Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
C ameron watched as Sam walked down the hall and wanted to pound his fists into a nearby wall. He’d wanted to tell her the truth. To confess everything so she would know, but he couldn’t. It would only add more pressure to her and she was under enough stress.
Watching her go through this alone made him so angry at her worthless brother. The report he’d received this morning from Tucker confirmed his worst fears. Edward owed a racketeering firm a lot of money. Nearly half a million dollars and today they’d sent their first henchman to collect.
If he didn’t pay soon, they’d be taking a piece of his hide as retribution.
The thought of Sam having to face the man alone sent fear spiraling through him. This was quickly coming to a head, and any day now, the mob was going to want their money.
In full.
First, Edward would lose a finger. Then they’d break his legs, and finally he’d lose his life. But first, they wanted to see if he would actually pay them.
Cameron had been on his way to Edward’s office when he’d run into Sam and seen her so distressed that he had to stop and comfort her. The woman had no idea what she was about to face, and he wanted to confess his part in Edward’s scheme, but this wasn’t the time.
With his offer in hand, he went in search of Edward once again. He’d already made arrangements for a car to take him to the airport in the morning.
He was ready to go home.
The bunkhouse that held the guest rooms was next to a big extravagant barn. It was where the rehearsal dinner would be held tonight and even the wedding tomorrow. The office he was searching for was in the big house and he hoped that Sam was in the barn setting up for the rehearsal dinner. He didn’t want her to hear what he had to say to her brother.
The wedding party had all gone to Bozeman today. Yes, he would make an offer, but what Tucker, his cousin, had found out about the man made him despicable.
Edward had a choice. If he took Cameron’s offer, Cameron would insist Edward go into rehab. The man needed help or he would do this again. He’d been doing it since college. It was time for him to get help for his addiction.
Soon enough, Sam would hate him. Soon enough, she wouldn’t want anything to do with him, but he hoped she would at least stay here at the ranch with her mother. There was no way he could throw her and her mother out to the wolves. This was her home.
When he reached Edward’s office, the man was staring out the window.
“Do you have time to talk?”
“Cameron,” he said turning. “Hey, man, I’m sorry that you got stuck out in the snow.”
What could Cameron say? It was the best night of his life and it was all because this man rode away from him.
He really should thank him, but it had been dangerous. If she had not come out, he could have died.
“Thanks for leaving me out in the snow,” he said.
“Samantha found you. You’re all right,” Edward said like what he’d done had been nothing. The man had no conscious.
Well, he had a surprise for him.
“Do you know that my cousin, Tucker, owns a security company that does investigations?”
The man’s brown eyes widened and he could see the fright in them.
“No.”
“I had him research you and your ranch. You know what I hate more than anything?”
Edward nervously licked his lips. “No.”
“How you’ve lied to your sister and your mother. Just a few minutes ago, I ran into Sam who was crying. She told me that you’re insisting that she close the wedding venue business.”
The man walked to his desk from the window where it had started to snow again.
“It’s not making money, it’s losing,” he said.
“Your sister invested her inheritance in her business trying to save this ranch. Why weren’t you honest with her? Why didn’t you tell her that there was no way she could make enough money to pay back your gambling debts? Why weren’t you honest with your mother and your sister?”
The man’s face blanched and his hands shook.
“She also told me that some man showed up here with a gun and that you have until tomorrow to pay him,” he said, wishing he could convince Samantha to leave with him and return to the Burnett Ranch. There he would give her the moon and the stars and everything she wanted.
“Oh, that’s nothing,” he said. “I’ve already taken care of it. The man won’t be back out here.”
Was he kidding? Did he really think that they would just walk away without their money?
“What did you have to promise them? A kidney? Your soul? What, Edward?”
The man’s face began to turn red and Cameron could see that he’d gotten to him. That he was angry. “Are you going to make an offer or not?”
He threw the folder down on his desk.
“Here you go. This is my top dollar. I’ve made provisions for Samantha and your mother to stay here. You can also stay, but you have to go into rehab. I’m not going to purchase this place and then have you get into trouble again. I don’t work that way.”
Edward opened the folder and then he looked up and glared at him.
“That’s not enough,” he said.
“It’s all I’m willing to buy it for,” Cameron told him. “By the time you pay off your debts, you’ll have just enough money to rent a place and get a job.”
He threw down the folder on the desk. “I’m not going to accept that price. I planned on buying a yacht and sailing across the sea.”
