Page 24 of Burn the Wild

Her cutting words have an ache building dead center in my chest.

Because I think they’re directed more for her than for me.

I clench my jaw, leaning over to drop the keys on the kitchen table.

Reese doesn’t reply, and sits there, her phone clutched in her hands as I turn and walk out of the chalet.

Trouble.

And none of my damn business.

Adrenaline. Chaos. That’s where I thrive. But promising Grady I’d let Reese stay at the ranch? I must be a damn idiot. I tried calling my little brother to ask him what the hell he saddled me with, but all I got was his voicemail.

At least she’s not my problem anymore.

I head to the Bullshit Box—a tiny, corrugated metal house we use as a business headquarters to debrief and decompress. And maybe do some paperwork.

Davis and Charlie barely look up from their desks, lifting their hands in greeting. Keena bounds out of her bed when I stomp inside.

I give her a hearty pet, then settle behind my desk. I open my guidebook, the reservation schedule that lets me see what groups to lead the next day. My eyes scan the words, quick and deft. Even though I no longer struggle with reading and spelling, to this day, damn if I don’t still feel some panic whenever I have to read in a public setting.

“How was today?” I ask.

A grunt from Charlie. “Good.”

“How good?”

Charlie gestures. “Time-to-have-a-beer good.”

I lean forward to fish a beer out of the cooler. The clock on the wall shows it’s 6 p.m. Three years ago the ranch was a twenty-four-seven job. But now, with more staff, we’re able to havelives instead of working ourselves to the bone. I’m proud of my little brother. He got his head on straight after the death of his fiancée. He makes a decent living. He has a good wife. All that matters in a cowboy’s world.

Charlie, a grin on his face, says, “I’m more interested in your day.”

I shoot him a dirty look. After the day I had, I’m not in the mood. “I know I was fuckin’ late, okay? I couldn’t help it.”

“You get her settled?” Davis asks, glancing up from his security monitor.

I crack the beer, lean back in my chair. “I did. West chalets.”

Davis gives me a smug look, like he already knows how attractive I find her. “How is she?”

I roll out my neck. “She’s a brat with an attitude to match.”

“You think she’ll be okay out there?”

“Why wouldn’t she be?”

Davis turns back to the security monitors. “Those chalets are in the middle of nowhere. Girls get scared of the dark.”

Tongue probing the inside of my cheek, I slide my gaze to the window. Maybe it was a bad idea to leave her up there alone. It’s obvious she’s incapable of handling anything herself.

“You assholes miss me?”

Our heads snap up to find Wyatt standing just outside the door.

Grinning, I shove out of my chair and welcome him with a hard hug and a slap to the back. “I see you survived Vegas in one piece, kid.” I frown when I see the sling on his arm. “Almost.”

“What happened?” Davis asks, eagle-eyed.

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