Page 57 of Westin

She shakes her head. “I know the Garrison-Sovereign feud.”

Everyone does. It’s well known that the Garrison patriarch, now dead, attacked Sovereign’s mother a long time ago. They know his parents were evicted from Garrison land afterwards. But only some people know that Sovereign had a fiancée a long time ago. She died in a car accident with Clint Garrison driving. It’s a long, sordid history that has resulted in years of tension between the two ranches.

A cousin to the Garrisons is no friend of ours. If anything, Sovereign Mountain involvement might make the situation worse.

I take her face in my hands. A vein flutters in her throat.

“Diane,” I say firmly. “Go get what you need and meet me on the hill over your house.”

She swallows. Her lips part. The tip of her tongue wets them.

“Okay,” she whispers.

For a fleeting second, she believes me. I see it in her fragile dark eyes. That’s all I need—just to get her to believe for one second that I can take care of this, that I can take care of her. I bend down and kiss her mouth.

“Go back, get the things you need, and meet me at the hill overlooking your house,” I say, keeping my voice firm and controlled.

“Okay,” she whispers again.

She made a choice, but it’s delicate. She’s not used to trusting anyone. Truthfully, she’s not used to trusting men, and that’s goingto be a struggle for me to overcome. The trust was scared out of her before we even met.

If she’ll just let me, I’ll do anything to build it back.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

DIANE

He drops me off at the bottom of the hill, and I walk up the driveway. The sun is still up, half-hidden by evening clouds, and the yard is bathed in dark gold. My eyes are on my feet.

I almost don’t notice the trucks lined up in a row.

My heart sinks as my steps falter. The men were supposed to be gone in the city all night, but here they are. David’s truck is in the driveway, as usual.

Parked alongside are two more trucks, stamped with the Garrison Ranch logo.

I’m so scared, I can’t breathe. Instead of going through the front door, I veer towards the barn. Maybe I can hide in Sunshine or Gracey’s stall until they leave or fall asleep. I’m a foot from the barn door when I hear a sharp whistle.

I turn. David stands on the porch with Avery Garrison at his side. The cherry tips of their cigarettes glitter beneath lowered hats.

“Come here, Diane,” David says.

There’s something raw in his voice that makes my stomach drop. It sounds a bit like regret. Slowly, boots dragging, I make my way to the front porch and climb the steps. When I glance up, Avery’s eyes are on me. He lifts the cigarette to his lips and takes a drag.

I shudder.

“Get inside, girl,” he says.

I glance at David. He takes his hat off, smooths his hair, and looks away.

“Who’s inside?” I whisper.

Avery stabs his cigarette out and pulls the door open, jerking his head. “I said, get inside.”

His voice is sharp like a knife’s edge. My heart thumps as I move quietly past him into the dim hall. David follows at my heels with Avery behind.

I falter in the doorway, shrinking back against the wall. Avery brushes past me and takes two shot glasses from the counter. He pours one, passes it to David, and pours another. There are papers on the table. I lean in, trying to see them, but they’re turned over.

My throat is a dry lump.

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