CH 1-10

Summary

Silver is returning home after seven long years. She has a lot of darkness in her past, but this just might be her chance to find happiness. Liam has been working on his family’s ranch while raising his son, but with his troubled past, he has a hard time trusting others. When Liam and Silver meet, sparks fly, but will they be sparks of love or rage?

Chapter 1

Silver

I stare out the window of the Greyhound bus, watching the sun rise over the eastern mountains and painting the sky with brilliant shades of orange and pink. This is the third sunrise I’ve seen from a bus window in just as many days and the fact that I know this will be the last, well, that’s something worthy of celebration. The closer we get to Layton, the more familiar things become and the more my heart aches from the knowledge that after seven long years, I’m going home. I won’t say I ran away, nor will I say that I moved on to bigger, better things, but I will say that my leaving was necessary. The people in my small hometown were blind to the suffering that took place inside my home, but I had front row seats to the entire tragedy as each scene unfolded on a daily basis.

It’s nearly noon when the bus pulls into the small bus station that looks more like a doublewide trailer. I grab both of my duffel bags and prepare for the three mile walk to my aunt’s house. The scenery seems different, yet so familiar. The buildings look the same, though most have had a new coat of paint since I last saw them. That’s the beauty of a small town. No matter how much things change, so much will always stay the same. I reach the dirt road that leads to my aunt’s house which lies just past the Jensen Ranch, the very ranch where my high school crush resided all those years ago. Liam Jensen was every girl’s dream boyfriend back then and what made him more appealing is the fact that he couldn’t see it. He was kind, funny, humble and unfortunately for me, he was a senior while I was only a freshman. As I reach the first field where cows are grazing, I spot someone riding toward the fence line on a large buckskin horse.

“Are you lost miss?” I use my hand to block the sun from my eyes so I can get a better look at the stranger, but I don’t recognize him at all.

“Not lost, I think I’m found actually. I’m heading up to my Aunt Linny’s.” I continue to walk and the man keeps pace on his horse with only a fence to separate us.

“I didn’t know her brother Marcus had any kids.” Of course, he would think my father was Uncle Marcus which only makes the truth that much more bitter as it slips from my lips.

“He doesn’t, but Cole does.” He stops dead in his tracks as if this information stunned him. Hell, maybe it did.

“You’re Cole’s kid?!” He quickly catches up and I give him a simple nod while biting the inside of my cheek.

“I wish it wasn’t so, but yeah, I am.” I glance up at him and his eyes are trained straight ahead while he looks deep in thought.

“Did you grow up here?” I nod my head again, thankful for the subject change.

“Yeah. I moved away seven years ago. How about you?” He gives me a charming smile and shakes his head.

“No, I moved here a few years back to help with the farm. You probably know my cousins, Liam and Brent Jensen?” I swallow the lump in my throat and force a smile.

“Yeah, I know them. I doubt they remember me though. Brent is a few years younger than me and Liam is a few years older.” He nods while he looks to be processing the information.

“Shit, where are my manners?! My name’s Jason!” I chuckle at his self-scolding.

“Name’s Silver.” He gives me a strange look and I can already tell he isn’t sure if I’m giving him a real name or not.

“That’s…well, that’s a different name.” I throw my head back and laugh at his confused reaction.

“That’s not even the half of it. My mom was kind of a hippy at heart. My full name is Silver Moon Dawson.” I watch as he fights back his smile only to fail and he laughs along with me.

“Well, Silver Moon Dawson, my name’s Jason Matthew Clarke and it’s a unique pleasure to meet you. You do know that Miss Linny’s is still over a mile away, right?” I let out a heavy sigh and nod.

“Yeah, but after a three day bus ride, the walk is a piece of cake.” He cringes and nods in agreement.

“I bet it is. Can you ride?” He gestures to the horse and I chuckle softly.

“I used to.” He motions for me to wait and a moment later he s riding off at breakneck speed. I stand on the side of the fence beside the dirt road confused as hell for about ten minutes before he comes riding back with another saddled horse trotting alongside him. He guides me a little further down to where a locked gate sits then hops off his horse, unlocks the gate and pushes it open to lead the horses out.

“Alright, set your bags down and I’ll help you on. I’ll hand them back to you once you’re situated.” I grab the horn, slip my foot into the stirrup and lift myself while swinging my leg over, mounting the horse with practiced ease.

“Guess it’s like riding a bike.” He smirks as he hands up both of my bags.

“Alright, showoff. Let me lock the gate and we’ll ride.” The ride to Linny’s only takes us a little over ten minutes and the small talk with Jason is comforting. As we reach the house, Linny is sitting on her porch with a large glass of sweet tea, just like she used to when I was a kid and just like when I was a kid, her face lights up when she sees me.

“Silver!” She slowly gets up out of her rocker and walks to the top of the stairs where I meet her after carefully dismounting.

“Hey, Aunt Linny. How are you doing?” She pulls me in for a tight hug then gently pats my back.

“Better now that you’re home. Are you just here for a visit, or are you really coming home?” I knew she would ask since I didn’t give her much information when I called her, but I’m not wanting to explain the reason for my return just yet.

“I’m here for as long as you’ll have me.” Her face lights up and I swear I see the very moment she realizes there’s another person here and that shit is comical.

“Oh, Jason! Thank you for helping my Silver get home!” He chuckles and pulls off his Stetson, placing over his chest as he gives her a respectful bow of his head.

“It was my pleasure, Linny. I best get back before Liam realizes I’m missing. You two take care and let us know if you need anything!” We both stand on the porch and watch him ride off down the dirt driveway.

“Come, let’s get you settled inside. I hope you have your license, Silver. We’re going to dinner at the Jensen’s tonight and I’m too old to walk.” I follow her into the house, thinking about how strange it will be to see faces from my past, but feeling excited to see how much people have changed.

Chapter 2

Linny shows me to my room and after spending twenty minutes putting my things away and another five changing, I meet her in the living room to get the impending discussion underway. Like the saint she is, Linny is sitting in her chair, patiently waiting while I make myself comfortable on the couch beside her.

“I didn’t want to talk about why I came home, but I owe you that much. I need you to listen and I know that you won’t judge me, but this is hard for me, Auntie. When I left here, I ended up in Maine and that’s where I’ve been this whole time. Three years ago, I met a man and I fell for him like an idiot. He seemed so perfect, but now I see how much it was all too good to be true. There were so many red flags, but I was just blind, or maybe I was stupid, I don’t know.

“Things were great for a while, but he became possessive, angry and paranoid. He tried to force me to cut ties with the friends I had there and accused me of cheating on him so many times even though I only ever went to work and then back home. About seven months back, it got really bad. My car ended up with a flat tire on my way home and by the time I got it changed and made it back, I was over an hour late. He lost his damn mind. I had seen him mad before, but the pure hatred in his eyes when I walked through the door…it terrified me. We argued and I remember him hitting me, but the next thing I knew, I woke up in the hospital and he was there, so I didn’t say anything because I was so scared, Auntie. I waited until he slipped out of the hospital to go to a work meeting and I ran.

“I was hiding for a while, but he found me and that’s when I called you. I filed a restraining order, but he has money and power so the odds of anything happening to him are really not in my favor. I know that the whole time we were together, I told him I would die before coming back home so I figure that makes this the safest place for me to be.” By the time I finish opening up to her, we’re both in tears and she opens her arms to me. I drop to my knees in front of her and she pulls my head into her lap while stroking my hair just like she used to when I was little.

“It’s okay, Silver. You’re safe here, baby girl. Let’s get you cleaned up and go see the neighbors. They should be starting the grill soon and there’ll be music, food and some dancing to take your mind off things for the night.” My heart melts at how well she remembers me. Distracting myself from my problems is the easiest way for me to give my mind time to process things without stressing myself out too much and this, this sounds like a perfect distraction.

We pull up to the Jensen’s homestead and find a spot in the large dirt lot out front to park. There are easily twenty cars here and the moment our doors open, we can hear music and loud conversations filling the air. I stay by Linny’s side like a scared child as she leads us into the backyard where there are several rows of wooden picnic tables set up with half of them being full already. The first people she walks up to are Mr. Jensen and his son Brent who looks like a taller, more filled out version of the boy I remember from school.

“Edward, it’s good to see you. You remember my niece, Silver?” He holds out his hand and I happily shake it.

