Page 34 of Ranger Danger

She closes her eyes in pain for a second and lets out a held breath. “That’s my real name. Evelyn Storm Thomas Donovan.”

A million thoughts run through my brain. Fucking hell, how could I miss it? “You are,” I say, struggling to sound normal. “The Evelyn Thomas who’s buying up land all around me?” I ask, watching as Wes heads outside and starts to talk to the preppy asshole.

“No, that was my grandmother,” she says, shaking her head. “She left me her inheritance. My father tried to stop her from signing the money and land over to me. He threatened to cut me off before everything transfers to my name when I turn twenty-one in three months. He even tried to declare me incapable of looking after everything if I didn’t find out about you. I’m sorry I didn’t say anything sooner, Rafe,” she pleads, tears running down her face.

“I don’t fucking believe this. This was all about money?” My voice is hoarse and deep, and I struggle to clear it.

“No, never. Please, Rafe, let me explain. I’m not selling the land my grandmother gave me, I’m giving it all back.” Her voice trembles from her crying.

I caress her face and kiss her forehead. “I need to go, kid,” I say, my molars grinding together. “I can’t let you love me,” I say, getting out.

She slams the door shut and corners me against the side of her van, out of sight from that asshole. “Fuck you for not giving me a chance,” she says and punches me in my chest, pain sliding through her gaze as she places her hand on her heart. “You’re just scared. You said you were falling for me. What changed? Are you such a cold bastard you’re saying the last days didn’t mean anything?” Pushing at my chest again, she screams, “I tell you I’m falling for you, that I love you and you can’t even believe it.”

“I can’t love you,” I tell her, fighting to keep my voice steady while my heart breaks in two. I want to yell at her,I’m doing this for you, babe, that’s what you do for people you love, you let them go. “You can’t give up your dreams for a scarred fucker like me.”

“What if I want to? What if I love you the same as you love me?” She sniffles. “I know you do; I saw it. I can taste it on your lips.”

“You can’t. It was fun,kid, but now you need to go back where you belong,” I rasp, taking a step forward and hugging her tight to my chest. “I’m letting you go,” I say, regret lacing my tone as I kiss her hair. Saying it out loud tears my heart right out of my chest.

But I love her, and in a perfect world I’d ask her to stay and share a life with me.

I can’t give her much; I don’t have money, and every day I struggle with my past.

I can’t let her love me, not when I know she’ll hate me for it.

I’m broken, and I’ll be damned if I break her too.

Storm

Itake a deep breath, inhaling his scent. I want to hold him. I want him to fight for me. Why isn’t he fighting for me? He lets me go and pushes my hands from his chest. “You need to go,” he repeats, his eyes hard and empty.

“Evelyn,” Trent calls out again. “Are you ready?” he says, sounding bored, while he’s typing something on his phone.

We both look up when a dog barks. “Fuck,” Rafe swears, watching as Jack barrels down the road toward us. He immediately runs up to the rolled-down window Betty is hanging out of.

Rafe’s head tilts to the side, his eyes zoning in on me. “Go, Evelyn, live your life,” he husks out.

“Fuck you,” I tell him, tears blurring my vision of his handsome face.

“Good one, kid,” he answers, no emotion in his voice as he walks past me.

“Don’t do this, Rafe,” I plead, following him as he shakes the hand of the other man wearing a Ranger uniform.

“Everything okay?” the guy asks, flashing me a kind smile, reddish copper hair peeking out from his cowboy hat. “I’m Wes,” he says, tipping the hat up in greeting.

“Yeah, we’re all good, just making sureEvelyngot back in one piece,” Rafe grits out, aiming a fake smile at me that doesn’t reach his eyes.

I stop walking. I don’t want to go, buthere I amstanding between two men who don’t love me. I place my hand on my heart.He doesn’t love me.

An alarm goes off inside the station, and the guy with the Stetson heads inside saying, “Will you excuse me.”

“Rafe, don’t do this,” I repeat, grabbing his hand while he continues up the steps.

He pulls away from me. “You don’t belong here, we had fun, but it was never going to last,” he grumbles, a glassy sheen in his eyes when they lock in on mine.

“Rafe,” Wes says, opening the door. “I just got word a truck is stuck on the side of the road. Care to head out?”

“Sure.” Rafe whistles for Jack to stay put near the entrance. “Let me grab my gear.” Our eyes clash and he grunts. “You don’t belong here, Storm,” he says, not even bothering to look at me while he breaks my heart in two, slamming the door closed behind him and leaving me alone with Trent.

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