Oliver (Big Rock Ranch Book 5) Read online

  Oliver

  The Baker Brothers #5

  Kasey Krane

  Copyright © 2021 by Kasey Krane

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  1. Maggie

  2. Oliver

  3. Maggie

  4. Oliver

  5. Maggie

  6. Oliver

  7. Maggie

  8. Oliver

  9. Maggie

  10. Oliver

  11. Maggie

  12. Oliver

  13. Maggie

  14. Oliver

  15. Maggie

  16. Oliver

  17. Maggie

  18. Oliver

  19. Maggie

  20. Oliver

  21. Maggie

  22. Oliver

  23. Maggie

  24. Oliver

  25. Maggie

  Epilogue

  About Kasey Krane

  More Books by Kasey Krane

  One

  Maggie

  I stared at my best friend as she paced around my tiny living room. It had gone on for hours, and all of a sudden, my studio apartment seemed too small for the two of us. Aspen was here and we’d ordered pizza for the night. Neither of us had any interest in leaving tonight. Although, getting a drink somewhere didn’t seem like such a bad idea. We both needed it.

  “I just don’t know what to do anymore, Maggie,” Aspen continued. She shook her head, covering her face with her hands. I knew she’d been stressed for several months now, because of the whole drama with the Baker family. However, she’d been able to keep her cool for most of that time. Now, it seemed like she was falling apart.

  I got off the couch, carrying a slice of pizza with me. I took it to her, holding it out. Aspen glared at the food in my hand and looked away.

  “I’m not hungry,” she claimed.

  “Okay, maybe you’re not, but seriously, you should eat something. I can’t remember the last time I saw you eat anything.”

  Aspen gulped and shook her head violently. “I’ve lost all my appetite. How would you feel if your entire living family rejected you?”

  She immediately realized the gravity of the question she’d asked. It wasn’t appropriate. It hurt. When I looked away, Aspen came towards me in a rush.

  “Maggie, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. Please, look at me. I’m sorry,” she begged.

  “It’s fine, don’t worry about it. It’s not news to me. I’ve had a lifetime to cope with the fact that I don’t have a family,” I said. I even offered her a smile but it was a pretty weak attempt. Besides, Aspen saw right through me. We’d known each other all our lives.

  “I didn’t mean to rub it in. Anyway, it’s not like I’ve been able to enjoy the wonders of finding my family. It’s not like they even believe my story.”

  I breathed in deeply and took a bite of the pizza that was supposed to be for her. “Well, you’re not doing yourself any favors by making pacts with the devil.”

  She knew what I was talking about. Samuel Mendez. She also knew I’d never supported her decision to work with him.

  Aspen turned away from me. “I had to do something. I needed to grab the attention of my family.”

  “And now you have their attention and they hate you. Sooner or later, they’ll figure out your connection with Mendez. He is their biggest business rival. I can’t believe you’ve gotten yourself in this mess.”

  “You seriously can’t be taking their side on this!”

  “I’m always on your side, Aspen. Which is why I don’t think working with Mendez is a good idea.”

  “What else was I supposed to do?” She threw her arms open. “Anyway, it’s not like I’ve actually done anything. I haven’t harmed the Bakers in any way. All Mendez did was reveal the true story to me about my birth mother. Our birth mother.”

  Every time I heard Aspen reference her birth mother or her family, I felt sharp jolts of electricity run through my body. It wasn’t that I was jealous or bitter about it. In fact, I was happy for her. It was what every foster child dreamed about—finding their family and finding the truth.

  I wasn’t one of the lucky ones. I had no idea why I grew up in the foster system. Nobody ever came to claim me or came with a story to tell. The truth about me was that I was unloved and unwanted by my biological parents. They allowed me to get lost in the foster care system, and they never came looking for me.

  “I know you want to be a part of the family,” I continued. “However, you can’t force yourself on them. If they don’t want you there, you can’t weasel your way in by working with their worst enemy.”

  “You don’t think I have a right to their life? The Bakers are rich and powerful, with a business that’s successful nationwide. I’m a part of that family. Why was I chosen to be discarded into foster care? Why did our mother make that decision for me? I want to know. I want someone to hold themselves accountable.”

  “The only person who could have held herself accountable is your birth mother, and she is dead.”

  “And what about my brothers? They don’t care that we have the same blood running through our veins!”

  Aspen’s shoulders shook as she tried to control herself. She fought back tears and the urge to shout.

  “I know it’s unfair but…” Before I completed the sentence, Aspen’s phone rang. She stared at the screen for a moment and then glanced at me. I noticed the look of worry on her face.

  “Jack? What’s up?” she said into the phone. It was one of the Baker brothers and she looked nervous. “Oh. Okay. Right now? Why? What’s going on? Okay. Yeah, I guess I could do that. Maybe fifteen minutes? Okay.”

  The call ended and Aspen slipped the phone back in her pocket. She looked up at me with confusion on her face.

