Chapter 31
LUKE
The rough bark digs into Isla’s palms as I press her gently against the tree, my body moving with hers in rhythm. She gasps my name, and I swallow the sound with a kiss, pouring every ounce of love I have into her.
The world narrows to just this—the warmth of her surrounding me, the taste of her lips, the breathless exchange of two people clinging to each other as though nothing else matters. After everything we’ve endured, this feels like salvation.
Her nails scrape lightly down my arm, not from pain but from holding on, grounding herself in me as I anchor her. The canopy above filters sunlight in broken patterns across her bare skin, gilding her in gold like she was always meant to belong to this place, to me.
“You’re mine,” I whisper against her ear, my voice hoarse with both possession and reverence.
“I always have been,” she breathes, pushing back to meet me, her strength and surrender blending in one perfect motion.
I cradle her breasts in my hands, my forehead dropping against her shoulder as wave after wave of sensation rolls through me. I try to hold on, to make this moment last forever, but her whispered “I love you” undoes me completely.
When release shatters through me, I hold her tighter, my face buried in her neck, the scent of her hair, the salt of her skin, the very essence of her wrapping around me.
“I love you, Isla,” I murmur fiercely, like a vow, like a prayer.
She turns her head, finding my lips with hers, and the kiss that follows is softer, slower, full of promise.
We stay tangled together for a breathless moment, the forest alive with birdsong around us, before I reluctantly ease back. The connection breaks, and I already miss her.
She laughs lightly, tugging her shorts back up with flushed cheeks. “We should probably get back. Family dinner tonight.”
“Don’t remind me,” I groan, resting my forehead against her shoulder.
Her giggle is bright and unburdened, a sound I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life chasing.
“I know it’s not easy with everything that’s happened, but you are all still family. You need each other. Now more than ever.”
I pull my worn sweats up and meet her gaze, offering a slight shrug. “I need you.”
With a gentle tug on my hand, she leads us along the narrow path back to the cabin. “It’s only been two weeks. You will all find your new normal.”
I pause, turning to look at her, the woman who fills my life with hope and my future with promise. “I’m so happy you decided to move in with me.”
She laughs. “You didn’t exactly give me much of a choice.”
I grin, recalling the memory. “That’s not true. I distinctly remember asking you whether you wanted to pick up your things in San Francisco on Thursday or Friday. That was a choice.”
“I stand corrected,” she replies with a wry smile, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. “You’re lucky you were able to charm Erin, or she never would’ve let you steal me away from the city.”
“I hope she takes us up on our offer to visit soon.”
“She will. Erin’s a city girl at heart, and she’ll never leave San Francisco, but I know she’ll be happy to escape to the mountains for a bit.”
I hesitate, my voice tinged with uncertainty. “Should I feel bad for asking you to stay?”
She gently places a warm palm against my cheek, her touch reassuring. “No,” she says softly, her eyes meeting mine with unwavering affection. “I chose to be here with you. Wildhaven is where I belong.”
“In that case, I’ll race you to the shower.” I take off in a gentle jog, and the motion makes my shoulder ache, but it’s tolerable.
Isla chases after me, and just before she can get a lead, I wrap my arms around her and pull against my body, making her erupt with laughter.
As we step through the front door, my phone vibrates in my pocket, and Gabe’s name flashes on the screen. I swipe to answer.
“Hey.”
“Hey. How’s it going?”
“It’s good,” I reply. “As good as can be expected.”
“I get that,” he responds, his tone heavy with frustration. “I still don’t have anything on Ares.”
“I think whoever he is, he’s long gone by now,” I say, gazing out the window at the fading light.
“You’re probably right.” Gabe sighs. “These people follow the money. If Nathaniel isn’t paying for his services anymore, he’s probably moved on. Is the FBI still poking around?”
“No. They sent those two agents, and they were only here for a few days. They seem to think he’s long gone.”
“That’s good. The last thing we need is the feds around here.”
“So much about Ares bothers me,” I admit. “If he killed Isla’s mom, where was the red rock he leaves behind?”
Gabe sighs. “I wish I had the answer.”
I nod, though he can’t see me. “It would still be nice to find Alan, though. I don’t like loose ends.”
“Stacy’s still in the wind, too, right?” he asks.
The mention of her name ignites a fire in my chest. Stacy tried to kill Isla. My hands clench at the memory. “She is.”
