Page 32 of Bryson's Treasure

“The problem is that the men here insist they did it on their own. Which we now know is a lie. If we had to guess, we think Gabriel had them kill his dad as well.”

So everything was an act to get controlling shares of his company. They needed to figure out a way to get rid of the shares. “Can she sell the shares to someone else?”

“Yes, and I already made that call for you. What better way to get rid of the shares than to sell them to a mercenary company?” Noah smirked.

Lynn looked up at him. “Who?”

“I assume he called the Ross brothers.” Bryson glanced over at Noah resting his foot against the ATV with a smug smile on his face. “And from the look on your face, I’m guessing they’re excited to own ten percent of the company.” Antonio and Asher had already done so much for him. He didn’t know how he would ever repay their family. He knew if they hadn’t been in Jalalabad at the right time, he wouldn’t have been standing there, having that conversation.

The sound of an ATV caught Bryson’s attention, and he turned to the south to see Matilda driving. A little head poked out from her side, watching the trail. Bryson couldn’t help but smile as he saw Azadeh coming down the trail.

Matilda had barely pulled to a stop before Azadeh jumped off and ran toward him full force. His heart melted when she threw her arms around his waist and held him close for a second before turning and doing the same to Lynn. “I wanted to help.”

Bryson grabbed her under her armpits and picked her up. “You need to stay safe. If you’re in danger, you hide. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Lynn turned toward his brother. “So is it over, or will he keep coming for me?”

“Antonio is working on the sale of the shares for you. By the end of the day, you will be richer, and Gabriel will have no reason to come after you. You’ll need to sign a few things tonight, but for the most part, you’re out of danger.”

“Well then, dinner is on me tonight.”

* * *

Lynn’s cheekshurt from smiling so much. She was so excited everyone wanted to celebrate with her. Once they returned to the house and showered, everyone piled into the SUVs and headed to Bozeman for dinner. Taz and Hannah were in the SUV behind them.

It felt like a weight had been lifted, and she no longer had to look over her shoulder every second. She also had more money than she knew what to do with. Now she had to decide what she wanted to do next. Bryson reached over and gripped her hand, and she knew that whatever her plans were, they would include him.

“Now that you’re rich, what do you plan to do next?” Hannah asked her.

Lynn shrugged. “Honestly, money was never one of the things I strived hard for. My dream growing up was to have a family and live with someone who cared about me as much as I cared about them. Yes, I know money makes life so much easier, but it doesn’t bring happiness. Look at Gabriel, for one. He had money, but no matter how much he had, he wanted more.”

“You seem to really like living on the ranch, and I love having you around. I hope you plan to stay close to us,” Matilda added.

Lynn felt Bryson tense beside her. They hadn’t talked about what she would do once the threat hanging over her head was gone. She would have no reason to stay at Montana Gold except to get to know Bryson more. Would he want me to leave?

As if he read her mind, he leaned over. “If you even think about leaving, Azadeh and I will follow you,” he whispered.

“Hello, I’ll be your waiter tonight. Can I get you guys something to drink?” their waiter asked. She appeared at the table at the right moment. Lynn didn’t know how to answer Matilda’s question without talking with Bryson first. She felt it would be better to have the conversation between just the two of them than in front of everyone.

Everyone at the table ordered a drink except Matilda, and when she said water, Noah smiled at her like he knew a secret. Lynn wanted to ask if she was pregnant but knew it wasn’t her place. She would have to wait until the couple was ready to tell them. She wasn’t the only one to pick up on the cue. Bryson smiled at her as if he knew the secret as well.

“I’ll be right back with your drinks.” The server turned and left the table.

“Has there been any more activity regarding Ricky?” Taz asked.

Bryson sighed. “I think Azadeh and I are in the clear. Ricky’s operation is completely shut down, and his accounts are frozen. There would be no reason to come after me. As for Azadeh, it would cost too much money for them to try to get her. Next month she starts school.”

“Can’t wait,” Azadeh added.

Each night, Bryson sat down with Azadeh and worked on math and English problems. He didn’t want her to feel like she was behind or lost at school. Her uncle hadn’t cared if she went to school or not, so she wasn’t at the same level as other kids her age. It didn’t seem to upset her. She worked hard each night, and when she did well, she got a chocolate bar at the end.

The rest of the night, they sat around the table, laughing, and everyone talked about what they planned to do for Christmas. Lynn hoped she would still be with Bryson in a few weeks. She couldn’t wait to watch Azadeh open gifts that were under the Christmas tree.

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