Page 72 of Those Heartless Boys

He was okay if the secret died between us. I asked him what would happen to the treasure if something happened and we were killed together. He told me it would stay in those caves where it belonged. In my dad’s mind, no one was bringing out that treasure but a Wilder. He was okay with our secrets lying to waste in the desert if something happened to our bloodline.

A curdling chill runs up my spine. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wondered if I’m the last Wilder alive. That’s a pressure I can’t even begin to describe. A lot of weight pressing down on these shoulders, that’s for sure. My father even made me promise I’d have kids someday. Insurance, he called it. Just in case we never found it that we gave another generation of Wilders a chance.

Thinking back on some of the things I’ve believed all my life, it sounds fucking crazy.

Either way, I’m in our acres of acres of land with a shovel in my hand, so obviously I don’t think it’s that crazy.

Before we get there, I peer around like my father used to do a thousand times as we approached the hiding spot. We live so far outside the city and we’re so far back from the road that I thought he was just being his paranoid self, but now that these secrets are mine to guard, I feel the same amount of pressure to keep them hidden. The coast looks clear. In this spot, you could see people coming from far away in all directions.

I head to the tree and lean the shovel against it, then I prop my hands on my hips and face the guys. “What’s in this safe has never been shown to anyone outside the Wilder family.”

“We’re here for you,” Lucas says.

I give him a small smile. “That’s cute, but I just want to say one thing. If you double-cross me, not only will I sue you for that huge amount Stone put in that contract, but I’ll also hunt you down and personally castrate all three of you with the biggest smile you’ve ever seen on my face while I do it. I will enjoy it. I will do it slowly, painfully. I will—”

“Christ, am I supposed to be turned on at this point?” Wyatt asks.

I glare at him.

He holds his hands up. “I get it. If I talk, no cock.”

I go to say something smart, but I’m pushed against the tree, Stone’s hard gaze on me. His chest heaves as he presses against the length of my body. Before I know it, he’s on me. His lips claim mine, forcing my mouth open with a swoop of his tongue. He pushes and pushes, diving in and out, mesmerizing my lips until they’re buzzing, feeling like they’ve been at war and bruised, but also like they enjoyed the fuck out of it. When he pulls away, he says, “I know what you’re doing for us. I intend to never make you regret this for the rest of your life, Dakota Wilder.”

I stand there stupidly. While he’s promising me things I never thought to ask for, my mind takes a much dirtier path. He steps away, and my body immediately screams for him. I want to tell it to stop overreacting, but the truth is, I felt that kiss all the way to my soul.

With Stone, the intensity of my feelings are scary. It’s either I hate him so much I hope he drowns in a two-inch puddle. Or I want to run off into the sunset on his arm with a life growing inside me. There’s no happy medium.

I press my fingers to my lips, the ghost of his touch still there. He’ll be imprinted on me always now.

Fuck.

Stone picks up the shovel. “Just point me where.”

I guess at this point, it would be inappropriate to point where I want him most. And that has nothing to do with digging in the dirt.

33

Before I can point out the spot within three paces of the tree where the safe is buried five feet under the earth, the ground underneath my feet rumbles at the same time an explosion roars its way through the landscape. I whip around in time to see a fireball rise up from where my family’s house would be.

“What the fuck?” I stagger back as the impact of what’s happened hits me. Rubble from the explosion falls back down to the earth.

My house. My father’s house. My memories. I run forward, needing to see it for myself. The guys call out behind me, but I don’t stop. My feet kick up dirt all around me as I run as fast as I can back toward the house. Flames flicker just over the little knoll, reaching up toward the sun as if we needed another source of heat in this godforsaken place.

Hands capture me from behind, and I struggle to get out of them. Up ahead, an ATV roars over the little knoll, catches air, and lands in a plume of dust. Two more ATV’s follow while Stone loosens his grip on me. We start to move backwards until Wyatt and Lucas flank us.

My flight response kicks in but there’s nowhere for us to go. All there is are miles and miles of the same terrain. There’s no place to take cover. Nothing to hide in or behind. Whoever these guys are would find us in a heartbeat.

“Fuck,” Lucas growls. He stands next to me, his shoulder heaving against mine as the ATV’s surround us.

I almost fall flat on my ass when I recognize Lance Jacobs. The dust plume hides his face for a moment but when he gets out, I growl on instinct.

“Thanks, son,” Lance says, smiling at Stone.

I turn toward Stone, my stomach bottoming out. A physical pain hits me in the chest. His mouth drops, but I’m not falling for it. What was that kiss for anyway? Just something to distract me?

They’ve used me.

Other men dressed in suits get out of ATV’s, all driven by people I wouldn’t think these rich bastards would even give the time of day. The separation between them is apparent. Three of the guys, including Lance, look like they just stepped out of the country club while their drivers sport tattoos peeking out of rolled-up sleeves and shorts that hang low on their asses, boxers peeking through. Thugs, basically. If it weren’t for the smiles on all the rich guys’ faces, I’d think we were in some sort of hostage situation.

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