“Wow, you look just like your mother. How have you been?” I flash a timid smile and shrug my shoulders.

“Okay, I guess. Glad to be home though.” He nods and Brent steps forward with a beaming smile.

“Damn, Silver, it’s good to have you back!” He surprises me by pulling me into a hug. When he steps back, I notice him looking around the groups of people as if searching for someone, but his shoulders relax when his attention returns to me.

“We should go mingle and say hello to the others.” Linny has never been one to linger.

“Of course! I’m glad you both could make it. I hope you enjoy yourselves.” Linny leads me to a table and we sit down across from some familiar old faces.

“Janice, Becky, I bet you both remember my niece, Silver.” Both women give me a warm welcome and ask the same questions that I had anticipated.

“How have you been? How old are you now? Are you back for good? Where are you staying?” Linny covers most of them, probably because she doesn’t know that my shyness hasn’t been an issue for years now. The three women fall into a comfortable conversation while I watch in amusement as they regale me with stories of their youth. Once everyone has eaten, the band begins playing again and several people get up to dance on the makeshift dirt dance floor. I zone out while watching the happy couples until I feel a gentle tap on my leg where I find a young boy who couldn’t be more than five staring up at me. His dark brown hair and piercing green eyes seem so strangely familiar, but I shake the thought when the sweet little guy speaks.

“Can I have this dance, ma’am?” He holds out his little hand and I wouldn’t be able to refuse him if I tried. I let the little guy lead me to the dance area and he places one hand on my hip while keeping his other hand with mine. He sways us back and forth as gracefully as a child his size can, not once stepping on my toes. When the song comes to an end, he pulls my hand to his mouth and places a tender kiss on my knuckles.

“Thank you very much, ma’am. You dance good.” I kneel before him and give him a genuine smile.

“You are an amazing dancer and quite the gentleman. What’s your name?” Right as he opens his mouth to speak, a deep voice booms from over my shoulder.

“Sean! You were supposed to be with your Nana!” I stand up and turn to see who the hell is scolding this boy for dancing and my blood freezes as I stare into the familiar green eyes of Liam Jensen, only the warmth and kindness that used to light them up is no longer there.

“I was just dancing with this lady, dad.” He looks at me like he recognizes me, but the kind, sweet Liam I remember is long gone and this man in his place has a cold stare that unnerves me.

“You shouldn’t have walked away from your Nana like that. Go apologize to her right now. She was worried sick.” He nods then looks back at me, flashing the cutest smile.

“I hope we can dance again, ma’am.” I place my hand over my heart and smile back at him.

“I would love to if your father is okay with it. If not, maybe we can dance another time.” Seemingly pleased with my answer, he rushes off into the crowd of people.

“Are you new here?” His icy tone has me wrapping my arms around myself defensively and I find I can no longer hold his gaze.

“New…not exactly. I just moved back. I’m living with my Aunt Linny.” It seems luck is for once on my side, Jason walks up and pats Liam on the back.

“I see you found Silver! I’m a little jealous that Sean got the first dance.” He chuckles and I give him a soft smile while keeping my eyes away from the intimidating man beside him.

“Silver Dawson? Cole’s kid?” I groan at the unwanted connection.

“Unfortunately, yes.” His not-so-quiet scoff has my eyes snapping up to meet his as I narrow my gaze at him.

“I’m guessing your dad doesn’t even know you’re here. Let me guess, you’ll be up and disappearing again, so you figured it wasn’t worth making an effort to see him during your little pit stop?” I don’t even have time to think before my hand sails through the air and collides with his face, making his head whip to the side.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about and if you did, you sure the hell wouldn’t be defending that monster! To think, I used to look up to you because you were the most kind, considerate and humble person I had ever met! What a fucking waste.” I turn my attention to Jason, using the moment of shock with Liam to my advantage.

“Can you please make sure Linny gets home safe? Here’s the keys to her truck. I think I need to walk and clear my head.” He takes the keys with a nod, though his eyes are wide as saucers. I sidestep Liam and try to weave around the crowd to avoid any more unwanted run ins. The sun is already sitting low and night is taking over, but with the light of the moon, I can easily see the road as I make the one and a half mile walk to my aunt’s.

Chapter 3

Liam

“What the hell is your problem?!” Jason is shouting at me while I’m still struggling to process the fact that not only did she smack me, but it actually hurts like hell!

“You weren’t there, Jason! She abandoned her father and he was so torn up about it that he began drinking and after a few years, he lost over half his land! If my father hadn’t bought the rest of the land from him, he would have lost everything! Mr. Dawson is a good man, Jason and she just left him!” I feel like my blood is on fire and my fists are clenched tightly at my sides. I was prepared for Jason to try to defend her some more, but the voice that comes to her defense is one I wasn’t expecting.

“That’s not the true story, Liam. My brother is not the saint the town painted him to be. On the outside, he looked like a loving, God fearing man, but behind closed doors, his demons came out and that poor girl suffered at his hands for years. She took the abuse, the torment and the blame until he finally broke her. You have no idea what she’s been through and what you said to her, that was uncalled for and you should be ashamed of your behavior. She came her to feel safe, not to be judged by people who have no idea about what she suffered through at the hands of all the men in her life. Jason, I’d like to go home now. We need to see if we can find her and give her a ride too.” Jason gives me a disapproving glare before offering Linny his arm and leading her away.

Abuse? Mr. Dawson was always a kind man and was always happy and smiling. How am I supposed to believe he abused the very daughter that he was so heartbroken over losing? Silver said she looked up to me and claimed I was a kind and humble man, but she isn’t the one who watched her dad suffer and rot away in the years since she left. I stand there and try to picture Mr. Dawson being angry, but even that’s a stretch since the man was always smiling! I finally shake off the entire event and head in to find Sean and make sure he’s behaving. As expected, he’s in the kitchen with my mom and dad who are letting him help put whipped cream on the pies.

“Dad, can I talk to you?” He looks up from the pie he’s cutting and gives a stiff nod before setting the knife down and leading me out of the kitchen and into the living room.

“What’s wrong? Why’s your cheek red?” My hand flies up to my cheek and my fingers graze the tender skin.

“Silver Dawson slapped me.” His eyes go wide and I can tell he’s trying not to smile, but he’s not doing a very good job.

“And what did you say or do to earn such a reaction?” Why does he automatically assume this is my fault?!

“That’s not important. I wanted to ask you about Mr. Dawson. Linny said something about him being an abusive man, but I just can’t wrap my head around it. I know him, dad, and that man suffered after she left. That’s not something an abusive man would go through, so it doesn’t make sense.” I know my father is a smart man, so when I see his smile drop and his eyes go wide, I know he already pieced together how I ended up getting slapped.

“Son, Mr. Dawson was and still is a troubled man. After his wife died, he started drinking to drown his sorrows. By the time Silver was twelve, a lot of people suspected he had been hurting her, but no one could get any proof. One night when Silver was in high school, tenth grade I think, I got a call from Linny. It was nearly midnight and she called crying hysterically because Cole had beat that poor child so badly that I honestly thought she was dead when I got there. There was so much blood and she was barely breathing. She spent over a month in the hospital under lock and key, only me, the sheriff and Linny were allowed to visit her. The day she was released, Linny and I sent her up to stay with a friend of mine in Maine because we knew that if we sent her back to her father, she wouldn’t leave that house alive.

“So, while it’s hard for you to believe, that man is a monster. When I bought his land, I did it because I didn’t want Linny stressing about where her brother would live when he finally lost everything, or feeling obligated to let him live with her because of him being family and all.” A wave of nausea washes over me and I feel like the worst person in the world. How the hell could the man I’ve known since childhood be the same man who nearly killed his own child?!

“Shit. I need to talk to her. I have to apologize.” He reaches over and places a hand on my shoulder.

“You may want to give her some time, Liam. If she came back here, things must have gone really wrong in her life where she was and if what you said was half as bad as I’m thinking it is, you should let her cool down.” I find myself nodding in agreement even though I feel like a complete dick. A truck pulls into the driveway, its headlights nearly blinding me through the window and I watch as Jason climbs out of Linny’s truck and stomps his way to the front door. As soon as he walks in, I can see he’s pissed.

