Page 81 of Barbed Wire Hearts

Wiley nods. “Dakota and I showed up just as Levi collapsed and. . . that sick bastard was pulling his belt off.” His words are angry. I’ve never seen such anger in Wiley’s eyes, but I understand where it comes from.

“Where’s he at now?” I rasp, holding onto Levi.

“Dead,” Dakota answers, his eyes on the fire. “Buried in the dirt where he belongs.”

“We killed him,” Wiley clarifies, the only one of the three willing to meet my eyes. “Dakota and I saw what was happening, and we lost control. We both attacked. We were just kids then and Levi’s dad was a big motherfucker. He got in some good hits even drunk.” He points to the bump in his nose. “He got this hit in. Fucked up my nose for a while, but the bastard didn’t plan on Dakota being strapped.”

I glance at Dakota. “You had a gun.”

Dakota’s eyes flash. “I did.”

“When the bastard turned his attention to me and started pummeling me, Dakota did the only thing he could to get him off me. He pulled the trigger.”

Dakota cleared his throat. “I missed the first time. He’d landed a blow to my head, and I was seeing double. It’s a wonder I didn’t shoot Wiley instead.”

“The second shot hit him in the back,” Wiley explained. “Knocked his ass out real quick like. The third and fourth in his head were for good measure.” He pauses and looks at me. “The. . .castration was for Levi.” He glances at his friend, sadness in his eyes. “And then we called the police.”

My brows raise. That wasn’t where I thought this was going. “What did the police do?”

“We were all taken down to the jail, but there wasn’t any arguing how bad of shape Levi was in. Still, his daddy was one of those narcissists. Lots of people didn’t believe he was as bad as we claimed, and though the judge ruled it all self-defense, there were a whole lot of people who didn’t like that. He’d made friends everywhere, especially in the police force. We became targets for them, so we made a choice.”

“Lay low,” Levi grunts. “I left and focused on bull riding. And Wiley joined the Army.”

I glance at Dakota. “And you?”

“I couldn’t leave,” he offers slowly. “The ranch needed me.”

I nod, understanding. None of that makes them bad people. That was very clearly warranted, but the way they explain things makes it seem like this was only the first instance of trouble.

“And the. . .friends?” I ask softly, glancing at Levi.

None of them speak, not at first. In the end, it’s Wiley who answers and he doesn’t flinch as he speaks. “After I came back from the Army, a series of. . .unfortunate events befell them, if you know what I mean.”

“Ain’t a one of those bastards still living,” Levi breaths. “They don’t deserve to be.”

Pride fills me for what’s essentially murder. But goddamn if it wasn’t warranted. Any person preying on children. . . I can’t even imagine the trauma Levi had to face and then for him to face even more with his bull riding accident. His gruff demeanor makes so much more sense now.

I level my gaze on Dakota. “Your first rodeo,” I say, watching him closely. He’s smiling, smirking almost, as if this is all a game. “So what was your second?”

His smile falls. “You ain’t ready to hear that yet.”

“Look at you thinking you know what’s best for me. I’m not that kind of woman,” I point out.

“I know,” he answers, nodding.

“Then what’s the problem?” I growl.

My arms are still wrapped around Levi, and he accepts my comfort. He needs it and I’m happy to give it. I won’t be leaving his side until he asks me to.

“I am,” Dakota admits. “I’m the problem. I don’t want the way you look at me to change.”

I blink. “And how do I look at you now?”

He straightens. “Like I lassoed the moon and gave it to you,” he murmurs. “Silly thing is, I’d do it, too. I’d drop the world into darkness just to see you smile.”

I lose my breath at his words, my heart throbbing painfully in my chest. That’s one of the most romantic things I’ve ever heard, and it came out of Dakota fucking Steele’s mouth.

“And your secrets could change that?” I ask, worried about what it is he could tell me. How bad is it?

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