Page 58 of Wildest Forever (Lovelock Bay #3)

CHAPTER THIRTY

PACEY

O nce we knew Sunny and the wives were with mom at Nate's, we wait in my office for Nate, Titus, Austin, Xavier and Buck to meet us. I have no idea what the city boys will do but we're grateful that they stepped up to help.

I am antsy, my nerves are shot and my fingernails are bit to shit but we have this plan executed down to a tee. I have police sitting and waiting for my call, and I am hoping it will be dealt with cleanly.

This is nothing more than greed and it was all to do with Dixie's dad.

He was the number on Marty's phone, Nate confirmed that. He chose greed over his daughter and that's what guts us the most and I am sure Dixie feels the weight of his choices too, but, like we reminded her, and she reminded us, we're her family. She never needed anyone else.

Riggs' head spins when we hear the sound of a car approaching followed by two horses. Buck continues forward and tilts his head, Austin pulling his horse to a halt.

“Hello boys,” his voice is low as his eyes trail between the four of us.

“You okay Aust?” I ask and he nods, but stays quiet.

“It'll be okay,” Riggs tries to reassure him. The car door opens and closes and Nate, Xavier and Titus walk towards us.

“I have called a few people, I have them on standby. I don't think we'll need them but just in case...” Xavier nods.

“Also,” Nate slips in, “I have managed to get into the suits computer systems,” he coughs and raises a brow no doubt because he is what we would class as a suit, “and I have managed to remove any document that was ever signed for land in Lovelock Bay and Blossom Cove,” he smiles, “plus I have completely fried their security so there is no more getting into that.”

“Thank you, Nate,” I say politely.

“No need to thank me, this is our home now too and we don't want to see it be sold off in pieces just to have the beauty taken away.”

“We will be close, Riggs,” Titus tosses up ear pieces and a phone, “keep that on you, and put them in, we can track you and you can call us if you need us.”

“Thanks,” he grumbles before slipping it into the saddle bag.

Their eyes fall to our horses, and I see the slow smirks that tease at their lips.

“They're some good guns,” Xavier scoffs.

“Need to be prepared,” I answer, my horse stomping his foot.

“We will let you boys get on, be safe,” Xavier gives a firm nod and the three of them turn around and climb back into the car, slowly pulling off and disappearing.

Closing my eyes for a second, and all I see is her face. The low sun feels warm on my skin and I know it's getting close.

“Are we ready?” Riggs asks and I roll my head forward and give a heavy nod. “Then let's ride,” he kicks on his horse and leads us towards the ranch.

We need to be ready, and we know that's their first point of attack.

Our home.

My dad's final resting place.

Our legacy.

And we will not go down without a fight.

We're in place, tucked behind the bunk house.

“No sign as of yet,” Nate says over the comms and I try and steady my breathing. Our guns are loaded and in our hands, and we know that is not going to be a simple hand shake and goodbyes.

They want what is ours.

Austin walks around and crouches down beside me.

“Horses are tied up around the back,” his voice is low.

“Just to confirm Riggs, all the horses are away, and the cattle are in the top field.”

“Yes,” he nods, looking across to the glowing fences from the nightlights.

“Do you think we should have kept some of the cowboys back?” Tripp whispers and Riggs shakes his head.

“I made a call to keep them with the cattle. We have enough of us here to fight these assholes off.”

“What if they have an army?” I whisper as my eyes are locked forward.

“Then we fight an army,” Riggs admits.

Nerves cripple me inside out and my palms begin to sweat.

Memories flood me from the shoot-out at the wake and I am terrified of getting hurt.

But this is our home, and we will not let it go without a fight.

“Trucks approaching,” we hear in our ears and Buck shuffles forward.

“Trucks?” Austin repeats. “Did he say trucks?”

“Calm it,” Riggs snaps at Austin and he cowers down. “We're all stressed, I don't need you panicking now Aust.”

Austin nods and slips behind his dad.

“Go into the stables Austin, keep your head down,” Riggs orders and Austin does as he asks, moving to the back of where the horses are.

The sound of the engines soon fills the quiet void and my heart is banging in my chest, blood pumping in my ears and I let my eyes shut for just a moment and remember why we are doing this.

“Coming through the gate now,” and it's not long before we can see the headlights in the distance pulling up the winding dirt road.

“Be ready boys,” Riggs says quietly as he lifts the eye piece of his gun up, the handle resting against his shoulder.

I follow suit, and that's when Buck, Austin and Tripp move around the other side of the bunk house.

