Chapter Two
Braxten
S weat trickles down my spine, the hot sun searing me through my clothes as I ride the tractor through the thick crop, helping my father prepare for the coming fall.
Despite the early morning, I can’t help but appreciate the acres of land that I’ve been lucky enough to call home since I was fourteen years old. All because one lone farmer took in three homeless teenage boys who sought shelter in his barn on a cold, rainy night.
We went from the streets, fighting every second to survive, to getting the home and family we had always longed for.
Which is exactly why each of us is up at the ass crack of dawn, busting our asses to help maintain what will always be home.
We might not share the same DNA or even the same skin color, but we are stronger than any of those bound by blood.
You fuck with one, you fuck with us all.
Something the founding families of our small, historic town found out the hard way when they decided to threaten my father and our home.
All because of the millions of dollars of oil buried beneath this soil.
Not many are still alive to tell about it, and it set a precedence for anyone else stupid enough to fuck with my family.
Veering right, I bypass Knox from where he stands in the crop, a cigarette dangling from his mouth as he hand rakes the left overs. I lift my coffee mug, giving him a smug smile that earns me the finger.
I chuckle, not the least bit apologetic that it’s his sorry ass doing the hard labor today. It’s only fair since I got stuck doing it last time.
As I near the edge of the property line something snags my attention, a flash of color out in the ditch. A scowl morphs on my face, the crumpled form bringing me to a stop.
Shutting off the tractor, I jump down and head in that direction. The back of my neck begins to tingle, tension winding through my body with every weighted step. It isn’t until I’m a few feet away that I make out long, blonde hair and bare legs.
What-the-fuck?
Adrenaline spikes in my veins, propelling me forward. The sight I come upon stops me dead in my tracks. A young woman lies half naked and severely beaten, her wrists bound and nightgown partly torn from her black and blue body.
“Jesus.” The one word barely makes it past the bile inching up my throat.
I drop down next to her, feeling for a pulse. Seconds later she stirs with life, a soft, painful moan escaping her cracked lips.
“Hey, can you hear me?”
Her swollen eyes flutter open, revealing the most startling blue irises I’ve ever seen. The contrast is so unique I find myself ripped from the horror of this moment. They’re as light as glass, yet blue as the ocean, submerging me in a sea of emotions I can’t understand.
“It’s you,” she whispers, surprise and recognition dawning on her battered face.
I blink down at her, having no idea who the hell she is.
“You have to run.” The warning is mumbled on a fearful whimper, her weak voice threading through shallow breaths. “He’s coming for you.” It’s the last she speaks before falling back into unconsciousness, her body going limp.
Shoving aside all of my unanswered questions, I sling her bound wrists over my neck, cradling her broken body in my arms, and climb to my feet. I forgo the tractor, knowing it will take too much time, and run back on foot to the house.
Just as I come up to the gravel pathway, I spot my father heading for the barn. “Dad!”
The alarm in my voice stops him mid-stride. He turns to see what I have in my arms, concern bringing him forward. “Son, what in high heaven…”
“Get the truck. We need to get her to the hospital now!”
Without further question, he races for his pick-up.
Justice comes running up on my left, shock twisting his expression when he sees what I carry. “What the fuck, Brax?”
“Call Craig,” I order, talking about the sheriff, who also happens to be a friend. “Tell him to send a crew out here. She was next to the culvert on the left sector.”
He reaches for his phone, dialing quickly as he heads for the house.
“And Justice.”
He turns back, his hard gaze meeting mine.
“Keep a close eye on Ryanne and Hannah. I think someone left her for us to find.” The knowledge burns within as I remember the last of her words to me.
His jaw flexes at the information. After a hard nod, he continues to his wife and daughter, phone against his ear as he awaits an answer.
When my father pulls up next to me, I climb into the back seat, holding the young woman close. Tires spin on gravel as the truck surges forward.
“Talk to me, son,” my dad starts calmly, a hell of a lot calmer than I feel. “Tell me what happened.”
“She was just lying there.” My words are barely audible as I try to make sense of it all. I gaze down at her battered face, taking in golden hair that’s stained with blood, and feel something dark take hold inside of me.
Behind all the bruises, she looks young—maybe early twenties. She’s small in stature, her broken body the most fragile thing I’ve ever held.
My mind races with all the things that could have happened to her, none of them good.
