson found me and brought me back here.”

I rake a hand through my hair. “He’s got a lot of shit on me. My ledger has a lot of red on it. So to keep quiet, I had to agree to do his work. And that work involved sabotaging Savvie’s efforts to get Red Rock back up and running. Wilkerson wants the ranch. And if I didn’t ruin her efforts and drive her to sell it, he’d hurt someone. That’s why I think your accident was a message.”

“Dad, is it true?” Colt says.

I whip my head around. Dad stands in the doorway, holding a cup of coffee. His skin is ashen, eyes blinking fast, like he’s ready to bolt.

“Did you make Blaze work with Wilkerson? Did you know the kinds of shit he had to do?” Colt’s eyes flare with rage, and I won’t lie. It shocks me a little. He’s always got his head so far up Dad’s ass, I’m surprised he doesn’t use it as a hat.

But he’s pissed now. Probably more because he’s calculated the risks to his future with Dad’s business and is angry at what he’s damn close to losing.

“It’s more complicated than you know, Colton,” Dad says in his flippant-asshole manner. “Don’t make judgments about things you don’t understand.”

Colt crosses his arms over his chest. “If I need to understand something different than what Blaze just told us, then tell me.”

Dad glares at me. “You had to go and open your mouth, didn’t you? Isn’t that why you got in trouble in the first place?”

I grit my teeth. “I was your fucking peon for years. You didn’t give a damn if I walked out of any of those jobs alive, as long as I was keeping your pockets lined. The Carlsons’ blood is on your hands too. And now their daughter is in trouble.”

I step toward my father, who visibly shudders.

“What do you mean?” he asks.

“I mean, she knows the truth, and I can’t find her. She’s not answering her phone. I’m afraid Wilkerson’s got her.”

“She’s probably left town. She came in here before, asking questions, nosing into things that aren’t her business. I warned her it was too dangerous here for her and told her to go,” Dad says, pushing past me.

“She’s asking questions because you were one of the people responsible for killing her parents.” I grab him by the arm. “But why would you tell her to leave? What the hell is going on?”

“Stop being paranoid.” He shakes off my hand. “She’s always been in the way, always distracting you from what you had to do. You’d be better off with her gone. More focused. So I may have scared her a bit to urge her along.”

“I can’t even believe what I’m hearing. You never take responsibility for anything, do you? People are dead because of you—”

“Because of us,” he says darkly. “Both of us, Blaze. Don’t forget that. But it wasn’t all bullshit. Someone was here earlier, asking for the girl. Big guy with a scar.”

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” I say.

“I figured I sent her on her way with that warning.”

“Her car is still here,” I say. “So she couldn’t have taken off alone.”

“Could they have found her first?” Colt says slowly, meeting my eyes. “Where do you think they might have taken her?”

“Birch Falls,” Dad says. “Wilkerson has a warehouse there.”

“I know it,” I say in a tight voice. “And I’m gonna go and save her. Because I fucking love her. You can rot in hell for all I care.”

“B, you know I’d be there for you in a second if I could,” Wyatt says.

I nod my head. “You’ve been a good friend to her, Wy. You’ve already helped her more than you know.”

“I’m going,” Colt says. He casts a sidelong glance at Dad and then looks back at me. “There’s a lot more to talk about here. Later. But right now let’s go fuck this guy up.”