When they were teenagers, Quinn MacGregor and Aaron Larsen fell in love over the course of one magical summer. It ended in bloodshed and tragedy. Now, ten years later, Quinn is back in Spruce Creek, Nevada, to inherit his family’s criminal cartel. His cousin Jimmy has been making friends -- and enemies -- in dangerous places, but that doesn’t mean he’s happy to hand over leadership to Quinn. And Jimmy might not be the only one who wants Quinn out of the way for good, especially if Quinn’s secret comes out. Aaron Larsen is back in Spruce Creek to sell his former family home. Aaron lost a leg in Afghanistan, and he’s drinking too much and battling depression and PTSD. The last thing he needs is for Quinn MacGregor to drop back into his miserable life. But when Quinn is shaken by the news that he left more behind in Spruce Creek than his bad memories, he turns to Aaron like it’s old times, and Aaron doesn’t know how to say no. The events of ten years ago cast a long shadow, and in a town where they can’t trust anyone else, Quinn and Aaron just might have to learn to trust each other again.

A Desperate Man

Quinn turned to her and reached out, awkwardly hugging her close in the cramped space. She trembled and her breathing hitched a few times, but she kept the sobs at bay.


When he pulled back and looked at her, she nodded solemnly, then wiped under her eyes. She wasn’t wearing makeup, so either she hadn’t had time to put any on or she’d already ruined it once.


“Where to?” Quinn asked, driving back out of the yard.


“They’re flying him to Vegas as we speak,” she said, attempting a normal tone without quite succeeding.


“Alright.” Quinn turned on the radio and left it on low, and started the long drive to Las Vegas.


They were barely outside of Spruce Creek when Karen’s shoulders shook enough that Quinn noticed.


“Hey, I’m not going to lie and say it’s gonna be okay, but let’s not borrow trouble, okay?” He reached for her hand and squeezed it.


She was quiet for a while, silent tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’m not sure I’m ready yet,” she whispered.


Chapter 48