Page 88

Rebeka

MOVEMENT OUT THE WINDOWstole my attention from packing to the black SUV halfway down the long drive. It must’ve been the legal teams leaving.

So, it was done.

Time to step back into reality.

Dread and sadness dropped my stomach, and I fell to the bed.

I was right to leave him before he woke up that morning. Easier for sure. Last night, with our bodies wrapped around the other’s, we said our goodbyes. What else was there to say?

Yet there I sat, wanting one more conversation, one more smile, one more kiss.

Who was I kidding? I wanted more than just one more. I wanted it all. All of him. But that wasn't on the table. Nothing was.

I cut my eyes toward the closed bedroom door as a loud commotion sounded in the living room. Bellowing male voices pushed me off the bed and to my feet. I was halfway down the hall when the crashing and shattering filled the house.

My feet turned to lead, preventing me from entering the destroyed living room.

“Brenton?” I called out, utter disbelief in my voice. “What are you doing?”

Brenton turned from where he had Daddy pinned against the far wall, hand wrapped around his neck.

“Doing what I should’ve done years ago.”

Daddy punched at Brenton's face and arms, but Brenton's hold held firm.

“Stop!” I screamed. “You can't kill him.”

At my hand on his arm, he dropped Daddy, who fell to a heap on the floor.

“Get off my property and never step foot on it again. The entire staff will have orders to shoot you on sight if you do.”

I shot frantic glances between Daddy and Brenton.

What? His property?

“Where's your brother?” Brenton asked, still glaring down to where Daddy crawled across the floor.

“Here,” Bradley's voice sounded from the hall I’d just come down.

Not crawling fast enough, Brenton picked Daddy up by the back of his jeans and tossed him out of the house before slamming the door shut.

“You.” He whirled around to face a stunned Bradley. “You're going to rehab. I'll set it up, but you go tomorrow. Then when you’ve finished, you're running this place. Congratulations on the promotion. I'll have a contract written up for you to review on the terms and pay. But first I need your help making sure your piece-of-shit father leaves the property before I change my mind on not committing murder today.”

Not putting his back to the fuming Brenton, Bradley inched around the room to the front door. After fumbling with the knob, he darted out, banging the door shut behind him.

“Brenton, what's going on? You got the land?” Nerves on high alert put a slight shake to my voice.

“Yes. How attached to this place are you?”

“The ranch?”

“This house, the one we're standing in.”

“I hate it. It's a constant reminder of my mom.”

He shot me a questioning look.