“They're in,” is all we hear and my mind silences, shutting down every intrusive thought that comes in and all I care about is ending this tonight.

The engines cut, and the sound of boots hitting the gravel echo through the empty ranch.

We left the TV on, the radio humming and the lights turned down low so the ranch didn't look empty as such.

“Move out boys,” I hear the same voice that was on the video and my blood boils. Leaning around the bunk house, I set eyes on him. Cigarette in hand, curly brown hair and tall. Marty is following behind him like a puppy dog and I hear the rumbling growl of Riggs beside me.

“Steady,” I whisper, and I hear Tripp move slightly and watch as he slips back into the darkness only to give us a sign that he is tucked down the side of the house.

“Do you understand how hard it is to not pull this fucking trigger?” his voice is tight.

“Yes, because I feel exactly the same.”

“Six on the ground, road is empty, no cars approaching,” Nate says down the earpiece and relief swarms me.

I clock the two suited guys who walk around the large space in front of our home before they walk towards Dixie's dad and begin speaking.

“Those are the two that came up to me a few months back,” I admit, my fingertip teasing the trigger.

“Don't,” Riggs orders.

A laugh barrels through the night when I see Marty and some random guy light a clothed covered bottle and throw it through the windows of the ranch and the fire spreads quickly as another gets launched.

“Fuck,” I swallow, sweat beading on my brow. “Why are we not shooting?”

“Because if we started shooting, they would know we knew what was coming. This way, they have no clue that we're here. Fucking hold it,” Riggs talks into the comms so everyone can hear him.

Marty turns and looks in our direction and I swear I stop breathing.

I know he can't see us but still I am nervous as hell. Riggs holds his arm out in front of me as if trying to protect me.

Dixie's dad follows behind Marty, whispers something and Marty nods before he gives the firebomb to him. Marty wanders off slightly and then stumbles when he watches what he does.

“Light it up baby,” a menacing laugh surrounds us as he throws the next bottle into the stables.

“What are you doing!?” Marty screams at Dixie's dad. “That wasn't part of the plan,” he storms towards where the stables begin to light up and that's when he clocks us, his eyes widening but he doesn't have a chance to react.

“And neither was this,” Dixie's dad draws his gun and shoots Marty between the eyes.

We watch as he falls to the floor and all Dixie's dad does is toss his cigarette onto his body as if he is nothing but trash.

“Fuck!” Riggs growls and that's when everything blurs.

The sound of the horses whinnying and neighing pulls my focus and as I go to move to the back of the stalls, the doors fly open and the horses stampede out and run for the fields.

Austin catches my attention as he appears from the stables and gives us a nod.

Dixie's dad whistles as he rounds up his minions before they load into the truck and begin to pull away.

“Now,” Riggs bellows and we scramble around the back, pulling ourselves onto our horses as we kick on and follow their dirt tracks.

“Is this what you meant when you said you wanted to be an old school cowboy, Sheriff?” Riggs calls out as we track their trucks, Tripp catching us up and Buck and Austin behind us with Dusty snaking off to the left. My brows furrow but I trust he is sticking to the plan.

“Not quite,” I snap, reaching for my gun as Riggs snaps his shotgun up, aiming it towards the back of the truck before he pulls the trigger.

The bullet hits the back windscreen, shattering it which causes one of the trucks to veer off.

“Fire department are on their way,” Nate's voice fills my ears and my heart drums in my chest as I take one last look at our home as it glows. Pulling my eyes forward, my heart races a little quicker matching the sound of Chase's hooves beating the ground.

The truck pulls onto the bank and Riggs goes for that one but tells me and Tripp to keep going. Buck falls back with Riggs but Austin keeps up beside us.

Gun shots echo and I just pray that it was Riggs that pulled the trigger. I daren’t look back. I just silently pray that it wasn't one of ours.

We follow the other truck as it begins to slow at Crooked Creek.

Pulling the horses back, I hold my gun in place and so does Tripp and Austin.

I see the aubergine boots hit the sidestep before I see him and my stomach twists.

“Now, now, boys,” he says, holding his hands up and stepping towards us. I hold my gun up, pointing it at him when another three men step out and my blood runs cold. There should only be six on the ground. Six!?

Lucian, Wallen and Kelcie.

“The fuck,” and that has my attention slipping for just a moment as my eyes burn into them.

“Have you been keeping my sheriff badge warm Rivera?” Kelcie laughs and my skin crawls. I fucking hated him.

“Fuck off Kelcie.”

“Ooo big man now,” he rolls his eyes and then pulls a gun on me as I hold my gun on him.