The Butterfly Effect (Boggy Creek Valley 1)

“You loved my sister, and you gave her up so that she could have her own dreams. I just wanted you to know that I know. She’s been through hell, Aiden. I don’t know exactly what happened between you both, but it still broke her heart. I’m warning you right now, don’t hurt her again.”

“I’d never hurt Willa, you know that.”

Hunter placed his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze as his face relaxed and he grinned. “I know. And I appreciate you not giving her false hope in the past. It’s just, hell, this is hard to say.”

I frowned. “Just come out and say it.”

“I love my sister, and I want her to be happy. She deserves to be happy, and the only way that can happen is if she has someone who can give himself to her one-hundred percent, that’s all I’m getting at.”

Before I had a chance to ever reply, Kyle, Adam, and Bishop pulled up and piled out of Adam’s truck.

“Holy shit. The prodigal son has returned to his motherland. Jesus H, Aiden, it’s damn good to see you!” Kyle said as he walked up and grabbed me, pulling me in for a quick hug and slap on the back.

Adam and Bishop followed Kyle’s lead.

“I’m glad you’re home,” Adam said as he firmly shook my hand. Adam had always been the one friend in our group with his head on straight. The one to attempt to talk sense into the other four of us when we wanted to do something stupid, like sliding down the side of the mountain that was marked “no trespassing” simply so we could get to fresh powder. It was no wonder he was a doctor now.

Bishop, the craziest of us all, let out a roar of laughter. “Hell, I’m just glad you’re home in one piece and not in a wooden box. Dude, what the fuck have you been up to the last few years? Rumor has it you were one of the best of the best.”

I forced a smile. “I’ve been protecting your freedom, asshole.”

Bishop let out another round of laughter. “Dude, where in the hell did you serve?”

With a grin, I slapped his back a bit too hard. “It’s good to be home, and the last thing I want to talk about is my time served. It’s about Willa tonight.”

They all nodded, and Adam shot me a concerned look, one I had seen one too many times.

“Hell yes, it is about Willa! Free and on the market again! Yee-haw!” Bishop said as Hunter smacked him on the back of his head.

“You take two steps toward my baby sister and I’ll arrest your ass,” he warned.

Bishop held up his hand. “Dude, I’m a simple farmer looking to find my bride.”

We all rolled our eyes.

Kyle snorted. “If my memory serves me right, you were married, Bishop, and she left you.”

Bishop slapped his hand over his heart. “Ouch. That hurts, Kyle. Some friend you are.”

Kyle grinned and gave Bishop a tap on the side of his arm. “Keeping it real, dude. Keeping it real.”

Hunter, Kyle, and Bishop started for the inside of Brew’s when Adam took my arm and brought me to a stop. “Aiden, it’s really good to have you home, but if you ever want to talk…”

I closed my eyes and shook my head before I pierced Adam with a cold look. “You’re my friend, Adam. Not my therapist. And I really fucking wish everyone would stop asking if I’m okay. I haven’t even been back in town for two full days. I got shot, my knee is messed up, and I’m home. End of story.”

His brows furrowed. “It’s just, I’ve spent some time at the VA hospital in Boston and—”

I held up my hand. “I. Am. Fine.”

With a smile, he motioned for me to walk into the bar. “Great, then let’s celebrate you coming home.”

Before I could say anything, he added, “And Willa divorcing that douchebag.”

“You guys coming or what?” Kyle called back to us.

I gave Adam a nod and then followed him into the bar, all the while trying desperately to ignore the way my body seemed to tense up and go into overdrive at the thought of seeing Willa again. The last time I’d seen her, she’d had another man’s ring on her finger and a baby in her stomach. And I had never wanted to kill another person as much as I’d wanted to kill the man who had put them both there.

Willa

I knew the moment Bree’s face lit up that my brother was already here. I never could have dreamed it was because of her little surprise for me though.

I turned and smiled as I saw Hunter approaching with one of his best friends, Kyle Graham, walking next to him. Anywhere my brother was, his three best friends were close by. Hunter, Kyle, Adam Smith, and Bishop Harris had never had a problem picking up women when they were all together—which was rare these days. I turned my attention back to Hunter and Kyle, not bothering to look for the other two because I knew they’d be close by.