by Em Petrova
Could he love her right? The way she deserved to be loved? Or was he only setting her up for another failed relationship and broken heart?
He kissed the top of her head. Things had to change in his life if he wanted to keep Esme. Gliding by with odd jobs and putting out the forest fires his father had left behind wouldn’t cut it. If he was keeping the ranch, he had to get serious and fast.
Before he knew what he was about to do, he spoke. “My father stole some horses. The sheriff just tracked them to the Moon Ranch.”
She stopped drawing a pattern on his chest with her fingertip. “Did you know about the horses?”
“Not ‘til today, when I talked to Mimi’s great-nephew, who knew about the sale.”
“What will you do?”
He sighed. “Try to make it right.”
“How do you do that?” She tilted her head to meet his gaze.
“I need to find the money to buy back the horses, then return them to the rancher my father stole them from.”
“Can I ask how much?”
He found it didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would to confide in her. “Fifteen grand.”
She sucked in sharply. “That’s a lot.”
“It’s the only way, though.”
“It’s honorable.”
At that, he barked a laugh. “Nobody’s ever called me or any other Moon honorable.”
“Then they don’t know you.”
He hesitated. Should he tell her the rest? “I’ve had some prior arrests. I’ve gotten into some fights and—”
She pressed a fingertip to his lips, halting his words. “I know. You’ve given the world the middle finger.”
He nodded. “You knew about the arrests.”
“I’ve heard rumors but I dismissed them. And the man who’s lying here with me right now is telling me that he’s screwed up in his past, but I only hear that you’re going to spend fifteen thousand dollars to right your father’s crime. To me, that says far more than anything you did in your past.”
His throat closed off. How could she see any good in him, when he’d struggled all his life to see it in himself?
Maybe it’s time I drop the Moon curse and move past it. I’m not my father, and I won’t make the same mistakes.
The realization brought the lump higher in his throat, and he swallowed hard.
“Where will you get the money?” she asked.
He sighed. “Dunno. That manager of yours hasn’t answered any of my calls. I’m pretty sure he’s dismissed me altogether, based on my reputation.”
She shook her head, curls tickling across his chest. “That’s not right.”
“Prejudices in this town run deep against us. Sure, my brothers and I raised hell, but we didn’t hurt anyone. I’ll have to go to another bank and see what can be done.”
Esme pushed onto her elbow to stare down at him. “I think I know a way to get Jason to look again at your application.”
He cocked a brow at the devilish gleam that came into her eyes. He’d seen it one other time when she’d negotiated with the homeowner to pay him more.
“Oh hell, I don’t like that expression one bit.”
She grinned.
“Are you considering blackmail?” he asked. “The manager propositioned you and now you’re going to use that leverage to get me a loan?”
“I can’t do that. But I can persuade him to take another look at your case.”
Thinking about the slimy idiot propositioning her was enough to make his fists clench. “You didn’t tell me everything about it, but I’m going to knock his teeth down his throat.”
“I won’t say he doesn’t deserve it.”
“What did he do?” He brushed her hair off her cheek.
She chewed her lower lip, still plump from his kisses. “There’s a position coming open, and I don’t exactly qualify for it, because I didn’t finish my degree and they want a college education.”
“What did he offer you?” He already fucking knew.
“He said he would tutor me.”
“Tutor as in…”
“Yeah. He started out with just telling me it would be some hours each afternoon. But today he told me it would be evenings and weekends too. He is careful not to say he wants to sleep with me, but he doesn’t stop staring at my breasts.”
Zayden growled.
Esme ran a hand over his chest as if soothing a beast. “What he wants is implied, and I get a bad feeling from the conversations.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I told him I was going to think on things, but I never once considered taking him up on his offer.”
He issued another low growl. “I’d like to twist off his b—”
“No, you won’t. I’ll handle this, because it’s my problem. Besides, what I’m thinking could benefit me even more in the long run.”
He bit back the threat he was about to make and looked down at her. “What are you thinking?”
“That I go back to school. Not an actual college campus, but some online courses to finish my degree. It means passing up this opportunity, but I could find something better in another bank or office somewhere.”
“That asshole manager doesn’t sound like the best boss to work with anyway.”
“He’s not. What do you think of my idea?”
Her question was coupled with a crease of worry between her brows. He smoothed his thumb over the wrinkle, heart overflowing with too much emotion to store in his body.
“I think you’re brave to change the course of your life.”
“I’m not being stupid?”
“Not at all, sweetheart. Daring to dream about having a better life is never stupid.”
She eyed him. “You can take your own advice, Zayden.”
He chuckled and then slapped her ass lightly. She squealed, and he captured her parted lips with his own.
“Zayden—”
He kissed her again, long and deep, rolling her underneath him to look into her eyes. “I’m not ready to talk about myself in that way. But…”
“But?”
“I’m ready to make you scream my name. And…” he lowered his lips to her ear, “I’m going to suck your wet pussy till you can’t think of anything but me. When you come, I’ll drive my cock into you and I won’t stop until you’ve given me at least two more orgasms.”
