Chapter 1
1
B reanne Kyndall, called Bree by everyone who knew her, could barely breathe. The little bean growing in her stomach had wedged itself underneath Bree’s ribcage and decided to test its soccer skills. She rolled off the side of bed, catching herself before she plopped onto the floor. Nearing her due date, every body part felt swollen. How was that even possible?
Upright and on her feet, she waddled into the kitchen because the way she moved could no longer be classified as walking. Bree reached for a mug. At least decaf coffee gave her some sense of normalcy. The smell convinced her body there was caffeine inside the cup. Score one for placebos.
Moving to the fridge, she pulled out a carton of milk and poured in a quarter of a cup. This way, she convinced herself the drink was healthy—mostly. The baby needed calcium.
Taking a sip, the warmth felt good on her throat. Days had passed since hearing the news about Zeke. Days that had become a blur of tears mixed with memories of times with someone who’d become her closest confidant.
The temptation to ask about Kade had gotten the best of her at the post office yesterday. He’d been injured in the attack that had taken Zeke. Guilt consumed her at the relief Kade had lived. Grief was a strange thing. It caused her to feel guilty every time she found a reason to smile, however fleeting, since learning of the tragedy. And especially every time she hoped Kade would knock on her door.
The way she’d walked out on him without looking back after a fling that had caused her to fall hopelessly in love with the man had sealed her fate. Kade’s pride would never allow him to care about her again. His stubborn side would cause him to dig his heels in. Hell would freeze over, and she’d be able to skate on the ice before he would grace her presence again.
What had she done?
Bree needed to find Kade and tell him the truth. Making a phone call wasn’t an option. He wouldn’t take her calls anyway. Plus, this wasn’t the kind of news you left on someone’s voicemail.
“I’d rather die than have children of my own,” he’d muttered under his breath when the topic had come up during their weekend fling.
Bree had always wanted kids. One child at the very least. Sex with Kade had been an existential experience, spiritual even. But she’d been wasting her time thinking anything between them could be more than an occasional, no-strings-attached relationship. Relationship? Bree issued a grunt. Their one shared experience had been nothing but great sex. Amazing sex. Mind-altering sex.
But still sex.
Since she wasn’t a love ’em and leave ’em type, she’d plucked up the courage to shut off her phone and delete his messages. All but one. Call her weak, but she’d saved the one where he’d said they might have something special going on between them, and he thought they were having a good time getting to know each other.
Bree had known Kade since kindergarten. Or, at least, known of him. He’d been angry at the world and, most of all, his father. He’d kept to himself. He’d been impossible to get to know, which was a serious accomplishment in a small town like Saddle Junction.
And then he’d come home on leave, showing her a surprisingly vulnerable side as he’d fixed the flat tire that had left her stranded on the exit ramp leading to town. He’d followed her home to make sure she made it okay.
The pregnancy news six weeks later had shocked the hell out of her. Bree might have seen herself as the family type, but having a baby with someone dead set against fatherhood had never been the plan.
She’d confided in Zeke, who had been a godsend. And now?
Fighting back tears that welled every time she thought about him, she gathered up all the courage she could muster. The Sturgess family lawyer had called a meeting to read Beaumont Sturgess’s last will and testament. Bree finally had a chance to be in the same room with Kade.
Face-to-face was the only way to deliver the news that he was going to be a father any day now.
The meeting Kade had been dreading on the day-and-a-half journey to Saddle Junction would take place in an hour—just enough time to grab a quick shower and drive a rental to the ranch until he had time to pick up his truck at Chloe’s. There was a chill in the air, typical early December weather in these parts.
The thought of setting foot on ranch property after making a vow never to return made him sick to his stomach. His siblings were counting on him, and besides, this was their chance to sell off the no-good piece of family history and stick it to a cruel man in the process. Those thoughts reminded him of the reason he’d made the trip. For a bonus, he would get to see his five siblings all in one place. Kade couldn’t remember the last time that had happened.
The Sturgess kin were hours away from starting a process that would finally give them their freedom. Kade, for one, couldn’t wait to see what it felt like to finally be free.
The tall gene had skipped Chloe. She was a solid foot shorter than Kade.
“How’s my favorite sister?” he asked as she greeted him on the porch of the Sturgess home. The place was grand, a showpiece meant to display the family money, money that hadn’t trickled down to the children even if Kade would have accepted it. He wouldn’t have. But his single mother sister could have used a hand up. As it was, Kade sent half of his pay to her despite her protests, and he had no regrets.
Chloe smiled and rolled her eyes. “Don’t you mean your only sister?”
He hugged her and then patted her on the head. “I might mean half a sister.” Short jokes always got an eye roll and a laugh out of her. Today, her smile didn’t reach her eyes as she gave him a once-over.
Concern lines scored her forehead as her gaze lingered on each battle scar. “What happened to you?”
He motioned toward the boot on his right foot. “This? It’s not bad.”
