Page 62 of Wildest Dreams

“Until one day he didn’t want to share anymore. Lucian had got all he wanted from me and my singing career begun dying a slow and painful death. That’s when Clay swooped me up, cocooning me into this false pretence of safety. He was bored within a few weeks, the visits from wherever he was coming from were getting less and less and then I found out I was pregnant with Lainey. I knew she was his. I hadn’t been with anyone apart from Clay at that point. He was pissed, I told him I didn’t want him in mine or the baby’s life, but thought he had a right to know so if he decided down the line he wanted to meet her, he knew about her.”

She shudders as she intakes a deep breath.

“After a couple of months, he turned up telling me he wanted to know his daughter. Wanted to be just her dad though and anything romantic between me and him was long gone. He said he would be back a little more as he had business to attend to with the big suits and that’s the night I overheard him talking about his plans for the land, the ranches, the empty gold mines…”

I roll my lips.

“I had no idea what they were going on about, but then it clicked. They were talking about the old mines at the top of the creek... the ones that filter into your land... the same mines that run directly under your ranch...” her face tips up to mine and I can see the concern etched into her face. “Lucian was involved in all of this, Clay promised him a cut of whatever they made whenthey explored the gold mines, then Lucian heard of his death and well, the suits have pushed him out. He used me for ransom, but they didn't care. I was nothing to them, didn't mean anything. I was just Clay's baby momma,” she sighs. “Lucian told me I was never going to leave Wyoming, he had originally had plans to take us to Los Angeles, make me the star... but we both knew that was never going to happen, not now that I had Lainey. I love singing, I wanted to pursue that as a career and don't get me wrong, I was noticed, people knew who I was in Wyoming, but not here, not in LA. I would have been plankton in a sea of fishes. Single mom, down and out, broke. Lucian took everything from me, so I had to run. The only place I knew I could come back to was here... then with Clay's funeral, it seemed like the perfect time.” I don't miss the tear that rolls down her cheek and runs off her chin, dissolving into her dress. She slowly looks at me, eyes bouncing between mine, “I came back hoping for some money; hoping to collect what Clay promised for Lainey. I didn't even think...” she pauses for a moment shaking her head from side to side. “Lucian is going to be there, and once he sees me, he will drag me back to Wyoming kicking and screaming,” and that's when she looks away from me.

My blood is boiling, and I am so fucking mad at this whole situation. The situation with Clay, the situation with her shitty manager. Old feelings chip away at the surface and the need to protect her blazes through my veins.

I push from the bed and step towards her, her eyes still cast down as if she is ashamed of what she has just told me. Gripping her chin softly, I tilt her head back to look at me and her glassy blues break my fucking heart.

“Nobody is going to get to you, nobody is going to touch you... anyone and I meananyonelays a finger on you, I'll chop their fucking hands off and shove them up their asses.”

She blinks, her lips parting and that's when she stands in front of me, trembling hands resting on my chest, my erratic heart beating under her fingertips as I let my fingers lazily sweep her hair away from her face.

“You promise?” she whispers.

“I promise,” I breathe, just as I lower my lips to hers, softly, delicately before my tongue pushes through and everything inside of me burns like wildfire. Her hands are in my hair, mine cupped around her pretty face as our kiss deepens, as if she's all the oxygen I am allowed, kissing her is like breathing, like living... existing. Ten years of pent-up misery and heartache rolled in with protectiveness and a blazing love all mixed up and poured into this kiss.

The one kiss that ripped my heart from my chest and delicately landed in her small hands, for her to keep and protect.

And I was just praying she done just that.

Dressed in an all-black suit,white shirt and black cowboy hat and boots, I was ready to go. We knew this was going to be reckless, like playing with fire, but we all agreed that we were going.

Not only to pay our respects to a man that had died, but to also clear our name of this bullshit once and for all.

Walking across the hallway downstairs, I saw Riggs and Aspen waiting for us in the small lounge area, Riggs cradling a crystal glass of whiskey, Aspen eyeing him occasionally as Pacey joins them.

“Well, don't we look handsome,” Pacey jokes, smirking as I walk into the room and reach for my own glass of amber. Ineeded something to calm the nerves that were shocking me with every heartbeat that thumped in my chest.

I rolled my eyes, slipping the sleeve of my blazer up as I checked the time.

“Is Marty meeting us here?” Riggs asks, arms protectively wrapped around Aspen’s back. She wears a knee length black dress, hair pulled into a neat bun with a few loose strands framing her pretty face.

“Nah, he is going to meet us up at the church, we don't need to give the Attaways anymore reason to think he is on our side. But then what does it matter? Kelcie is in their pockets...” I take a mouthful of my drink and wince at the burn, “I am so fucking mad I stepped down so easily, thought I was doing the right thing,” I shake my head from side to side as disappointment surges through me.

“Look, what's done is done, all we can do is show up, show everyone that we're still the same group of brothers. We have our enemies; we don't need to make any more. So, with that,” Riggs turns and places his glass on the oak mantel above the fire. “We go in there,” he pauses, stepping forward as his eyes dance between me and our kid brother, Pacey, “we take our guns, but we do not be the first to pull, do you understand me? We're taking them for protection, not to start a full-blown fucking war,” his voice is stern, and me and Pacey give him a firm nod. “No one fucking draws their guns until I tell you to, no fucking fighting unless they provoke it.”

And my mom walks into the room holding Lainey at that very second.

“We don't need any more drama brought on our name, please boys...” and she doesn't just look at me and Pacey, she focuses on Riggs too. “No fighting. Be the bigger men, heads held high and walk away.”

Riggs nods.

He would never start a fight for fun, but we do need to protect ourselves. We have no idea who will be here today and just who Wallen, Clay’s brother, has on his side. His brother was killed, his dad long gone... he only had himself. The suits would be there, Wallen will want to keep this going, he will fight for the land just for his brother’s legacy. And for Lucian? Well, that cunt can rot in hell. Dixie didn't need to tell me anymore; I had already made my own mind up just how that fucker treated her over the last ten years and I am done letting it happen. She stays with me, with us.

No more running for her.

“So, we all understand?” My mom says as she stands next to Riggs and we all nod.

“Yes ma,” me and Pacey say in unison and Riggs leans down and places a kiss on her head, Lainey's wide blue eyes staring at Riggs.

He softens slightly, tilting his head to the side as he reaches out for her, and she grasps his fingers. A low rumble of a laugh courses through him and his eyes go all sparkly. Aspen steps up beside him, hand tucked under his arm as she watches the grumpy ass cowboy turn to putty in front of Lainey. I get it. I think we've all got a soft spot for her.

I hear the sound of heels clicking across the wooden floor and I turn to look over my shoulder to see Dixie. Mid length black dress, laced cuffed sleeves and heeled pumps. Long brown hair wavy and cascading over her shoulders.

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