That woman hasn’t talked to me since she walked out on us.” “How the hell would you know what she’d think or feel? I certainly don’t. And I know she’d hate to see you struggling like this.” “I guess you could say we were…close.” He mopped his brow.

His eyes darted away, and he cleared his throat. “You made it sound like you knew her more than just some passing acquaintance.” There was more to this, and I had an idea what had caused the bad blood between my dad and this asshole. His face flushed red, and he whipped out his pocket square, dabbing at his top lip. But what came out of my mouth was something else entirely.

I wanted to tell him he was wrong, that I’d been in charge of the financial side of running the goddamn ranch for the last five years. I sat there staring at him, torn between storming out and hurling his paperweight at him. Sell now and it won’t take you down with it.” That ranch is going to fall to pieces with you running it, that’s a fact. Get out, get out now, before you lose everything. She was a…a good woman.” His stare returned to mine. “I knew your mother when she still lived here. Smith.” He darted a glance over my shoulder. He sat forward in his chair and stared at me. Eli’s done such an amazing job with them.” We’ve also got several horses nearly ready to sell. I just need a few months, then when things get back to normal, and cattle prices go back up, I’ll have money coming in. “It will.” I tucked my hair behind my ear and licked my dry lips. “You can’t predict the weather.” His lips lifted in a smug little curl. “No.” I gritted my teeth, swallowing down a string of curse words I wanted to fire at the smug prick.

Breaking Him by Sherilee Gray