“It’s bad enough to be medically boarded,” she blurted out before realizing she should have applied a filter. “I’m heartbroken about Zeke,” she said, compressing her lips into a frown as she shifted topics.
More of that guilt slammed into Kade, threatening to consume him. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t find the right words.
Chloe threw her arms around him and buried her face. “I’m sorry. He was a good person and a good friend.”
“Lot of good that did him,” Kade bit out through clenched teeth. He would never forgive himself for letting Zeke down. Ever.
“I heard you’re going to receive a medal for your act of bravery,” Chloe continued.
“I’m the last person who deserves to be decorated,” Kade said.
Chloe drew back. “You put your life on the line to save him, according to what I heard.”
Kade shook his head. “What good did it do?”
“I know you’re hurting, I just—”
“Talking about Zeke won’t bring him back,” Kade cut in. He was done talking. Looking over her shoulder rather than make eye contact, he asked, “Should we go inside now?”
His sister stood there for a long moment, studying him. Kade still refused to meet her gaze.
After a long, slow exhale, she said, “Everyone’s already inside.”
Kade was the oldest at thirty-four years old. Twins Archer and Owen were next at thirty-two. Hudson and Conrad had come in back-to-back years, thirty and twenty-nine, respectively. And then there was Chloe, the baby and only girl, who was twenty-four years old. Her son Grayson had recently turned three. She refused to discuss her son’s no-good father, except to say that he’d been clear about not wanting the responsibility of a kid after she’d delivered the pregnancy news. When pressed, Chloe had said the jerk moved to Santa Fe with his aunt to pursue his dream of becoming a jewelry artist, but something was off about the story. Maybe she was testing out explanations to figure out which one to tell her son later. It would be just like Chloe to want to protect Grayson at all costs so he would never feel less than. Abandonment did bad things to kids’ heads. The Sturgess kids knew that best.
Mostly, Kade figured the dude disappeared to shirk his responsibilities and smoke pot all day. His baby sister deserved much better than a guy willing to walk away from his own child.
His thoughts snapped to Zeke’s unborn child. He knew where the other half of his military paycheck would go if he could figure out how to get Bree to accept the money. She was proud and had an independent streak a mile long. Traits that had drawn him to her. But even she had to realize bringing up a kid was expensive.
Once this meeting was over, Kade needed to find a way to bump into Bree. She’d slam the door in his face if he showed up unannounced. Between now and then, he could only pray the right words would come to him. So far, he had nothing but a sincere apology for her loss.
“Are you coming?” Chloe asked, impatience edging her tone. He’d been lost in thought, unaware she’d turned toward the door.
Shake it off, dude.
Kade nodded, then followed his sister inside.
The massive tumbled-stone house looked more like the lobby of a fancy hunting lodge than a home. Deer heads hung on walls with cathedral ceilings. There was enough leather furniture to skin an entire herd of cattle. He shook his head at the cruelty and waste that surrounded him.
Stepping deeper into the house spiraled him back to a time when he’d been a defenseless child up against a grown man. Kade blinked, gave himself a mental headshake, and refocused. Compartmentalizing his emotions had gotten him through growing up under the thumb of an abusive father. His mother had finally fled after one beating too many. Now, he understood and couldn’t blame her, but as a child, the abandonment had changed him. Made him harder. Made him unable to trust. Chloe wasn’t old enough to remember much about their mom. Kade had kept track of the woman the best he could. Before shipping off, he’d tracked her down to a broken-down home in the bayou.
Kade shook off the memory. He needed to stay in the present in order to deal with the reading of the will. No doubt, Beaumont had written in some kind of loophole that would be a PITA, pain in the ass, for Kade and his siblings.
Inside what had been his father’s pride and joy office sat the people he loved most in the world. The twins practically jumped out of their chairs and bum-rushed him first. At six-feet-two inches, they were tanks. Their bear hugs nearly knocked him on his backside. Archer and Owen would make a mean line on the football field. Conrad was followed by Hudson. All his brothers had gotten the height gene, a fact that still rankled Chloe. They were all built, too, whereas she was tiny. Some folks made the mistake of assuming that made her the weak one of the family. Kade almost laughed out loud at that thought.
Chloe could handle herself. Her judgment in men, however, left a lot to be desired. Her daddy issues had caused her to swing the complete opposite way to a floater who couldn’t be tied down. Or so the bastard had said. Apparently, he couldn’t be bothered to pay child support either. How anyone could turn a blind eye to their own child left Kade scratching his head. Separating from an abusive parent, he understood. But an innocent child?
Another wave of guilt slammed into him for what he’d done to Zeke’s kid. Zeke would have been an amazing father, unlike Kade.
After a round of hellos and how’re you doings, Harrison Guidry checked his cell. The lawyer had been a lifelong friend of Beaumont’s. His pot belly said he sat on his backside most days. Guidry wore a black Stetson and jeans. His stomach hung over the gold belt buckle holding up his pants. Other than jeans, the lawyer wore a button-down shirt and a pair of worn boots. When Guidry wasn’t sitting at a desk, he was on a horse.
