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

He quietly thought that Jimmy not making an appearance was telling as fuck. He didn’t need to voice the words, Karen knew it already, and she wasn’t happy.


Quinn wasn’t sure how long it took for a doctor to step through the doors and ask for the MacGregor family.


“We were able to fix most of the damage the bullets did to his body, but we discovered his cancer has spread aggressively,” the doctor said, her expression kind, too kind. “I’m not going to lie to you, Mrs. MacGregor, it doesn’t look good.”


Karen’s knees gave out, and Quinn grabbed her.


“Can we see him?” he asked as Karen sobbed.


“Yes, I’ll have a nurse come get you once he’s settled in a room at the ICU. If there’s anyone you need to call, I would definitely do that now. I’m so sorry,” she said, and left the waiting room.


Quinn maneuvered Karen into one of the seats and let her cry. She’d known this could happen. Of course she’d known.


Chapter 49