I drive in stunned silence with all I learned after going to see the Sheriff, wanting a hypothetical on what Adilynn’s options would be in regard to keeping Luke safe if she left home.

He gave me far more information than I’m sure he’s legally allowed to. Telling me about all the times, he was called out to the farm in the early days. Even watching Madison hit Adilynn in the middle of town.

What he didn’t tell me was why he left her to fend for herself. We’re a small enough town, we should have been able to help her.

Hearing Adilynn’s story, all the things she went through, I don’t know how she’s not more fucked up then she is now. Her father left when she was three, leaving her with an alcoholic mother that never tried to hide the men she brought home.

When the older woman met Luke’s dad, things quieted down for a while. Until she fell pregnant with the boy. Adilynn was admitted to the hospital twice in a six-month period. Both times, her parents insisted she was clumsy and fell, or got into one of their border horses stalls.

There was an excuse or reason for everything, and because Ady never spoke up not a lot could be done. Once Luke was born, the family became even more isolated. His father left when Madison went into labor, and they hadn’t heard anything from the man since then.

Seeing her struggles on paper with school, a scholarship she lost, her lack of roots, it all makes me incredibly sad for them. And extremely determined to give them both the stability they need in their lives.

I know now more than ever I have to take things slow with Adilynn, make sure I move at her pace and not the rat-race I can feel building in my bones. She has to be the one in charge. The only thing I won’t let her do is push me away when things do turn serious. If her past is any indication, I know she’ll panic at the first sign of permanence.

Pulling up in front of the junior high school, Luke has football practice on Thursdays and a game tomorrow, I head out to the field. It’s been almost a week since I’ve seen them, and I know Adilynn is at work in the feed store, so I figure a stop to see Luke might be a better idea. Even if my heart is protesting, wanting her instead.

Luke told me all about some of the bigger boys tackling him when they weren’t supposed to be. As a quarterback, he should be better protected from his defense. I guess they like to fuck with him because he seems weak.

The boys got a spine of steel.

And shows it as I walk around the bleachers as the white team comes at him just as he throws the ball to his receiver. The speed and precision of the play on his part is near professional league.

I cringe as I see two larger kids crash into him from either side, sending his helmet flying off his head as he hits the turf with a thud I can hear from my stance forty feet away.

“Coach!” I yell, not thinking, only knowing a hit like that shouldn’t be allowed in practice. Every player on the field turns to look at me, Luke included.

I watch him stand, wincing as he pushes through the boys around him. “Brantley? What are you doing here?” I can hear the hesitant hope creep into Lukes voice to match the look in his gaze.

“Came to see what you had in you kid.” I give him a lopsided grin to hide my frustration at what I watched go down.

“You won’t tell Ady will you?” I frown at his question. “She doesn’t like me getting hit like this.”

“You shouldn’t be getting hit like that, not in practice.” My eyes stray to both coaches walking over to where we stand. I’m sure I’m overstepping some invisible line here, I just can’t bring myself to care.

“Brantley Marbury,” Coach Wilson whistles. He was here when I was playing throughout my school years. “What brings you back to the Iron Grid?”

“You played?” Luke has a look of awe on his face.

“Sure did kid.”

“Best in all his years,” Wilson confirms. “Haven’t seen him in some time though.”

“I came to see Luke practice.” My gaze roams the field seeing everyone still watching us. “Can’t say I’m too pleased about what went down though. Hits like that are a no-fly zone in practice.”

“He’s a tough one, aren’t you Luke,” the second coach–one I haven’t met–grips his shoulder and I see Luke wince from pain.

“Take your hand off him, or I’ll take it off you,” I warn with a grin. I didn’t come to cause problems, but if this is what’s happening on the field, I’m damn well going to put a stop to it. Even if that means I come to every practice myself.

“Blaine still working out there with you?” Wilson tries to distract as Luke steps to the side.

“Yup.” I eye the kids who knocked Luke on his ass as they walk closer. I have a feeling this new coach is a fan of theirs.

“Luke complaining like a baby?” The shorter one laughs.

Wilson shakes his head in annoyance.

The new guy–“What’s your name?”–laughs with them.

Sticking out a hand, “Martin Boyd,” he slaps a false smile on his face.

I ignore his offer. “You think it’s funny when kids get concussions? Wind up in the hospital? Maybe get brain damage?” I refuse to fuck around with this guy. Either he doesn’t fully understand the risk, or he just doesn’t care.

“They’re kids, they don’t hit that hard,” he defends.

“Except for the part where your defense isn’t doing their job and protecting their quarterback. Your running backs had a clear shot to him and not once was his ass covered before or after he let that ball fly.”

They look at each other as though I’m smoking something funny. “His throw was great,” Wilson says, pride in his voice.

“You’re right, his throw could be found on a major league field. Which is why any school in the county would likely want him on their team at any expense.” It doesn’t take long for Wilson to see where I’m going with this.

