I think she should’ve brought this to my attention before she brought it up to anyone else, but I don’t say that.Looks like I’m gonna have to have a talk with her too.If we’re going to be business partners, the lines of communication shouldn’t be blurred.
I lift the folder containing the plan for the dude ranch and meet her gaze.
“These numbers, are they correct?”
“I wrote that up years ago, Maddox, but they were back then.By now they’re probably even higher with the popularity of cowboy life growing.There are so many ways we can market a dude ranch.Add a restaurant to the mix, and I imagine it will be even more profitable.With everything on-site, people will extend their stays.I know it could work.”
It sounds good.Too good.Wishing I had more time to go over her plan, and not do it with a fucking audience, I set the folder back on the desk and scrub a hand over my face.
“You should’ve brought it to my attention first.I’m your fucking brother.What happened to us being in this together?”
“You’re right,” she whispers.“I’m sorry but you gotta believe me when I say I was going to talk to you about it.”
I stare at her for a beat, wanting to believe her.
“What do you think, Della?Is this something you can work with?”Lucifer asks.
“I have faith this will revive the ranch, so yes.I will agree to the terms…” Her voice trails as she turns her attention to me and continues.“…on one condition.”
Every woman in my life has conditions these days.It’s beginning to grate on my nerves.
“Don’t think I can take any more surprises, Della,” I grunt.My pride won’t let me, and neither will my fucking temper.“What’s your condition?”
“We keep it sixty-forty with the club,” she says evenly.“But our portion, we split it forty-twenty.You run the ranch.You handle all that happens there.I don’t want to take that away from you.All I ask is for a small part.”
She makes it real fucking hard to be mad at her when she does shit like that.
I shake my head.“That’s not fair to you and it isn’t what Granddaddy would’ve wanted.You shouldn’t get the short end of the stick, Della.”
“Twenty percent is still a good amount.Besides, I would only be handling the admin stuff.”
“And the dude ranch,” Shadow chimes in.
My gaze cuts toward him, and I narrow my eyes.The man really needs to learn how to read a room and when to mind his fucking business.
Della sighs, my attention returning to her.
“I don’t need the money, Maddox.I just want to be home where I should have always been.”
Tearing my gaze away from her, I focus on the mountain of paperwork scattered across the desk.It’s not a terrible deal, and I suppose there is plenty of land to spare for them to build homes on.
“Fine,” I mutter.Lifting my chin, I stare at Lucifer.“We’ll agree to the terms, but Della gets to choose where she wants to build a house first.And that’s it.Just houses.Your club business can not cross the gates of the ranch.”
“Fair enough,” Lucifer says, nodding.
“One more thing,” I add.“The houses can’t be built on any land that is occupied by the cattle or bison.No animals are going to be disturbed by the build.”
To the Fallen Demons, the ranch is just land and profit.They don’t know it’s a way of life for the men who work it and the animals who provide for it.
But they’re gonna learn.
“I believe there is already a notation of that,” Lucifer says.“But let me reiterate my intentions.I have no desire to disrespect your ranch in any way shape or form.You’re the boss, I’m the wallet.”
We shake on it, and when I walk out of the trailer, I feel the weight lift from my shoulders.
Meadows Ranch will live to see another generation.
It’ll just be doing it under a different name.
