Page 123 of Branded Betrayal

Nash nods. “Appreciate the help.”

I slowly get up. “I’m gonna take a walk around. I’ll see you guys later.”

Squaring my shoulders, I stick my hands in my pockets and walk toward the pastures, cringing at the evidence of all the damage I did over the past weeks. Cut fences, rusted equipment I tampered with, broken gates. All the Band-Aid fixes that were never meant to hold.

My footsteps get heavier and heavier as I approach the far pasture. I lean forward onto my arms, resting against one of the fences. The fields are lush and green, cattle quietly lowing as they graze peacefully and safely. Leaves on trees lining the property gently flutter in the afternoon breeze.

So much surrounding me tells the story of how I chose myself over Savannah, how I chose to sabotage her instead of going to the authorities. Yeah, I felt like I had no choice at the time, but in retrospect, there are always other choices to be made.

I could have broken free and still protected her.

I turn and head back toward the house when it hits me.

I still have a choice to make.

Colt and Nash are still outside when I get back to the house.

“I’m buying the ranch,” I say.

Nash balks. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I can’t let it go to a stranger. She worked hard to keep it running, and I know she had great ideas about how to generate income. I can fix it up, put some of her ideas in motion, take care of it, you know, just in case she decides to come back. It’d be hers. I want to buy it for her.”

“Where are you gonna get the money from?” Nash asks.

“I’ve got some cash saved up. Combat pay, hazard pay. It adds up. Since it’s a rural property in a distressed sale, it might go cheap.”

“It might not,” Colt says. “It’s got good water rights. A prime spot. Someone could easily bid it up.”

I shrug. “I don’t care. I’ll do whatever it takes. I want it for her.”

Colt looks at me for a long minute. “I’ll help.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“It’ll be too much for you to cover on your own. I can partner with you. I’ve got my own money, plus access to the stash Dad kept hidden away. It’d sure be poetic justice to use it to buy Red Rock.”

“Colt, I’d never ask—”

He holds up a hand. “And you didn’t ask. But it’s the right thing to do. You’re my brother. I want to help. Besides, Dad fucked up enough of your life. His money should help you fix it. We’ll go see Kent. He can set up an LLC for the purchase so your name’s not on it. That way when Savannah sees the paperwork, she won’t know you bought it. It might not go over well if she finds out before you tell her.”

I nod. “Okay, thank you. I’ll call Kent to set up a meeting.”

“You sure this is what you wanna do?” Nash asks.

“I’m gonna fix everything I broke. Every fence. Every piece of equipment. Every gate. And I’m going to rent out the land, just like she wanted. And then when she’s ready . . . if she’s ever ready . . . I’ll give it back to her. Restored and profitable, so she can have the future that she started to build.”

A pang in my chest is a harsh reminder that I won’t be part of that future, but if she’s happy, then I’ll be happy too.

“That’s a hell of a gesture,” Nash says.

“It’s the least I can do. I wrecked it all. Now I get to fix it for her.”

Nash smiles. “And I’ll help. I fucked up too. I kept secrets, acted like a complete jackass. I have a lot to make up for.”

“And you know Wyatt and I will pitch in too,” Colt says.

The three of us stand at the fence line, gazing at the rolling lavender fields.