“Now wait a damn minute–“

“Nope. Practice is over soon, he won’t be at tomorrow’s game. For your sake, I hope by Monday’s practice, you’ve got your guys in line to protect and defend without fail, or he won’t be back period.”

Dismissing them, I walk over to where Luke is standing with his shoulders slumped. The kid loves the game, that much is clear. But if he’s not properly taken care of, he won’t play it much longer.

“Can you really do that?”

“Do what?”

“Get me on another team?” Sounds like he’s interested in the idea.

“I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard. With throws like that, any school would be lucky to have you.” I watch him for a second. “You don’t like it here, do you?”

“I hate it.” He confesses without prompting, and I wonder if Adilynn knows.

“Does your sister know? Your mom?”

“Ady has enough on her plate to worry about. She does everything to make sure I can play. Mom”–he shrugs–“nothing matters to her anymore.”

“What do you mean nothing matters to her anymore?”

“She’s gone. Ady made her leave after what happened.” He doesn’t look nearly as sad as one would think.

“What happened?” I think I need to give my girl a lesson in when to tell me shit.

“James!” Coach Wilson calls for him. “One more play!” Luke’s gone before he can answer my question.

What the hell happened on that farm?

* * *

Sweat is pouring off me in buckets as I continue stocking the shelves. We got a new shipment of boots and hats in and lucky me, I get to climb five rows of shelves to put the excess boots up. The hats are easy, they lay claim to a hook on one of the many hat tree’s around the store.

With the unseasonably hot weather for mid-year and a broken air conditioner, I’d like to jump in a lake right about now. Even in a pair of jean shorts, and tank top I’m sweltering.

The chime of the door announcing a new customer unsteadies my balance as I’m shocked out of my heat-induced suffocation.

“I’ll be right with you!” I call out making my descent of the ladder. Once my feet hit the linoleum floor an expensive pair of Alligator skinned boots round the corner of the shelf, and I frown. Not many people around here wear those.

“Adilynn James?” The man says, already knowing who I am.

My head darts up in sharp reply, meeting the stare of Eric Rhodes, the same man who laughed his way out of my house in the middle of a storm after breaking my mother’s nose and shooting a hole in the wall. Sucking in a sharp breath, I nod my head, trying to control my recognition of the man.

“I’m looking for Madison. Do you know where she is?” His cold stare shows intelligence I had hoped to never see again.

“No. She’s gone.” I wish my voice was steadier.

“Gone where?” He looks around, and I wonder if he’s looking to see if there’s anyone else in the store.

“I don’t know. She left a few days ago.”

His stare shoots fire through me as I see the calculation in his orbs as he sizes me up. Stepping forward, he crowds me against the ladder I’d just climbed off of. I feel the dangerous heat emanating from him, it’s pungent, like horse shit heating too long in the sun.

“She owes me money.”

I snort, not at all shocked. “Get in line, buddy.” When his eyes narrow, I want to take the words back. I want to slap my own mouth. I’m usually a mouse, not a big mouth.

“It’s a rather large amount.” A slimy finger glides from my wrist to my shoulder, and across my collarbone. I want to puke all over his expensive boots.

“I don’t have anything.” My voice squeaks with fright.

“Oh, but you do,” he leans forward, and I fight the urge to kick him in the nuts when I feel his hot breath on my cheek.

“Please don’t do this.” I’m not above begging.

“I guess,”–he runs his nose along my jaw–“I could go see Luke.”

“No!” I shout. No. He can’t, I won’t let him.

“Then it’s you I get.” I swallow hard as I fight my imagination from running wild. A whimper breaks free when his tongue slides up and around my ear. Tears begin to run freely down my face as terror shakes my body from the inside out.

I was boiling hot ten minutes ago, now I feel like I’ve been shoved in the Arctic ocean.

The jingle of the bell rings through the store like lightning on a quiet night.

Saved by the bell.

“I’ll be back sweet Adilynn,” he whispers, and he’s gone as quickly as he appeared.

* * *

Henderson’s is unnaturally quiet as Luke, and I enter the store. “Where is she?” Luke asks, and I don’t think he’s expecting an answer. “Ady?”

The sound of something being dropped near the shoe and boot aisle has us heading that way. Rounding the hat tree, I see Adilynn on the floor picking up boxes, and I can tell from the tense lines of her frame something is wrong.

“Ady, guess who put Coach in his place!” Luke’s excitement can’t be masked.

“Who’s that Luke?” Her voice wobbles slightly, and I narrow my eyes as I walk closer to help her.

“Me.” She looks up as I bend down, and I can see in her gaze she’s suffering inside. Something happened, and as I’m about to ask her about it, she shakes her head with a quick look back at Luke who’s inspecting a pair of boots on the shelf.

Nodding to her I stand with three boxes in my hands and put them in the gap of shelving where they go. My eyes roam freely down Adilynn’s body, and it’s then I realize I haven’t seen her in her own boots since before I brought her to my ranch.

“Where’d your boots go?”

