Chapter Thirty-One

Four weeks later…

R yker lifted his face to the cold Arizona wind and felt a small smile form.

This was his favorite time of the day. Early, before the ranch came alive. Before Aspen found him and asked a bajillion questions about the new position he'd be assuming in Belle Industries.

He had a lot on his plate getting the doors of Belle back open, but with some hard work, financing, and a bit of luck, he'd managed to have all salons and factories opened back up last week.

A lot of his success had been because of Marshal.

It was Marshal who found a bank that would take a chance and loan to him. It was Marshal who had helped him figure out what stock to liquidate and what to keep.

Marshal had been his silent shadow over the past month and the man had never once asked for forgiveness.

In fact, Marshal hadn't said a word other than apologizing that first day when they got here.

"I'm sorry I lied to you."

The words had struck him as ridiculous and he'd slapped Marshal in the face before marching inside the building of the dude ranch.

He'd been thankful when Cohen and Aspen greeted him.

And then he'd met Marshal's mom and kids.

Fuck.

Over the past month, he'd come to adore those kids. The twins started following him around a few days later.

And every time Ryker thought about leaving this place, his heart broke. Come to find out that this ranch was also owned by Marshal. It was the sister ranch to the one in Colorado, only this one here in Arizona was a real working ranch with cowboys and horses and livestock.

He wished that Syn and Jennifer would have stayed a while longer, but after two weeks, they'd gone home.

Ryker felt Marshal before he heard him.

It had been like that between them for years. He shared a connection with Marshal that was hard to describe. Just the man's presence was enough to send his pulse humming as it did now.

Rather than speak to him, Marshal stayed silent.

Would today be the day he told Marshal to fuck off? Or had his anger abated enough to hear the man out…

"I…" he began and then his voice trailed off.

Marshal stepped up a few feet away from him and placed his gloved hands on the top wood railing of the horse corral.

Ryker squeezed the wood beneath his own gloved hands. He wore a white T-shirt and on his head was his favorite cream-colored Stetson.

The lighter version of Marshal's black one.

Ryker cleared his throat and began again.

"I don't know how to forgive you." He darted a quick glance at the side of Marshal's face.

A muscle ticked in the man's jaw and tension bunched and corded the man's arms.

"I know." Marshal's voice was rough. "I don't know how to forgive myself."

"Wasn't it your job?" Ryker knew that much at least. In truth, he knew more, but hadn't wanted to believe that Marshal was anything but a liar.

"It was."

Ryker waited and Marshal stayed silent. Not asking for forgiveness or trying to excuse his behavior.

"Why did you leave last year?"

That was an important question that needed an answer.

Marshal's eyes closed and his face looked pained and the words came through a hoarse whisper.

"I don't think it matters now."

Ryker glared and hit Marshal on the shoulder.

That seemed to snap the man out of whatever was going on.

Whirling toward him, Marshal stared at him in shocked surprise.

"It matters to me," Ryker hissed. "Why did you leave?" He fisted his hands.

"Because I loved you and I couldn't keep…fuck!" The man lifted his hat, thrust fingers through his hair, and then replaced it, pulling the brim low.

"Keep what?" Ryker pressed.

"Keep betraying you."

"Because?" He wasn't going to let Marshal off. The man needed to come clean so they could have a chance to move forward.

"Because I've fallen in love with you," Marshal croaked. "I don't expect to be forgiven and I'm okay living my life knowing you're doing okay. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you are okay."

"So, you're content to live in the background?" Ryker squinted. Was Marshal serious? The man would stand silent in the background while he went about living his life?

Wasn't that what Marshal had been doing? Silently supporting him and never interfering.

"So, I take it you're no longer in love with me," Ryker said, deliberately pushing Marshal's buttons.

"No! I didn't say that." Marshal sounded indignant and Ryker fought back a smirk.

"What are you saying then? You'll support me in the background, never ask for anything. Does that include giving me away at my wedding?"

"The fuck you say!"

Okay…now there was the fighter he knew. That was the Marshal who didn't back down or back away from a fight. No, Marshal wasn't the type to sit back and Ryker wouldn't be the cause of it.

He wanted an equal partner.

"You lied to me."

"I'm sorry."

"You lied to me for years."

"I'll be sorry for the rest of my life."

"You won't lie to me again."

"I will never."

"Do you love me?"

"With all of my heart and soul."

"You're going to have to earn my forgiveness," Ryker said.

"I'll do whatever it takes," Marshal swallowed hard.

"You won't be able to stay in the background any longer."

Marshal's eyes glittered beneath the brim of his hat. "I can do that."

"I need a partner, not a yes-man."

Marshal finally released his death grip on the fence and turned to him.

"I can be that."

Ryker tipped his chin. "Time will tell."

Emotion tightened Marshal's face, and Ryker caught the sheen that hit the older man's eyes.

"I want to ride." Ryker held out one gloved hand and Marshal gripped it tightly.

Together, they headed toward the barn.