Page 37 of Ace of Spades (Hidden Creek Ranch #1)

HAILEY

It surprises me how alien the drive home feels, as if I hadn’t driven it countless times before since my family had moved to Cedar Creek.

Home.

I wasn’t quite sure if I could even call it that anymore. It didn’t feel like a home, more like… a house.

Pulling my truck through the front gates, I drive up the path leading to the circle driveway, the gaudy fountain in the center that my parents had brought with us from Canyon Springs acting as an old reminder of my childhood.

I used to love hiding in that fountain, playing hide and seek with Mom for hours.

She would pretend not to find me as I giggled behind the streams, declaring me the winner once I would finally step out and make myself known.

Looking back at it now, those memories never felt so distant.

Putting the truck in park, Gypsy follows at my heels as I climb the few steps leading up to the polished double doors, not bothering to knock as I push them open and make my way inside.

The sound of voices carries from the sitting room, and I recognize Dad’s instantly, along with two others that put me on edge.

“—that girl under control, William. How do you think it looks to our investors that your own damn daughter is not only living with our competitors, she’s running all of their marketing.

We’re hardly up and going and they’re already running us into the ground, your own family is working against us for fuck’s sake! ”

My stomach drops as I realize that they’re talking about me.

“I’ll handle her,” my dad responds. “You just focus on the trailer park and let me worry about Hailey.”

“It’s already been handled—we’re announcing the demolition this week.”

They were planning to demolish the trailer park this soon? My heart sinks to the ground, my hands going clammy as I try to process the information.

“We’ve talked about this, Scott. If we make the announcement too soon, that bitch Gloria Langford is going to find some way to throw roadblocks at us.

You remember that old stagecoach stop at the front of the property?

Guarantee that she’s going to try to get it filed for landmark designation, and then we’ll have a legal battle on our hands. We need to be smart about this. ”

“Well, why don’t we get rid of it, then?”

My spine stiffens at Brad’s voice.

“We can’t just ‘ get rid of it ’,” his dad argues.

“Why not? They can’t slap a landmark designation on something that no longer exists. It would be a shame if some little punks were playing around the area and accidentally started a fire. Happens more often than you’d think. Would be a shame if the entire place happened to go up in smoke as well.”

A pause passes between the three of them.

Gypsy chooses this exact moment to run past me into the sitting room, giving me away as my dad calls out my name.

I step out from my hiding place, plastering the best smile I can muster as I pretend not to have heard a word they said, a skeptical expression on Scott’s face as I greet the three of them.

“Hi, Dad,” I tell him, offering a hug that makes me slightly nauseous after what I’d just heard.

“We were just talking about you.”

“You were?” I ask, playing coy.

“Yes, sweetheart. It’s time for you to come home. I’m glad you had some fun running around at that little hillbilly ranch that your friends call a retreat, but let’s be realistic here, you know that this is where you belong. And besides, I have some great news for you.”

“What is it?” I ask, swallowing down a gulp as I try to keep my expression in check.

“I managed to pull some strings, and our partners are ready to offer you the job of a lifetime—Head of Marketing and Advertising for the Cedar Creek Resort. How amazing is that? It comes with lodging, great benefits, and a salary that will make your eyes bulge out of your head, guaranteed.”

“Oh,” I say. “That’s… very generous.”

“So, what do you say?”

“Um,” I mutter, feeling all three sets of eyes boring into me. “I appreciate the offer, really… but I’m going to stay at the Ranch. That’s actually why I came here today, I figured we could sit down and talk?”

My dad’s face turns red, his calm demeanor cracking.

“They’re our competitors, sweetheart,” he tells me through clenched teeth. “This is family. You’re just being stubborn.”

“I’m not being stubborn,” I tell him, beginning to grow frustrated. “I love their idea for the guest ranch. Besides, they’re good people, Dad.”

“I’m sure they are, but it doesn’t change the fact that this is a business—our family business.

How do you think it looks that you’re running all of the social media for our biggest competitor?

I’ll tell you, it doesn’t look great, Hailey.

You’re growing their business while you should be focused on helping ours. ”

“The reason they’re doing well isn’t because of me, it’s because of what they’re offering.

They’re offering for people to come out and experience the real ranch life in the mountains, a retreat from the big town life.

You’re bulldozing over a small town to build some massive resort, that’s not the escape from reality that people want, Dad. ”

“So you’re giving me business advice now?” he asks, his tone mocking .

“No, but if I were, I’d tell you that you’re doing it all wrong. You’ve become so money-hungry that you don’t even stop to think about what the people actually want, and that’s why your plans aren’t working. Worst of all, you’re tearing apart the town in the process.”