Looking down to her feet encased in tennis shoes, she frowns. “There was a rattler out by the creek last weekend. Figured they weren’t worth my life.”

Stunned, I stare. “A rattler?” How the hell can she be so damn blasé about that? “You didn’t think to tell me sooner?”

It’s her turn to frown. “It wasn’t a big deal.” Luke’s head is whipping back and forth between us, a slight grin on his face.

Hands on my hips, my head drops as I utter–“Not a big deal?”

“What?”

Turning to Luke, I pull out my wallet and hand him twenty bucks with instructions. “Go on down to the diner, we’ll be there shortly.”

“Right on!” The kid runs out.

Adilynn stares at him, mouth agape before she finds her voice. “You can’t do that.”

“I believe I just did.” I know I sound cocky, but I need her to realize she’s not alone in this world. That she has someone who gives a damn about her wellbeing. “Luke said your mom left.” I have a dozen questions swirling through my mind right now, but I need to find out what the hell happened at home first. I need to know if I should be coming into town more often.

Clearing her throat, she looks anywhere but at me. “On Sunday, she brought another man home.” A shudder runs through her. Stepping forward, I bring her body into mine, savoring the way she fits into me. “There was a gunshot–everyone was fine–but Luke…his eyes…the fear. I was so angry with her already. Then you, and your damn promises. I had to do something Brantley.” She’s rambling, defending whatever it is she’s done before I even know.

“What happened Adilynn?” I lift her chin up so I can see her hazel depths.

“After Luke went to bed, I went out to the barn–I think better out there–and I wrote up this custody draft. I was going to make her give him to me. He’s all I wanted. Luke is the only thing that matters.

“Then the storm masked some of the commotions in the house, but I heard it. It was like a crack of lightning right beside me. It was startling and powerful. I ran back to the house, but before I could reach the porch, I heard his steps, and I knew I had to hide. Luke was in the window, he was watching. He heard everything.

“When the man finally came out I knew he’d done something to her. I knew she’d done something to him too.” Tears are flowing down her cheeks. “I ran up to check on Luke first. I was terrified of what was happening, but I had to be strong you know? I always have to be so damn strong. I never got to be a kid, I’ve always had to take care of someone, and this time is no different. Except...it was.”

“Because of Luke,” I hazard.

Her forlorn stare meets mine. “Because of Luke.” I fucking hate how much she gives up for the boy, but I understand it. “He wasn’t hurt, scared, but otherwise fine. So, I went to mom’s room, and there was blood and the smell of cheap whiskey. I thought she was dead. I cried for her!” I don’t know if she’s hurt or angry over that one. “He broke her nose and knocked her out, but she was fine.”

“And now she’s gone?”

“I made her sign the damn papers, it’s why I asked if Windbreaker could stay with you. I didn’t want her to have any leverage. I wanted her to take everything but Luke. I wasn’t going one more damn night knowing I couldn’t protect him. And she did it, she gave him to me, he’s mine.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“The house, the farm, the boarder barn…it’s all mine.” I’m still not understanding. “She always just made me give her money, I wasn’t allowed access to bills and finances. Nothing. She took out an extra mortgage, the bills are barely paid. I’m in debt, Brantley, and I’m never going to get out of it.” Her body is shaking as she cries into my chest.

I can’t say I’m shocked about what she just told me after all the information Pops gave me about Madison and then the Sheriff. Just from looking at the land I knew they were in trouble, but now my girl is the one solely responsible for it all.

“We’ll get it figured out Ady.” I try to reassure, knowing I have to help. I won’t let her, and Luke go homeless. I’m sure Blaine and the guys can give me a hand sprucing the place up now that breeding season is coming to a close. If anything, she’ll have to sell it to recoup some of the money lost in the second mortgage.

Hell, I’m not even sure how Madison was given another loan. That place has been falling apart for more years than Luke has been alive. “When did your mom take out the second mortgage?” The broker would have had to come out to appraise the property. Find out if the home and land were even worth it.

Sniffling, she pulls back as she thinks about it. “I’m not sure, sometime in the past few years.” Her gaze has lost some of the hurt. “Did Luke say you told Coach off?”

“Uh, yeah. I did.”

“Why?”

“He wasn’t doing his job. Luke wasn’t being protected on the field. Saw his helmet fly off and lost my cool.”

“Isn’t that part of football?” Her head tilts in an incredibly cute way.

“Not in practice. These boys were out to hurt him.”

Concern colors her gaze. “Is he okay? He’s never mentioned any of this to me before.”

“He didn’t want you to worry. The two of you don’t give either one enough credit you know. You try to protect him, and he tries to protect you.” They need a damn keeper, but I won’t say that to her. “I’d like you guys to spend the weekend at the ranch with me.” I think I shock her with my request.

“The whole weekend?”

“That’s what I was thinking, yeah.”

“I don’t know, Brantley…” She looks torn between wanting to do it and needing to be responsible.

“I’ve got a couple spare rooms. Much as I’d like you in mine, I won’t push you.” But damn will I try.