  “That was Jack. He said he wants to see me, he has something to say.”

  It was late in the evening by now and it seemed like a strange time.

  “You’re going to see him now?” I asked.

  “He’s invited me to his place.”

  “You’re going to go?”

  Aspen shrugged. “I don’t think I have a choice. I need to take every opportunity I can get to talk to them.”

  I nodded in agreement. She wanted to be closer to her brothers and to get to know them.

  “Will you come with me? Moral support. I don’t think I can face my brothers alone tonight,” she continued.

  “Sure. Whatever you need, Aspen,” I replied.

  We sat close together in the cab. Aspen and I had a habit of sitting like this since we were kids. As we pushed through the foster care system as children, all we had was each other.

  She was like a sister to me, my protector and best friend. I was the same to her. And now, if we were ever in a challenging situation, we instinctively found our way to each other. Both physically and emotionally.

  I knew Aspen was worried about seeing her brothers tonight. Neither of us could guess why it was happening, but we’d expected the worst. I just wished she hadn’t gotten herself involved in this at all. However, I didn’t know what it felt like to suddenly be confronted with my biological family. Maybe I would’ve done the same things Aspen had done. Just try to hold on to them somehow.

  The cab dropped us off at the tall, glittering apartment building where Jack Baker lived. I hadn’t met any of the Bakers yet, so it shocked my senses—the wealth and the opulence. I’d tried to prepare myself because I knew what the Bakers were about, but I couldn’t have prepared myself for the scale of it.

  The concierge in the lobby sent us through to the elevator. Aspen and I barely spoke as we rode up to the penthouse. Everything around me resembled a museum. I was too afraid to breathe, let alone touch anything.

  Aspen and I exchanged looks when the elevator came to a stop. The door was about to slide open and we didn’t know what to expect on the other side.

  I held my breath.

  When the doors opened fully, we saw the entire Baker family waiting for us in the foyer of Jack’s penthouse. I hadn’t met any of these people before, but I’d heard enough about them from Aspen. I’d made reliable guesses.

  The tallest brooding one had to be the oldest brother, Everett. A tall, beautiful blond woman stood with him, and I guessed she was Keira. Then there was the clean-cut professional looking brother, Tate. Aspen told me he had a kid with his girlfriend, Amanda. I noticed she had kind eyes, and she held Tate’s hand tightly. Aspen had described her brother, Harris, with ash blond hair. So I placed him too. Melody, his girlfriend, was the only one I actually recognized in-person, because she was a famous country singer. She suppressed a smile as she stared at us. Almost like she felt sorry for us. Then there was Jack. He came towards us with narrowed green eyes. Aspen smiled at the girl standing behind him. I knew Aspen and Gabby had met at a spa recently and become friends. Aspen had no idea at the time that Gabby dated Jack, but now she appeared hostile.

  There was only one lone figure standing in the background. It had to be Oliver. The youngest of the brood, and the one closest to Aspen’s age. He had thick messy golden curls. He was tanned like a surfer, with a sharp jawline and a very pointy nose. His eyes traveled from Aspen to me, and he clenched his jaws. I i
mmediately sensed he disliked us. Me. But mainly Aspen.

  I wanted to turn to my friend and beg her to leave. It felt like a coup.

  “This is my best friend, Maggie. Everyone’s here!” Aspen remarked when Jack took up position in front of her.

  “Yes, we all wanted to speak to you personally and figure out what the fuck is going on here.” Jack’s voice wasn’t friendly or warm, the same way Aspen had described it previously. According to her, he’d been the only one in the family who’d remotely welcomed her when she came to them with her story.

  Something had happened to change his opinion.

  “Okay sure, what do you guys want to talk to me about? Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of Maggie,” Aspen said.

  I drew closer to her, protectively. However, I knew there wasn’t much I’d do to protect her against these people. We were surrounded by a family that had to be one of the richest and most powerful in Nashville. They could do anything they wanted to us.

  “Why don’t you start off by admitting the truth, Aspen? Everything you’ve said to us has been a lie. A complete fabrication. You’re not related to us. You’ve tried to fool us,” Harris spoke up.

  Aspen turned to him with her brows furrowed.

  “You guys haven’t ever believed a word I’ve said. We’ve been over this discussion already. I know you don’t believe me. Why’d you invite me here to reiterate the same point?” Aspen hissed.

  I tried reaching for her hand in the hopes I’d be able to calm her. She yanked herself away from me.

  “All you people have done from the moment I walked into your lives, is push me away. Made me feel like a dirty little liar. Don’t you see I don’t want anything from you? I don’t want your money. I don’t want anything to do with the business. All I wanted from the start was to be accepted by my biological family. All I wanted was to get to know you guys.” There were tears in my best friend’s eyes as she spoke. Once again, I was tempted to pull her back to the elevator and drag her out of here. We didn’t need those people.

  Aspen stared at them, and the Baker family glared back.

  “Yeah, that was what I thought too,” Jack replied somberly. “Until I found out you’ve been working with Samuel Mendez.”