We arrive at the hospital almost fifteen minutes later, much quicker than waiting for an ambulance. I charge through the emergency doors, calling out for help.
A nurse rushes over to me, rolling a bed with her. Shock grips her face when she gets a look at the bound girl. “What on earth?”
“I found her like this,” I rush to explain. “She has a pulse, but it’s weak.”
Just as I lay the young woman down on the bed, she stirs to consciousness again. Her eyes open, meeting mine for another time stopping second.
“Please don’t leave me.” The plea quivers past her lips.
I reach for one of her battered hands, being pulled in by a force I can’t explain. Before I can make contact, another nurse runs over with an IV pole, pushing me back.
She begins roughly working to free the woman of her confines, aggressive enough that it drags a painful moan from the woman’s throat. Her eyes roll into the back of her head as she loses consciousness again.
“Be careful with her,” I snap, knocking the nurse’s hands away. “Can’t you see she’s hurt enough, goddamnit!”
Her flinty gaze lifts to mine, disapproval reflecting back at me. It’s a look my brothers and I get often in this town. Most of the time it doesn’t bother me, but right now it does because I have no doubt where her thoughts are.
“Stay out of our way, Mr. Creed, and let us do our job.”
Both nurses begin rolling the bed down the hall as they call for a doctor. I follow suit, refusing to break the promise I just made until the first nurse stops me cold, placing a hard hand on my chest.
“You will wait out here,” she orders stiffly.
“Forget it, lady. I’m not leaving her.”
“You are not allowed in this room. If you even attempt it, I will call security and have you removed from this hospital.”
“That’s not necessary.” My father comes to stand next to me, his hand landing on my shoulder. “Come on, son. Let them do their job. Let them help her.”
I hold the nurse’s disdainful glare and lean in close. Only then does some of her resolve slip. “If she isn’t breathing after you’re done with her, you won’t be either.”
Her eyes narrow further, but it does nothing to cover the fear that’s there. “Go have a seat. I’m sure the police will have questions for you.” She storms into the hospital room, slamming the door shut in my face.
It takes everything in me not to charge through it, consequences be damned.
“Come on, boy.” My father places his hand on my back. “Let’s go wait for Craig to arrive.”
I allow him to pull me into the waiting area, but I’m too restless to sit down. My feet pace a hole in the floor, my thoughts running wild as the woman’s earlier warning rattles in my head.
You have to run. He’s coming for you.
I have no clue who she’s talking about, but I am going to find out, and when I do, the bastard will feel the wrath of my vengeance.
A painful hour passes before Craig finally shows up.
The downfall, he brings Russel Pierce with him, a deputy who worked closely with the prior Sheriff Toder.
I can’t stand the prick, he’s as arrogant as Toder was and I have no doubt he’s just as corrupt.
My brothers and I went to school with him and he’s always been an asshole.
“What in the hell is going on at the Creed farm this morning?” Craig says in greeting, exchanging a hand shake with my father then me.
I forgo one with Pierce as he does me, our hatred for one another mutual.
My father on the other hand is more polite and extends his hand. Pierce stares down at it like it’s poison because he’s a racist fuck. Always has been.
I shoot him a look, almost hoping he doesn’t accept it so I have a reason to knock him out. It would be a good way to unleash this anger I have spinning through me.
Eventually he accepts it, but it’s stiff and quick.
“Did Justice fill you in?” I ask, my attention solely on Craig.
“The little information he could. Why don’t you start from the beginning?”
Collecting my thoughts, I explain how I found her, but am unable to offer much more than he already had.
“We were hoping you’d have some answers for us,” my father says. “Have your deputies found anything?”
“Not yet. No purse or wallet, no car nearby if there was a crash.”
“It wasn’t a crash,” I say with certainty.
“How do you know that?”
I go on to tell him what she told me during those few seconds of consciousness.
Confusion grips his face. “Do you recognize her?”
I shake my head, but can’t deny the instant connection I felt the moment she looked up at me with those pale blue eyes. She damn well seemed to know me.
“You sure about that?” The question comes from Pierce, the accusation in his tone clear. “Maybe she’s someone you and your brothers have encountered before.”
The anger that’s been on simmer since rushing through the hospital doors quickly ignites to a boiling point. “What the hell are you getting at, Pierce?”