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

“You want me to call 911?” Brody asked. “Also, I really hope that badge you showed me was real, dude, because otherwise I got two dead guys to explain.”


“I really am,” Quinn said. “And no, I reckon I can patch Jimmy up well enough, don’t you, Jimmy?”


“And while I do,” Quinn said, “we’re going to have a little talk.”


Quinn and Brody dealt with Jimmy. Aaron leaned against the police cruiser and stared at Uncle Will. Uncle Will was sitting down now, his legs stretched out in front of him and his hands still cuffed behind his back. He looked like the man Aaron had known, and trusted, his whole life. Aaron stared at him, waiting for his familiar mask to fall away and reveal something else underneath, but it was just Uncle Will. The same Uncle Will as always, and wasn’t that the kicker? Aaron had loved this man, considered him family, and invited him into his house.


“Did you set my dad up?” he asked at last, his voice rasping.


Chapter 66