Sent to the Ranch (Carrillo Ranch)

Chapter One

Torin

Torin’s eyes darted around the cramped kitchen, lingering on the few personal items that made it feel like home. The tension was thick in the air as he faced his older brother, Liam, whose expression was a mix of anger and concern. Torin’s heart weighed heavily with guilt and fear.

“You can’t be serious, Liam. I’ve worked so hard to get into New York University. This is my dream,” Torin pleaded, his voice shaking.

Liam, towering over the table with his stern judge’s demeanor, didn’t waver. “Torin, you don’t understand the danger you’re in. The Bellucci family and their men won’t just forget about the money in exchange for a blowjob. You need to leave the city—it’s the only way to keep you safe,” he said firmly, his eyes searching Torin’s for understanding.

Torin’s frustration boiled over. His brother was right, he had already tried to pay Byron with sex. “You think I don’t know that? What about my life here? My friends, my studies? I can’t just throw it all away!” His voice cracked with the weight of his emotions, tears threatening to spill over.

Liam’s expression was unreadable. “I know it’s hard. You’ve been through so much already, but this isn’t just about your education. It’s about your life. I raised you to be strong, and I need you to trust me on this. Leaving is the only option.”

Torin looked down, his heart breaking. He felt a deep sense of betrayal, despite knowing Liam’s intentions were pure. “You’ve always protected me, but this feels like you’re forcing me to run away. Like you’re giving up on me,” he whispered, his voice tinged with despair.

Liam stepped closer, placing a reassuring hand on Torin’s shoulder. “Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is walk away from danger. You have a future ahead of you, Torin—a future that doesn’t involve Byron, the mafia, or prison. Trust me.”

Torin’s chest tightened as he braced himself to reveal his lingering feelings. “Liam, I know Byron got me into this mess, but…I’m still in love with him. I need more time to figure things out, to see if we can make it work.”

Liam’s eyes flashed with anger, and he slammed his fist on the counter. “Are you out of your damn mind, Torin? How could you still have feelings for the thug who dragged you into illegal activities? Someone who put your life at risk? If you were caught, you would have spent years behind bars. Is that what you want?”

Torin flinched at his brother’s outburst but pressed on. “I know that’s fucked up, but it’s so damn complicated. There’s more to Byron than just the bad shit. He was there for me when I felt alone, when I needed someone.”

Liam shook his head, his face hardening once more. “Our parents were deep in the mafia and look where it got them! They were murdered, Torin! Do you really want to follow in their footsteps and end up dead too?”

Torin’s eyes welled up with tears, torn between his love for Byron and his loyalty to his brother. “I don’t want to end up like them, Liam. But walking away from everything isn’t easy. Byron isn’t just some random guy to me.”

Liam sighed, his anger giving way to a mix of frustration and sorrow. “Torin, I’m trying to save you from making the same mistakes. You’re too young to understand the full extent of the danger. That’s why I’ve decided you’re going to Carrillo Ranch. You’ll stay there for a year, away from all of this, and then we’ll decide what’s next.”

Torin felt a surge of despair. “You’re sending me away like I’m some kind of criminal! This isn’t fair, Liam!”

“What you did for Byron knowingly or not was criminal. I wouldn’t go there with me after I protected you from that mess.”

Liam’s expression softened, and he reached out to his younger brother. “I’m doing this because I love you. Because I can’t bear the thought of losing you too. Trust me, this is the only way to keep you safe. At the ranch, you’ll have time to clear your head, to forget about Byron, and everything that’s happened.”

Torin reluctantly nodded, the weight of his brother’s words sinking in as he followed Liam to the car. A heavy silence hung in the car during the ride to the airport, broken only by the occasional shift of Liam checking him. As much as he didn’t want to leave, he knew Liam was right. His love for Byron had led him down a dangerous path, and now he had to find a way out.

Leaving for Carrillo Ranch in Montana was the first step towards a safer, brighter future or that was what Liam had said to convince him to leave everything he loved in the city. He didn’t know how geography would help him from loving the man who rejected him and made him do criminal jobs. He had lowered himself, his pride swallowed by desperation, to beg Byron to take him back. The only way Byron would have taken him back was if he had agreed to work with him on illegal projects. That was his bottom line.

Torin leaned against the car door with his hands stuffed deep into his jacket pockets as the icy January wind whipped around him. Liam stood nearby, his hand resting on the roof of the car, his face tight with unspoken words. They were parked at the curb of John F. Kennedy Airport, the place where goodbyes always seemed emotional to the point of tears.

