Page 125 of Branded

“I understand.” Lennox’s voice is hollow.

“Good. Now get inside. I’ve had food brought out. You need to eat, shower, rest.” Caroline’s clinical demeanor softens slightly.

Cole pulls up behind our truck, and Warren climbs out slowly, his movements careful after the exertion of the day. “Your rooms are ready,” I tell them. “Second floor. And there’s a room down the hall for you, Mr. Briggs. I’ll show you⁠—”

“We’ll find them,” Warren says. “But first, enough with the Mr. Briggs shit. You did things today that deserve a first name. It’s Warren, son.” He holds out his hand, and I shake it. He moves to Lennox, pulls her into a careful hug. “I’m proud of you. For being strong and not breaking. Now go inside. Eat something. Your brothers and I are here for a few days. Make sure you’re really alright before we head back to Montana.”

She goes inside with Caroline, leaving me alone with the Briggs men.

Warren turns to me, his expression hard. “Walk with me.”

We move away from the house, toward the barn, leaving Cole and Cage to get cleaned up. Warren is silent until we’re out of earshot.

“You did good today,” he finally says. “Calling me, getting her back. That was the right call. I’m glad you didn’t wait for us.”

“She’s your daughter. You had a right to be there, but I couldn’t leave her in that place a second longer.”

He stops and turns to face me. “But here’s what I need to know now—what happens next? With Marshall gone, with that threat eliminated, what’s your plan?”

“For Lennox?”

“For everything. Your family’s been in a war for sixty years. You just eliminated the other side. That’s going to have consequences. Legal ones, probably. Business ones, definitely. And I need to know my daughter’s not going to be caught in the fallout.”

Fair question. I was so focused on getting Lennox back that I didn’t think much past that.

“Caroline’s handling the legal side. Making sure the narrative holds. As for business…” I pause. “Marshall had his operation, land, assets. All of that will go through probate. We’ll probably acquire most of it eventually.”

“So you’re expanding your empire on the backs of the people you just killed.”

“That’s how this works. You know that.” I meet his eyes. “But to answer your real question, Lennox will be protected. From legal consequences, from business fallout, from everything. Whatever comes from today, she’s insulated from it.”

Warren studies me for a long moment. “You love her.”

I don’t hesitate to give him an answer. “Yes. I do.”

“Good. Because what happened to her is the kind of thing that changes people. Breaks them, sometimes. Lennox is going to need support while she processes it. Are you ready to give her that?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Even when it’s hard? Even when she has nightmares or questions whether she can live with being part of families that do these things?”

“Especially then.” I pause. “Sir, I know how this didn’t start great, but that’s not what this is any more. I love her. I’ll do whatever it takes to help her through this.”

“Good.” Warren starts walking back to the house. “Because my daughter’s strong, but she’s not made of stone. Today, she saw things she can’t unsee. Learned things about all of us she can’t unlearn.”

“I know.”

Inside, I find Lennox in the kitchen picking at the food Caroline brought. She looks small, fragile, nothing like the woman who recovered cattle in darkness or stood up to my entire family.

“Hey,” I say quietly as I move to her and place my hand on her back.

“Hey.” She sets down her fork. “My dad have words with you?”

“Just making sure I’m ready to support you through processing today.”

“And are you?”

“Yes.” I lean over and kiss her head. “Lennox, whatever you need, space, conversation, distraction, anything, I’m here.”