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Gianna headed back to Dom’s ranch house to, in her words, plan how to deal with her father. I was hoping she meant kill him, but no, she meant talk to him about cutting Levi out of their organization and stop pushing them into Arizona where they ain’t welcome.

It only makes me respect her more. She could have tried to sneak off and make a deal behind my back. Instead, she told me outright who was coming after us, and let me in on the fun.

But I caught a glimpse of Dom and her talking by the car after the meeting, and Gianna went pale. Something goes on in that family that I can’t quite put my finger on. It turns the fiercest woman I’ve met into a shell of herself.

“Earth to Colten,” Ace says, waving his hand in front of my face.

“Sorry. Was thinking.”

About the nerves Gianna tried to hide from me as she kissed me goodbye. I can’t shake that. Gianna Sterling is not anxious, yet talking to her father, that hits a nerve inside her. I don’t like it.

“Now that is dangerous, brother.” Hunter chuckles, holding up his beer.

I recline back in my seat, staring up at the sun.

“We should all be working right now,” I mutter.

Ace laughs. “That’s what we pay our hands a fuck load of cash for, Colt. I thought you got into this whole relaxing thing in Greece.”

I nod. It’s true. We can’t run the ranch all day and night and organize the other bullshit. There ain’t enough hours in the day. But I relaxed in Greece because I had Gianna beside me. Now she ain’t; I’m all pent up again.

“Don’t you guys miss it, being just cowboys?” I ask. Because I do. I miss when my life was waking up, going for a ride, checking on the animals, repairing fences. Hell, even branding season.

“Yeah. Once everything dies down, we can go back to it,” Hunter says.

“So not in this lifetime?” I joke.

Ace rolls his shoulders. “I think it would be good for our kids if Sterling Ranch was that by the time they bury us. I don’t want my daughter dealing with this. And Wyatt? You want him to become a drug lord?” he says, looking at Hunter.

“Fuck no.”

“Then how do we stop it? We can’t,” I say, because it’s true. You don’t decide you’re no longer in the mafia.

I already told them about the biker gang, and we’re tightening up security, especially around our shipments coming in and out.

“What’s got you thinking this?” Hunter asks, concern on his face.

I glance at Ace and think about how a few weeks ago I was covered in his blood and how limp he went in my arms. “Just thinking about my future, I guess. Isn’t that supposed to happen when you’re married?”

Ace laughs. “Yeah, a real marriage.”

I frown. “I did marry Gianna… for real.”

The entire energy shifts.

“Yeah, but you don’t love her? You don’t even like her?” Ace says, confused.

“I like her. We’ve kissed and made up.”

Pretty sure I fell headfirst into love with her, if I’m being honest with myself. I ain’t saying that out loud to my brothers; I won’t live that shit down. Especially when the woman I’m obsessed with keeps attempting to push me away at every conversation that involves an emotion.

Hunter’s mouth drops. “What are you saying?”

I shrug. “I don’t know yet. It’s early. Really fuckin’ early. But we’re exclusive, I think.”

Ace coughs.

“You said we couldn’t trust her?” Hunter says.