They sat on the edge of the golf course, wrapped in each other’s arms, as the sun began to rise over the desert.

Sarah let her whole body relax into Snake’s, and she breathed in the lush scent of all the freshly watered grass, against the stark contrast of the hot humidity of the desert air.

“I can’t believe I’ve never done this before,” she said as she wrapped her hand into Snake’s. “All the years I lived in this house, and not once did I ever sneak down to the very edge of these gardens and properly check out the golf course. Watching the sun rise over it really is something else.”

“I know,” he laughed as he kissed her on top of the head. “I’m having a hard time believing it myself.”

“I think I just knew it was out of bounds,” she shrugged. “And I was never the wandering kind, I never had the urge to explore. I was more of a dolls and tea parties kind of girl.”

She hung her head and laughed.

“Your brother probably made sure you were terrified to come down here,” he laughed. “If I remember right, he was always thinking up some crazy plans to keep you away from all of our pursuits. That’s just how it is when you’re kids, isn’t it? The boys always want the freedom and to not have any interruptions.”

“I can’t see that much has changed,” Sarah said wryly. “I mean, we all saw what happened in the diner last night…”

Snake lowered his head and nodded too.

Sarah didn’t want to bring up how badly things had gone between Ranger and Snake, but at the same time, were they just going to pretend it hadn’t happened?

“I will have to talk to him,” Snake said sternly. “I want to tell him how I feel about you…”

Sarah felt a swell of pride deep inside her, but also a pang of nerves. The thought of Ranger finding out about them for real was kind of intimidating. And Sarah didn’t want to cause any trouble with their friendship.

“Why don’t we just keep it a secret for now?” she asked as she looked into his eyes. “I don’t want anything to ruin this… It’s been so lovely.”

Snake smiled and kissed her as he cupped her face in his hands.

“Okay,” he said as their lips broke apart. “But only because I’m crazy about you. And I don’t want anything to ruin this either.”

He kissed her again and Sarah pushed herself against him, she wrapped her hands up into the tufts of hair at the base of his neck and pulled his head closer to her. She was so hot for him, and she could easily pounce on him and let him ravish her again. But she was sure, in the distance, she could hear the sound of the early morning golfers coming out onto the fairway, and she really should be sneaking back into the house, and sending Snake home.

“Well, isn’t this just beautiful,” the voice came suddenly from behind them and cut them both like a knife.

Sarah jumped, and Snake powered up to his feet, leaving her on the ground. She looked up at him and knew that her mouth was sagging open, and she wanted to call to him, to shout and tell him no. But it was all too late.

Ranger had found them.

And now he was running toward Snake with his fist clenched.

It all happened so fast, but Sarah saw it in all its horrific detail.

She saw the way Ranger brought his fist crashing into the side of Snake’s jaw, and the way the two of them grappled with each other as they fought and wrestled each other to the ground.

She screamed and pounded on Ranger’s back, begging him to stop, but he was like a man possessed.

He was on fire, and he was so angry, there was nothing she could do.

When Snake hit him back and Ranger went flying back to the ground, she finally managed to take a breath.

“What the hell!” she screamed. “Ranger, what are you doing!?”

He leaned up on his elbows as he rubbed his jaw and sneered up at them both. He was so full of rage, Sarah knew there would be no calming him down or reasoning with him in that moment.

“I told you to stay away from my sister,” Ranger said as he got to his feet and looked at them both as if he didn’t know what to do with himself. “And you,” he spat as he pointed at Sarah, “I don’t know what the fuck you think you’re doing, running around town dressed like some kind of hussy. Hooking up with bikers. What are you trying to prove, huh?”

Sarah felt as if she had been slapped in the face, and her expression must have conveyed that.

“Ranger,” she said with a snort, “I’m an adult, you don’t get to act like this. I can do what I want.”

He rolled his eyes and then ran his hands through his hair.

Snake and he were standing, looking at each other, and there was a sadness to both of them. It was clear that neither of them wanted anything to come between them, but they had found themselves there, and now they were going to have to sort it out one way or another.

“Why are you even here?” Sarah asked with disgust. “Did you come to store some weapons or drugs here in Mom and Dad’s old shed? Don’t you think that’s something more worthwhile of a discussion, not how I choose to spend my life?”

Ranger glared at her.

“I came here looking for him,” he said as he shot a glance at Snake. “I didn’t want to believe I would be right in looking here, but it looks as if the gut never lies.”

“What’s happened?” Snake asked quickly as he took a step closer to Ranger. It was clear there was something happening between them that Sarah couldn’t see… It was as if they were suddenly speaking in a secret code.

“We need to get back to HQ,” Ranger said. “Bull called the meeting at 4am, it’s urgent.”

Snake nodded his head and tucked his t-shirt into the back of his jeans as he rifled through his pocket looking for the keys to his bike.

“Is it the Russians?” he asked as he looked at Ranger with concern.

“Yes,” he nodded. “They’re here.” He reached up and rubbed his cheek. “And by the looks of things, they’ve managed to take the motel.”

“What the fuck…” Snake said as he sighed and looked out across the golf course.

Sarah couldn’t be sure, but she was sure his eyes were swimming with tears.

“We’re going to have to postpone the wedding,” he said as he glanced across at Sarah this time. “I can’t marry Nicole while all this is happening. It’s just too dangerous.”

“Bull and King would never allow it,” Snake said in agreement. “Your attention is going to have to be with us, one hundred percent.”

“Yes, brother,” Ranger said sternly as he took a step forward. “As is yours…”

Snake looked at Sarah instinctively, and she could see the sadness oozing out of him. He lowered his head and ran a hand through his hair.

“Fuck,” he whispered as he kicked at the ground and held out his arms.

“It’s okay,” she said as she took a step backward. “I would never want to keep you from what you need to do…”

She looked from Ranger to Snake and from Snake to Ranger, and then she pulled her robe tighter around her chest and smiled weakly.

“You both go,” she said with a shake of her head. “I… Listen, don’t worry about me… I know you have a place you need to be.”

Snake walked past Ranger and came and took hold of her, he put his palm to her cheek and looked at her longingly in the eyes.

“They may take me out of town,” he said in a hushed voice, although it was clear to all of them that Ranger could hear. “I may have to travel to another city, I just don’t know…”

Ranger cleared his throat as if he were trying to stop their conversation.

Sarah felt so much disappointment, but at the same time, she knew she had no right to try and stop him. She wouldn’t want to. This was his life, and this was what she had gotten herself into.

“It’s fine,” she smiled. “Honestly, I don’t want you to worry.”

She smiled at him weakly again, and Snake nodded his head slowly before he took a step backward and stood side by side with Ranger.

“I’ll be in touch, sis,” Ranger said sternly as he turned and started to walk away. “Duty calls.”

Snake looked back at her with affection and longing in his eyes.

She was devastated that he was leaving, and it was even worse not knowing when she would see him again, but all she knew was he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

And nothing, not even her brother, was going to keep them apart.