“You’re a fucking asshole, Liam, you know that? Uncle Eddy, I’d like to request the next two days off so I can help Linny and Silver with some repairs to Linny’s home.” My father agrees with absolutely no hesitation.

“That’s fine, Jason. Did they get home okay?” Jason takes off his Stetson and rakes his hand through his hair.

“I got Linny home, but Silver must’ve run because she beat us there. Linny gave me a list of things that need fixing, so Silver and I are going into town at seven am to get the supplies from the hardware store and lumber yard.” My father stands up and turns to face Jason.

“Put all of the supplies on my account. You think the two of you can get all of it done?” Jason nods and slides his hat back on his head.

“Yeah, we’ll get it. Also, if you know any families that are looking for help with cleaning, cooking or yard work, can you let Linny know? Silver is going to try to get some side jobs to get her by for now.” I feel like a third wheel with neither of the other men in the room sparing me so much as a glance.

“Tell her to have Silver call me. I can get her some cleaning work around here and I might know a few others who would be willing to help her out too.” Jason gives another nod then heads out of the house, likely going to his cabin for the night.

Chapter 4

I had planned to give Silver some time to cool down, but knowing I was such a dick to her while I was in the wrong, it doesn’t sit well with me. This is why I’m currently driving over to Linny’s with all of my tools loaded up because when I heard some of the ranch hands discussing tools Jason needed for the work at Linny’s place, I jumped at the opportunity to take them. I guess I expected to pull up and see Jason hard at work while Silver stood around handing him shit, so when I pull up to find Silver on the roof tearing off shingles, I damn near have a heart attack. Her long black hair is in some weird knot on top of her head and she’s wearing short jean shorts and a baggy white t-shirt that’s knotted at her waist. Jason spots me and judging by his face, he’s still pissed. I park the truck and grab my large toolbox then carry it over to the front porch.

“The guys said you needed all this for the work here.” I set the toolbox on the porch in front of him.

“Jason! We’ve got a problem!” Silver’s anxious voice calls down from where she’s now standing on the roof. We both back up so we can see her and she’s staring down angrily. Jason quickly climbs the ladder and walks up, mumbling a few curses as he stares down in front of her.

“Shit, we need to go get some plywood and a roll of insulation.” She wipes the sweat off her brow and I watch as she takes a moment to stare at the damage then forces a smile on her face.

“Okay, you get this torn up and I’ll head to town and grab what we need. How many sheets of plywood should I get?” Jason takes a step back and it looks like slow motion as his foot falls through another weak spot and he shouts a few curse words while Silver covers her mouth to hide her smile.

“Just get six. We’re going to have to redo this whole side. Grab ten rolls of insulation too.” She walks over to the awning over the porch and rather than use the ladder, she shimmies down the lattice on the side just far enough to hop over the railing and onto the porch. As she grabs her wallet and keys, I decide this is as good a time as any to apologize to her.

“Silver, can we talk for a minute?” She gives me a look that’s not really angry, but is far from friendly.

“Not sure if I have a minute. Who knows when I’ll get the urge to up and run away, abandoning everyone and everything like a selfish bitch.” Her expression never once shifts and her tone is so casual that I’m taken aback by the whole encounter.

“Look, I’m sorry for what I said. I had no right and just because it’s hard to imagine your story to be true, doesn’t mean it wasn’t.” She tilts her head to the side slightly.

“It took your dad telling you I was being truthful for you to feel bad about being an asshole. Kind of cheapens your apology a bit, don’t you think? I have shit to do so you can either go the hell home, or make yourself useful and apologize while helping load lumber into the truck.” She walks past me before I can answer and I quickly catch up, jumping into the passenger seat of Linny’s truck. The drive is quiet for the first ten minutes, but the tension is quickly driving me crazy.

“You’ve been gone for what, six years? What have you been up to?” Yeah, small talk is definitely not my thing.

“Seven years, three months and four days. I stayed with some really great people and finished high school then worked until everything went to shit and I had to come home. How about you? You have a kid, an adorable and well-mannered one no less. How did he turn out so kind and gentle when you’re…well…not?” She sounds surprised by the fact that I have a child, but I can’t say I blame her. The fact that she thinks I’m not kind isn’t exactly surprising, but it stings to hear it.

“Finished school and stayed working at the farm. Sean’s pretty great. He was definitely not something I had planned, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. As for how he turned out, that’s as much my parents doing as it is mine.” I watch as the most beautiful smile takes hold of her, very different from the smile I saw her flashing to people at the barbeque last night. This is the smile I only saw when she was knelt down talking to my son and it is stunning.

“You all have done an excellent job raising him. He was polite, considerate and he didn’t step on my toes. He’ll be quite the heartbreaker someday.” Her compliment is both flattering and surprising, but I’ll take this over the hostility between us last night.

“So, how did Linny rope you and Jason into doing her fix it list?” She chuckles softly and shrugs her shoulders.

“She didn’t. When we got back home last night, I noticed that you had to lift the handle on the front door to close it, so I fixed it. Next thing I know, she started writing a list of everything that needs fixing around her place. Jason volunteered to help with some of it, though I already kicked him off the roof since he was moving too damn slow.” We both get a good laugh from that and man, I sure can sympathize with her. Jason is a great guy and hard worker, but his pace leaves something to be desired.

“Other than the roof, what other work is needing done?” She sighs loudly and glances over at me.

“No one’s done any work on the place since I left, so pretty much everything needs work. I’m starting with the most severe and working my way down. First is the roof, then comes replacing the pipes in the kitchen and guest bath, then mending the fences and after all the other little things are done, I’m rebuilding her front porch and extending it for her so there’s room for a porch swing.” I stare for a long moment, trying to figure this girl out, but coming up short since she’s certainly not the girl I remember from school anymore. Silver and I never really ran in the same circles due to our three year age gap, but everyone knew her, that’s the curse of living in a small town. She was always so quiet, shy even, but she was nice to everyone.

“You need any help with any of it, you let us know. Between Jason, me and the guys at the ranch, we can make sure you’re able to complete the list before the weather turns. Jason said you’re looking for side jobs?” She nods her head while her eyes stay focused on the road, taking in the sights of the small town we both once called home.

“Yeah, I don’t want Linny paying for things for me and I want to help her out as much as I can. I have some money saved up, but that won’t last long.” She pulls the truck up to the loading bay at the lumber yard and parks. We both hop out of the truck and head inside where, as my shit luck would have it, Tobias and Elliot are standing at the register, both men who witnessed Silver slapping me last night.

“Looks like you two kissed and made up!” Tobias shouts as we walk in.

“Damn, Silver, you nearly gave our boy Liam whiplash.” Elliot annoyingly chimes in.

“I’m pretty sure you boys are paid to work, not run your mouths. I need six sheets of plywood loaded into Linny’s truck. It’s for her roof, so make sure they’re not warped.” Silver throws out at them and I struggle to hide my smile.

“Yes, ma’am.” They reply in unison before rushing to do as she asked.

“I’ll run to the Hardware store and pick up the insulation while they load the lumber.” She gives me a nod and I quickly rush next door to the hardware and feed store. Less than forty-five minutes later, we’re heading back to Linny’s with the supplies for the roof. She’s been quiet since we left the lumber yard and seems to be deep in thought, but I don’t know if I should offer a distraction, or simply stay quiet. It isn’t until we’re driving past the turn to the ranch that she finally ends the awkward silence.

“I didn’t know you were raising Sean alone.” I should have known the guys at the mill were likely to spill my life story the second I left, that seems to be a hot topic for people in this town. At the very least I would have figured Linny would have said something to her.

“Have been since the day he was born.” I cringe at the bitter tone that I hadn’t intended to use.

“I’m sure it’s not easy, but you really are doing an amazing job from what I can see.” I know she wants to ask about his mother, everyone does, yet instead, she throws me a curve ball.

“You know the first thing I thought when I met your boy? I wondered if my son would have turned out as amazing as him.” If I hadn’t been looking at her, I would have missed the sadness that flashed in her eyes before she quickly locked it away. I don’t even know how to respond, but from the faraway look in her eyes, she doesn’t need or want me to. When we arrive back at Linny’s, I help unload the lumber and get it to the roof while Jason gets to replacing the insulation and then places the new plywood. After being gone for almost four hours, I decide to say my goodbyes and get back to the ranch.

