Since then, I’d been on the back foot every step of the way. I told her about how they were also trying to buy the businesses in town. They were specifically interested in Miller’s Feed and Seed. Part of the reason why I did not want to cancel my contractwith them. “And then I found out that when they have their aquifer up and running, they intend to sell to the rest of the area, and will be able to undercut me by almost twenty-percent.”
“Rafe.”
“I’m barely surviving without that income, Rory.” I rested my ass against the kitchen table. “God knows how I am going to pay my taxes when they’re due. I thought I would survive until the cattle auctions next year, but without supplying the water, I probably won’t make it that long.”
She pushed the laptop forward. “So, what’s the solution? Please tell me you’re not thinking about selling.”
“I won’t have a choice.” I pulled out the letter I had received the day before from the pile of mail on the counter. “They sent me this.”
Her fingers brushed mine as she took the letter from me, and warmth spread through me. Not in a sexual way, but still highly inappropriate for the situation. Rory read the offer from Argent.
The offer was lower than what the land was worth. Much lower but it would mean I could walk away with something.
She frowned up at me. “Rafe, this offer is insulting. This land, the animals, the buildings, all of it is worth at least five times more than this.”
“Its only worth as much as someone is willing to pay for it.” I rested against the counter next to her and folded my arms. “You know that.”
She frowned at the letter once more. Her eyes narrowed, as fear and determination warred across her features. “I may have a way to help.”
“What do you mean?” It wasn’t that I doubted her, I just couldn’t see a way through.
She hopped off the counter and sat in one of the kitchen chairs and motioned for me to do the same. I watched as she stared at her fingernails. For several breaths her shouldershunched as she took deep breaths. She was talking herself into something. I wished I could hear the conversation in her head. Eventually, her eyes met mine and narrowed. Something warred in that brain and she swallowed hard.
Forearms on the table, she leaned forward. “This Vance Stein guy is just a puppet, or at most a mid-level employee.” She paused, clenched her fists and took another deep breath. “My brother has strong ties to The Argent Group. I think he is one of the founding members.”
The story she told me was hard to believe, but I knew she had no reason to lie to me. Her brother had her father killed, and he was trying to steal her and her sisters’ inheritance. Because of a clause in her father’s will and veiled threat to their safety, she and her sisters decided to go on the run.
The more she spoke, the angrier I got. Not at her, but for her. Even though I had lost all my family, I never doubted they loved me. I could not imagine either of my parents or my brother wanting to kill me.
“So, there’s a chance he could find you out here?” I voiced the overriding fear that planted root as she told me her story.
Rory shook her head. “No. The Argent Group is big. I have no doubt my brother is looking for me. But he’s too high up the food chain to concern himself with an employee all the way on the west coast. Not that it matters.”
“I don’t see how this helps, City.” I folded my arms on the table and leaned forward. “If anything, we shouldn’t attract too much attention to this ranch, so he doesn’t find you.”
Her features softened for a moment before she took a deep breath. Kind of like the one she took when she wanted to tell me we needed to take in the donkey Mr. Henderson had found abandoned. I had agreed then. The donkey was underweight and had been abused, I didn’t have a choice. Especially when thosewarm brown eyes blinked at me. Damn, it occurred to me I would do anything for this woman.
“But I have proof of his money laundering.” She mimicked my position as she leaned even further forward. “I have the drive with all the transactions. If we threaten to send it to the authorities or the press if he doesn’t back down, he could tell this Vance asshole to back off.”
It sounded like a solid plan, but something still bothered me. “Wait. Why didn’t you send it to the authorities instead of going on the run?”
“We don’t know how high up the corruption goes. He had the sheriff and a judge in his pocket. A senator, too. If the charges didn’t stick, then we’d have nothing. And we’d still be in danger.”
Yeah, I was liking this plan less and less. “So, if you send this drive to the press, then you give away the only leverage you have? If you send it to the authorities, and the charges don’t stick — which is a high possibility — then you also have nothing? And you’ll have exposed yourself and your brother will come after you.”
“Yes, but Rafe you’ll keep the ranch.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely not.” Was she insane? “You will not put yourself in danger. It’s not an option. I am not saving this ranch at your expense. I lost my mom and brother when I was a teenager, Rory. That was painful. Then my dad to cancer last year. I thought I was done losing people. I cannot lose you as well.”
Rory’s shoulder stiffened and she blinked her eyes a few times. “Rafe this is not the time to be stubborn. I can move?—“
“I said no.” My voice went low in a way I didn’t think it would outside of the bedroom. “This is the only time to get stubborn. You have a fucking donkey in your menagerie, the barn cats get treats. Clearly, I am not as stubborn as everyone thinks I am.But I will not risk you, and you sure as fuck are not moving somewhere where I cannot watch over you.”
Rory’s eyes narrowed. I loved watching her mind work in complete silence. She tilted her to the side, and her lip twisted. She could be plotting my demise, or thinking about a new recipe. Either way, it was sexy as hell. “Grouchy, what if there is no way out.”
She used my nickname. I tried not to smile at the victory. “City, if there is no way, then we’ll deal with it then. But like I expect you to trust me when driving along the cliffs. Maybe I need to trust you. If there is a way out of this mess, you’ll find it. Check with me before you cancel contracts, but I will listen to every suggestion you have about the business side of running this place. Deal?”
The corners of her mouth lifted into the sexiest smirk. “Deal.”
