Page 144 of Full Throttle

Joseph Grayson, the man who provided us with a retired C-130 plane, left the second we touched down in St. Louis. He signed James’ NDA without argument, stopped by Sullie’s for a quick bite (per Sullie), and then he was gone. Cain had told me Grayson was a bounty hunter, a friend to the cowboys at Hallow Ranch.

“We’ll be heading out in forty-eight hours.”

I turned my head to find Leon, Amara, and Mina all leaning against the wall. Mina and Amara were watching Dontell interrogate Kavi while Leon had a cellphone to his ear, looking at his feet. Cain and I walked over, and once we were two feet from them Lee said, “Oasis owes Hallow Ranch a great debt, Denver.”

Denver Langston was the eldest of the Langston brothers. I hadn’t had the chance to meet him yet, but Mina told me he was a handsome but terrifying cowboy. She also said that his wife, Valerie, was one of the sweetest people in the world.

Lee held out the phone to Cain. “Cowboy wants a word with you.”

Cain took the phone, putting it on speaker for everyone to hear. “What do you need, Denver?”

“Just giving you my condolences, Cain,” he said, his voice low.

I looked at Cain, finding his jaw tight as he looked away from us. “Appreciate it,” he muttered.

“I’m also offering my mountain to Oasis.”

All eyes snapped down the phone in Cain’s hand. Behind us, Kavi was screaming.

“What?” Mina breathed, looking at her brother.

Lee spoke up. “Denver, that isn’t necessary.”

“Oasis welcomed my wild brother with open arms when he thought he didn’t have anyone,” the cowboy clipped. “It is damn necessary. You, Jeremy, and Dontell gave Mason something in a time when I couldn’t.”

“Yeah, and you letting us use Hallow Ranch for months was enough,” Leon countered.

“Your connections in the FBI are only going to get you so far,” Denver said, the tone in his voice laced with heavy warning.

We remained silent, and I looked over my shoulder, my eyes landing on Kavi. His head was bent, his breathing ragged, his chest covered in holes and lacerations, trails of blood coming from each one. His face was also beaten bloody, and I knew in my gut that was due to Leon. That’s when it hit me.

All the boys were getting a turn, saving Cain for last.

They were giving the Cain the honor of killing the head of the Bratva.

“Do what you need to do. Get your answers. After that, bring that sorry son of bitch’s ashes to Hallow Ranch, because they’re going on the mountain,” Denver vowed before ending the call.

“When does he want us there?”

Cain and I turned to find Jeremy standing a few feet away, his eyes on the phone.

“In forty-eight hours,” Lee answered.

Jer nodded. “Good. I’ll give Mason a call later.”

“He also wants us to bring Kavi’s ashes,” Cain told him.

Jeremy jerked. “What?”

“He wants them on the mountain,” Mina explained. “What the hell does that mean?”

Jer’s brows furrowed as he looked own, lost in his own thoughts. “That fucking mountain.”

“What’s the deal with the mountain?” I asked, looking back and forth between him and Leon.

“Long story,” they said at the same time.

Cain gave me a look, holding my eyes for a while. Our stare was broken when Dontell called his name.

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