Page 126 of Branded Betrayal

A frustrated huff escapes my lips, and I push Blaze inside my office before shutting the door.

I glare hard, forcing myself to laser him with every angry thought and hurt feeling that’s been plaguing me for the past six weeks. But my belly still does flip-flops when his spicy scent wafts under my nose. And my insides still melt under his heated caramel gaze.

Fuck my life.

“What do you want? As I said, I have an important meeting,” I snap.

“Look, I didn’t want to bother you, but I wanted you to hear this from me.” He pauses for a beat as I sneak a look over my shoulder at my colleagues staring at us through the side glass panels on either side of the door.

“So you drove four hours to ambush me with something else while I’m at work?”

Blaze takes off his hat and runs his fingers through his dark hair. “I bought Red Rock.”

“You what?”

“Last week at the auction. I bought your ranch. I-I couldn’t let it go to a stranger,” he says. “I know how much it meant to you. So I bought it instead. Used my military savings. Colt helped me with the rest of it.”

I press a hand to my forehead and lean into the edge of the table for balance. My pulse throbs hard. Blood rushes between my temples, and the world goes a bit fuzzy as I process his words. “You had no right—”

“I know, but the auction was happening, and it was my only chance to make things right. You hadn’t reached out and obviously didn’t want to talk to me, which I understand, but I just . . . couldn’t let it go.” He hands me the folder. “I remember all the ideas you had for the ranch. I found your business plan too. And Nash, Wyatt, Colt, and I have been doing repairs and updates to the place with Mikey and Randy. We’re doing rotational grazing and soil restoration, preparing to grow and sell produce. I also got more agreements for some folks to lease the property. You were right. It’s the way forward for Red Rock.”

My God. He bought Red Rock. Without telling me. Without asking if it was okay. He made another decision for me, not with me.

“How could you?” I say. “How could you do all of this without even asking me?”

“Because I destroyed it,” he says in a small voice. “I need to fix it and make it whole again.” His Adam’s apple bobs in his throat. “For you. For your family. Whether or not you decide to come back.”

“You can’t just buy your way back into my life . . .” I say, blood roaring in my ears.

“No,” he says, stepping closer. “I’m not trying to buy anything.” He grasps my arms, desperation etched into his pained expression. “I’m trying to make things right. I’m doing everything I can to fix what I broke. Because I need to be the man you deserve.”

Tears sting my eyes.

“Come home, Savannah,” he says, voice cracking. “Come home to Red Rock. To me.” He drops to one knee, and my chest squeezes tight. A tear slips down the side of my face. “Marry me. Let me spend the rest of my life making you happy and proving that I can be the man you need. Please.”

I swipe away the stray tear. “You can’t . . . you’re seriously doing this? Now?” Clutching the sides of my head, I step backward.

“I know the timing isn’t great, but I also know I’ve never wanted anything more. I love you, Savvie. I always have, and I always will. I am so sorry for everything. I just . . .” His voice hitches. “I just need one more chance to prove myself to you. And I swear I’ll never let you down again.”

Anguish rips through my chest because I want more than anything to believe his words, his intentions. But too much has happened, too much heartache, too much festering anger. And I don’t know if I can ever see him the way I used to, as the man I want to spend the rest of my life with, the man I can trust and respect and build a future with.

“No,” I whisper. “I can’t. Not like this. Not after . . . everything.”

“Savannah,” he says, rising to his full height, forcing me to look up at him. “Just let me—”

“No. You bought my ranch without asking. You show up here with no warning. Then you completely blindside me with a marriage proposal after I told you I needed space?”

“I just . . . I needed to make a grand gesture. To make sure you know how important you are to me, how I can’t survive without you. Walking away from you the first time was torture, but watching you leave me?” He shakes his head. “Knowing I had to let go because it’s what you wanted? It broke me, Savvie.”

“Now you understand,” I say, my lip trembling. “And you’re still making decisions for me. Still making choices for me. One of the reasons why I needed space was to get back to the place where I run my own life according to my terms. You can’t come to my place of work and turn things upside down because it’s the only way you know how to heal.” I point to myself. “I had to learn that for myself. And it seems like you need to do the same thing.”

All color drips from his face, his eyes as hollow as my insides feel. “Does this mean you’re not coming back?”

“Blaze, I . . .” I let out a deep sigh. “I need to know that if I come back, it’s for the right reasons. I don’t want to go back because I feel obligated or because you created this perfect redemption plan that I have no choice but to accept. My terms,” I say in a firm voice.

“H-how long?” he asks.

I shrug. “I don’t know.”