Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Now, I need to finish tearing down what my father loved so I can move forward with her.
“Thanks for letting me board the horses here overnight,” I say to Beckett Blackwell, shaking his hand. “I didn’t want to scare the hell out of them today.”
“Understandable. You’re burning it all down?” he asks, raising a brow.
“Everything I can,” I confirm. “I can’t burn the barn until I have a new one built, so that’s the next project.”
“Do you need more help out there today?” he asks as I rub my horse’s cheek.
“Bridger’s bringing our fire department and a couple of guys from surrounding areas who want to train. I’ll have my ranch hands there, too, so I think we’re good.”
“Well, just call if you want us to come help,” he says. “And don’t worry about these guys. They’re safe here.”
The Blackwell property, called the Double B Ranch, has always been a safe place for me and my sisters.
And today is no different.
“I appreciate it. Mind if we come get them tomorrow?”
“Whenever the fire’s out and you’re ready for them, just come get them. You don’t need to call ahead.”
Nodding, I hop into the truck with Levi, who’s already in the driver’s seat, ready to drive back to the property.
“I’m glad they’re safe here, especially that tiny foal,” Levi says.
Sunshine finally gave birth a couple of days ago, and it’s a little thing.
“Agreed.”
While Levi drives, I shoot a group text to my sisters.
Me: Good morning, girls. FYI, I’m burning everything down today. Just wanted to let you know.
Before I can put the phone away, responses come flooding in.
Charlie: We should have a party.
Dani: It’s about time!
Darby: Do you need us out there?
Alex: I could bring some marshmallows.
I chuckle and reply.
Me: No need to come out. No party or marshmallows today, but maybe later this week at our place in town. Love you guys.
Lots of heart emojis come in, and then I shove my phone into my pocket.
“You’re ready for this?” Levi asks me.
“Beyond ready.”
“Can I be frank?”
I turn to look at his profile. Levi’s a couple of years older than me. I’ve known him a long time.
“I prefer it.”
He nods. “I’m glad you’re burning it all to the ground. Your dad was evil enough that he’s soaked into everything out there, turning something that was once beautiful into a dumpster fire. If you erase all of that and start new, it could be something really great again.”
I swallow hard and stare out the windshield. My voice is rough when I say, “Yeah. That’s my plan. I need that son of a bitch gone, once and for all.”
“Then let’s go get the fucker gone.”
When we pull in, Bridger and his men are already here, their trucks parked strategically about, ready to direct the fire if they need to.
Our primary goal today is to burn this safely, without lighting the nearby trees on fire, too.
“We’re soaking those evergreens,” Bridger says by way of greeting, shaking my hand as he joins us. “And you want to start with the farmhouse?”
“Yeah. I do.”
“Great, let’s get started. You’re sure you don’t want to pull anything else out from inside the structures?”
“No. Torch it all.”
Bridger grins at me. “This is going to be fucking fun.”
We work as a team, getting a couple of wooden pallets, loaded with a combination of diesel and gasoline, into the center of the building. I don’t look around, don’t give the goddamn memories a chance to assault me as I keep my head down and focus on what we’re doing. We move through the house, opening all the windows so there’s plenty of oxygen to fuel the fire.
“We want these here in the center of the first floor,” Bridger says as we set them down. “We also want to tear some of this drywall out so we expose the beams and get things moving more evenly and quickly.”
“I’ll get a sledgehammer,” I reply.
An hour later, I’m standing behind Bridger as he lights the wooden pallets with a blowtorch, and then we back out of the house and wait for the flames to spread.
“The guys are going to train on the house, and we can get the other structures ignited. They’re smaller, so they won’t take as long. Mind if I take my guys for this?”
“Go ahead,” I reply with a nod. I wanted to be the one to make sure that the farmhouse was decimated first and foremost.
The flames are louder than I expected. Glass breaks. It’s amazing to see how quickly fire can spread.
At the sound of tires approaching, I turn and feel my eyebrows wing up when I see that it’s Remington Wild pulling in.
He parks a safe distance away and then strides to me, his eyes on the house now engulfed in flames.
“You okay, Holden?”
I nod and hold my hand out to shake his, which he immediately takes.