Page 22 of Branded Betrayal

Those memories are the one bright spot in the middle of a shit ton of darkness.

Something catches my eye, though. Something that makes me sit straight up like a fire poker was just shoved straight up my ass.

A man. Tall guy, glasses, khakis. I narrow my eyes.

Who the hell is that?

My truck is parked far enough out of the way to keep me hidden from Savannah but close enough for me to listen in on the conversation.

“Savannah, how are you, sweetie? How are you making out with the ranch?” Miss Eloise motions to the man standing next to her. “This is Dr. Tyler Burgess, the new town veterinarian. If your cattle are sick, he’s the one to call.”

Savannah’s face relaxes into a friendly smile when she looks at him.

A pang slices my heart.

Dr. Tyler Burgess, you are a dead man. “Nice to meet you, Dr. Burgess.” Her smile widens as she shakes his hand. My blood boils at the sight of his hand grasping hers. He holds it longer than he needs to. I crack each one of my knuckles, imagining they’re his fingers. “But I hope I never have to call you.”

“Please, call me Tyler.” He chuckles. “And while I’m a terrible doctor for saying this, I really hope you do.”

The look of delight on Miss Eloise’s face makes me want to punch a hole in the windshield.

Jesus, get a fucking grip.

Savannah’s cheeks flush a deep pink, and she twists her long ponytail in her fingers as she gazes up at him. “That is really terrible of you to say.” Then she winks. “But flattering, so thank you.”

Tyler grins, and he adjusts his glasses. Fucking wannabe Clark Kent. “I’d be happy to come over and do a house call for ya. Check out the herd, make sure they’re all healthy.”

“Really?” she says. “That would be so great. I’m going through a bit of an adjustment with my crash course in ranching, so I’ll take all the help I can get.”

He pulls a business card out of his pocket. “It’d be my pleasure. Just give me a call, and we’ll set it up.”

“Thank you again. That’s such a nice offer.” She slips the card in her bag.

I used to be the only one who could make her blush like that. The urge to get out of the truck and throttle the fucker grabs hold. It takes everything in me to stay hidden. Instead, I pull the brim of my hat lower, seething, as they keep talking for a few more minutes about the ranch, baking, and other mindless shit that barely registers because I’m too focused on Tyler’s eyes raking over Savvie’s body.

Miss Eloise, you’re dead to me.

My jaw aches from clenching it so hard. If this Tyler guy shows up as her savior, she’ll lean on him, trust him, let him in. I grit my teeth as Tyler continues down Main Street, walking like he doesn’t have a care in the world, completely oblivious to the fact that I’m plotting his murder. For a split second, I consider following him, running him over, and leaving him for dead.

She’s really gonna fall for that bullshit about him wanting to help her out? Only thing he wants to help her with is getting her clothes off.

Savannah heads into the general store after she and Miss Eloise say goodbye. My hand is locked on the door handle when my phone rings. I grab it from my pocket.

“Son of a bitch,” I mutter, cracking it against my steering wheel. With a sharp sigh, I stab the Accept button. “Yeah?”

“Hello, Hartman. Time to focus on your new job.” Wilkerson’s voice makes my vision bleed red. “While I made Margaret Wilson several very generous offers to buy her ranch, she continually refused. And now, it seems that Savannah has inherited the ranch under the condition that she makes it profitable in six months. Otherwise, it’ll get sold off at auction.”

My jaw drops. “How the fuck do you even know all of that?”

“I know everything, Blaze. Or have you forgotten?” He pauses. “Now, since I want that land and I can’t wait for an auction six months in the future, you’re going to use that Hartman charm to wiggle your ass into her good graces and make sure she fails. Quickly, so that she’ll realize her best option is to sell early to me and walk away with at least some profit. I’ll give her above market value to sweeten the deal.”

“What the fuck do you want me to do? How am I supposed to make her fail?” I bite out.

“You’re going to show up there, looking like a concerned friend who wants to help. And then you’re going to sabotage every effort she makes to get the ranch operational. Tamper with equipment, crack water lines, cut fences . . . anything you can think of that will derail her plans and make her realize she’s not cut out for ranch life. I want you to make her crumble, and when she is at the end of her rope and ready to give up, I’ll make her an offer to buy Red Rock. By then she’ll be so broken down, she’ll have no choice but to take it.”

I scrape a hand down the front of my face. She’s working so damn hard because this is the most important thing in her life right now. How the hell am I going to take a sledgehammer to her hopes and dreams?

Again?