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‘Stop. Breathe. Think.’

He gave the kid a moment to calm before releasing him.

‘I’m the only one who’s seen enough to get you out of this mess. So, how about you pull your head out your ass and stop fighting me for long enough to see that.’

The kid raised those eyes, sick with hate and defeat. ‘That guy – Marchant – he was my pro-bono defence attorney. If I don’t do what he wants, he’s gonna send me back.’ His eyes glassed over. But the kid refused to cry. ‘I can’t go back.’

Matthew crouched in the dirt in front of him. ‘If you come with me, I promise that you won’t. But we need to finish this; otherwise, he’s gonna hound you for the rest of your life. Is that what you want?’

The kid didn’t reply when put up against that truth. He just subtly shook his head.

‘You got your garbage bag with you?’

His head snapped up at that. ‘You CHIPS?’

Matthew smiled grimly. He knew what CHIPS meant in the court system: Child in Need of Protection or Services. It was something he’d heard his many case workers say over the years. ‘We never used to call it that when I was in. But yeah.’

‘How many?’

Homes, Matthew knew. ‘Eighteen. You?’

‘Six. Until I got bagged.’ Matthew saw the shudder that passed through the kid. ‘I can’t go to prison.’

‘Oh, we’ll think of something. But we gotta do a few rounds first.’

The kid eyed him sceptically. ‘I don’t do favours.’

‘Kid, you ain’t pretty enough to be doing me any favours.’ When the kid’s mouth twitched at that, Matthew stuck out a hand. ‘Matthew Savage.’

The kid returned the shake. ‘Rhett King.’

When Rhett took his hand, Matthew hauled him to his feet. ‘Now, that’s a bronc rider’s name.’

Rhett actually smiled. ‘Nah, man. That’s a bull rider’s name.’

Matthew just shook his head, muttered, ‘Fucking bull riders.’

Chapter 41

Skye got four stitches in her face and strict instructions for overnight monitoring – instructions that Janey promised she’d see to herself. TJ refused to be seen, choosing to stay with Skye instead, but he promised that he’d get back on his physical therapy plan effective immediately.

They left the hospital at ten. By ten-twenty, they were back at the farm.

Janey drove down the driveway, TJ and Skye leaning against each other in the back seat, exhausted.

When Janey pulled up to the house, they both got out of the truck slowly, mindful of their aching bodies. While Janey disappeared inside, Skye limped around to the hood of the truck, and when she saw TJ’s stiff walk to meet her, she grinned. ‘We look like we just got back from war.’

‘I do feel like I took on an army.’ TJ roped his arm over her shoulders and walked with her up the porch steps.

‘Tell me what you know about the kid?’

‘Nothing. I promise. I saw him watching you warm up today. I wouldn’t have thought it was that weird, but when he saw me, he ran. Like he was afraid of me.’

‘Not you,’ she countered. ‘Holden.’

With a groan, TJ collapsed in the wicker chair. ‘You think?’

‘It’s the only explanation, TJ. Somehow, that kid ended up under Holden’s thumb.’