Isla appears in the doorway, mouthing, “I’m going to start the shower.”
I hold up a finger and whisper, “I’ll be there in a minute.”
She gives me a soft smile and disappears down the hallway.
“Anyway, we’re heading over to Dalton’s tonight for dinner. You should come.”
“Nah. I don’t want to intrude on a family dinner.”
“You’re family, Gabe. Without your help, we wouldn’t have been able to save Isla.”
“Still, it's my fault she took off to begin with.”
“Everything that happened on that mountain was due to Nathaniel’s choices,” I say. “We all know that. Hell, by now the whole town knows it.”
My heart aches at the truth. Nathaniel had hidden his true self from us, and yet, he was still our father—even mine.
Grief is a strange, twisted thing. You can mourn the loss of someone and cherish the good memories while understanding that their absence might make the world a safer place.
I’ve come to terms with it. My siblings and mother are still grappling with that reality.
“How’s it been around town?”
“Fine, I guess. If folks have private thoughts about Nathaniel, they’re not airing them to me.
I’m planning on visiting some businesses when I get back to work, to see what’s really going on in people’s heads.
” Gabe laughs softly—tight, ironic. “Rumor’s already on a treadmill, though.
They’re saying everything from meth lab run-ins to high-stakes gambling, even prostitution. ”
“Some of that might not be off by much,” I admit.
“So far, things are quiet. You’re a good sheriff. Just keep your flashlight on every dark corner, and eventually this will settle back into routine.”
“Man, I hope so,” I say, running my hand through my hair. “My whole family’s had enough.”
“Yeah, I know,” Gabe says. “I’m really sorry you’re dealing with all this.”
“Listen—come over tonight. Dalton’s Ranch, six o’clock. Everyone will want to see you.”
He hesitates. “All right, I’ll swing by.”
“Leave the ferret at home.”
By the time I reach the bathroom, steam billows through the cracked door.
I crack it open and catch a glimpse of Isla stepping out, her hair wound in a towel, droplets tracing lazy paths down her shoulders.”Damn,” I mutter. “I can’t believe I missed that.”
She peeks over her shoulder, water beads in her lashes. “You see me naked every day,” she teases, voice muffled by the towel.
I lean against the door frame, eyebrow arching. “And it’ll never be enough.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her. “Want to get back in there with me?”
She laughs, a bright, tinkling sound, then shakes her head. “Nope. I bought fresh veggies for a proper salad. I thought we could show up with something to impress your sister.”
My other eyebrow peaks. “Good luck with that. Not much impresses Savannah. But a real salad might earn us some points.”
She pads past me into the bedroom, humming. I shower and towel off quickly, pull on jeans and a clean T-shirt, then join her at the chopping block. The knife scrapes against the cutting board in rhythmic thwacks.
I lean over her shoulder. “You weren’t kidding.”
I point at the colorful pile: lettuce, ruby tomatoes, onion, cucumber slices, avocado, radish discs, and orange carrot batons. “My family is not going to know what hit them.”
She tosses a radish slice into her mouth and crunches it. “So,” she says between chews, “about work…”
“What were you thinking?”
She drops the knife into the sink and wipes her hands on a dish towel. “I’m going to apply at the hospital, and I was also eyeing that pediatric practice downtown.”
“Both solid,” I say. “Which one feels more like you?”
Her eyes soften. “Kids. I love working with them. They light up when you walk in. So, the pediatric practice seems perfect.”
“Sounds good. Are you okay waiting if nothing’s open right away?”
“Are you kidding? You got me that papasan chair and set it on the deck so that I could read in the sun. I can spend the next two months happily curled up there, waiting for my name on the schedule.” She grins, then reaches out and squeezes my hand firmly. “Thanks for believing in me.”
“Always.”
“Have you given any more thought to trying to find out more about your biological father?” she asks, her eyes searching mine.
I shake my head. “No, it’s honestly the last thing on my mind right now.”
“Understandable,” she murmurs, her hands deftly wrapping cling wrap around the salad bowl. “Are you ready to go?”
As ready as I’ll ever be.
I rub my clammy hand on my worn jeans as we drive through the wooden gate to the ranch. My visits to the family have been sparse, consumed mainly by the overwhelming logistics surrounding Nathaniel’s death.
Soon, we’ll meet with Nik to sift through the contents of his will. God only knows what secrets or surprises might lie within those pages.
