Page 67 of Branded

A car pulls up beside us. Caroline’s sleek black sedan. She lowers the window.

“Get in,” she demands. “Both of you. This is not a conversation for a hospital parking lot.”

“I’m not—” I start.

“Get. In.” Caroline’s voice leaves no room for any argument. “Unless you want to give Marshall more ammunition by having a public screaming match that ends up on social media.”

She has a point. Several people have stopped to watch our argument. The last thing this family needs is a video of Sebastian Drake and his new wife fighting outside the hospital where his father is recovering from a gunshot wound.

I climb into the back seat. Sebastian hesitates, then gets in beside me, his long legs cramped in the small space. It would have been comical if I was in a better mood.

Caroline pulls out of the parking lot in silence. No one speaks for several miles, just the hum of tires on asphalt and the air conditioning running.

“Dad’s wrong,” Caroline finally says. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re the leak.”

I look up, surprised. “You don’t?”

“No. His theory doesn’t make sense.” She glances at me in the rearview mirror. “If you were a plant, you’d be less competent. You’d make mistakes that gave them the advantages. Instead, you’ve been annoyingly helpful. Smart thinking about the cattle recovery. Even last night during the ambush, by all accounts you acted like someone trying to survive, not someone who knew it was coming.”

“Thank you,” I say quietly.

“Don’t thank me. I’m just being logical.” She turns onto the highway heading toward the ranch. “But Dad’s not wrong to be suspicious. Someone did leak our plans. Someone on the ranch had access to the raid details. And until we figure out who, everyone’s a suspect. Including you.”

“So what am I supposed to do? Submit to an interrogation?”

“You’re supposed to understand that this family protects itself. Sometimes that means questioning everyone, even people we want to trust.” Caroline’s eyes meet mine in the mirror. “If you’re innocent, and I believe you are, then time will prove it. The real leak will make another mistake. Until then, you deal with the suspicion.”

“That’s not fair.”

“No, it’s not. But it’s reality.” She pulls off the highway onto the ranch access road. “Welcome to being married into a family with power and enemies. This is what it looks like.”

We drive through the ranch gates in silence. Caroline pulls up to the main house and kills the engine.

“Nathaniel’s staying at the hospital with Dad and Mom, Patricia has the girls for a while, and James is handling security. I’m going to the office to deal with legal fallout.” She looks at Sebastian. “What are you doing?”

“I don’t know,” he admits.

“Figure it out. Because right now, your wife looks like she’s about to run, and our father thinks she’s a traitor. It’s not a good look for her.” Caroline climbs out. “Fix it, Sebastian. Before it gets worse.”

Then she is gone, heels clicking on the driveway, disappearing into the house.

I reach for the door handle. “Where are you going?” Sebastian asks, stopping me before I can get out.

“The house. To pack. To think. To get away from you for a while.” I open the door. “Unless you’re going to accuse me of stealing silverware while I’m there?”

“Lennox.” He reaches out for me, but I push his hand away.

“Save it.” I climb out, then lean back in. “Out of this entire family, I thought you’d at least be in my corner.”

“I don’t think you’re guilty.”

“Yes, you do. You just don’t want to admit it.” I slam the door and walk in the other direction, toward the house I had begun to think of as ours, my vision blurring with tears I refuse to let fall until I’m alone.

Behind me, I hear Sebastian’s door open, his footsteps following.

“Don’t follow me,” I yell without turning around.

“It’s my house.”