Page 20 of Saddled in Secrets
My cousin’s Adam’s apple bobs with a gulp. “Welcome home, Colt.”
“Not staying long. Just need to re-establish the boundaries.”
Walker snorts and makes sure I can see his eyes roll. “Still a traitor then?”
“Yup.” But only to those who betrayed me first.
“Such bullshit,” he spits. “We’re family, Colt. Blood bonds us. Gonna shred me to pieces over some rich bitch?”
I dig the steel into his skin until a trickle of blood drips over my knuckles. “Don’t talk about her.”
Walker doesn’t listen, which hasn’t changed either. “She’s got you all wrapped up, huh? Just like the boss said. He’s got you pegged.”
“Get him out here.” My voice is deadly calm.
“How do you expect me to do that while you’re holding a blade to my neck?”
“Not my problem. Just make it happen.”
He tosses his cigarette before digging out his phone. The screen is bright in the darkness, even with the spotlight over us. I squint while he types. His message provides minimal context,just stating someone is out front to see him. Probably did me a favor not mentioning my name. It won’t grant him leniency.
But he doesn’t know that.
My weapon lifts off Walker’s throat in a false surrender. He doesn’t get the chance to move. After raising a bent arm, I jab my elbow between his shoulder blades. He spins toward me, allowing my cocked fist to clock him twice in the jaw hard enough to send him reeling. I stretch out the burn in my knuckles. Damn, that feels good.
Walker stumbles to the side and clutches the injury. “What the fuck?”
“Told you not to talk about her.”
“Does she—?”
That’s all he gets out before I’m lunging forward. My knee rams into his gut while I get another punch to his face. He sputters, spitting out blood as his head snaps back. The sight feeds my instincts that I usually keep on a tight leash. Power surges through my veins and the demand for violence roars. I stalk him like easy prey, ready to strike again.
“Colton.”
The sharp tone cracks through the ferocity like thunder. I halt in my tracks even though I quit obeying that voice’s orders a decade ago. But this is his turf and I’m outnumbered.
My boots grind into the rocks—envisioning the much more satisfying crunch of bone fracturing beyond repair—as I turn to the man in charge. James Keller is an imposing force, but I feel nothing when our eyes meet. Emptiness is my comfort zone when it comes to this shitty excuse for a parent.
I’ve seen him around town since I left the crew. This is the closest I’ve been. He’s older—deep into his sixties—and it shows. More weathered than an abandoned shack left to rot. Time hasn’t been kind to him, but he still oozes dominance.
Shame threatens to surface. I try to push it back down, but the contempt swallows me. The fact that I allowed him to control me for all those years shrivels my pride. Dark memories haunt the edges of my vision, beckoning me to get lost in the pain. But then I absently snap the elastic on my wrist. The slight sting settles me.
Chocolate brown hair and forest-green eyes replace the void. Her smile is radiant, cracking through the murky depths. Bianca is my tether—the stars in the night when I’m lost. The reminder almost brings me to my knees. I’d crawl over broken glass for that woman.
And skewer my father if he ever puts her in harm’s way again. He glares when I refuse to cower. His authority doesn’t rule over me. Not anymore.
Rough hacking interrupts our hostile reunion. Walker is still recovering from my assault and not being quiet about it.
“Get yourself cleaned up.” My father dismisses him with a flick of his wrist.
I stay quiet, assessing him. His attention roves over me in return. Crickets serenade our standoff.
My dad clears his throat. “Well, you’re here faster than I predicted.”
“Rather get this over with.” I cross my arms and continue glaring him down, urging him to spew whatever bullshit spiel he planned.
“That girlfriend of yours is an effective pawn.”
