Trail Leads Back
Eliza has built her life around hard work, independence, and keeping the past where it belongs—behind her. Her Montana ranch is her sanctuary, and with her loyal dog, Buck, by her side, she's found a sense of security in a world she can control. Trust doesn't come easily, and she's learned the hard way that letting the wrong person into her life can come at a devastating price.
But when Ryan, the Sergeant-at-Arms of the local motorcycle club, stumbles into her life—and up her driveway—everything begins to change.
He's a man with a dangerous reputation, a troubled past of his own, and a world Eliza has spent years avoiding. Yet beneath his rough exterior is something she never expected to find. As their worlds collide, Ryan finds himself drawn to the fiercely independent ranch hand who seems determined to keep him at arm's length.
But Eliza's past isn't finished with her.
When a brutal encounter with the man who once shattered her trust threatens to destroy the walls she's spent years building, Ryan must find a way to reach her without taking away the independence she's fought so hard to protect.
Some wounds run deeper than the eye can see, and some battles can't be won with fists or firepower.
Can Eliza learn to trust again, or will the ghosts of her past destroy the one chance she has at finding something real? And can Ryan prove that not every man leaves scars?
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Chapter: 7) Can't a Girl Have a Quiet AfternoonSwiftly sliding out of the saddle, I led Sundance to the barn and tied him to the post. Pretending to ignore Ryan for the time being was my ultimate move. I had things to do before I had the bandwidth to deal with whatever he had brought with him.I could feel his eyes following me as I moved around the yard. Apparently, patience wasn't going to be his strong suit today. Too bad. He'd have to learn that my schedule didn't revolve around unexpected visitors.Unlocking the barn, I turned back to Sundance to remove his saddle. Buck trotted past me toward the shade of the small tree beside the porch. I knew full well what he was doing. Sitting down with a huff, he fixed Ryan with a glare.I should have let him eat him in my driveway yesterday."Hi, Bucky boy," Ryan grinned.He extended a hand, which immediately got snapped at. He quickly pulled it back, and I bit back a laugh. He should have expected that.The poor man was learning t
Last Updated: 2026-11-05
Chapter: 6) Buck Doesn't Like You EitherThe ride home was exactly what I needed.The late afternoon sun hung low over the Montana hills, casting long shadows across the pasture as Sundance picked his way along the familiar trail. His steady gait made for an easy ride, something I appreciated after the kind of day I'd had. The old buckskin had never been much for rushing, and after all these years, I'd learned there was little point in arguing with him about it.Sundance had a way of doing things on his own terms. He was a handsome old buckskin, though I doubt he'd have appreciated the compliment. His golden, sandy-colored coat had begun to lose some of its richness with age, and a dusting of gray had settled around his muzzle and above his eyes. His mane and tail were a deep, almost charcoal black, matching the dark stockings that covered his lower legs. A faint dorsal shadow ran down the center of his back, adding to the darker shading along his shoulders and hindquarters.He wasn't a particularly large horse, but he was s
Last Updated: 2026-11-03
Chapter: 5) Unfamiliar TerritoryThere were several things I hadn't planned on doing today. Driving a practically perfect stranger to his motorcycle clubhouse was pretty high on that list. Yet here I was, hands gripping the steering wheel, wondering if I'd officially lost my mind. Ryan sat beside me, looking entirely too comfortable for someone who had managed to turn my otherwise ordinary day upside down. I shot him a sideways glance. "You always make a habit of inconveniencing women who rescue you?" He straightened in his seat, suddenly looking a little uncomfortable. Buck huffed from the back seat. Some protector he was. I should have let Buck eat him. At least I would have been asleep right now. As the mountains gradually gave way to rolling hills, the blacktop beneath my tires improved. Buck began hanging his head out the window like this was the best day of his life. Traitor. The town appeared in the dim glow of my headlights almost out of nowhere. We were the kind of place where stoplights didn't exist
Last Updated: 2026-11-03
Chapter: 4) A Little Girl, ApparentlySmoothly, I backed out of the spot I'd parked beside the old fence line, trying to catch the last bit of daylight. I glanced over at Ryan and caught him studying me with a smirk, one hand carefully covering most of his mouth to hide his amusement.He probably knew goading me in this situation wasn't in his best interest.Despite that, he looked surprisingly relaxed, with one leg stretched out and the other bent to brace himself against the bumps. His opposite elbow rested comfortably out the window, as if I wasn't about to challenge every piece of authority he had to offer.We bumped our way carefully down my driveway. Every few yards, I found myself slamming on the brakes or wrenching the steering wheel to avoid dropping us into a rut big enough to swallow the front end of my truck. Ryan managed to keep his amusement to himself until we hit a particularly nasty one that sent us both momentarily airborne."When's the last time you had this thing graded?" he asked through gritted teeth
Last Updated: 2026-11-03
Chapter: 3) Sea-Glass EyesThe bathroom door cracked open, steam escaping as though it were fleeing for its life. Mr. MC emerged wearing my shorts and T-shirt, which looked oddly regular-sized on him. I hadn't expected them to fit, considering the size of the man, but somehow they did. The shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, and the sleeves barely contained his tattooed arms. His dark hair was still damp, sticking up in places as though he'd run his fingers through it one too many times. Without the leather vest and road grime, he looked considerably less intimidating. Unfortunately, he was still built like a brick wall.He had rolled up one sleeve to reveal a bit of road rash, but overall, he looked much less worse for wear than I had expected. He was carrying his mangled clothes and MC leather vest.Even battered and dirty, the vest caught my attention. The three-piece patch on the back was hard to miss. RIDERS OF THE BADLANDS stretched across the top rocker, with a winged skull dominating the centre
Last Updated: 2026-11-03
Chapter: 2) DoubtHe was slowly making his way up my driveway, holding his arm. It was clearly injured, though I couldn't tell how badly from where I stood. His clothes were marred by something, and he looked like he'd been through a rough time. He was tall, from what I could tell, with a solid, muscular frame that filled out his leather jacket. His jeans were tight and torn to shreds around his legs. His ear-length, jet-black hair looked disheveled, although maybe that was the style he was going for.I racked the rifle loudly enough to get his attention.The stranger froze midstep and raised his free hand, his expression solemn. I watched his face closely. He was examining me just as carefully as I was examining him. His other hand remained pressed against his injured arm. Something had clearly happened to him."Can I help you with something, Mister?" I asked, taking charge of the situation.I watched his eyes take me in. I imagine I made an interesting picture, but I really didn't care. I was wearing
Last Updated: 2026-11-03
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