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

Aunt Karen was ready for whatever would come, that much was obvious. She looked Quinn in the eye, gave him orders on what to do to help with the funeral, and then went to do her own thing.


Arthur, Eric, and Henry came by at nine, and all of them were clearly affected by Uncle Ian’s death. Arthur the most, of course, and Quinn couldn’t help but to hug him briefly when he caught Arthur in Ian’s study just before ten.


“You ready to leave?” Quinn asked him quietly.


“As soon as we get the last guests out of this house, I’m putting your aunt in my car, we’re getting my Therese, and we’re going.”


“Good. I’m taking everyone that’s mine and leaving tonight, too.” There was no shame in admitting as much. “I hate to leave it all in Jimmy’s hands, but…”


His cell phone buzzed loudly in the relative quiet of Uncle Ian’s study, and he frowned apologetically.


Chapter 55