Page 92 of Dark Horse

“I’ll meet you all out there in a few.” Levi nods them off, and the way he waits, I can tell he wants to talk to me.

“Grant told me about the incident at the Avarice. I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with all of this,” I say quietly.

Levi shrugs. “We’re used to it. That’s life. One fucking thing after another, and then you die.”

“I just wish they could have had their wedding. Given your family a chance to celebrate something.”

“Me too, but once we get through this, we’ll celebrate.Maybe even more than before once we’ve taken care of business.” Levi pulls his glasses off, brushing the edge of his shirt over the lens and then returning them to their place.

The man was a mashup of contradictions. Tall and muscular with glasses and intricately designed patterns of tattoos, wise and patient, but with a temper that rivaled both of his brothers’ combined. He’s the kind of man you’d love to meet in a bookshop cafe and sip an iced espresso with while you read together in the middle of the day, and the last man you’d want to meet in a dark alley at night.

I don’t want to be on his bad side, but I worry I will be if he thinks I’m causing his brother any more distractions or stress. Which is where I think this conversation is headed.

“We can cut the small talk. If there’s something you want to say…” I offer because I’d rather just rip the Band-aid off.

He straightens his glasses, pushing them back on the bridge of his nose, and leans against the doorframe. He surveys me for a moment like he’s underestimated me and wants to reassess how he approaches the conversation.

“Can we skip the sugarcoating too? I’d like to just talk freely, as two people who care about him and this family.”

“You can.” I stand a little straighter, glad at least that he respects the fact I don’t need my hand held to discuss the issue at hand.

“He’s going to tell you that you need to leave if he hasn’t already. And you’re going to be tempted to argue with him. I know how stubborn you both are and how much the two of you enjoy fighting as foreplay—but you need to do what he’s asking. If you love him, you won’t fight him on this.”

“We’re discussing it,” I say tersely, feeling off-kilter by Levi pressing the point so hard.

“There’s nothing to discuss. You’re a walking, talking distraction for him. One he can’t afford. Not rightnow. It could cost him his life—or yours or someone else in this family, which would be as much a death sentence as anything, given the way it would wreck him.”

“He explained the seriousness of the situation, but he also needs someone who can support him. His mental state is exactly why I don’t want to leave,” I argue because Levi strikes me as someone who’s every bit as hard as his brother but without the soft underbelly. He needs someone like Levi at his side, and I’m glad he has him, but he needs the other side of the coin too.

“His mental state is why you have to leave. You can support him from a safe distance, just like our siblings, where he knows you’re out of their reach and behind lines they can’t cross. Part of being strong in this situation is doing the thing you don’t want to do because it’s the right thing, Dakota. The right thing for him. The right thing for you. I’m not trying to be cruel or unfeeling. If you make each other happy—I want that for him. But you both have to survive this for there to be a future, and that only happens if you let him make choices with a clear head.”

“I’ll take it into consideration.” I say the words like I mean them because as much as I hate it, the things he’s saying make sense.

“That’s all I ask.” He nods and heads outside, looking back with a sympathetic glance one last time before the door closes, and I feel the tears start to stain my cheeks again.

I know Levi is right. It’s the reason all of his siblings who aren’t part of whatever they’re planning are leaving like this. They’re not running scared. They’re leaving so that he has as many options on the table as he can get. So he can gamble freely without having to worry about what he could lose. I just worry that without someone here to remind him how much he’s needed, he’ll be willing to gamble everything away to save us.

THIRTY-NINE

GRANT

“Listen.While we wait for Fallon, I need to tell you something. I did a lot of thinking during this trip, and between things with Ethan falling apart and how much Fallon loves it out here, along with how much I miss you all… I met with a colleague in Highland State’s archaeology department, and she was excited about the projects I’ve been working on. There’s a chance something might open, and if it does, I’m thinking about moving back,” Aspen announces quietly as we get out on the porch of the family home. My eyes meet hers, and she must see the fear-stricken look in them because she presses her hand to my shoulder reassuringly. “Not now. Not until you’ve dealt with whatever this is that has you so worried. But once things have settled.”

“I can’t guarantee it’ll ever be settled. As much as I wantyou back here…” I’d wanted us all back in Purgatory Falls for so long, it hurts to try and deter her now.

“I think you need me back here. I think this family needs to be back together again. Us all splitting up to the winds… I think our parents would hate it.”

“I think our parents would want us to do whatever kept us safe. I know it’s what Dad would have wanted, especially for you.” I give her a pointed look. Aspen had always been the book smart one, off getting her doctorate while Levi and I were running bets and Ramsey was running the field. Our parents had always wanted her as far away from the chaos as possible.

“Yeah, well, they always underestimated how much I could take care of myself.”

“I know you can. Fuck. You might have to if this doesn’t end well. You know they’ll need you if it goes that way. Ramsey’s just finally getting his life back together after everything, and Levi. Well, if he makes it out and I don’t, he’ll be set on revenge. You know how he can be when he gets a singular focus. It’s an obsession for him. You’ll have to rein him back in, make him focus on something else.” I stare off across the ranch. I hate having this conversation, but it needs to be said.

“I hope I don’t even have to think about that. I can’t imagine this family, this town… None of it works without you.” Aspen looks at me thoughtfully. “I know you loved Dad, but you’re twice the man he was. I hope you know that. Smarter. More capable. More driven in ways he couldn’t even fathom. What you’ve done with the Avarice? How you’ve held this all together while we all ran off to have our fun? It’s not fair. Most people would collapse under all the weight of it, and you made it look easy.”

“I appreciate the deathbed flattery, sis.” I smirk at her, trying to deflect because I can’t take a compliment tosave my fucking life, and my sister is so direct about the way she gives them.

“It’s not flattery. It’s truth. And here’s some more for you. If you get through this, put a ring on that girl’s finger and give yourself the time off you deserve. Spend some of your life doing what you want instead of what you think everyone else needs. The whole thing is gonna pass you by, and you’re gonna wish you had that time back. Money, success, power. None of it gives back the time you’ve missed with people you love.” Aspen gives me a sympathetic look.

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