The door closed behind him and he slumped against it, his body giving out on him. He couldn't take a single step forward, couldn't blink, didn't even want to inhale and exhale. He didn't care if he expired on the spot, but he knew he couldn't do it, couldn't leave his men when they need him most. His men were his responsibility, and everything that happened on his ranch was because of choices he'd made.

He chose to leave Boston. He chose to buy the land along ...