Page 129 of Reins

I just shake my head.

He clenches his jaw, staring out over the paddocks. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Mas, you hated me. I didn’t want to come back until I had proof. Me saying it didn’t make it true, no matter how much I wanted it to be. You had every right to be mad. We all thought that was the way it was for a really long time.” My hands stuff into my pockets.

“And you have it? Proof?” He blinks without looking at me.

“I do. Pete has a file a mile thick. Wade does too. He’s the one who found the evidence of the explosives and tasked us all with hunting it down.” Is that enough? Will Mason ever believe me?

I wanted this so badly yet was foolish to think all the hard feelings would just vanish in an instant.

“I thought you betrayed us. That you were bitter and looking for revenge.” He stares down at his palms. “I’ve spent the last few years thinking about all the ways I’d fucking hurt you for what I thought you did.” His fingers slowly close to clench into fists.

Oh shit.

His head raises to fixate on Wade’s truck where John watches us through the window.

“They did that. They drove a wedge in our family, Cade.”

He called me family?

“They stole the time that we’ll never get back. They took our parents.” His lips thin as he turns to me.

Then he grabs my shoulder to pull me to him. “Let’s kill those sons of a bitches, brother.”

Chapter 61 - Rosalyn

The road is rough, jostling me around against the console and the door as Cade follows Wade and Mason up the dirt path.

Elena’s chatter helps to lighten the mood.

“They’re gonna have a million questions for you, Ros. We can schedule dinners at my house so you can meet everyone a little at a time if you want?” She rocks with another hard bounce but her grin doesn’t waver.

Neither does my grip on Cade’s hand.

I can see a noticeable difference in his demeanor from when he got out of the truck to when he got back in.

Like a giant weight has been lifted off his broad shoulders.

“Unless you want to just come inside when we get back? I’ll be your bodyguard,” Elena laughs. “Or I’ll get Wade to help.”

I caught a glimpse of the number of people when several started pouring out of the door as we were leaving.

Several of the men climbed in with Mason but I don’t think that was all of them. I recognized Dixon and Oliver from the wedding. Sawyer from that day at the bar.

But when a man on a big dark horse soon begins to gallop past, I have no idea who he is.

“That’s Ford,” Cade mutters. “Can’t have chaos without him wanting to play.”

A shiver runs through me. Cade’s told me about him. What he went through and how he hunted down the people that killed his girlfriend.

I just hope he isn’t here to hurt my husband.

“You’ll like April, his wife.” Elena leans between the seats to watch the horse fall into stride next to Mason’s rig. “Her and Libby are a lot alike. They both say exactly what’s on their minds.”

“Why does that make me nervous?” It’s taken me weeks to get comfortable with Elena’s outspoken demeanor, even though I love it.

Her laugh fills the cab. “We’ve all been through our own shit, Ros. They hated me too when they first met me.” She sighs, patting my arm. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Hell, I bet they warm up to you faster than they did me. And now we’re all like family.”