“Get another condom,” she said breathlessly.
* * * * *
As Mimi took out a spatula to flip the pancakes on the griddle, she sent Zayden a sideways glance. He’d been in her bad graces plenty of times, but the chill coming off the older woman was icier than usual.
He poured himself a mug of coffee and leaned against the counter, watching her. She flipped three pancakes, showing off a perfect light brown on the tops. He sipped. She twisted her mouth in disapproval.
“Spit it out, Mimi. I can see you’re dying to tell me off for some thing or other.”
She shook her head. “You didn’t come home last night.”
Zayden’s chest swelled with emotion. For the second time in his whole life, he’d spent the entire night holding a woman in his arms—last night and before that, on the mountain.
He’d made love to Esme multiple times too. When he’d woken to find her plastered up against him, her thigh thrown across his hips, he hadn’t felt the urge to run out the door. Actually, he’d drawn her closer and kissed her awake, which ended in more mind-blowing sex.
“I was with someone,” he said quietly.
Mimi’s glance fell on him. “A woman?”
He nodded.
“Well… That’s new.” Her gaze became more direct.
“It is.”
“Do I know her?”
“I’m not sure. Her name’s Esme.”
“A pretty name.”
“Yeah, it is. Mimi, I spoke with Ouray about the horses my father stole. They were sold to a ranch up on the rez. I need fifteen grand to buy them back from him and turn them over to the sheriff.
”
She switched off the burner under the pancakes and flipped them onto the plate in a short stack. She handed him the plate, and he took it from her, moving to sit at the table while she poured herself coffee and came to sit next to him.
“How will you come up with that sort of money?” she asked.
“Dunno. But I can’t drag my feet another day. I need to figure out how to raise money and turn a profit on this ranch. You sure my dad didn’t have a stash of gold somewhere?”
She gave a rueful chuckle and brought the mug to her lips. “Wish he did. It would make things easier on you.”
“On us,” he said at once. “You’re my family, Mimi, and I’m going to provide a solid home for you for as long as you want to stay.”
Tears flooded her eyes, and she reached out to rub his shoulder. “You’re a good boy, Zayden. Always have been.”
“I’m trying to be a better man.”
She nodded. “You’ve been a ghost of the man you’re meant to be for a long time now. I’m glad to hear you’re casting off the shadow your father threw on you.”
It was his turn to get choked up, but he battled back the emotion and poured maple syrup on his pancakes. After several bites, he turned his head to the window.
“Do you hear an engine in the driveway?”
She nodded and bustled over to look out. For a moment, she was silent, then a shocked gasp escaped her.
He jumped up and joined her at the window. As soon as he spotted the man climbing out of the unfamiliar truck, Zayden strode to the front door. His boots hit the porch, and in the yard, his brother Dane shot him a grin as he slung a duffel over his shoulder.
“Look who turned up, finally. Missed the funeral by about six weeks,” he drawled out.
Dane shrugged and mounted the porch steps. They stared each other down. His brother matched him in height and the width of their shoulders was even too. But Zayden felt a lot happier than Dane looked, and that was sayin’ a lot.
“Where the hell were ya?” Zayden folded his arms over his chest.
Dane scuffed a boot heel on the worn floorboards. “You won’t buy any story I tell ya, so why don’t we just say hello and hug like brothers who haven’t seen each other in years?”
“Fair ’nough.” Zayden stepped forward, arms out. His brother clapped him on the back, and then they drew apart, fists extended. Dane’s knuckles grazed his own in their old childish handshake.
“Remember when we thought that was so cool?” Dane asked.
Zayden chuckled. “We were cool.”
“Won’t argue that.” Dane tried for a grin, but the way it faltered made it apparent he didn’t feel it deep down.
“Come in. My pancakes are gettin’ cold.” Zayden turned to the door to find Mimi just beyond the screen, tears running down her face.
Dane saw her and released a whoop of delight. He dropped his duffel and rushed forward. After whipping the screen open, he yanked Mimi into his embrace. She clung to him with a strong grip for a woman of her years.
Zayden watched the welcome and couldn’t help but feel warmed by it. They all went inside, and Zayden took up his fork again while Mimi cooked a fresh batch of pancakes for Dane.
“Where’s Asher?” he asked.
“Took off again after the funeral.”
“He say where?” Dane tucked into his stack with a ton of butter and maple syrup swimming pool at the base of the stack, just like when he was as kid.
“He didn’t say.” Zayden looked him over. Life in Vegas was right up Dane’s alley—the drinking, the night life. But he appeared to be clean and sober right now. Hollows stood under his eyes as if he hadn’t been sleeping much, though.
“What happened to you?” he asked his brother.
Dane pressed his lips into a sharp line. “I’ve been better.”
“Where’s your wife?” Mimi asked.
His head dropped lower. “Been fightin’. She’s staying with a friend, and I figured now was as good a time as any to take a short break and come home.”
“A short break,” Zayden repeated. “How long you stayin’?”
“I only got a week off work at the club.”
