Their memory was a pain that never went away.

He dug the heel of his foot into the floor and pressed his shoulder blades against the seat back, pinning himself to the black leather.

Warden and his officers might think it was their excellent corrections program that had turned him around, but it wasn’t the work program, or the ranch, or the counseling. It was losing McKenna.

They’d been together for years, since high school. Well, they’d been together off and on for years, but in the months—or years—they were off, there had never been another woman he’d loved. Sure, he’d screwed a few. He was a Sheenan and Sheenans weren’t saints, but he’d never cheated on her when they were together.

He’d rather cut his dick off than betray his woman that way.

And then his conscience scraped and whispered, just like the windshield wiper blades working the glass.

You betrayed her in other ways, though.

The drinking. The fighting. The small bar fights. The big bar fights.

And finally, the afternoon at the Wolf Den that changed everything…

“You’ve been home for a few days now?” Trey asked his twin, wanting to find out about McKenna and not sure how because Troy hadn’t brought her up, nor had he mentioned TJ, and Troy always talked about the five year old, wanting to keep Trey in the loop.

“A week.”

“What’s it like without Dad around?”

“Quiet.” Troy hesitated. “It’s just Dillon there at the ranch, you know. I’m still dividing my time between San Francisco and Marietta, and when I am here, I’m usually at The Graff.”

“Things still good with your little librarian?”

“Yeah.”

“Wedding date set?”

“We’re talking February, maybe around Valentine’s Day since we were paired up for that ball. But things are kind of hairy at work and I’m honestly not sure a February wedding would be the best thing.”

“How hairy is hairy?”

“Got hit with a big lawsuit. It should sort out but its damned expensive and time consuming until then.”

“Then wait till it’s settled to marry. No sense being all stressed out over a wedding.”

“I agree.” Troy tapped his hand on the steering wheel and then exhaled. “There are some other things going on, too. Family things.” He shot a quick glance in Trey’s direction. “Dad was a real bastard when it came to Mom.”

“That’s not news.”

“He had an affair with Bev Carrigan. A long affair.”

Trey said nothing.

Troy increased the speed on the windshield wipers. “Mom probably knew. Or found out.”

Trey had heard enough. He’d only just been out a couple hours. He wasn’t ready for family conflict and drama. “They’re all gone now, and the past is the past. Maybe it’s time to let sleeping dogs lie.”

“Except they’re not all gone, and it’s not just the past.” Troy flexed his hands against the steering wheel again. “Because there is something else going on—”

“Another affair?”

“No, but with Callan.” Troy shot him a swift glance, brow creased. “When her dad passed, he didn’t leave the place to her. Or any of them.”

“What?”

“There’s some talk in town—just gossip at this point—that maybe he wasn’t their biological father—”

“Bullshit.”

“Well, why didn’t he leave the Carrigan ranch to his kids?”

“I don’t know. But Callan must have been pretty broken up. She loves that place.”

Troy was silent a moment. “I think Dillon knows something, too, but he’s not saying.”

“Those two friends again?”

“More friendly than friends. While you were gone they became drinking buddies.