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“Whatever is preventing you from being with Grace. Fuck it. Nothing is more important than having the love of a good woman. And if Grace is that woman that you aren’t willing to give it all up for, then walk the fuck away. Let her go. Let her find the man who will.”

King stood from his chair; carefully controlled rage shone through his eyes as he pinned me in place.

My phone rang, breaking the spell.

“Hello?”

“Get your ass back to the ranch now.”

The call disconnected, and I stared at it. Cash moved beside me. “What is it?”

“I gotta go.”

“Ghost, who was it?”

“Grayson, I gotta get back.”

His hand slammed down on my shoulder. “Let’s go, brother.”

I booked it down the hall; Cash and King followed closely behind me. As I tore through the main room, I heard Cash call out, “Mount up, brothers.”

That was all he said. None of us knew what had happened or what we were walking into, and even though I no longer wore my cut, it didn’t matter. My brothers rode with me. They were there for me. Whatever I needed.

It crossed my mind what I was walking away from, and while it would be the hardest thing I ever did, she still had to come first. My woman was at the ranch. Something had happened.

She needed me, and I would never willingly let her down.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Melissa

Danny pushed me behind him, the detective’s gun in his hand. It didn’t go unnoticed how comfortable he was. Protection was second nature to Danny. It was why he did what he did. Why he left his family.

To protect them.

I didn’t like it. I didn’t agree with it. But I had to respect it.

As the stranger moved closer, the dust and dirt on the ground swirled around, kicked up by the tires. Not tires, I realized. Hooves. Whoever was approaching was moving fast on the back of a horse, and my heart began to race.

Did the detective have someone else with him? But if he did, why would that person shoot him? And what would they do when they got to us?

Danny sighed, his shoulders relaxing as the horse and rider came to a stop, and I recognized the cut on the man sliding off the huge animal. I hadn’t learned everyone’s names, but the Silver Shadows cut told me we weren’t in any danger.

“Did you shoot this fucker?” Danny asked.

“I did,” the man confirmed.

“Where the hell were you? We didn’t see anyone,” Danny asked.

“Pippen radioed when Henderson showed up. I was a little less than half a mile out when I took the shot.”

“You can shoot that far?” I asked.

“They don’t call me Winchester for nothing.” His smile was wide, and I could see the resemblance to Grayson. This must be his brother.

“From the back of the horse?” Danny asked, the admiration apparent in his tone.

Winchester just shrugged.