Chapter 90 Aspen
Aspen
The decision is made fast.
Too fast.
Like no one wants to give anyone else time to change it.
“We move now,” Havoc says.
Not loud.
Not aggressive.
But final.
The kind of final no one argues with.
Even the CIA.
That should bother me more than it does.
But right now?
I’m focused on one thing.
The farm.
Tank’s grandfather’s land.
The place I came back to take care of. This will be Dylan’s place when he grows up.
We have to rebuild where it was torn up by the bullets.
To make it safe again.
And now—
It might be the reason all of this is happening.
My stomach twists.
“No,” I whisper, shaking my head. “This doesn’t make sense… Tank didn’t even know I was coming back—”
“He didn’t need to,” Havoc says again.
His eyes find mine.
Steady.
Certain.
“He knew you,” he adds quietly.
That lands harder.
Because it’s true.
Because Tank always saw things before anyone else did.
He knew that the property would go to his son. That an innocent person wouldn’t move onto the property and find it.
Because if he thought I’d come back—
Then he planned for it.
My chest tightens.
“He used the farm,” I say slowly.
“Yeah,” Havoc replies.
“Why not some other place?”
His gaze sharpens slightly.
“He wanted to make sure that it would be found,” he says. “Where there weren’t too many people. Too many eyes.”
That tracks.
I nod slowly.
Trying to keep up.
Trying to breathe through the weight of it.
Behind me, grandpa shifts in his chair.
“The barn,” he mutters.
I freeze.
“What?” I turn quickly.
He’s not looking at me.
Not really.
His eyes are distant.
Lost somewhere else.
“The boards… don’t step there…” he says softly. “Dylan, your daddy always said… don’t step there…the boards are loose.”
My heart stops.
Havoc goes still beside me.
“What boards?” I ask, moving closer. “Grandpa, what boards?”
But he’s already fading again.
Confusion slipping back in.
“The nails stick up,” he murmurs. “Bad place…”
Then he looks at me.
Really looks at me.
“You’re home,” he says.
Like nothing else just happened.
Like he didn’t just hand us everything.
I glance at Havoc.
His jaw is tight.
Eyes locked on me.
“You heard that,” I say.
“Yeah,” he replies.
“The barn.”
“Yeah.”
“The boards—”
“We’re starting there.”
Decision made.
Just like that.
The CIA agent steps forward.
“We’ll take point when we arrive—”
“No,” Havoc cuts in.
Again.
Always again.
The agent’s patience is wearing thin now.
“You don’t have jurisdiction—”
“I don’t care,” Havoc says.
The room tightens.
Again.
But this time?
It’s different.
Because now we all know what’s out there.
Because now we all know what we’re walking into.
“You want what’s on that land?” Havoc continues. “You follow my lead.”
The agent stares at him.
Long.
Hard.
Then—
“Fine,” he says.
Again.
Too easy.
Still don’t trust it.
Not even a little.
We move.
Fast.
Controlled.
Purpose in every step.
The Tavern door opens—
Cool air rushes in.
The town is still watching.
Still hiding.
Still pretending they’re not involved.
But this?
This is happening whether they like it or not.
Havoc’s hand brushes mine as we step outside.
Not an accident.
Not casual.
Intentional.
Grounding.
“I’ve got you,” he murmurs.
My breath catches.
Because he means it.
Because he always means it.
Because no matter how dangerous this gets—
He’s not letting me fall.
We load into vehicles.
Engines start.
Gravel crunches beneath tires.
The convoy pulls out.
And I stare ahead—
Toward the farm.
Toward the place that holds Tank’s past…
And maybe the truth behind everything that’s happening now.
My chest tightens.
Because I don’t know what we’re going to find out there.
I don’t know who’s already waiting.
I don’t know how deep this goes.
But I do know one thing.
This isn’t just about Tank anymore.
This isn’t just about grandpa.
This is bigger.
Darker.
And whatever is hidden on that land—
People are willing to kill for it.
I glance at Havoc.
His focus is locked ahead.
Sharp.
Unwavering.
Dangerous.
And I realize something that both terrifies and steadies me at the same time—
Whoever gets to that farm first…
Wins.
And Havoc?
He doesn’t lose.