Taking their seats in the foldup chairs that had been brought in for the occasion, everyone fixed their gazes on the lawyer.
“Anytime you’re ready,” Kade said when Guidry cleared his throat and checked his watch.
“Not everyone is here yet,” Guidry said, refusing to meet anyone’s gaze. Was that a bad sign? Was there a woman in the background no one knew about except the lawyer? Someone who would lay claim to Beaumont’s estate?
Kade took the lack of eye contact as an omen. Before he could ask Guidry who or what they were waiting for, someone entered the office behind them.
After turning around, Kade’s jaw practically smacked the floor. A person he’d never laid eyes on before stood at the doorway. He was the spitting image of Beaumont Sturgess.
“Welcome,” Guidry said before Kade could pick his jaw up from the tile and form a sentence. “Take a seat.” He motioned toward the empty chair near the door. Kade hadn’t noticed it before, but then he hadn’t counted chairs when he’d walked in.
A low murmur filled the room. Disbelief. Shock. Anger.
“Who the hell is this?” Kade asked the lawyer.
“I’m standing right here,” the stranger said with a smirk Kade would like to wipe off the man’s face. “You can speak directly to me.”
Kade turned in the stranger’s direction. “Fine. Who the hell are you?”
“Beaumont Sturgess, the Second,” the stranger said, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against the doorjamb. “But everyone calls me Beau.”
“If you’ll be seated, we can begin the reading,” Guidry said.
“Not until we get an explanation,” Hudson countered.
“We share the same father,” Beau said smugly.
From the looks of it, Beau was close in age to Kade. Did he want to know the man’s age? Being the oldest had meant being in charge in Beaumont’s eyes. Suddenly, it mattered to Kade since the eldest would have more influence on voting to get rid of the ranch. Of course, Beau might want the same thing if he had a rightful claim on the place.
Damn. Was Kade questioning whether or not Beau was related? The guy was Beaumont’s clone.
“How old are you?” Kade asked.
“We’ll get to all the details,” Guidry said.
Kade shifted his attention to the lawyer. “Did you know about him?”
Guidry nodded.
“Of course you did.” Kade shouldn’t be surprised Beaumont’s best friend would know all the sordid details of the man’s life, including his mistresses and illegitimate children. “Are you expecting anyone else to show?”
Guidry frowned as he shook his head. The lawyer had always put Beaumont up on a pedestal for reasons Kade would never understand. Beaumont’s infidelity had been common knowledge. The abuse he’d dished out to his children had to be known as well. Beaumont had measured a person by the size of their wallet and ability to compete in the business arena. He’d thrown away anyone and anything that was broken, in his opinion, including racehorses with no potential. Growing up, the man had proven his point that he only rewarded winners by lining up his kids on report card day at meal times. The one with the highest grades ate first while the others watched. Then, the second highest was served. Scraps were left for the last one to be served. At least, that had been his intention. Once Kade had figured out what was going on, he’d refused to eat until everyone had filled their plate first.
His punishment for rebelling had meant going to bed without supper every report card day. The hunger pangs had been worth the frown his rebellion had put on Beaumont’s face. At least until his brothers and sister figured out how to sneak food to him. His siblings had refused to allow Kade to go to sleep hungry. Each would slip a piece of fruit or a dinner roll in their pocket before being excused. Considering he had five siblings, he hadn’t gone hungry for more than a couple of hours until they’d safely sneaked into his room.
“Your father requested Beau’s presence today.” Guidry scanned their faces. His voice jolted Kade out of his reverie.
“None of us should be shocked,” Archer said with disgust.
Beau laughed. The haughty sound was like fingernails on a chalkboard.
Kade was up, across the room, and in the guy’s face in two seconds flat. “Is something funny to you?”
“Actually, bro,” Beau said without flinching, “it is.”
Fists clenched at his sides, Kade fought the urge to knock Beau into next week. He’d been in control of his temper since he could grow hair on his chest. This dude pushed the limits. The cocky smile said he enjoyed pushing buttons. Kade needed to chill.
Besides, he had surveyors coming in an hour, and he needed to finish this meeting so he could get on with plans to sell the place. Kade didn’t want a dime from the sale, but Chloe needed the money to bring up Grayson. They’d be able to move out of the shoebox trailer into a house and put away plenty of money for Grayson’s education.
“You might not have expected me, but I’m here to stay,” Beau said. “And I’m looking forward to getting to know my brothers and sister and divvying up responsibilities so we can finally run this ranch as a family.”
What the hell?
Before Kade flew out of his chair a second time, Chloe had a hand on his arm.
“Can I speak to you out in the hall?” she asked. Pleaded was more like it.
Kade clenched his back teeth so hard he thought they would crack. “Fine.”