Gable shook his head like he thought I was a dumb motherfucker. “She never got your letter, asshole, and if it’s up to me, she’ll never know about it.”

His admission rocked me back on my heels and my jaw went slack.

Her fucking cousin . . .

Rango stepped up, cracking his knuckles. “Bad move, motherfucker. Karma sold your ass out.”

“Karma?” I looked from Rango to Gable.

“Oh, you thought you gave it to Cricket?” Rango laughed. “Easy mistake since both those bitches look exactly alike.”

“Ricky, don’t call my cousins bitches.” Gable stepped toward me. “I told you to leave my sister alone, and instead you try to draw her out here to the woods? You know what I have to say about that? Fuck no. Ain’t happening. Not on my watch.”

His boots crunched in the gravel as he stepped forward, flexing and clenching his hands.

I knew I was going to get my ass kicked tonight. It was on both their faces. They weren’t leaving until they delivered a beating. I wouldn’t go down without a fight, though.

“Just so you know, Gable, nothing you do to me will stop me from trying to get to her. Nothing.”

His grin carried no humor—only derision and violence. “I guess we’ll see about that.”

His fist flew out and caught me in the gut before the other busted open my cheekbone. I struck back with a combination, and he grunted as I connected. The Green Beret sent two more punches flying, one to my solar plexus and one to my liver, but I stayed on my feet, more than willing to trade. Then Rango jumped in, catching me in the side of the head before I realized he was moving.

Normally, two against one, I could hold my own . . . except when one of them was trained in hand-to-hand combat by Uncle Sam.

Gable didn’t need Rango’s help. He delivered a beatdown unlike one I’d ever experienced before.

I dropped to my knees as he landed punch after punch. I kept my guard up, swinging and missing over and over. He connected with a wicked uppercut to my jaw, and my body flew back onto the gravel. My fingers clawed the stones as I tried to push myself to my feet, but white spots dotted my vision. I couldn’t focus and find my balance.

My ribs screamed as someone kicked me in the stomach.

“Get the fuck back, Ricky.”

I blinked up to see Gable shoving his friend behind him. Whitney’s brother stood over me, knuckles busted and blood dripping from his cut eyebrow.

“You learn your lesson yet, rich boy?”

“Go fuck yourself, Gable.” I spat out a mouthful of blood.

He crouched beside me. “Watch your mouth or I’ll bury you out here.”

Before I could reply, another pair of headlights cut through the darkness, and Rango squealed like a little bitch.

“Someone’s coming! They’ll fucking arrest us. I can’t go to jail. My label will be pissed.”