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“Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” I can hear the sheer panic in his voice, my chest rising and falling as my heart skips beats.
“I’m fine, and no,” I shake my head from side to side before Riggs pulls me into him, my head on his chest and I feel my heart beat slow as I listen to the steady beat of Riggs’.
“Look, Aspen,” I hear Luke say amongst the commotion of Tripp and Pacey dragging a limp Clay into the back of their truck.
Riggs stands all protective in front of me, Austin by his side.
“I’m owed money, likea lot.I was promised it if I confirmed your identity. It was a shit thing to do but I had no idea what kind of guys they were…” he pauses for a moment and I step to the side of Riggs but his arm stretches out to stop me from going any further. Luke is bloody and bruised but I want to hear what he has to say.
“Why do you need money, Luke?” my tone is flat as I look at the man who once claimed I was the love of his life, but look how quick he sold me out for money.
“Tammy,” he mutters, and I can’t help the shit-eating grin that spreads across my face.
“The local tramp?” humour laces my voice.
“She took me for all I had, I’m in shit. Clay promised to clear my debt with the money he got from the ranches he sold, I thought it would be a quick trade.” He pauses and Tripp and Pacey join us, standing behind Luke now.
“He fucked you over,” Riggs laughs, lifting his arm from where it was once blocking me and folding it across his chest.
“Tammy left, then before I knew it, I was somehow roped into this with the big suits and now… well…” he looks at me and I can see the remorse in his eyes.
“I fucked up Aspen and I am so sorry,” he steps forward and falls to his knees at my feet and I suddenly feel sorry and embarrassed for him. Tripp, Pacey and Riggs all share a knowing look as I step around Riggs so I am now in front of him.
“I don’t want your apology, Luke, you did fuck up… big time,” I lower my face to his, “but you cheating on me and kicking me out of my home with nothing but the dress on my back, Butch and my laptop was the best thing you could have ever done for me.” I smile at him and I watch as his head drops.
“I suggest you run, Luke, far far away and don’t ever come back to Lovelock Bay because I can’t promise you’ll make it out alive next time,” and I know my threat is empty but I want to scare him away. He sags, his head falling back and Riggs steps forward, pressing the sole of his boot into Luke’s chest as he kicks him back, his body hitting the dirt beneath him.
“Tell your fucking suits we ain’t selling.” Riggs spits on the floor beside him then wraps his arm round my shoulders as he walks me away. I look over my shoulder at Luke sitting on the dirt and Austin, Harlow and the Rivera brothers following behind us.
“Let’s get you home, Wildflower,” Riggs whispers in my ear and I hear Austin groan.
“This is not the way I wanted to find out that you and my sister were a thing!” Austin shouts out and I giggle under Riggs’ arms as his head turns and he places a soft kiss on the top of my head.
I stop in my tracks as Riggs opens the back of the truck and his brows furrow.
“Er, Tripp,” he calls, his eyes not leaving the cab.
“Yeah?”
“Didn’t you put Clay in the back of the truck?”
“Yeah…” and Tripp’s words fall short.
“Well, you didn’t do a very good job,” Tripp and Pacey stand next to Riggs as they all eye the empty cab.
“Fuck,” Tripp just about manages, his hand on his mouth.
“Yeah, fuck.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR
ASPEN
It had been a week since Clay and Luke showed up at the Boot.
It had been four days since Clay’s body was found on the Rivera’s land.
We all knew it was a trap and so did the newly appointed sheriff for this case, but with no proof and the last witnesses claimed they saw Austin and Clay fighting before Clay’s body was dragged into the back of the Rivera’s truck, it wasn’t looking good. We know Tripp believes it had nothing to do with Austin, but he was still part of the law. He couldn’t be seen taking sides, especially when it came to his family.
