Page 130 of Thaw My Heart

We leave him tied up in the snow, heading to our trucks to discuss what to do with him. Bandit stands guard in front of him, watching, growling, and showing him his teeth. Markus starts to scream, but we all pretend we can’t hear him, which drives him mad.

Good. Because no matter how loud he screams, no one is going to hear him.

Better he understands that now.

Blake pulls out a cigarette, lighting up in the frosty air. “So, what next?” A stream of smoke flows from the tip. “Are we going to castrate him?”

Ryker laughs at that.

And that’s when I have an idea. I reach into my pocket, pulling out what was left of my cigarettes, staring at them with a wicked smile. “I want to mark him.”

They all stare at me, confused.

Sadie’s scars are her secret. I’m not about to share it. But I can avenge her. Poetically. “Take him to the barn,” I gesture toward the small barn near our two properties. “Ryker, get a propane torch.”

Ryker smiles, realizing what I intend to do.

Blake and Wes drag Markus to the barn, still unsure of the plan. But when I walk out of a stall with an old branding iron, they grin. Lone Pine switched to freeze branding many years ago, but luckily, we still have a few hot irons for such an occasion as this.

Markus’s eyes go wide at the sight. “You sick, country boy motherfuckers!” he yells, struggling against his tied hands. “I’m going to take all of you down with me! You’ll regret this!”

But I highly doubt any of us will regret this.

They follow me outside, staring into the flames as I heat the metal with the torch. Nice and hot enough to melt skin. The smell, metallic and pungent, like burnt skin, brings me back to when I was a boy. Ryker covers his nose, cringing at the smell. Blake and Wes do the same. This is too barbaric even for the cattle these days, but perfect for the asshole tied up in my barn.

Wes leans in closer to me, stroking his beard speckled with grey. “As much as I love this plan. What happens when we let him go with our mark? I have a feeling he won’t stay quiet.”

Markus lets out a scream, proving his point. A scream so shrill it cuts through the air from the barn across the open fields. Annoying, bastard.

I had a plan to keep him quiet, but I needed the documents in the office first. Conveniently, we just had 300 cows stolen. All I need is his confession that he’s responsible. And I’ll make sure I fucking get it with his signature on the dotted line. “Let me worry about that.”

My boots crunch in the snow as I head back into the barn, the glow of the red-hot iron leading my way. Markus’s chest rises and falls, fear quickly replaced by hatred as he meets my eyes. “I’m going to kill you for this,” he seethes through clenched teeth.

Steam rises from the iron, creating a haze between us.

“You’re lucky I’m not a violent man, or this would be much, much worse. But I can promise you this. If you ever come back here, or if you ever so much as try to contact Sadie again, my face will be the last thing that you see.”

Markus lets out a noise of disbelief. “You don’t have the balls.”

“Don’t give me any ideas, now,” I smile, stepping back.

“If you do this—if you brand me. I’ll put you in prison. And with a face like yours, you won’t last long,” he has the gall to laugh.

The red-hot iron reflects crimson light in my eyes. “If you want to try your luck, by all means. But I’ve got you for domestic abuse. For bringing a gun on my property and threatening people I love. If you want to turn me in, go for it. But you’ll only be fucking yourself in the ass.”

Sweat pools on his forehead. He knows I’m right.

“Prep him,” I nod to the boys.

Wes and Blake grab Markus, lifting him to his feet. Ryker pulls down his pants and briefs, laughing the whole time. I move behind him, readying the iron.

“Wait—don’t do this! No! No, please—” Markus begs.

“This is for Sadie.” I place the hot iron on his bare ass.

He lets out a shriek that shakes the barn, reaching the pines in the distance. Birds fly out of the snowy trees as I let it burn until blood runs down his leg, staining the concrete. Wes and Blake hold him steady while I continue to burn him.

Branding him.