Page 53 of Wait in the Truck
Her gaze flicks to my pocket where I tucked the medallion. “That chip… It’s not yours, is it? You said it’s your talisman. But I’ve never seen you drink.”
My chest tightens. “It was my dad’s,” I say softly. “When I was younger, he told me he’d started abusingalcohol after he married Mom. It got worse after Rhett was born till he decided to clean up for his kids. He collected these chips—one for each milestone in AA. When he died, I found them all in a box and kept ’em.”
She softens. “I’m sorry.”
I blow out a slow breath, thumb over the chip’s worn edge. “He used to say, ‘Life’s a gamble, kid. Every decision is as fickle as a coin toss, but it’s up to you to choose wisely. You pick the wrong side, you’ll never find your way back.’” A short, humorless laugh bursts from my lips. “So now, whenever I’m at a crossroads—good, bad, or ugly—I flip it and go with whatever side I land on.”
Sage’s eyes glisten. “So that’s how you…”
“Decided to kill Toby,” I finish quietly.
She touches my cheek. “Then in a twisted way, your dad led us here?”
I swallow, the chip’s metal biting into my palm like a brand. “Guess so.”
She sighs, pressing closer. “I’m glad he brought us together, cause I’ve never known love like this.”
“I promise you, Wildflower, you’ll never feel alone again. You’re it for me, and I plan to make sure you know unconditional love every day for the rest of your life.”
We lapse into a hush, thinking of all the monstrous, desperate, bloody decisions that brought us here. In the end, we’re alive, together.
“Thank you for protecting me,” Sage whispers, resting her head on my shoulder.
I brush a kiss over her hair. “Whatever it takes, baby.”Even if it means stacking up a few more bodies when no one’s looking.
KADE
28
Dusk slipsin and coats the sky with bruise-dark smudges over Lilac Meadows. Looks like more rain might threaten, but so far, it’s holding off. The air is thick with the scent of wet hay and muddy soil, poignantly clinging to every surface. It’s the kind of damp that lingers on your skin like a silent reminder that Mother Nature is a fickle bitch.
I’m outside the barn, pacing, restless as a caged animal. The breeze tugs at the wooden slats, making them groan. My hands twitch at my sides—fists forming, then loosening, then forming again. The image of that bastard near Sage keeps replaying in my head, each loop fueling the anger thrumming under my skin. He dared threaten her? Over my dead body. Or better yet, over his.
I hear a truck engine approaching, gravel crunching under the wheels. My pulse kicks up, adrenaline lickingthrough my veins.Go time.The familiar sunburnt-orange Silverado pulls to a halt, and Rhett climbs out, scanning the yard like he expects a bomb to go off.
“Took you long enough,” I growl, closing the distance between us. Mud clings to my boots, trying to suck me down, but I’m too wired to care.
Rhett’s eyes flick to the house. “Sorry, I got caught up doing your job,” he says, a faint smirk on his lips. “Some of us didn’t have the pleasure of taking a day off.”
I grunt, ignoring the jab. “Sage’s inside. Too wound up to watch us deal with this, so I told her to stay put.” I jerk my thumb at the barn, then wave vaguely toward the back fields. “She saw Samuel arrive this morning, said he headed out that way.”
Rhett exhales, tension riding every line of his posture. “Let’s flush him out, then.”
We stride across the property, the wet grass brushing our ankles and tendrils of fog clinging to our legs like spirits. The evening gloom wraps around us, matching the dark coil of anger in my gut. If Samuel thinks he can waltz around here with some air of power, he’s about to learn otherwise.Don’t fuck around if you don’t wanna find out.
Sure enough, we spot him by a fence post that’s seen better days, rummaging in a toolbox. Chest puffed like a peacock as if he owns the place. My blood simmers the second I catch sight of him.
He senses us closing in and goes rigid. The hammer inhis grip catches the half-light just enough to shine.Good. Let him think he stands a chance. He’ll find out he should’ve stayed sitting.
“Samuel,” Rhett calls, voice calm as a loaded gun.
The ranch hand’s gaze flicks between us. There’s fear there, sure, but also a stubborn glint, like he thinks he can hold his ground against two Rivers brothers. “Rhett. Kade.” His tone tries for casual, fails. “To what do I owe the displeasure? Last I checked, you belong on the other side of the property line.”
I take a step closer, letting him feel the weight of my stare. “My brother and I are helping Sage out with an animal welfare check,” I say, letting a twisted grin curl my lips. “Can’t be too cautious these days.”
He snorts, hammer trembling in his hand. “Are you insinuating something, boy?”
A savage little laugh escapes me, menacing and dangerous. “I dunno, old man. Am I?” My fists itch, hoping he’ll make the first move so I have an excuse to silence this fucked-up freak for good.