Chapter 5

Silver

After a week of doing repair work around Aunt Linny’s, a few semi-awkward encounters with Liam and several pleasant visits with Jason, I’m finally getting a much needed break. Linny told me last night that she and I are going to the county fair today so we can ‘let loose and unwind’, though I don’t know why she needs to do either when her most strenuous task thus far has been making a new batch of sweet tea. I throw on a pair of cutoff jean shorts, a baby blue short sleeve button up shirt that I tie at the waist and a pair of strappy sandals. Linny insists that I leave my pin straight, waist length black hair down then tosses my Uncle Johnny’s old black Stetson to me so I can keep the sun off my face.

When we arrive at the fairgrounds, the event is in full swing with the sounds of laughter, screams, music and the rodeo announcer filling the air. I follow Linny through the front gate and just like when I was a kid, she heads straight to the rodeo stands to watch the roping event. I follow her over, but my movement is halted when I feel a gentle tap on my leg.

“Hello, ma’am.” I look down and smile when I see Sean staring up at me with a bright smile on his precious face. I kneel down, not minding the rough dirt that digs into my knee as I get down to his eye level.

“Well, hello there, Sean. Are you having fun?” He shrugs and looks up at a woman I quickly recognize as Mrs. Jensen.

“Yeah, but I want to go on rides. Nana can’t take me because she’s too old.” I bite back my laughter and tilt my head to the side.

“Perhaps your dad will take you. I’m guessing he’s in one of the events?” He nods and points at the pen where they’re working to prepare for the bull riding event.

“He’s going to ride the bull, but he doesn’t much like the rides either.” I can hear the disappointment in his voice and it breaks my heart. I stand up and notice the soft smile on Mrs. Jensen’s face as she watche our little interaction.

“I don’t want to overstep, but if you all don’t mind him going on some rides, I can take him when it cools down some.” Her smile widens and her gaze drops down to meet Sean’s.

“Would you like if Ms. Dawson took you on some rides after it cools down a bit?” His cheesy smile is all the answer we need, but he responds with a verbal answer anyway.

“Oh, yes, Ms. Dawson! Thank you!” Even if I were terrified of every ride in this place, that smile of his would have me willing to brave them all.

“Why don’t we go find a seat so you can watch your dad?” He nods and says a quick goodbye before leading his grandma to the stands. I find Linny pretty easily, but how could I not with her custom tie-dyed Stetson?! I take my seat beside her just in time to see the first bull rider enter the ring. After all nine men give it their all, it’s no surprise when Liam wins with his perfect eight second ride. We give the stands a few minutes to clear out during the break before the next event and Linny insists on us going to the food stalls to get lunch. While all of the food looks and smells amazing, I settle on a soft pretzel with cheese sauce so I won’t end up with an upset stomach after taking Sean on the rides later. No sooner than we sit down, the table begins to fill with men and women from the earlier events and Sean manages to drag Liam over to sit across from me.

“Ms. Dawson, you should get some ribs. They’re the best!” I smile at Sean and pop another bite of my pretzel in my mouth.

“Linny is taking some home for me. I didn’t want to overdo it with food before going on rides.” The sound of my ringtone cuts through the dulled conversation and Linny quickly fetches the offensive device from her tote bag then hands it to me with a furrowed brow when she sees the name on the screen, the same name that has ice running through my veins and I can feel the tremors racking my limbs as I quietly excuse myself from the table and find a secluded spot behind one of the food tents to listen to the message since I didn’t answer in time.

‘Ms. Dawson, this is Detective Sheridan from the Portland Police Department. I need to speak with you regarding an update on your case. Please give me a call at your earliest convenience.’

I grip my phone tightly as I make my way back to the table, making sure to put the damn thing on silent before handing it back to Linny. I can feel the many sets of eyes on me and I want to play it off like everything’s okay, but it’s not okay. Nothing is okay.

“Silver, you’re white as a ghost, sweetheart. Are you alright?” I close my eyes, take a deep breath and force what I hope is a believable smile then nod my head.

“Yeah, all good. I’m going to go check out the band. Sean, how about we meet up back here at six to go check out all the rides?” He nods excitedly, his mouth full of pork ribs while his face is covered in barbeque sauce. I excuse myself, throw away my half eaten pretzel and make my way toward the vendor stalls. I don’t know how, but I end up at the pens for the animals being auctioned, but I’m drawn to one in particular, a tall, black stallion that’s running circles in his pen and banging his head against the paneling.

My feet carry me closer and the beast takes notice of me, his posture rigid and his eyes filled with fear. Staring into his black eyes, I see myself staring back. His fear mirroring my own, his captivity stripping him of everything that brings his soul joy. I don’t just feel for this poor beast, but in so many ways, I am him, kindred spirits with tattered hearts and withered souls. I hold out my hand to him and to my surprise, he slowly steps toward me. I don’t know how long I stand there before I feel his head press against my hand, telling me he accepts me, or maybe he just feels sorry for me.

“Miss! You shouldn’t be back here and you need to get away from him! He’s feral and has already hurt two of our workers!” I look at the older man that’s rushing toward me, but he stops as the beast swings his head over the top of the panel and I press my forehead to his.

“Is he being sold at auction?” I look over to see his head shaking while his eyes are wide as saucers.

“What will happen to him then?” He’s quiet for a moment then lowers his gaze.

“He can’t be auctioned because he can’t be broke. He’ll likely be put down.” I place a kiss on the beast’s head and shoot the man a sharp glare.

“Who brought him here?” His eyes become even wider, but he’s no longer looking at me, but something or someone behind me.

“That’d be me.” I turn my head to see Liam standing there with his arms folded over his chest, but while his stance makes him seem angry, his facial expression is more intrigued.

“I can’t let you put him down, Liam. How much do you want for him?” He chuckles and where I wish this was the Liam I knew as a child, his eyes are cold and I know this is the new Liam.

“Tell you what, if you can mount him, I’ll give you the damn beast.” I’m sure he meant it as a joke, but I see it as a challenge and one I’m more than happy to accept.

Chapter 6

I hold out my hand to Liam and he stares at it for a long, tense moment before wrapping his hand around mine and shaking. Without wasting a moment, I climb up and sit on the top bar of the panel, stroking the horse’s back and mane then grab the lead that’s hanging off the end of the panel. I hold out the lead and to everyone’s surprise, even my own, the horse allows me to guide it over his head. I say a silent prayer to whoever will listen then stand up and swing my leg over, straddling the large beast who tenses, but doesn’t move. I lay forward, gently stroking his neck and whispering soothing words to him. With a gentle nudge to his sides, he slowly walks forward, making a full circle around the pen before I use the lead to pull him to a stop. Once I climb back onto the panel, I remove the lead and give him another round of pets and a kiss on his head.

“Does my horse have a name?” Liam stares with his mouth gaping and shakes his head.

“I’ll see if Jason can help me pick him up and bring him to Linny’s. Pleasure doing business with you.” I give Liam a wicked grin and walk away from the men, though it makes my heart ache to leave my new beast behind. Soon he’ll be home and will be able to run and enjoy the freedom he deserves.

I wander the fair until almost six then make my way back to the food vendors where Sean is already waiting for me. The moment his eyes find me in the crowd, his face lights up and he rushes over to me, quickly grabbing my hand.

“Ms. Dawson, are you ready?” I give him a soft smile and nod.

“Yes, sir, I am. I’m going to let you lead so you can take me to the rides you want to go on.” I swear, if he were any more excited, he would literally burst at the seams. While Sean pulls me around the fair to the area the rides are set up, Liam and Mrs. Jensen follow behind us. The first ride on his wish list is the Tilt O’ Whirl and now more than ever, I’m glad I barely ate anything.

After riding every one of the fast paced rides he was able to go on at his height, we head to one of the last two on his list, the carousel. He insists on me sitting on one of the horses beside him and while it’s not something I ever saw myself doing, I find myself enjoying it and smiling every time I see the sweet smile on his little face. Every time the ride rounds where his dad and grandma are standing, he waves and shouts ‘hi’ and ‘bye’ to them which has both of them smiling bright smiles too. Once the ride is over, he wastes no time pulling me toward the Ferris wheel, which thankfully has a short line. The minute the wheel lurches forward, Sean grabs my hand and squeezes his little heart out while staring in terror at the tents below us.

“Are you nervous?” He looks at me with wide eyes and nods.