Mimi screwed up her face. “You’re still working at that club as a dancer?”
He shot her a crooked grin. “You always said I was a dancin’ fool, Mimi. Turns out I’m pretty good and women pay me a lot to show them my moves.” He writhed a little in his seat, hand on the back of his head.
“Oh you, stop it now.” Mimi smacked at him, and he lifted his fork once more.
“So the old man… What happened to him?” Dane looked between them.
“Liver finally gave out. They found him, we buried him. You couldn’t get here any sooner?” Zayden arched a brow at Dane.
“I’ll be honest—I wasn’t in much of a rush to get back. I could do without the lecture now too.”
Zayden scanned his brother. “How much money you got on ya?”
Dane drew up straight. “Money?”
“Yeah, how much?”
“What do ya need it for?”
“Look around. This place is crying out for money. Plus, I need to pay off a rancher that Dad screwed over.”
Dane blew out a whistle. “Things never change.”
“No. But they will now.”
“I got a little money, but I don’t travel with much. How much are we talkin’?”
“Fifteen grand.”
Dane and Mimi recoiled at the figure. “If you got it, I’d appreciate you putting it into the ranch. There’s a lot of wrongs to right before I can get started.”
“Why don’t ya go to a bank?” Dane asked.
“Because I’m askin’ you. If you can loan me that amount, then we’ll call it your share of the ranch and once I turn a profit, I’ll pay you back with a cut of the profits.”
Dane stuffed a bite of pancake in his mouth and chewed. “Never figured you for a businessman, Z. Then again, I guess you always had it in ya. You ran this place all those years. Let me see what I can do, okay?”
Zayden nodded. Part of him felt like a shit for asking his brother for money, when they should be sharing happy moments after being apart for years. But fact was, Dane should help the ranch, same as him and even Asher. Next time he talked to his other brother, Zayden planned to ask him for a cut as well. Maybe between the three of them, they could start off with a clean slate and no debt.
Of course, more problems were sure to crop up around here. Things they didn’t yet know their father had done.
Later, in the barn, Dane followed him out and leaned against the open door watching Zayden clean stalls.
“Make yourself useful,” he said to his brother, nodding toward the pitchforks.
He did, working in silence. There was definitely something weighing on him—was it the problem with his marriage? Zayden didn’t feel it was his place to pry. He didn’t want Dane in his affairs either.
So they worked in silence until the job was done. Then they saddled up and did what they loved to do together—they took to the fields.
* * * * *
“He’s in a bad mood today.” Natalie’s whispered statement sent a bolt of dread through Esme as she stared at Jason’s closed office door. He had rushed straight to his office and slammed the door, and nobody had seen him even peep his head out in hours. Usually, during the slower times he would wander out and chat with the tellers, but not today.
She couldn’t help but fear she had something to do with his bad mood. Putting him off without an answer was taking a toll on her too, and for totally different reasons. She had no idea if she’d have a job by the end of the day.
He can’t fire me for saying no to something unethical in the workplace.
But he could find some silly problem with her performance and write her up for it.
She pressed her lips together and stared at the closed door for a long minute. Then she checked that they didn’t have customers before leaving her position and crossin
g the lobby to his door.
“Esme!” Natalie called from behind her, but she kept walking.
It was best to get this over with.
Drawing herself to her full height, she raised a fist and rapped on the door. He looked up and called, “Come in.”
She was holding her breath, so she had to force herself to let it out before entering the office.
Jason sat behind his desk, gaze fixed on her and a wary smile on his face. Before things were said and done, he would get a lot warier…
“Take a seat,” he said smoothly.
She perched on the edge of the chair and crossed her legs. He watched her every move. She definitely wasn’t reading more into his proposition—the man’s tongue was practically hanging out and slobber running down his chin.
He sat back and studied her. “Have you made a decision about the job opening?”
With a little nod, she gathered breath into her lungs—and courage. “I have.”
“You’re a bright woman. You aren’t going to let this chance at a promotion pass. So, when are we going to get started?” He checked his wristwatch. “I should finish up this paperwork in another hour. After that, we should have plenty of time.”
Time for him to stare at her breasts and legs. She’d even caught him gawking at her high heels on several occasions, and it made her want to take them off and run out the door.
“Jason, I’ve decided to pass on your offer.”
His face blanked. “You what?”
“I’m passing on the position at this time. The thing is, I’m going back to school, some online night courses so I can get my degree and earn the position myself.” She met his eyes with difficulty.
The moment felt like a triumph—not only over men who thought they were owed something in the world, but for herself and how far she’d come in the past few weeks. Being abandoned on that mountain gave her a new look at life and her own role in it. She was no longer a victim of the men around her—she was strong and evicted them from her life because they weren’t good for her, no matter their attempts to put pretty icing on the dog turds that they were.
She squared her shoulders and met his gaze head-on. “Give the job to someone more qualified at this time, but I won’t be sitting in here with you in the afternoons behind a closed door, Jason.”
His face mottled red. “Just what do you think I was offering you?”