Page 20 of Hold Me Before You Go

“Right,” Denver Langston started, “we’re going to cut the shit and get straight to it. Mags told me your woman is in danger.”

Jesus fucking Christ.

I pulled the phone away from my ear, looking out to the city and biting off a curse. When I brought the phone back, I said, “And I told Mags to remain on standby.”

“You and I both know standby isn’t what Mags does,” the Hallow Ranch owner clipped.

“My team and I have things sorted here,” I returned.

“Mags said you would say that. So I’m going to say this: Hallow Ranch in is your debt, and I’m ready to settle it.”

Hallow Ranchwasin my debt, there was no doubt about that. However, that ranch pulled Mags from a dark place, saving him from something I couldn’t. Therefore, I was never going to hold the debt over Denver’s head.

“Denver, I appreciate—”

“What do you need?” he asked, cutting me off.

I shook my head, nostrils flaring. “I told Mags what I needed.” I needed these cowboys out of it. Mags would be a last resort phone call if needed—only if the situation called for it. Denver’s words sliced through the line, each one packing a punch.

“What. Do. You. Need?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, the fist at my side starting to shake with anger, spreading throughout my body, poisoning me. “Denver—”

“You’re the reason my brother and I were able to take down our threat and save our women, Grayson. Let us do the same for you,” he said, softer now.

My breathing came quicker then, my heart pounding like a drum, waking up the monster inside me—the man I thought I had buried.No, I couldn’t go back there.

I couldn’t—I wouldn’t be able to survive it and Carrie would be lost.

“It’s fine,” I pushed out through clenched teeth.

It wasn’t fine.

None of this wasfine.

I fucked up.

I overlooked the possibility that Carrie wasactuallyin danger when I was hired to find her. I was too focused on trying to push her away at first, fighting the pull between us, and then too busy trying to soak up all the time we’d lost. I was foolish—careless. I let my heart get in the way of my logic, and now, my sunshine was gone.

Now, she was gone, scared, and most likely fucking hurt, all because ofme.

She’d been through enough in her life, and then I came into it the second she got a taste of freedom…

“Do you have any leads?” Denver asked, pulling me from my thoughts. “I’m good buddies with law enforcement down here. We can spread the word, have people be on the lookout for her.”

The only picture I had of her was her wedding photo. It was outdated. She was a completely different person then. Even if I gave him the photo, it would do nothing. She wouldn’t be recognized now. She’d be overlooked.

Clearing my throat, I tried shoving the fury down and rolled my neck, popping the joints. I needed to get focused. Fuck, I’d been trying to stay focused all day. “We got it, Denver,” I told him firmly.

The man wasn’t taking no for an answer, and deep down, I knew that was just how Denver was made. He’d served in the Marines; he’d seen his own shit over there during the war, had his own demons. He made it out and found his way eventually. He got his happy ending, and I played a small part in that. Now, he was willing to drop everything and help me.

Even when I didn’t want it.

This needed to stay within Red Snake.

Is Red Snake enough, though?

My jaw tightened as I closed my eyes, fighting those thoughts as Denver said, “Grayson, just tell me what you need. We’re going to get her back. You have my word. What do you need?”

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