Chapter 39 Aspen
Aspen
Something feels wrong.
Fear hits.
Sharp.
Fast.
But I don’t freeze.
I don’t fall apart.
Because Dylan is behind me.
And that means I don’t get to break.
I step forward instead.
Every instinct locked on one thing—
Protect him.
I don’t know how else to explain it.
Nothing’s happening.
Everything’s quiet.
Too quiet.
Dylan is in the living room.
Buddy stretched beside him.
Rylie is helping Grandpa take his medicine.
Trigger is outside.
Watching.
Always watching.
I step onto the porch.
The Texas air is still.
Heavy.
The kind of still that presses against your chest.
Then—
Buddy’s head snaps up.
Low growl.
Deep.
Warning.
Dylan looks at him.
“What is it?”
Buddy stands.
Moves toward the door.
Hackles raised.
The sound comes next.
A vehicle.
Slow.
Approaching.
Trigger’s voice cuts through the quiet.
“Inside. Now.”
No hesitation.
No question.
We move.
Fast.
The truck doesn’t stop at the road this time.
It pulls straight into the driveway.
My heart starts pounding.
Dylan grabs Buddy.
Rylie pulls Grandpa back.
Trigger steps into the doorway.
Weapon drawn.
The truck door opens.
A man steps out.
Calm.
Too calm.
He looks straight at me.
And smiles.
“You have something that belongs to us,” he says.