King's Ranch Series Book 3: What It Takes

POV: AMARI

The turmoil burning inside me blares at full volume as I haunt the sterile, suffocating halls of the ER, desperate for news about Candace. My mind is a complete thundercloud, reliving the wreckage of these past months: Zach’s tragic passing, the crushing weight of Hadley and Cody’s car crash, that terrifying snatch attempt on the boy, and now Candace lost in the dark of a kidnapping that’s siphoned her memories away. I’m vibrating with an anguish I’ve never felt before, our perimeter wearing dangerously thin while we fight like hell to hold the line against the shadows.

The silence here is heavy and toxic, broken only by the mechanical hum of vending machines and the staff's hushed murmurs. I drag my hands through my curls, pulling tight as I process the wreckage. It’s staggering that a woman who entered our orbit just two short months ago has become the very axis my world turns on. Candace went far beyond her duty as an RN looking after my secret love, Hadley, and my godson, Cody—she became their absolute anchor. In her eyes, there’s zero pity, only a fierce, quiet grit that pulled them both back from the brink. In the blink of an eye, she wasn’t just a caregiver; she became ours.

The toxic loop in my head breaks as a nurse navigates toward my perimeter, offering a cautious nod while keeping her professional mask firmly in place—a look I’ve deployed countless times myself as an EMT. She was the one who received the gurney when I brought Candace into this wing. I suspect my sudden, jagged arrival left her vibrating with her own shock.

“How are you holding up?” she asks, taking inventory of my appearance.

“Waiting and hoping she’s going to make it through.”

“She’s a fighter, that one. I’m certain she’ll pull through and shock us all.”

I manage a dry, hollow laugh. “God, I hope so.”

Candace is a warrior, yet now she’s locked in a silent gauntlet against the ghosts stealing her identity. Meanwhile, I’m vibrating with a different kind of tension, waiting for the Bianchi syndicate to signal their next move in this war against Giocolano’s crew—a war that’s become our own. I can’t decide which is more agonizing: the wait for a medical verdict or the suffocating silence of my burner phone. This is our reality now: trapped in the crossfire of a syndicate war, nothing more than disposable pawns in a game of titans. I never imagined the hot zone would follow us home to American soil.

The nurse catches me checking my screen again, her eyebrow arched in a quiet query. “Has the department filed a report yet?”

There it is—the specific intel she was sent to retrieve. “Yes, ma’am. They’ve been briefed. Since Candace is from Spearfish, detectives on her case were notified immediately. I’m expecting a few cops to show up here shortly.”

She offers a steady nod, biting her lip as she processes the news. “Good to know. Do you know what happened to her?”

Those details haven’t been earned. Do I tell her she was snatched and escaped by plunging out a second-story window? Who knows if Franco has spies right in this building? To safeguard Candace, it’s best to keep my cards locked down tight.

“No, ma’am. I was hoping for answers when I found her.” Safe, vague, and believable enough.

“Alright, thank you.” She offers a soft smile and retreats to the station, leaving me alone with my thundercloud of thoughts once more.

What is Franco’s true endgame? This feud between Giocolano and Bianchi runs deeper than a basic rivalry; they’re invasive, poisonous weeds choking the life out of everything in their path. Are we just collateral on their board? Why target King’s Ranch? Why tear into the PBR circuit? David had his ties, sure, but why does Franco keep this nightmare active? The questions are endless, and the answers remain buried in the dark.

I, for one, have hit a brick wall. Beyond everything they’ve done to Hadley, Cody, and Candace, they nearly took River out in another wreck and went after the King’s Ranch livestock at the event. They’re like a hydra—sever one head, and two more snap at your heels. We have to find this beast's heart and burn it out. My gut says Franco isn’t the true architect anymore; there’s a new ghost in the machine pulling the strings. Whoever is hiding in those shadows, I’m dragging them into the light.

I’ve instructed my unit to hold the line at Donovan’s while I’m anchored to this waiting room. Trust is a rare currency these days, and I’m only spending it on the few souls I’d trust with my life. Shielding Hadley and Cody from this storm is a constant tightrope walk. They feel the void Candace left, but I have to keep them steady—their recovery depends on a peace I’m struggling to provide.

Thank God our team mobilized here. Hadley and I survived two deployments with these people; we know how to hunt. We’re running shifts, gathering intel, and blending our skills with the King’s Ranch crew. It’s the only way we stay one step ahead of the reaper.

Right now, Jack Jenson is managing the Bianchi line. I met him at the hospital where my family is; he’s sharp, but there’s a darkness in him I haven’t fully mapped—the haunted look of a man carrying memories he can’t outrun. One soldier recognizes the PTSD in another; it’s a language written in the eyes. I’m betting his search for redemption gives us the edge we need to flip the script. I’m keeping him close, but I’ve got Gadget, my tech specialist, digging into his history.

