“Not a damn thing.” It’s barely a whisper, and I’m not the only one who notices the sudden drop in temperature.
The conversation went from jealous banter to icy one liners. What’s Santos not saying? What’s in his past that would make him go from mischievous to almost murderous in the blink of an eye?
Either sensing the threat or oblivious to it, Faith pipes up, severing the growing tension. “Did Mateo pick out your horses or?”
Speaking of brothers…
“Yeah, he did.” McCrae reluctantly looks away from Santos.
“Probably selected the three most likely to kill me.” I fold my arms across my chest. I wouldn’t put it past Mateo to try and wipe me out for good—less hassle that way.
“Why would he do that? He’s your brother.” Faith’s eyebrows lower, confusion filling her words.
I just shrug. I don’t have the time or energy to explain our fucked family dynamic. Especially not to Faith, not when I know she’s also best friends with Adalene and, by proxy, my brother.
She saw the way things were the other night; surely, she can put together the pieces. I’m the outlaw, they’re the saints.Plain, simple, clean, cut and dry.
“They seemed really sweet, wanted treats when I let them out. Good, calm temperaments.”Is he talking about Adalene and Mateo?Santos walks over, crossing his arms over the topfence railing to stare into the field. I remember we’re talking about the horses, and I nod as if I have a clue what he’s saying.
“So they’ve been easy to manage for now. Good. And the cows?” Faith continues, and once again, guilt fills me. It’s not the animals’ fault they got stuck with me. Why should they suffer?
And when did I get so selfish?
“I’ve driven out into the pasture twice, just to make sure they have water and nothing’s lame. So far, so good. They seem healthy and happy,” McCrae adds.
“This is a great place. You own water rights here, and the fields have been so well-maintained, you should only have to do spring type maintenance to keep everything in order. It’s easier to keep things in good shape when they start in good shape.”
Temperament, lame, pasture, water rights—I feel my composure slipping as I realize just how little I know.
“We can hire some guys once a year to repair the fences and whatever else. That’s probably our best option. V can afford it.”
I snap, rage bursting out of me like a festering wound. “What the fuck are you guys talking about?”
Faith offers me a small smile. “It’s a lot to learn, but you’re smart. You got this.” She bumps her shoulder into mine. “Can we go for a drive out there and check it out?”
“Yeah, I’ll pull the truck around,” McCrae grumbles. “Santos, keep unloading the hay and cleaning stalls.”
Santos rolls his eyes but doesn’t argue. They both stomp away like overgrown babies.
No one seems to notice my spiraling.No one seems to care.
“So what’s your deal?” I ask, staring at Faith as we bump along, my body annoyingly squished against McCrae’s in the middle seat of the single row work truck. It jostles beneath us, and I vow a new, smoother vehicle will be my first ranch purchase.
“I think that’s the first time you’ve asked me anything about myself.” She isn’t one to mince her words.I hate that I like it.
“Uh, sorry.”
She smiles at me, her green eyes glittering with mischief. “What do you want to know?”
“How do you know so much about ranching?”
“My family owns a breeding operation. We raise bulls with high-end genetic material.” I nod—I don’t have a clue what she’s talking about.As if realizing that, Faith settles further into the seat and continues, “Bulls are uncut males. They sell for a lot, especially if they’re high end, because they can be used to breed a whole herd of cattle, depending on size, for multiple years.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“My family also owns a lot of land with multiple oil rigs on it.”
So she’s, like, rich rich.“You don’t seem?—”
