Other than to ruin his life?
"If I signed something and didn't know what I was signing, is that legal?" His heart sank even as he uttered the question. He already knew the answer.
"Unless it's a forgery, this is legally binding."
He swallowed hard. "Why hasn't this shown up on any of my credit reports? I've signed a truck loan and a small business loan." He was pretty sure they'd run a credit check when he'd signed his last apartment lease, too.
"Maybe the bank didn't report it. Or there could've been a mistake on their end. I can dig deeper, but as it stands, you're locked into that delinquent mortgage. I don't suppose you have the funds to bring it current?"
He didn't. And every hour the attorney spent on this was money down the drain.
"Don’t spend any more time on this,” Cord said. “Not until I get back with you."
He rang off, reeling so hard he had to brace himself with one hand on the wall.
He'd come here hoping to make a profit off the No Name, funds that he could use to grow his contracting business. But instead of finding the ranch in break-even territory, he was down a dark hole and sinking rapidly. He was legally responsible for the ranch and the delinquent mortgage. If he let the ranch go to foreclosure, it would ruin his credit. What if he needed a business loan in the future? What if his clients found out?
Mackie'd had the last laugh after all.
He needed to scream. Or punch something.
But a glance out the window showed Molly with her head buried in the guts of her truck. He didn't want to scare her again.
Maybe he'd go down to the barn and shovel fertilizer. The physical work might numb the anger coursing through him.
He was halfway to the barn when his gaze lit on the jumble of antique tractors. His mind jumped back to the guy at the auto parts store telling him he had a contact who would buy them.
Apparently, he was drowning in debt. Were those tractors—and Molly—his chance?
What wasshe going to do?
Molly caught her knuckle as she twisted the wrench on a nut that just wouldn't give. She gritted her teeth as the skin scraped away. She sucked on the skin, the iron tang of blood settling on her tongue.
Questions bounced through her mind as a cold wind blew straight down the collar of her jacket.
Once she got the nut loosened, the dead alternator would lift out. Another hour, and she'd have the new one installed in its place.
And then what?
She'd promised Cord she'd get off his property. He'd been kind, letting her stay the past two nights. She'd repaid him by cooking some of Mama's favorite meals, though she'd left him to eat in peace, staying in her room and strumming her guitar.
She hadn't slept other than in snatches.
She needed to get the fear under control. She couldn't keep going like this.
She'd seen a random stranger walking down the street and panicked. A full blown attack, with the shakes and trouble breathing. In front of Cord, who obviously pitied her.
Pitied her, but wasn't going to invite her to stay.
I'll never let you go.
I'll kill anybody you get close to.
Toby's cutting voice had been bouncing through her brain ever since.
You're mine.
She wasn't his. Never had been.