Movement catches my eye: a rugged, older man with a tan that takes decades to earn. He’s clutching a cowboy hat, his calloused hands running through salt-and-pepper hair. He approaches the desk, his voice low as he asks for Candace. I stand, recognizing the quiet authority of the man they call ‘Pa.’ The nurse repeats the same hollow updates, and he nods with polite restraint.

“William?” I ask. He turns, offering a measuring, courteous look.

“Amari, I assume?”

“That’s me, sir.”

“Is there anything the staff isn’t sharing?” He knows the drill—without a blood tie, he’s on the outside looking in.

“I found her face down in a snowbank during that whiteout, still in her scrubs. It was a grim sight—her ankle was at an unnatural angle, and her head took a brutal blow. Between the hypothermia and the concussion, she’s in for a hard road back. I didn’t wait for an ambulance; I moved her myself. When she broke the dark for a second, she didn’t know me, didn’t know River—she was just lost in the fog before slipping under again. We got her onto a gurney the second we arrived, and it’s been a waiting game ever since. I haven’t heard a thing since then.”

“I appreciate it, son. Call me Pa; everyone does. Candace spoke of your family with such warmth—she’s got a real soft spot for Cody. It means a hell of a lot that you went out into that blizzard to bring her home.”

“She’s family to us now, sir. We don’t leave our own behind.”

“Military background?” Pa’s eyes sharpen, taking my measure with renewed respect.

“Yes, sir. Army Medic, Sergeant First Class. I served under Hadley; she was my Master Sergeant when we were downrange in the Middle East.” He gives a slow, thoughtful nod of approval.

“Thank you for what you did over there, Amari. And you’re working as an EMT now?”

“Yes, sir. After I processed out, I stayed in the field back where Zach and I grew up. Zach was Hadley’s husband.”

“Some people are just born to serve, I suppose. It’s honorable work.” I gave him a tight smile and a nod, that familiar awkwardness rising. “I’d like to meet Hadley and the boy when this settles. They sound like good people. Wish it wasn’t under a dark cloud like this.”

“I think they’d like that. They’ve already claimed Candace as one of their own, and they don’t let people past their perimeter easily.”

“How much do you know about the trouble we’re facing?” He’s cautious, choosing his words like he’s navigating a minefield.

“I have enough to be worried, sir, but the full picture is still a blur. Once Candace is on solid ground, we need to sit down and pool our intel. It’s the only way we get a jump on this... mess.” I catch myself before swearing in the middle of a hospital, which earns a dry chuckle from Pa.

“‘Mess’ is a polite way to put it, Amari. You’re right. When are they releasing Hadley and Cody?”

“If her tests stay clear, maybe by the weekend. Cody’s ready now, but Hadley wanted him in her sight. They’ve got them in a shared room now that she’s stable.”

“Is the perimeter secure for them once they’re released?”

“They have the house, but in this climate? It’s a soft target.”

“We’ve turned the ranch into something that’d give Fort Knox a run for its money,” Pa says with a grin. “Cas has been thorough—flushed out David’s old crew and locked the place down tight. We’ve got spare cabins and room in the main house. The offer is on the table for all of you until the air clears.”

I’m staggered. A stranger offering my family a sanctuary? I probably look like a fish out of water, mouth open and eyes wide.

“Close your mouth, Amari.” Pa doesn’t hide the humor in his eyes. “No pressure, but we’d be glad to have you. The boy would have a field day with the animals—Sydnee’s got horses and dogs that’d keep him busy for months. And Ashton’s always at the arena if the kid wants to see a show.” There’s a warmth in his eyes when he talks about his family that you can’t fake.

I’m searching for the words. It’s the perfect solution, except for one thing.

“I appreciate that, sir, more than I can say. But I’ve got my unit with me—friends from the service helping with security. I can’t leave them in the cold.”

“Then bring ’em along. We’ve got the space since a few of the old hands decided to disappear once we started digging. The more boots on the ground, the better.”

This feels like a fever dream—the part where a man with a heart of gold appears just when the shadows are closing in. It’s almost too good to be true.

Pa adds, “Cas will need to run his diagnostics, of course, but if they’re clean, the doors are open.” I can’t argue with that; I’d do the same. Thank God for Gadget’s background-check software.

“Thank you, sir. Truly.” I take a breath. “Let me talk to Hadley and the team. This could be exactly what we all need.” I can’t afford security like that on my own right now. King’s Ranch might be our only real shot at safety.

“Works for me.” Pa’s attention shifts toward the sliding doors as a couple rushes in.

They look to be about Pa’s age, weathered and worn. The woman is layered against the cold, her face a map of exhaustion and grief, eyes raw from hours of tears. The man beside her looks hollowed out, his round glasses slipping down a tired face.

“Carter, Rena,” Pa says, stepping forward to offer a heavy hug to the woman and a firm grip to the man. “I’m so sorry she’s going through this. Tell me what you need.” The woman collapses into him, her sobs echoing in the quiet room, while the man stands there, paralyzed by the shock. These have to be Candace’s parents. God, give them a break.

I can’t help but wonder when this psychological hurricane will pass, or if the dark will take no prisoners.