While I never expected to find her here today, I need tomake up for the complete fuck up that was last night. I never should’ve gotdrunk, slept with her, and said things she didn’t need to know…all of that wasa mistake. All of that was not part of the plan.
Now I need to get back to that plan.
“See how much we are the same?”
She raises a brow at that. “Because we both grew up on afarm?”
“And now we’re both lawyers. I know it’s cold there in myshadow, but you’re not bad.”
“Not bad?” Her voice rises. “I am ten times better than youthink. I should’ve beaten you at every turn, but you’re just a better liar thanI am.”
“I think you meant to say lawyer. I am a better lawyer thanyou are. Which is why I won and you didn’t.”
She shakes her head, huffing. “You’re such an asshole.”
“Never denied that, sweetheart.”
“Don’t call me that. I am not your sweetheart, love, babe,sugar, any of that. Got it?”
I raise my hands. “I hear you loud and clear.”
Her green eyes go to my legs. “Really? Bareback?”
“You had a head start. I use my advantages where I can.”
“What do you want, Cayden? You want me to give you an out onthe case? To say after a passionate mistake that you can screw my clients overafter your associate made the mistake? Not going to happen.”
I didn’t think it would. “It would’ve been the generousthing to do.”
“Yes, it would and I’m not that generous. Not when I have acareer that I have to work ten times harder to be successful at. You’re part ofthe goodol’ boy club who got to pull case files andresearch, while I was fit to bring coffee and write reports during myinternship.”
“I brought just as much coffee as you,” I remind her.
“Until you didn’t.”
And then, Hadley kicks Max’s flanks and takes off at a trot.I let her go because while I’m great bareback, trotting is fucking painful,which she probably knows and why she did it.
“Come on Sadie, we’ll find another way.”
* * * *
When I get back to my apartment, I shower, grab an apple,and sit down to study this contract. As many times as I’ve looked at it, I feellike I’m missing something. Some loophole to work in my favor where we can backout of the deal without penalty.
As I’m reading through, my head swimming from the lasttwenty-four hours, my phone rings, flashing my twin brother’s name.
“Hey fuckhead,” I answer.
“What up,dickbag?”
“Working. You?”
Logan laughs. “It’s the way we are. Which I am going tosomehow manage to blame dad for.”
“Which one?”
“Both,” he says and I get it. Our father, the one who tookhis life, was a workaholic. He based his entire worth on that one thing, howgood he was at investing. When it fell apart, he did as well. Then the man whoraised us since, who we call dad as well, positioned the family horse ranch tobecome one of the top producers in the country. People from all over come toHennington Horse Ranch because we have quality unsurpassed.
Hard work and dedication have been our motto since birth.
