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“She don’t hate you, Wade, she just don't understand. Leia hasn’t got the full story,” Garrett reminds me, stepping up beside me and placing his hand on my shoulder.
“Her dad has to die for what he did.” I feel his fingers tense as they dig into my flesh. “We got the all-clear from Harvey to do that, but only when he’s got himself a replacement. These things take time and I don’t wanna be rushin’ him into that decision, because it will affect our whole town. If he puts someone like Mason in the seat, all this, everythin’ we’ve worked and fought for, will be destroyed.”
“I get that, Garrett.” I hang my head and try to calm myself down.
“But no one’s expectin’ you to leave your girl in danger, if ya wanna get Leia away from that cunt, you move in and we’re right behind ya. But, no one dies yet.”
“She fuckin’hatesme, Garrett,” I repeat the words, looking over my shoulder at my big brother and letting him see all the pain I’m in, and when he spins me around and pulls me in for a hug, I feel that he’s hurtin’ too.
“You're gonna get her back, Wade,” he promises.
“I take it we ain’t tellin’ Maisie about this?” I pull back and sniff away any traces of tears I got.
“No, we ain’t, she’s got enough to deal with. But she’s not stupid, she knows somethin’ is up, Leia ain’t made no contact with her, not since the day she visited her in hospital.”
“I don’t know what to do. I went there with all intentions to drag her outta there, and she made me leave. She didn’t want my help, but hell, she needs it… Fuck!” I toss my hat off in frustration.
“You can’t force her to do anythin’, Wade. She’s protecting her dad from The Order; she doesn’t know that it’s all pointless ‘cause he’s gonna die anyway. Maybe if you tol—”
“No!” I cut him off before he can even suggest it.
“I don’t care what that fucker did, I won’t have Leia think she was raised by a monster. We stick to the plan. Harvey wants it to look like an accident, we do just that. It’s the best outcome for her too.”
“I figure we just need a few weeks, maybe a month. Noah says Harvey wants to pull Walker from power just as much as we want him dead. Like I said, if ya wanna take your girl back, you take her, but we’re keepin’ our hands clean. Too many people have died in this town and too many paths lead back to us. There’s only so much Sherrif Nelson can do, now that detectives are involved with Cora and Aubrey’s murders.” I notice the way his eyes flick back to Garrett. “It sucks, but we’re fightin’ the law and whatever this Organization is at the same time, and if we aren’t careful we’ll end up losin’.”
“And what if she don’t wanna be taken? She seems intent on sufferin’ it out.”
“Then all ya can do is make sure you're there for her when that cry for help comes. You can’t do that from Wyoming, Wade.”
“You too? How did ya?—”
“You're my little brother, I’m always gonna know where you are, even when you lie to me. Now get out there and meet your niece and nephews properly.” He flicks the front of my Stetson so it falls off my head.
* * *
I get through an awkward dinner with Mom doing her best to act like she never left us, and Maisie playing up to it. Cole is absent, but that comes as no surprise. Garrett remains silent and tense, and I know I come across as rude when Maisie’s friend attempts to make polite conversation with me and I give her nothing back.
All I can think about is Leia. I keep hearing those words over and over in my head and, despite them, I wanna get in my truck and go get her. Once dinner is over I head out to see if I can make myself useful. Everything seems under control. There are some new guys in the bunkhouse who seem to know what they're doing, and after dropping into the stable to say hello to Hooter, I decide the best thing I can do is head for bed.
I flick through my phone at some of the pictures I took of us together before I left, then I do what I’ve been putting off since I left and search through all her socials. She hasn’t posted anything since the day before her wedding day, which is unlike her. She hasn’t changed her name on any of them either. I turn my head on the pillow and think about the time I came to my room and found her waiting for me in this bed. I remember the promises I made her and how I let her down, and knowing that she’s lying beside Caleb right now, and what he could be doing to her, has me getting outta bed and getting dressed. I lift my sleeping bag from the top of my wardrobe and drag my rifle from under my bed. Then I try to be as quiet as possible as I creep down the stairs and head for the front door.
“Where ya goin’ with that?” A deep voice comes from the corner of the living room as I pass it, and when I turn around I notice Garrett sitting in the dark.
“Ya tryin’ to make me shit myself?” I shake my head at him. “What the hell ya doin’ sittin’ in the dark?”
“I’m thinkin’, and around now is the only time this house is ever silent.” He makes a valid point. “Now, tell me where you’re headin’.”
“I can’t sleep knowin’ what he did to her, and I’m takin’ your advice. When that cry for help comes, I wanna be there.”
“Ya need a rifle for that?” he checks, his eyes fixing on the one hanging off my shoulder.
“There’s woodland at the back of the house, I figure I can use it for cover. The rifle’s for protection.”
“And when are you gonna sleep, Wade?”
“I’ll sleep when I get her back.”
Garrett nods his head at me and huffs a sad laugh because he knows he’d be doing exactly the same thing if Maisie was in that situation.
