And it’s broken, the friendship we had. The room feels hotter, my head lighter.

I grab a stick from the pile and use it to shift some logs that haven’t caught. “How’d your dad get me out of that damn hospital?”

“He’s in pretty tight with ‘em. He’s always making trips there, trading with ’em. Sheriff said they were eager to get rid of you. Guess you were giving ’em some trouble.” He smirks at me. “Can’t imagine you giving trouble.”

I can’t smile. “Yeah, I was giving them trouble. When that guard wanted to rape me, I gave them some trouble.”

He holds his hands up defensively. “Riley, I didn’t have a choice.”

I turn on him, my hands tightening into fists. “That’s bullshit, Clay. You had a choice. You had a choice when you took me to the hospital—and a choice when you gave that boy to the Riders. There’s always a choice. You just don’t want to believe you’ve made the wrong ones.”

Clay gives me a wounded look. “Yeah, I’ve made wrong choices. Tons.” He crosses his arms over his chest, a barrier between us. “But everything’s not as easy as you make it seem.”

“I don’t want to hear it.” I push past him to get to the door.

He grabs my arm and whirls me around, his face wild. “You were bleeding out from a gunshot wound,” he says angrily, pointing to my stomach. “When you were conscious, you were screaming and begging me to kill you.” He stops, looks at the hand that’s gripping my arm and releases me. “I couldn’t let Ethan watch you die.” He stares morosely out the window. “I …” He lifts his eyes to mine. “I couldn’t watch you die.”

My hands drop to my sides. “I don’t remember any of that.”

“I do.” He turns his sorrowful face up to mine.

We’re standing so close. Electricity jumps from his skin to mine. My heart starts to pound. Clay reaches out and traces the brand on the flesh of my forearm. The touch sends shock waves through my flushed skin.

“I’m glad you’re back.” He locks eyes with me. He wets his lips with the tip of his tongue. I smell the sweetness of liquor on his breath. “I went crazy the whole time you were gone.”

A wellspring of desire washes over me. My fingers tingle, my lips. He’s so close now I can smell the aftershave on his neck. I take a step closer. My eyes lock on the curve of his lower lip. He steps toward me.

Hatch appears in the doorway. “Boss want you.”

Clay takes a step back. The gap feels like miles. He drops his eyes from mine and gives Hatch a nod. “Tell him I’ll be there.”