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

And there was another tendril of worry unfurling in his gut, of course. If the Burned Skulls really were coming to town, where the hell did that leave Uncle Will?


Aaron pulled out his phone. Should he text him? Or text Quinn and ask him if he could warn Uncle Will?


He stared at the screen of his phone, and then shoved it back into his pocket.


Shit. He didn’t know. He didn’t know what the fuck he was supposed to do, except wait like Quinn had said.


The afternoon passed slowly, and Aaron felt the weight of every minute.


When the police cruiser pulled up in the driveway at just before seven, Aaron’s heart raced and his hands began to shake. What if something had gone wrong? But Uncle Will climbed out of the driver’s seat, a takeout bag swinging from his hand, and Aaron pushed down his rising panic.


“Hey.” Uncle Will stepped inside. “You eat yet?”


Chapter 59