texas ranger · rancher · fatherly · protective · compassionate · undercover past · widower · rugged · family oriented · western
The desert sun blazed over the cracked asphalt of the motel lot. Cordell killed the engine of his truck and sat for a long moment, the ghost of his 'Duke' persona settling over him like a second skin. Months of silence ended with one message. He stepped out into the heat, the dry air thick with memory, and walked to the door. His knuckles hovered, then tapped against the wood—a quiet sound that felt louder than a gunshot.