For now, we’re all attempting to move forward, one tentative step at a time, as Isla put it—our new normal. Yet, despite the brave face I wear, a knot of guilt twists in my stomach.
No one has pointed fingers, but the thought of facing my family at dinner for the first time since his death makes my heart race with unease. Isla gently places her hand over mine, her touch warm and reassuring. “It’s going to be fine.”
I put the truck in park, my gaze lingering on the front door that’s seen so many of our family’s battles. Memories press in—how often I dodged these dinners to avoid Nathaniel’s presence. And now, with him gone, the irony cuts deep: I’m still reluctant to walk inside, still haunted by him.
As we step out of the truck, the porch door creaks open, and my mom appears in the frame. She looks diminished somehow, her presence shrunken by grief.
The bulky sweater hanging from her shoulders emphasizes the hollowness in her once-vibrant face, the sharpness in her cheekbones that wasn’t there before.
But when her gaze locks with mine, the years and losses melt away.
Her eyes ignite with that same fierce, unwavering love I’ve known all my life.
She opens her arms wide, and I step into her embrace, the familiar scent of her perfume enveloping me. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, Luke,” she replies, her voice tinged with relief and warmth. “I’m so happy to see you.”
She plants a gentle kiss on my cheek, and I move aside to let Isla step forward, her bright smile as welcoming as the sunshine, the salad cradled in her arms.
“Isla,” Mom says with genuine affection, wrapping my girlfriend in a hug. “How are you?”
“I’m well, Elizabeth.”
“Everyone is here except for Savannah,” Mom explains, gesturing for us to follow her into the cozy living room. “She had a last-minute errand to run.”
In the bar area, my siblings and Gabe are gathered, their laughter and animated chatter filling the space. They turn as we step inside, faces lighting up with welcoming smiles.
Eden springs forward, wrapping her arms around me with enthusiasm. “Luke!” she exclaims. “So glad you’re here.”
She then moves to Isla, enveloping her in an equally enthusiastic hug, her joy infectious.
Next, I am greeted with firm handshakes from my brothers, their smiles wide and eyes bright, exuding a relaxed and welcoming energy.
Chase looks me over. “How’s your shoulder?”
I rotate my shoulder in a circular motion, feeling a slight twinge but also the relief of healing. “It’s getting better every day. I’m going back to full-time work on Monday.”
“That’s good,” Dalton chimes in, nodding approvingly.
“I can’t believe Sav isn’t here yet. She lives to run these family dinners like a prison warden,” I remark, noticing a grin spread across Gabe’s face as he takes a sip from his crystal glass, the amber bourbon reflecting the warm light of the room.
“She’ll be here soon, I’m sure,” Mom replies.
“I’ll text her,” Eden says.
“How was your move from San Francisco?” Dalton asks Isla, leaning back in his chair with a curious tilt of his head.
“It was easy,” she replies with a nonchalant shrug. “Turns out I didn’t have much to move.”
“Tell that to the sixteen throw pillows on the bed.” I chuckle.
Isla playfully punches me in my good arm. “The cabin needed character. You even said that.”
“That’s what she said about my place, too,” Gabe nods. “Now I can’t even walk in the door without tripping over some random blanket or pillow.”
Eden pouts dramatically, her lower lip jutting out like a child denied candy.
“What?” Dalton asks, glancing at her with mild concern.
“I’m hungry. Sav isn’t texting back,” Eden grumbles.
“I say we eat without her,” Chase suggests, glancing at the spread of food laid out on the table.
“No, we will wait until we’re all here,” Mom interjects firmly, her voice full of gentle authority. “We have a lot to be grateful for. I want to enjoy a meal together, as a family.”
Eden crosses her arms over her chest and tears a piece of bread with her teeth.
My phone suddenly vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out to see Tim’s name flashing on the screen.
“Hey, Tim,” I answer, feeling a sudden chill as I listen to his hurried words. The warmth drains from my face, and my family’s chatter dies down as they notice my expression, their eyes fixated on me in curious silence.
I end the call, my hands trembling slightly, and look into their eager faces, my voice barely rising above a whisper.
“I have to go,” I say, the urgency palpable in my tone. “Tim got a call about a homicide.”
I continue, suffocating under the weight of my words. “It’s Savannah—”
The End
Don’t miss the next book in the Secrets of Wildhaven Series, After the Ashes Fall.