Nash: A Rough Romance by Piper Stone (book series for 12 year olds txt) 📕

no one knew where we were staying, which would buy us a level of safety. While there was no doubt in my mind that Giordani’s need for vengeance was something he couldn’t deny, it would take him time to try to figure out where to begin looking for her in Missoula. Maybe we’d have another day or two before it was necessary to look over our shoulders. Now the mission was about collecting the data she’d retrieved.

“Did you hear anything from the sheriff?” Scorpion asked.

I shot him a look as I headed up the mountain, thankful the damn storm hadn’t been what the weather people had predicted. “Not yet.”

“She’ll call. She’s damn good at her job.”

I hadn’t wanted to leave Mitch alone, but I knew she’d stay put. While Scorpion had left his other truck at the house, allowing me to drive to the cabin in the mountains, he’d kept his keys. I refused to take any chances with the possibility she’d leave. Her tears from the night before had troubled me more than I wanted to let on. She was more vulnerable than she portrayed, starting to crack under the pressure.

Hell, maybe I wasn’t the best man to comfort or protect her, but I would die trying if necessary.

“That’s a wild story she told you, brother,” Scorpion said with reverence in his voice.

And for some reason, it still made me bristle.

“She’s telling the truth.”

“Let’s just hope we find her truck and this jump drive. That could send the bastard away for a long time.”

My grip on the steering wheel was tight, my legs heavy as I maneuvered up the same road we’d come down. While it was obviously some clearing had occurred, it would have been wise to have waited another day.

A day we likely didn’t have.

My instincts had taken a different turn, maybe after getting closer to her. Dante would stop at nothing until he found her. The real question in my mind was how many connections did he have? Was there anyone in the local sheriff’s office who would provide information? At least my arrival had yet to be noted among anyone in town. I hadn’t even contacted my parents yet. That would wait until the situation was resolved.

“Did you give Caroline the ring yet?” I asked just for conversation if nothing else.

“Not yet. Need to find a special way to ask her. Caroline is everything I’ve ever wanted and for some crazy reason, she loves me.” He laughed after saying the words.

“You act like you don’t deserve love.”

He tapped his hand on the passenger door by the glass, peering out the side window. “You know how I’ve felt about love. Didn’t really think it could exist.”

“But a good woman changed you.”

“It did. That could happen for you.”

“Not a chance. Not one.”

“Uh-huh. What have I told you before?”

I chuckled, my thoughts drifting toward Mitch all over again. The way she’d felt in my arms as we remained by the fire had been incredible. Hell, the night was more romantic than any I could remember. Wine by the fire. Food. Candles. Shit. What was I turning into? “Maybe.”

“Hardhead. I brought you a box of ammo. I thought you might need it. I assume you’ve got the same weapon.” Scorpion’s voice now held an edge.

“Of course.”

“Good. I brought it with me.”

I nodded and another round of quiet settled in. There’d been a time when he and I could talk about anything. Now it seemed harder than I had imagined it would be. Almost twenty minutes passed. At least we were getting closer without finding the roads impassable.

“You should visit him,” Scorpion said out of the blue.

“Who?”

“Snake. His grave. It’s very… healing.”

A cold shiver slammed down my spine. “I’m not ready for that yet.”

“All three of us said the same thing. Did you know that Mustang’s girl managed to find Apollo and was able to cut through the red tape and bring him home? With Scorpion’s help.”

“You’re kidding?”

“Nope. At least he has a forever home. That’s what you need. A real home and not in the freaking mountains.”

“Hey, I like it in the mountains,” I said, still thinking about Snake. “It’s private and peaceful.”

“Yeah, and away from the rest of the world. You can’t hide forever. I know a little ranch that’s for sale. It’s not much, but you might have the down payment for it. Maybe you could start a family.”

“A family? I don’t think so.”

Scorpion chortled. “Well, at least give it a thought.”

“I don’t even know what the hell I’m going to do with the rest of my life.”

“You’ll figure it out. You could always work at Raunchy Ride.” While I could tell he was kidding, the fact I had zero aspirations wasn’t something to brag about.

“By the way, I’m sorry about your grandfather.”

The news wasn’t something I was prepared for. “What? What did you say?”

Scorpion slowly turned his head. “Don’t tell me you didn’t know about your grandfather’s death.”

The news hit me hard, a knife cutting through my heart. I’d avoided the call from my father before I left for Europe, even shutting off my phone for three months. “I…”

“Jesus, brother. I am so sorry to have to be the one to tell you.”

I shifted my gaze away from him, trying to regroup. I’d been much closer to my grandfather than anyone else in my life, including my parents. He’d always seemed larger than life. He’d been a rancher and had even served on the city council when I was a kid. He was a damn good poker player, teaching me when I was just a boy, much to the chagrin of my father, who’d actually blamed him for my level of delinquency.

“I know you were close,” he said after a couple of minutes. “He was a nice man. A little wild around the edges, which is exactly where you got it from.”

I managed to smile, even though my heart was aching. “He was more like my best friend at times, a tough task master at others.