Page 2 of Property of Rio

Rafe, age 25

“I’m so sorry, Rafe,” Issy whispers, her hand on my arm as we watch the casket lower into the ground. “I’m gonna miss him a lot.”

The tears that have been present ever since we found Paps threaten to overflow again, but I manage to keep them at bay. The fucking cops classified it as an accident, and at first glance, it definitely looked like that’s what happened. Paps’s bike was smashed into the guardrail, and he was lying haphazardly in the ditch, cold and lifeless. Except… there were two bullet wounds conveniently overlooked upon their initial evaluation by the detectives sent to inspect the scene. Because there’s no fucking way my paps would’ve crashed his bike otherwise.

Finding myself suddenly thrust into the role of president of our chapter, I know the first order of business is to determine who thought they could fuck with the Kings. Then, we annihilate them.

“Me too, Issy, me too,” I gruffly reply, rapidly blinking to keep the tears at bay. “Means a lot to me that you came home for his funeral.”

“Rafe! Surely, you’re joking, right? He wasn’t my paps by blood, but he treated me better than my own did. Plus, you’re my best friend. Where else would I be?” she states.

“You gave up a chance for your gold buckle, babe,” I respond.

“And? You act like the rodeo circuit is suddenly gonna disappear. You and Paps have always been important to me, Rafe. Me riding is an extension of that because y’all taught me everything I know. Hell, Paps allowed me to keep Starlight at the ranch when ours was sold for back taxes!”

I don’t share with her thatIbought her ranch. I always want her to have someplace she can call home, but it wasn’t the time to share that little detail with her. It’s always been Issy for me; I’m just waiting for her to grow up enough and to follow her dreams to where she recognizes that and, in the meantime, it doesn’t hurt for her to spread her wings a bit.

“Still means a lot, Issy,” I tell her.

“What can I do for you?” she asks.

“Just you being here is enough,” I honestly reply.

“Then I’m here for as long as you need, Rafe,” she promises as we walk away from the gravesite toward my bike.

She’s the only person who’s ever ridden behind me. While I’m not a saint, I won’t keep her from following her dreams since, once I make her mine, that’ll be it for both of us.

ONE

Isla

I wake up, sore, discombobulated, and tied up in the back of my horse trailer. Shaking my head, I try to open my eyes only to realize that one of them is swollen shut. A soft whinny over my head has me peering up to see Starlight gazing down on me.

“Hey, girl,” I manage to croak out through my aching throat.

While she’s too old to still run the circuit, I now show her in the dressage events and use her daughter, Stargazer, to fly through the barrels. She’s faster than Starlight ever was and that’s saying something because Starlight helped me break some records on the circuit when she was at her strongest. Stargazer is blowing through those, and it gives me a thrill to know thatmyhorses are winners.

“What happened?” I murmur, as though she can answer me.

I can feel the trailer moving so I know I’m no longer at the fairgrounds, but the last thing I remember clearly is taking abottle of water from Gage while I was getting Starlight back in the trailer.

Starlight chuffs and despite the seriousness of the situation, I laugh. “I know, girl, it’s not like I have the ability to understand you.”

Rolling to my side, I find my arms are bound behind my back and it’s been long enough that my hands are numb.

“Let’s get these off,” I murmur, backing up to the steel slats.

This is one of the Triple R’s specially outfitted trailers. Rafe insisted I start using one for several reasons and right now, as I reach the section I was looking for, I’m grateful I didn’t argue with him on switching it out with mine. Because there’s a hidden knife that I activate, which quickly cuts through the ropes at my wrists.

Sighing in relief, I push the button, so it detracts back into the handle, so Starlight won’t accidentally hurt herself, then untie the bindings at my ankles.

As the pins and needles course through my arms and legs, I let out a low hiss of pain. I can’t tell what all my injuries are, but flashes of memory let me know that I fought like a hellcat.

Again, thanks to Rafe and his numerous self-defense sessions he insisted on giving me, I didn’t just cave and take the beating. No, I got my own licks in, which has me grinning in triumph. I suspect, since I don’t remember much else, that the water Gage gave me was drugged, which pisses me off because he’s supposed to be a trusted friend.

We grew up together for fuck’s sake. This level of betrayal has me seeing red.

“Rafe’s gonna kill him, Star,” I murmur, running my hand along her to make sure she’s not hurt.

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