Page 97 of Branded Betrayal

“Great, so it’s time for a little visit. You deserve to be happy, Blaze. And she deserves the truth, whatever it is.”

I stare down at the hat in my hand. “What if she can’t forgive me?”

“Then you’ll have your answer. And you can move on. It sucks, but that’s life. We win some, and we lose some.”

I roll my eyes. “When did you become such a philosopher?”

“People only see a devastatingly handsome cowboy when they look at me, but I’ve got a lot of layers, B.” He winks at me.

“And one of them isn’t humility. Just a guess.” I snicker and lean over to ruffle his messy dark-blond hair.

“Bingo. Now go and win your lady back.” He lets out an exaggerated sigh. “Anything to put a smile on your face. You’re so fucking depressing, bro.”

Once I’m back in my truck, I check my phone. Nothing from Savannah.

I blow out a thin stream of breath. It’s time. I can’t run from the truth any longer. She needs to know everything . . . the sabotage, what really happened the night of the explosion, all of it. I want to incinerate these demons, and the only way to do it is to expose them.

To expose myself. Fully.

I should have told her everything the other night. It wasn’t right to hold back. I guess I wanted to hang on to a shred of hope that she would still want me, that we could work through the past. But I know that can’t ever happen unless she knows the full truth, ugly as it is.

And if she loves me, if she feels the same way about me as I do her, then she’ll accept my bad decisions and my need for forgiveness. We can figure everything else out from there. Wilkerson still has his claws dug deep into me, but I will figure out a way to escape him, once and for all. It won’t be easy, and it’ll definitely be dangerous.

But there has to be a way out for us, and protecting Savannah is my top priority.

I pull into Red Rock and head toward the house.

“Shit,” I mutter when I see Nash’s pickup parked out by the barn.

And Savannah’s car is missing.

I get out of the truck, square my shoulders, and walk over to the barn. Some of the cattle are grazing close by. They mill around me, nudging me with their snouts.

“So do you ladies hate me too?” I say, stroking Ginger’s neck. “Did she tell you what I did?”

The cows low, as if to confirm they know what a piece of shit I am.

And why shouldn’t they? The secret’s out. Guess this is my day of reckoning.

“I’m here to tell her I love her,” I continue. “Something I should have told her six years ago instead of leaving her behind while I chased my own freedom. You think she’ll listen to me? Maybe forgive me?”

Heavy footsteps behind me make my spine stiffen.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Nash snarls.

I turn around. “I came to see Savannah.”

Nash takes a few steps toward me, his eyes spitting fire. “She’s out running errands. So why don’t you piss off?”

“I just want to make things right.”

He shakes the shovel at me. “No. You don’t get to show up and play the wounded hero. Not with everything you’re still doing.”

I freeze, my breath hitching. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“People talk, Blaze. I know your father is still in bed with Wilkerson. And since you’re back, I bet you are too. You were always in his back pocket.”

I take off my hat and rake a hand through my hair. “I don’t want to be part of that world anymore.”