“You’ll do fine out there,” Liam finally said, his voice gruff. “Montana’s quiet. Might be good for you.”

Torin nodded, the lump in his throat making it impossible to speak. He had known this moment would come, the inevitable farewell to the one person who’d always been in his corner. Liam had practically raised him after their parents were gone, and now here he was, stepping into the unknown alone.

“You’ve got my number,” Liam said. His voice relaxed, but his eyes stayed hard, the way they always did when he was trying not to let his emotions show. “Don’t hesitate, okay? No matter what time it is.”

“I know,” Torin said. He pulled Liam into a hug, quick and fierce. “Thanks for everything, man. Really.”

Liam stepped back, his jaw working as if he were chewing on a goodbye that wouldn’t come out. He settled for a small nod instead. “Go on. Get out of here before I change my mind and drag you back home.”

Torin laughed for a moment despite the ache in his chest, grabbed his suitcases, and headed into the terminal without looking back. If he did, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep going.

Inside, the buzz of the airport filled his ears. Check-in went smoothly, and with time to kill, he found his way to the bar. The amber liquid in his glass was a slight comfort, easing the knot of nerves in his stomach. He’d only meant to take the edge off, but after his second one, when the announcement for his flight crackled over the speakers, he realized he’d lost track of time.

By the time he reached the gate, the plane was gone.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Torin muttered, running a hand through his hair. The airline staff were polite but firm: the next available flight wasn’t until the following day. Who in their right mind from New York City flies to Montana? Defeated, he exited the airport and took a cab to a dingy motel nearby. The room smelled faintly of mildew, but it had a bed, and that was enough.

Later, as he stared at the cracked ceiling, his phone buzzed. The name on the screen made his heart jump: Byron.

Torin answered, his voice guarded. “Hello?”

“Tory,” Byron’s voice came through, rushed and breathless. “I messed up. I shouldn’t have let you go like that.”

Torin sat up, his pulse quickening. “What are you talking about?”

“I…I don’t know. I thought I was okay with you leaving, but I’m not. I need to see you.”

Torin sighed, rubbing his temple. “Byron, I—”

“Please,” Byron interrupted. “I’m outside the airport. Tell me where you are.”

After a long pause, Torin relented. “There’s a Millie’s Hotel down the road. Meet me at the restaurant downstairs.”

The restaurant was as unimpressive as the hotel, with flickering fluorescent lights and sticky vinyl booths. Byron arrived, his usual confidence replaced by something raw and uncertain. Torin gestured to the seat across from him.

Byron was a tall, well-built man with a strong jawline and piercing brown eyes. His hair was a rich chestnut brown, often tousled in a way that looked effortlessly stylish. Torin loved the man’s neatly trimmed beard, which only added to his rugged charm. Byron’s attire was always impeccable, favoring tailored suits that highlighted his broad shoulders and slim waist. Unlike the stereotypical mobster’s attire, his signature style was anything but dark suits and slicked-back hair. He preferred three-piece suits, which he paired with crisp white or pastel shirts and a pocket square for a touch of elegance.

“I don’t know what to say to you,” Torin said as he stood, his tone flat.

Byron gave Torin a hearty hug and kissed him on both cheeks. “I didn’t know how to let you go. I thought I could, but…I can’t.”

Torin’s jaw tightened. “You don’t get to do this now. You had plenty of time to say something before I made plans to leave.”

“I know,” Byron said, his voice rising. “But I never had someone like you. I love you with every part of my being. I worried about losing you, then of holding you back from your dreams. I didn’t know what to do.”

“And now you suddenly do?” Torin’s voice was sharp. “You expect me to drop everything because you changed your mind at the last minute?”

“I’m trying here!” Byron snapped, leaning forward. “I’m trying to fix this, to fix us.”

Torin shook his head, his chest tight with anger and hurt. “This isn’t something you can fix in a single conversation. You don’t just get to waltz in and undo everything. Love is not enough for us. You tricked me into distributing illegal arms.”

Byron’s face fell, his anger giving way to resignation. He stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. “I want you to work with me. Partners all the way. I thought you’d want to fight for this. For us.”

“I did,” Torin said quietly. “But I can’t work with you ever and you fucking know that. Why did you come here?”

Without another word, Byron walked out, leaving Torin alone in the hollow silence of the restaurant. Torin stared at the empty seat across from him, his chest aching with a mix of regret and resolve. For the first time, he felt the weight of moving on—and the freedom that came with it.