  I swallowed the dry lump down my throat. I knew they’d find out. Sooner or later, they’d figure out her connection to their biggest rival.

  I looked at Aspen. Her face had turned a dark shade of pink, her lips quivered.

  “You’re wrong about everything! I don’t even know what you’re talking about!” she cried.

  Everett and Tate moved towards her. The brothers had formed a circle around Aspen. My heart raced. I wanted to protect my best friend from these people attacking her, but I didn’t know how.

  “You’re lying again, Aspen! Just tell us the truth! Admit it! You’re not a Baker. You’re just a girl who works for Samuel Mendez. He’s the one who’s put you up to this!” Tate growled.

  “What does he want?” Jack continued. “Our clients? Our contacts? Our shares? What does he want from us?”

  Aspen shook her head as she tried to back away from them. She didn’t get far though. Her back was to the wall now.

  “I haven’t…no…it’s all wrong…you’ve got it all wrong.” Her voice shook. I noticed the confusion and fear in her eyes.

  I tried to push past Tate and Everett towards her. “Get away from her!” I screamed.

  “Maggie…no…I don’t…” Aspen was hyperventilating. Her face had gotten even redder now.

  “Stop pretending! This is not a joke! We’re not falling for this shit again!” Harris barked.

  “She’s not pretending!” I screamed over their voices, still struggling to get through. I saw Aspen gasping for air, clutching her chest. Then she fell to the floor like a sack. My cry was shrill and sliced through the air like a knife.

  The brothers saw Aspen fall and they stepped away. I felt the panic around me. I rushed to Aspen’s side and got down on my knees. I lifted her head up and placed it on my legs.

  She was still passed out. Her face was still red and when I touched her forehead, it was burning up.

  “Oh my God! Is she going to be okay? What does she need?” It was one of the women. I didn’t turn to look at whoever was speaking.

  “She needs air. She’s had a panic attack. She’s been through this before, and she hasn’t taken care of herself lately. Not eating or hydrating enough.” I mumbled more to myself, than speaking to these people.

  I didn’t want to speak to them. They were the ones who’d caused this.

  “Water? Does she need water?” Another woman’s voice emerged in the background.

  I cradled Aspen’s head in my lap and continued stroking her head.

  It brought back a lot of bad memories. I froze up. I’d forgotten myself and forgotten what the next step needed to be. I had to get her out of here, but how would I do it alone?

  I felt hands on my shoulders. A man’s large warm hands. I gasped and turned to see who it was.

  It was the guy with the golden curls. Oliver.

  “Come on, I’ll take you and Aspen to the hospital. She should get looked at by a medical professional,” he said. His words were like music to my ears.

  Two

  Oliver

  I carried Aspen over my shoulder and helped her in the backseat of my Audi. Then, I held the door open for the pretty brunette with the brown eyes. She settled into the seat beside me, but she didn’t look very comfortable. In fact, she looked like she’d rather be anywhere other than here.

  In the rearview mirror, I checked on Aspen. She mumbled incomprehensibly and looked like she was asleep or in some kind of hypnotic daze.

  “What’s going on with her?” I asked, starting up the car.

  Maggie avoided looking at me, but answered my question.

  “I’m not exactly sure what’s happening to her, she refuses to get herself checked out by a doctor.”

  “So this has happened to her before?” I asked.

  Maggie seemed nervous. From the corner of my eye, I saw her drumming her fingers on her knee.

  “Yes, this used to happen to her a lot when we were kids.”

  “You guys are childhood friends?” We were caught in traffic. I couldn’t make the car go any faster. Even though Aspen was acting strangely, it didn’t seem like her life was in any immediate danger.

  Besides, I was actually interested in finding out more. More about Aspen, because I was curious, but also more about Maggie. She’d caught my eye from the moment she walked into Jack’s penthouse. There was something brave but kind about the way her big brown eyes sparkled. And she had the perfect pair of tits too.

  I cleared my throat when she hadn’t responded.

  Maggie blinked like she’d forced herself out of a dream.

  “Yeah, we’ve known each other for years. I’ve known Aspen all my life. She’s like a sister to me.”

  “And why did this happen to Aspen when you were kids? What triggered it?” I continued.

  Maggie looked away again. “We grew up in the foster care system together. If you knew anything about it, you wouldn’t ask a question like that. Every day was a trigger for us. Our very lives were triggers. Proof that we were unloved and unclaimed. Does that answer your question? Does that give you a good enough reason for why sometimes we fall apart?”

  I slowed the car down for traffic again. I turned to look at her. She was furiously tucking strands of hair behind her ears.

  “I’m sorry if you and Aspen feel persecuted or threatened right now. I don’t think my brothers handled the situation very well. They should’ve gone about it differently. However, I don’t think it was uncalled for either.”

  Maggie’s eyes burned with fury when she turned them to me. She had beautifully plump red glossy lips. She tried to hide how they quivered.