“We’re up real high.” As if karma decided to emphasize his statement, the wheel stops when we’re at the very top to let more people on.

“Hey, look at me. I won’t let anything happen to you. You want to know what my favorite thing about the Ferris wheel is?” He looks at me and I can see the fear in his eyes, but he still manages to give a small, tense nod.

“What is it?” I smile and point up to the sky above us that’s a black abyss with a blanket of shimmering stars. His eyes take in the heavens above us and his mouth hangs open slightly.

“Whenever things in life get tough and I feel like the world is against me, I go somewhere that has a good view of the stars. That up there, it helps me remember that my part in this world is only a small part of the bigger picture. My problems, no matter how big they may seem, are so small in the grand scheme of things.” His little hand squeezes mine again and he gives me a confident smile. I’m not so sure he completely understands the depth of what I said, but he seems more relaxed now, so I’m counting it as a win.

“This isn’t so scary.” The wheel begins to turn again and makes one more full round before slowing to let us off. I notice the strange look on Liam’s face when Sean and I walk out with his hand still holding tightly to mine. This angry at the world version of Liam is definitely not my favorite.

“Did you have a good time, buddy?” Sean glances up at me then beams a bright smile at Liam.

“I sure did! Thank you, Ms. Dawson!” I smile, but it quickly fades when Sean throws his arms around me and hugs me tightly. While it’s not an unwelcome gesture, it certainly caught me by surprise and brought up some painful emotions that I’m not quite ready to face. Thankfully, Linny comes to the rescue, though she’s clearly had too much to drink.

“Silver, your damned phone won’t stop vibrating in my purse! It’s going to give the folks around here the wrong idea! I don’t need my quilter group to think I have personal pleasure toys in my purse!” She digs through her tote, pulls out my phone and thrusts it into my hand just as it starts vibrating again as another call comes through.

“Thanks, Aunt Linny. I guess I should take this.” I swipe to answer the call, desperate to get away from everyone before my inevitable breakdown.

“Hello?”

“Ms. Dawson?”

“Yes?”

“This is Detective Sheridan. I’ve been trying to reach you in regards to your case against Mr. Malcom Price. Do you have a minute?”

“Yeah, what’s the update you mentioned in your message?”

“Mr. Price is claiming that the forced miscarriage listed in your report was a result of you intentionally harming yourself to terminate your unwanted pregnancy. I’m going to email you a copy of the report his lawyer filed.”

“He’s saying I…wait…he’s saying it’s my fault that my baby died?! No…this…oh my god…”

“I know, Ms. Dawson, it’s unbelievable. I remember the day I was assigned this case and I remember what you went through. You need to stay strong right now and we will get this sorted out.”

“I…I just want him to be out of my life. Why can’t he just leave me alone?”

“I’m doing everything I can to make that happen for you, Ms. Dawson. I’m presenting all of my information to the DA on Tuesday, so I’ll call you afterward to give you another update. In the meantime, continue to stay as far from him as you can and don’t let anyone know where you are, not even me.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll talk to you soon, Ms. Dawson.” The call ends and as much as it rattled me, it’s nothing compared to the sound of my aunt’s voice behind me that’s filled with desperation and sadness.

“Oh god, Silver. Why didn’t you tell me?” I feel the burning tears sliding down my cheeks, but when I turn around, I’m not only facing my aunt, but Liam and Jason are standing beside her.

“Silver, why don’t you let me take you and Linny home? I’ll bring the horse by in the morning.” Jason offers in a soft tone that only grates my nerves.

“Jason, you take Linny and the beast home. I’ll take Silver. I think she needs some quiet to sort her thoughts.” I give a reluctant head nod, knowing that if there’s any one of them that won’t push me to talk, it’s the new, though far from improved, Liam.

Chapter 7

The drive is quiet and it takes me a little while to realize he’s taking the long backroad home instead of the main highway, but I don’t mind. The windows are down and the feeling of the air on my skin is calming in a way that words can’t describe. They know. They don’t know everything, but they know. All I wanted was to come here and put my past behind me. My past loss, my past sins, my past regrets…all of it. Instead of putting it behind me, I’m still very much so drowning in it. After almost fifteen minutes of driving, he pulls into the driveway and stops beside Jason’s truck with the horse trailer attached to it.

“Silver, I can’t get the lead on him to get him out!” Jason shouts through the window. I climb out, grab the lead from him and open the small side door to the trailer then climb in. My poor beast is scared, but I can see recognition in his eyes when he sees me. I carefully slide the lead over his head then tap the side to signal them to open the doors. Once they open. I slowly lead my beautiful boy out of the trailer and over to the gate to the large fenced in field that will give him over an acre of space to run until I can extend the fence. As soon as he’s inside and the lead is removed, I watch in awe as he flies across the field, stretching his legs and enjoying his newfound freedom.

“Silver, I think you and I need to talk, sweetheart.” I turn to see Linny staring at me with soft, compassionate eyes and I quickly nod as I close the gate and lock it. This isn’t a discussion I’m prepared to have, but if anyone has a right to know, it’s her. After a quick goodbye to Jason and Liam, I follow her into the house where she has me sit at the dining table as she prepares coffee for us both. Once she sits down, she doesn’t say anything, but instead waits patiently for me to be ready, allowing me to do this on my terms.

“I told you most of the events that led to me coming back, but I left out a few things. When he beat me to the point that I landed in the hospital, I was six months pregnant. My baby didn’t survive and that’s what broke me, but it gave me the strength to finally leave. It turns out he’s trying to claim that I caused my injuries because I wanted to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. I swear to you, that’s not true. I wanted my son more than I ever wanted anything in my life. Now, I may never be able to have a baby of my own. He took everything away from me and now he’s trying to shift the blame to me and he has the money and power to do it.” I set my coffee cup on the table because I’m shaking too much to hold it without making a mess.

“Silver, how long ago was this?” I sigh loudly and choke back a sob.

“Seven months one week and six days ago.” She gets up slowly and walks around the table then pulls me into her arms.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. He won’t hurt you anymore.” We manage to make our way from the kitchen table to the couch where I fall asleep with my head in her lap and her long fingers gently stroking my hair.

It’s the Monday after the fair and I’ve done a fairly good job at keeping myself busy with expanding the fence for my beast that I decided to name Adonis, named after the god of rebirth. Tonight is another barbeque at the Jensen Ranch and as much as I tried to talk my way out of going, Aunt Linny isn’t having it. My mind has been so overwhelmed with the detective’s meeting in a few days that I can hardly think of anything else which is why she’s convinced this will be a much needed distraction.

We arrive at the Jensen’s just before six and I only get to say hello to a few people before Sean finds me and drags me off to the dance floor. This kid is honestly the best at making me let go, even if only for a little while.

“Ms. Dawson? What’s your favorite color?” I stare down at Sean and take in his serious expression.

“Blue. What’s yours?” He smiles and I watch as he widens his eyes.

“Green like my eyeballs. Do you like flowers?” I chuckle and nod my head.

“Lilies are my favorite. How about you? Do you like flowers?” He scrunches his face and shakes his head.

“Boys don’t like flowers.” I chuckle at his typical ‘boy’ answer.

“Boys can like flowers too, Sean. There’s nothing wrong with it.” I admire this little guy’s ability to think up random questions while never missing a beat or stepping on my toes.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Oh shit…please tell me I’m not being hit on by a kid who probably wears superhero underwear.

“Um, no. Do you have a girlfriend?” I want to scold myself for asking, but when he scrunches his face up again, I feel relieved.

“I’m too little to have a girlfriend. You could be my dad’s girlfriend. I like you.” My eyes involuntarily drift to the table where Liam is sitting with his mom.

“That’s not quite how it works, sweetie. A boyfriend and girlfriend have to really like each other. Don’t worry though, I like you too kid.” He gives me one of his heart melting smiles and I know we’re okay.

“Are you sad?” His question has me halting my movements as I look down at him with curious eyes.

“Why do you think I’m sad?” I kneel down in front of him so I can try to get a feel for what brought on this question.

“At the fair you seemed sad. Dad gets sad sometimes too. Nana said it’s because losing people makes you sad. Did you lose someone?” I take a deep, shaky breath and nod.

“Yeah, sweetie, I did.” He places one of his little hands on my cheek and gives me a smile that warms my heart.