What was he going to give Sam and his mother?
Cameron chuckled. “You might have enough for a small Catalina Sport.”
The man frowned at him. “Not funny. You know I want at least a forty-foot yacht.”
“Good luck with that.”
“Come on, man, you’re a billionaire. You can afford to pay more,” Edward said clearly upset.
One thing about Cameron, he knew the money he inherited had been very hard to obtain by his ancestors. Yes, he was fortunate, but he didn’t just blow money on things like cards and alcohol.
“From what I can see, I would have to pump almost a million dollars into this place and you’re desperate to sell. No, this is my only offer. Take it or leave it,” he said and stood. “You need to tell Samantha today. She’s suspicious and is having Casey run an audit on the books. You screwed up badly. She and your mother deserve to know the truth.”
Edward stared at him, his expression lightening and a grin spreading across his face. “You keep mentioning Samantha. You guys spent the night together. Why don’t you marry her? I’ve seen the way the two of you look at one another. You could marry her, then you’d have the ranch and help me get out of this mess.”
The thought of marrying Sam was enticing, but not like this. He wanted no secrets between them. He wanted to marry for love, not because his friend needed help getting out of a jam. A really bad jam. And it pissed him off even more that he would offer Sam up like a sacrifice.
“What is going on between me and Samantha is our business and you’ll not cheapen her like this. She deserves better. You can call me and let me know your answer.”
After learning everything, Cameron couldn’t stay. It was better that he left, and he’d already called the pilot who wanted to leave before they got snowed in.
“You’re supposed to stay until after the wedding,” Edward called.
The wedding meant nothing to him. And if Bridezilla treated Sam any worse, there would be hell to pay.
“Good-bye, Edward. Let me know if you are going to accept my offer,” he said as he walked out the door.
Now he had to find Samantha. There was one last piece of business before he could leave. No, he couldn’t tell her. That was for her brother to do, but he had to kiss her and tell her good-bye. Tell her as much of his feelings as he could. Because he was definitely feeling things for her that he’d not felt in forever.
Walking down the hall, the wedding party had just returned from Bozeman and they were hurrying to their rooms to get ready for tonight.
Going in search of her, he found her in the barn, helping Tara set up the tables for the dinner tonight.
Coming up behind her, he breathed in her scent. She whirled around, her big brown eyes gazing at him sending heat through him. “Cameron. Do you need something?”
Yes, he needed her. He needed her to remember the good times they had together and not to hate him for what he’d done.
“Have you got five minutes?”
“Sure,” she said and he took her hand and led her to a storage room inside the barn.
“I’m leaving early in the morning. I’m not staying for the wedding,” he said. “Something has come up at home and Edward’s not too happy with me right now.”
Her brown eyes looked puzzled. “Edward. Why would he be upset with you?”
If only she knew.
“Let’s just say we don’t see eye to eye on things and it’s probably better if I leave before things get worse.”
“Does he owe you money?”
“No, darling, he doesn’t.”
She sighed and then she wrapped her arms around him. “I’m sad that you’re leaving.”
Oh, she wouldn’t be once she learned the truth.
“You came to say good-bye?”
“Yes, I’m leaving early in the morning and I’m not going to be at the dinner tonight. I also came for this,” he said as he slammed her up against the wall. His lips covered hers with a kiss that a lover gave the person he cared about. He kissed her like he thought he would never see her again and he probably wouldn’t.
His mouth covered hers, and with his lips, he expressed his feelings, the way he felt about her and how he wanted her so bad.
When they broke apart, she gazed at him, her eyes filled with a heat that he’d put there.
“Will I ever see you again?”
“I hope so,” he said and meant it. “Just remember, I’m not the bad guy.”
A frown drew between her brows. “What do you mean?”
“It means that I loved the passion we experienced the other night. You mean a lot to me,” he said and kissed the tip of her nose. “Don’t hate me.”
Shaking her head, she gazed at him perplexed. “I could never hate you.”
But she could and she would.
“Good-bye, Sam,” he said. “I wish we had more time together.”
“Me too,” she said wistfully.
He had to leave now or spill his guts and tell her everything. He walked out of the closet and hurried to his room where he planned on staying until the car arrived early in the morning.
Why did it feel like he was leaving part of his heart here in Montana, here at the Mistletoe Inn? Would Sam forgive him after she learned the real reason he’d been there?