Page 98 of Branded Betrayal

“You don’t have a choice. I know how his organization works. I never got in deep enough because I was just a pair of hands for you, but people who work for him don’t get to just walk away. He’s got you by the balls again, doesn’t he?”

As if he ever let go in the first place.

Nash’s lips twist into a grimace when I don’t respond because I can’t keep lying. “You’re delusional. Besides, you’ve made a lot of enemies because of Wilkerson. I wouldn’t put it past any of them to target people you care about, which is why I told you to stay away from my sister. And what’s gonna stop Wilkerson from coming after Savvie to get his hooks into you again? The cattle-stampede chaos wasn’t an accident. That was done intentionally. Maybe by him thinking he can get to you through her? You coming around here, helping her, screwing her, you think he doesn’t know about that? Everything you touch turns to shit, and now my sister may be in trouble.”

My blood turns to ice as Nash’s words loop through my mind.

Everything you touch turns to shit.

The truth of it hollows me out.

But I can’t walk away. Not now. Not when she’s crying because of me and still in danger because of Wilkerson.

I have to fix this. Somehow.

Even if Nash is right. Even if I’m poison.

“Look, I know you’re angry. And you have every right to be. But I’m not leaving, Nash. I need to talk to her.”

“Talk to her?” Nash bellows. “She hasn’t been able to stop crying since she last saw you, Blaze. I think you mighta done and said enough already.”

“No.” I edge closer to him, my eyes doing a quick study of the heavy metal shovel in his hand. “She needs to hear everything. I don’t want to carry this with me anymore. And it has to be eating you up inside too.”

He points the shovel at me, his green eyes bright with anger. “I’ve had to hang on to this fucking toxic secret for years because of you.”

“Because of us,” I interject, my jaw twitching. “This isn’t only on me, and you know it.”

“Yeah, but you were the guy. Wilkerson’s guy,” Nash bites out. “I had no choice but to go along with it.”

“Bullshit,” I growl. “Don’t you dare pretend you had nothing to do with it. Yeah, my dad brought you the opportunity, but you and your parents agreed to let Wilkerson use their trucks for that job. It was supposed to be quick and easy money. A win for everyone. Remember?”

“And where the fuck were you that night, huh? While that rival crew stole the goods and lit the whole place up?” he seethes, his hand clenched tight around the shovel. “That’s right. You were fucking my sister. While my parents and my uncle burned with the ranch. Your father, who put the whole damn plan together, wasn’t even there. I was alone.”

“You always put the blame for what happened that night on everyone else, Nash. It was about Savvie and me betraying you, sleeping together behind your back, not being there for you because we put ourselves first. You blamed my dad for deserting you. But you never once took responsibility for your part in the whole thing. I get that you were hurting, but you weren’t exactly innocent either.”

I lean back against the fence, my head in my hands. “Look, I’m so fucking sorry, Nash. And I wish I could take it all back, fix everything and everyone. That’s why I’m here. To finally make things right. To own up to what I did, to tell Savvie the truth about what really happened.”

“Yeah, well, you can’t fix the past.” He levels me with a fiery stare. “So do the next best thing and just leave, okay? Because you being around just causes people pain. And I can’t lose my sister the way I lost my parents.”

“I’m not leaving until I see her.” My voice is quiet and resigned.

Nash throws the shovel and shoves his hands against my chest. The force makes me stumble. “You’re not gonna bring her down with you.”

I grab him by the shirt and hurl him against the barn wall. “Are you really worried about her or about yourself?”

“You’re not gonna take her away too,” Nash yells. “You’re pathetic. A fucking coward who couldn’t face what he did, so he turned his back on it all and left. And after all this time, you want forgiveness? You don’t deserve it.”

His fist explodes against the side of my face. The taste of metal fills my mouth. A sticky red trail of blood streaks my hand.

A choked cry cuts through our panting and grunting. I stagger to my feet, my shirt spotted with blood, my jaw swollen and throbbing. Slowly, I turn in the direction of the tortured sound.

Savannah stands about ten feet away, grocery bags in her hands, eyes wide with terror. All color drips from her skin as she stares, open mouthed, between me and Nash. Even from here, I can see her body tremble and shudder as if she’s just been plunged into an ice bath.

Fuck, how long has she been standing there?

How much did she hear?

When she looks back at me, I can see the answer in her stricken gaze.