“It’s okay, Ms. Dawson. Maybe you’ll find them again then you won’t be sad anymore.” I can’t even fight back my tears as I pull him into a tight hug. The sound of someone clearing their throat has me pulling away to find Liam standing over us, but I turn my gaze back to Sean and quickly wipe my eyes.

“You’re one amazing kid, you know that?” Sean nods and places his hand on my cheek again, pats it lightly then looks up at his dad.

“Dad, Ms. Dawson likes me!” I chuckle and nod to confirm his statement.

“That’s good. Are you happy about that?” He flashes another beaming smile and nods his head.

“Yes, sir. She’s sad though like you. I told her she’ll find the person she lost someday so she won’t be sad no more.” Feeling overwhelmed with our conversation, I politely excuse myself and make my way toward the stables to visit with the horses and clear my head. I find another isolated horse in the pen beside the stables and immediately make my way to him, noticing the many scars that are scattered across his face, neck and back. I’m less than five feet from the fence when a familiar deep voice speaks up from behind me.

“You’re really attracted to the crazy ones, aren’t you?” I turn and give Liam a confused look.

“I don’t follow.” He sighs and gestures to the battered white horse behind me.

“He’s a rescue, but he’s too far gone for rehabilitation.” My gaze shifts back to the beautiful stud and I shake my head then extend my hand to him.

“He’s perfectly fine, Liam. Definitely not too far gone.” The horse slowly nudges my hand and I look back at Liam who throw his hands in the air.

“Okay, what’s your secret?” I shrug my shoulders and place one hand on each side of the horse’s face, stroking him gently.

“Broken and damaged creatures tend to be attracted to those who understand their pain.” I lean forward and rest my forehead against the horse’s head, my breathing matching each of its slow, deep breaths.

“You’re not broken or damaged, Silver. We all have shit in our past that hurt us, but that doesn’t define us. You need to stop using your past as an excuse!” I pull myself away from the horse and stare at Liam, trying to fight all the words that are threatening to spill past my lips.

“You don’t know me, Liam. Hell, it wasn’t that long ago that you thought me to be a selfish bitch who abandoned my saint of a father. The broken and damaged parts of my life aren’t inmy past, they’re the moments that I’m living every damn day. Tell Linny I went home and please ask Jason to make sure she gets home safely.” I walk to the driveway as fast as I can and don’t bother looking back.

Chapter 8

Liam

I hadn’t meant for what I said to Silver to come out so bitter, but ever since she turned back up at Linny’s, she acts like her life is so much harder than everyone else’s. Sure, I don’t know her or what she’s been through, obviously since I didn’t even know her father was abusing her, but she doesn’t know me either. After she walked away, I went back to the barbeque to find Linny and Jason so I could let them know that, once again, Jason would be needing to take her home. Linny, as usual, is sitting with the women from the quilter group that she joined after she retired.

“Linny, Jason will be taking you home when you’re ready.” Her smile drops and is quickly replaced by a scowl.

“Where’s Silver?” Her eyes scan the groups of people before I can even answer her.

“Silver went home. She left about fifteen minutes ago.” Her eyes continue to scan the people in the yard until she spots Jason.

“I need to get back home. She shouldn’t be alone right now.” She gets up and starts walking toward him, but I decide I should warn her that Silver may actually need time to cool down after our discussion.

“Linny, you should give her a little time alone. She was pretty upset when she walked away.” She stops dead in her tracks and turns so fast that it makes my head spin.

“Why was she upset?” The worry in her eyes sends a wave of guilt crashing into me, though I’m not entirely sure I regret what I said.

“We kind of had an argument.” Her eyes narrow and I know I’m not getting out of this.

“What were you arguing about?” I run my hand through my hair and huff out a heavy breath.

“She made a comment about being broken and damaged and I pointed out that everyone has shit in their past that’s painful and I told her to stop using her past as an excuse.” I expect her to scold me, yell, hell…hit me even, but when I hear a sniffle and see tears streaming down her cheeks, I don’t even know how to react.

“I need to go home, Liam. Maybe it’s best if you stay away from my Silver for a while. You have no idea what that poor girl is going through and if you did, you’d be damned ashamed of speaking to her that way.” She turns and walks over to Jason who moments later shoots me an angry glare before escorting Linny away.

It’s been three days since the night of the barbeque where I apparently made an ass out of myself yet again and Jason has given me the cold shoulder ever since. We never really shoot the breeze or anything, but even our brief morning greetings are non-existent now. I just finished tending to the cows and decided to take a break to eat lunch when I walk in to see Linny, Silver, Jason, my father, Sheriff Rogers and a strange man in a suit standing in the entryway. Silver looks awful with her skin more pale than usual, her eyes have dark circles and she looks like she’s shaking. Their hushed words are impossible to hear from the dining room and after a few minutes, my father ushers everyone but Jason into his office then a few moments later my mom joins us in the kitchen.

“What’s going on?” She forces a smile, but I can see the worried look in her eyes.

“Your dad is helping with some legal matters for Silver. He agreed to take her on as a client, but I’m not sure what he’ll be able to do for her since it’s not the kind of work he’s used to handling.” She pours herself a glass of sweet tea then turns to stare out the kitchen window, watching Sean play on the swing set by the garden.

“So, she’s in legal trouble. That’s why she came here isn’t it?” She sighs loudly and turns to me with a look of sheer disappointment.

“Do you remember all the rumors and awful things people said about you when Sean was born and his mama took off on the two of you?” With a furrowed brow I nod, not understanding how this has anything to do with Silver’s situation and feeling guilty for the fact that even my parents don’t know the truth about why Sean’s mother left.

“Yeah, mom. I remember.” She sighs and turns her attention back to the window.

“I would’ve thought that experience would have taught you not to assume the worst of people since that’s what everyone did to you. That girl…she’s been to hell and back twice over and the last thing she needs is some stubborn jackass trying to knock her back down into the pits when she’s already struggling to find a way out as is.” Before I can respond, I hear Silver’s voice through the closed door of my dad’s office, she’s shouting, but I can’t quite make out what’s being said until suddenly the door swings open and she storms out only to be stopped in the middle of the entryway by the man in the suit.

“Silver, you need to calm down and come back so we can figure this out.” I may not be the smartest man in the world, but even I know you don’t tell an angry woman to calm down!

“What’s the fucking point?! I told you from the start that he had the money and power to make this all go away, that he’d escape this whole mess unscathed, but you promised me it wouldn’t happen! You told me I would be safe! You said you would make him pay for what he did, what he took from me! Not only is he getting away with it, but he’s making it look like it’s my fucking fault! How is this justice?!” Tears begin pouring down her cheeks before she even gets halfway through her rant and the man grabs her shoulders and pulls her into his arms.

“I know, Silver. I’m so sorry and we’re not done, not by a long shot. Mr. Jensen is looking through the incident reports, the medical reports and has requested the copies of the death certificate and photographs the officers took. We’re not giving up and you shouldn’t either. If you can’t do this for you, you need to do this for your son. He deserves justice and so do you. Please, come back in so we can go over our next steps and figure out what we need to do to take him down, okay?” She gives a stiff nod and lets him lead her back into the office while I’m left in shock. Her son? Death certificate? Justice? Incident reports? I can’t figure out which part of that discussion is most shocking, wait…I can…she has a son…had a son. God, I really am an asshole.

I push through the rest of my daily work, but my head’s not in it. I keep replaying what that man said over and over in my head, but I can’t grasp the fact that I had been so fucking wrong about her. Maybe she really is broken, but I refuse to see her as damaged. I’ve seen her with Sean and considering she’s so kind and loving toward him after losing her own son, that’s enough to prove she isn’t damaged at all. Hell, that makes her one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. By the time I head back in for dinner, my mom and dad are sitting at the dining table with the sheriff and the man in the suit.

“Hey, Liam, how’re you doing?” Sheriff Rogers asks in his deep, raspy voice.

“Doing good, sir. How about you?” He glances at the man in the suit and shakes his head slowly.

“It’s been a rough day, son. Well detective, I best get heading home before the missus makes me sleep in the doghouse. It was good to meet you, though the circumstances were less than ideal. Will you be staying around a while?” The man in the suit stands up and shakes the sheriff’s hand.

“Yes, I’ll be here for a few more days. I need to help sort out the restraining order and then the appointment with Dr. Masters for Silver. It’s going to be a busy few days, but I’ll contact you to set up a meeting before I head out so we can get you and Mr. Jensen up to speed on everything.” I watch the sheriff leave and the detective returns to his seat at the table.

“Liam, this is Detective Sheridan. Detective, this is our son, Liam.” The detective offers me his hand and I give it a firm shake.

“You all can call me Kyle. I really appreciate you offering me a room for my stay. I hadn’t realized that when Silver said she was staying in a remote area, it would be more than an hour to the nearest motel.” My parents laugh, but I continue standing in silence.

“Mom, where’s Sean?” She looks at me and points up.

“He’s been in his room asleep for almost an hour.” I finally take a seat and lock my gaze with the detective.

“Kyle, is this person Silver’s running from dangerous?” He seems surprised by my question, but he recovers quickly.

“Well, Liam, he’s the worst kind of person there is. He’s violent, pure evil, rich and powerful. Your family’s in no danger from him, but Silver…he already almost killed her once and I think he wouldn’t hesitate to finish the job, especially since she filed charges against him. I can’t tell you much more than that unfortunately.” I nod, feeling slightly relieved knowing that Sean isn’t in danger. Everyone turns in as soon as we finish dinner, everyone too exhausted from the events of the day.

Chapter 9

When I woke up this morning, my mind was weighed down with the memories of everything I found out yesterday. My mind, already a blur of chaotic shit, only gets further weighed down as I make the mistake of going into my dad’s office to get the inventory form for the feed delivery. When I walked past his desk, I saw several pictures spread out and now that I’ve seen them, they’ll haunt me for as long as I live. Each picture is of a very beaten, bruised and bloodied Silver. If it weren’t for her eyes, I probably wouldn’t even be able to tell it was her. I see the medical report sitting beside it on the desk, but having already seen and heard so much that I wasn’t meant to, I quickly tear my eyes away, grab the inventory sheet and rush out of the house with my stomach rolling and knotting at the thought of someone being able to inflict that kind of harm on a woman, let alone a woman like Silver.

During lunch, I’m halfway through my sandwich when Jason rushes into the house and heads straight to my dad’s office then rushes back out with the detective and my dad following right behind him.

“What’s going on?” I shout before my dad makes it out the door.

“Silver took off and Linny can’t find her.” He shouts back over his shoulder before slamming the door behind him. I get up and toss my plate in the sink then head out to get my horse that’s still tied up out back. I might not remember much about Silver from when we were young, but I do remember her and Brent meeting up at the pond just outside of Linny’s property, so I figure I’ll head over and check it out.

As I ride through the trees and into the clearing where the pond sits, I breathe a sigh of relief when I see Silver and her wicked beast of a horse resting under a tree next to the water. I tie my horse’s lead to one of the thick tree branches a good thirty yards away and walk the rest of the way on foot, hoping I don’t spook the demon horse in the process. I manage to make it to her side without the horse sparing me even a glance and take a seat on the ground beside her.

“Everyone’s worried about you. They’re all out looking for you right now.” I keep my voice as soft as I can because one look at her has me worried that any small harshness might shatter her.

“I doubt everyone is worried. Why are you here?” Her defeated voice makes me feel even more guilty than I already do, but I feel now that no apology will be enough.

“I thought you might come here. I wanted to make sure you’re okay.” I watch as she closes her eyes tightly and a single tear slides down her cheek.

“I’m fine.” I wonder if she knows she’s a terrible liar…

“No, you’re not. It’s okay to not be okay.” She wipes away her tears as if the moisture offends her.

“Can’t go around using my past as an excuse, so let’s stick with I’m fine. You checked on me, I’m fine, now you can go. You did your good deed for the day.” I think back to the first time I saw Silver after she came back, when she told me she used to look up to me because she thought I was kind and honorable. Before I can stop myself, the words start pouring out of me, spilling a secret that’s been buried for the last five years.

“Sean’s mom got pregnant when I was twenty-one. I was over the moon and nothing could’ve made me happier, but Tessa, she wasn’t excited. She was angry and she wanted to get an abortion. I fought with everything I had to get her to keep him. I finally resorted to offering to pay her to give birth to my son. I paid all of the medical bills and then used my entire college fund to pay her off. The day he was born, she signed the contract, signed over her parental rights then took the money and never looked back. That was the day that my honorable, humble, kind soul turned cold. Seeing that kind of evil from a mother toward her own child? That ruined me.” There’s a long, tense silence that feels like it stretches on for an eternity before she speaks.

“When I left here, I had no other choice. I had come home from school and was ten minutes late, but by then my dad was already wasted…he was always wasted when he was home. I remember the first hit and the sound…I heard the sound of my cheek bone crack. I remember fading in and out, at one point he was choking me. You know what my only thought was in that moment? I thought ‘at least this will all finally be over soon’. When I woke up in that hospital room, I was so devastated. I just knew they were going to release me back to him and next time, I wouldn’t be leaving that house alive.

“Your dad saved me, you know? He and Aunt Linny gave me money and sent me to stay with some family that your dad knew up in Maine. I lived with them until I turned eighteen. Then I met Malcom. In the beginning he was perfect, the perfect, loving and doting boyfriend. When he started hitting me, I honestly let myself think that I had done something to deserve it. My own father hated me enough to hurt me, so if this perfect man felt the need to do it too, I had to have done something to deserve it, right? I continued to let it happen…until I found out I was pregnant.

“Malcom backed off for a while after that, but eventually things resumed and he was convinced the baby wasn’t his. When I was six months pregnant, we got into a fight because he once again threw in my face that he was sure I was cheating on him since I was an hour late coming home after having car trouble and he once again insisted that my son wasn’t his. That was the first time I fought back, but it didn’t matter. I only remember the first few hits then when I woke up in the hospital, he was there waiting. I found out that my son died while Malcom stood behind the doctor and smiled at me. I was so badly injured that there’s a good possibility I can’t have children now.

“I waited until Malcom stepped out to go to a meeting and I ran. I made it to Virginia before he found me, so I ran again and that’s when I called Linny. Now that asshole is fighting to make it sound like I purposely injured myself to kill my baby. He’s telling everyone it was an unwanted pregnancy when the truth is that I wanted my son more than anything, so much that I was willing to die to try to save him.” Her confession has left me speechless, but really, what could you say to something like that. The silence stretches on until her soft whisper fills my ears.

“Xavier. My son, his name was Xavier and I loved him so much.” I straighten my legs and pull her onto my lap, holding her tightly to me with her head resting on my chest while I let her cry. She cries for her pain, suffering and most of all, she cries for the son that was taken from her before she even got to hold him.

After her tears run dry, we both get up and mount our horses to ride back to Linny’s. Thankfully, when we arrive, everyone is already there waiting, hoping for her to return after not being able to find her. Linny bursts into tears as soon as she sees Silver while Jason, my dad and the detective are clearly relieved.

“Silver, we’ve been looking everywhere for you! We need to go to the sheriff station first thing in the morning.” Silver stares at the detective with confusion etched in her features.

“Why? What’s going on?” Her eyes shift from one person to the next, waiting for someone to answer her and right now, I’m feeling pretty eager to hear the answer too.

“Why don’t we go inside and talk in private.” The detective’s comment has me instantly on edge, but before I can say anything, Silver speaks up and douses the fire in my veins.

“No. Tell me right now. Everyone here already fucking knows, so spit it out Kyle!” He closes his eyes and I feel my entire body tense at the nervousness that simple act betrays.

“Malcom’s gone. The officers that were tailing him were found deceased and no one knows where he is.” As I stand there, waiting for her to collapse, to break down in tears, to show any sign of fear…she surprises me by giving a simple nod and speaking in an eerily calm voice.

“Okay. I’ll meet you there in the morning. Everyone should go home and get some rest. Liam and Jason have to be up early to work and it looks like we have an early morning as well. I’m sorry I worried you all.” She hops off her beast, hands the lead to Jason then turns without another word and heads into Linny’s house while we all stand there, stunned.

Chapter 10

It’s been two weeks since the news of Silver’s ex was delivered, two weeks of us wondering if and when he’ll show up. Two weeks of worrying about what he’s planning. Two weeks of me passing off my work onto our farm hands so I can help Silver with the fence she’s been building to extend her wicked beast, Adonis’s, pen. She tells me every day that I don’t need to help and that she knows I have more important things to be doing, but she doesn’t realize how much I feel I owe her after how I treated her. It’s not even just my guilt that’s driving me to be there for her, but the fact that deep down, I really want to be the man she remembers from her childhood. I want to be kind, caring and humble. Hell, once Sean found out I was coming over to help Silver, he started coming with me to help out too. That boy adores her and if I’m being honest, I can easily see why.

Tonight is a community dinner event at the town hall and after a lot of convincing, mostly on Sean’s part, Silver has agreed to go. This’ll be the first time she’s left Linny’s place since going to the Sheriff station two weeks ago. When Sean and I arrive, we’re waiting rather impatiently at our table for Silver and Linny to show up. The moment Silver walks into the room, you can feel the air in the building shift and everyone’s eyes seem drawn to her. Her long black hair is pulled up and curled with a few curls falling around her face. She’s wearing a simple black wrap dress that stops just above her knees and a pair of black cowboy boots that stop mid-shin. She’s absolutely breathtaking and just one look at her blushing face tells me she has no idea how beautiful she is. Sean is the first to officially greet her as he jumps out of his chair and rushes to her, jumping into her waiting arms. She picks him up and carries him over on her hip as if that’s exactly where he belongs.

“Ms. Dawson, will you dance with me later?” I catch him saying as she stops at our table.

“Of course I will, sweetie.” She gives him a soft kiss on his forehead then sets him in his chair before taking a seat beside him. When she looks up at me, she gives me a smile that could melt a glacier.

“Thank you for insisting I come tonight. It feels really good to get out of the house and be around everyone again.” I nod my head then stand up from my chair.

“I’m glad you came. You want something to drink?” Sean leans over and whispers something in her ear that makes her smile even wider.

“My sources say they serve a mean root beer here.” I chuckle at the two of them and head off to get them both a root beer and to grab myself a jack and coke. As I head back to our table, Sean is now sitting in her lap and they’re both laughing while she tickles him mercilessly, gaining smiles from all the people around them.

“Dad, is Ms. Dawson going to come work at the ranch? Nana said she was gonna.” I look at Silver for confirmation since this is the first I’m hearing of it.

“Yeah, sweetie. Your Nana asked me to come help her deep clean the house and organize some things.” Sean couldn’t be happier to hear this. They announce that the food is finished and people start heading to get in line, but Silver remains seated as she looks around the room with a soft smile.

“Are you hungry, Silver?” Her eyes meet mine and she shakes her head.

“Not really. You go ahead.” With a nod, I get up and head to the back of the line to get Sean and I a plate. By the time I make it back, Linny is now sitting on the other side of Sean and there’s a plate of food in front of Silver, but she ignores it while listening to Sean talk.

The room is fairly quiet while everyone eats, everyone but Silver whose plate has slowly made its way to the center of the table. As people slowly finish, the band takes the stage and begins playing while those who finished already begin dancing and talking. These are the nights that I enjoy the most. Good music, good company and seeing Sean so happy, this is one of the best nights I’ve had in a long time. As soon as Sean finishes his dinner, he hurries to throw his paper plate away then rushes back to Silver as the band begins performing a cover of Aerosmith’s Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing. Like the gentleman I’ve raised him to be, he hurries over to her and holds his hand out to her.

“Can I dance with you, Ms. Dawson?” She takes his hand and lets him lead her to the dance floor, but instead of their usual dancing, she lifts him into her arms and his legs wrap around her waist, his head on her shoulder and his arms wrapped around her neck while she sways to the music. Every time she moves so that I can see her face, I can see her lips moving with the lyrics as she sings to Sean and I swear, the very sight of them like this melts me. They don’t stop dancing when the song ends, but instead continue through the next one as well while my mom comes over and takes a seat next to me, her eyes laser focused on the woman holding her grandson.

“He really likes her, doesn’t he?” I take a drink of my jack and coke and give a gentle nod.

“Yeah, he sure does.” Out of the corner of my eye I see her turn to face me and I turn so I can give her my attention.

“She’s a really amazing woman, Liam. I’ve noticed you spending a lot of time over there the past few weeks.” She isn’t hinting that she thinks something is going on between us, she’s assuming.

“I’ve been trying to be there for her, ma. She needs friends. She needs people in her corner and I owe her that at the very least after how I treated her. I was a complete jerk to the poor woman.” She nods and I can see the wheels in her head turning.

“Well, I would be more than supportive if it was more than friendship. Sean really likes her and you know how hard it is for him to warm up to people like that, yet he took to her the first time he met her.” I can’t help but smile at her.

“Pretty sure she has enough guy trouble at the moment, ma.” She raises her brow and takes a drink of her wine.

“You may be a guy, but you don’t have to be trouble for her, Liam. Why don’t you go cut in. Your dad and I should take Sean home so he can get to bed at a decent hour.” I give my mom a kiss on her cheek and get up then head over to Silver and Sean. I’m about to tap her shoulder when her eyes meet mine and she places her finger to her lips to signal me to be quiet. The whole time I was watching them, it isn’t until this very moment that I realize he fell asleep in her arms. I lead her out to my mom’s truck and help get him loaded into his booster seat just as my parents come out.

“We’ll get him home. You two go enjoy yourselves.” My dad offers with a smile. We walk side by side back to the doors and I suck in a nervous breath as I hear the band start up on another song, one I remember from the first and only school dance I went to. I only remember this song because I had asked Silver to dance with me when her pathetic date refused to get up and dance. As the beginning of Always by Bon Jovi starts, I take it as a sign and turn to face her, holding my hand out to her.

“Care to dance?” I see the flash of recognition in her eyes as I speak the same words I did all those years ago. She places her small hand in mine and I lead us to the dance floor. When my mom mentioned me cutting in and dancing with Silver, I had expected it to feel awkward, but the moment she’s in my arms, it’s the most natural feeling in the world. I smile at how small she looks in my arms, her head level with my chest and her arms stretched to reach around my neck. With every passing second, the space between us shrinks until her head is resting against my chest and her hands slide down my shoulders, coming to rest on my biceps. When the song ends and a more upbeat country song begins, we don’t pull away right away, but slowly put space between us without completely letting go.

“Silver!” Linny’s panicked voice puts an end to whatever was happening between us and in a matter of seconds, Linny is at Silver’s side, whispering something into her ear that has Silver’s eyes as wide as saucers. I place my hand on her cheek to get her attention and quickly notice the color draining from her face.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Silver doesn’t answer, but Linny wastes no time.

“I need to get her home, NOW.” I nod and hurry to the table to grab Silver’s purse and my jacket then guide them out to my truck. Once Silver is secured in the middle seat with Linny beside her, I climb in and start the truck.

“What’s going on, Linny?” I pull onto the backroad that leads to the ranch, waiting impatiently for someone to tell me what the hell is happening.

“Malcom was spotted in Victor. He was less than an hour away and that was two hours ago.” I can feel my heart racing in my chest and my blood is like lava in my veins.

“We’ll stop by your place so you both can grab some things, but then you’re coming to stay with us. We have a security system and with all the workers there at all hours, it’ll be a lot harder for anyone to get close to her.” Linny agrees quickly, but Silver continues staring out the window almost like she’s in some kind of trance. As soon as we pull up, Linny rushes in and packs things for both her and Silver. Once their bags are loaded, we make the short drive to my house and I help get them settled into two of the guest rooms before checking on Sean then finding my mom and dad who are both relaxing in the family room.

“We’ve let the farm hands know about the possible danger we’re all facing and they’re all going to keep their firearms handy just in case. How’s she doing?” My father speaks in a soft tone, something unusual for him.

“She’s shaken up. I got her settled into the room next to mine and Linny’s in the next room over. This is so screwed up. Why would any man put a woman through what he did?” My mother answers and her words couldn’t be more right.

“Because he’s not a man, he’s a damn monster. A man would never hurt a woman, but a monster doesn’t care who they hurt.” Her tone is bitter and cold, rightfully so.

“I’m going to turn in. I’ll make sure to put my rifle where I can get to it easily. I hope the sheriff knows that if we see that bastard, we’ll be shooting to kill, no questions.” They both nod in agreement, both likely thinking about the innocent child Silver lost because of that monster. I head up to my room and after tossing and turning for a few hours, I finally fall asleep.