“We’re not tearing anything down,” he spits. “So take your foot out of your mouth before you embarrass yourself further.”

“I heard you! I heard all about your plan to get rid of it, no matter the cost. Don’t you realize that it’s home to so many of the families in Cedar Creek? Haven’t you done enough already?”

A look passes between the three men in the room, and I realize too late that I’ve fucked up.

“Listen, Hailey, we’ve tried to do this the nice way, but this is getting out of hand,” Scott tells me, a sense of ease falling over his features that makes my skin crawl.

“We’ve offered you the role of a lifetime, and a chance to make a name for yourself under our brand.

Seems to me like you’re starting to be a bit ungrateful. ”

I look over at my dad, pleading with my eyes.

“So, this is it, then? You’re giving me an ultimatum?”

“If that’s how it has to be.”

“You guys are pathetic,” I spit. “If you want to make me choose a side, then fine, so be it. I’m going back to the ranch, and I’m telling them all about your little plans to commit fucking arson.”

I swivel on my heels, calling Gypsy to follow.

“Hailey!” my dad’s deep voice calls after me .

I ignore him, making it back to the foyer before a strong hand grips my arm, pulling me back. My fist cocks back as I turn to face Brad, punching him straight in the jaw.

“You little—“

“What are you gonna do?” I seethe. “Hit me again?”

My dad looks between us, his lips pulling into a frown.

“You hit my daughter?” he growls.

“Now is not the time,” Scott intervenes, turning to face me as he continues to speak to my dad. “We can’t let her run off and tell them. There isn’t any evidence other than Hailey’s word, but we can’t take that risk.”

Scott had always given me the creeps. He was…

cold. For someone who had a son of his own, he sure seemed to lack any sort of parental instinct, or a soul, for that matter.

It was no secret that there was no love lost between him and his ex-wife, which could explain where Brad’s temperament had come from.

“Not my problem,” I tell them, turning back around to reach for the front door, my body screaming for me to run.

Brad steps in my way, his body blocking my exit.

“So what’s your plan then? Hold me hostage?” I turn to ask my dad. “This isn’t a movie, I hope you realize that kidnapping is illegal.”

“It’s not kidnapping,” Scott’s voice cuts in, sending a shiver down my spine.

“Especially not when you’ve been acting like a danger to yourself or others.

You’re having some sort of mental breakdown, Hailey.

You’re clearly inventing stories in your head, and you’ve turned violent,” he continues, gesturing to Brad.

My mouth goes dry .

“You’re insane,” I breathe.

“Dad—”

“Not now, Bradley,” Scott cuts in, shutting up his son. “Do you understand what would happen if she walks out of this house? The type of shit she could spread about us? For crying out loud, William—get a hold of your daughter!”

There’s a brief pause, and in the next moment, I’m thrown over Brad’s shoulder, kicking and screaming as he carries me back into the house.

“Where should I take her?”

“Just… just take her to the bedroom,” Dad tells him.

“Dad, stop this!” I beg, my fists pounding into Brad’s muscular back.

My dad only looks between me and Scott, his brow etched in concern, though he does nothing to stop them.

“Don’t you think this is a bit much, Scott?” Dad finally asks.

“Not when she’s acting like a brat. Do you not know how to discipline your own kids?”

Gypsy lets out a low growl, running to my rescue as she grabs a hold of Brad’s jeans, ripping at the material before he kicks her away, my dog sliding across the floor with a yelp.

“Motherfucker, leave her alone!” I scream, fighting him with all my might.

“What’s going on?”

“Mom!” I cry out, hope spreading in my chest at the sound of her footsteps.

“Turn around, Lenora. We’re handling it,” Scott tells her .

“What are you doing?” she asks, worry lacing her tone as Brad continues to carry me through the house.

“She’s having a mental breakdown,” my dad tells her, and the dam breaks as tears start flowing down my cheeks. “We’re just getting her into her room until she calms down.”

“You’re locking her in her room?” Mom asks in horror. “You have to realize how ridiculous this is. This is too far, William.”

“She punched Bradley in the face. She’s mentally unstable.”

“He hit me!” I scream, a last-ditch attempt at getting any of them to listen to me. “Mom, Brad hit me! Please, don’t let them do this!”

Something flashes across my mom’s face as she turns towards my father. Hurt, maybe? Betrayal?

“It’s for your own good, sweetheart. We’ll let you out as soon as you’ve calmed down enough to see things reasonably,” Dad tells me, his soothing tone making my blood boil as I kick harder.

“What’s going on?” I hear Grace’s alarmed voice as she runs up to my mom, the latter watching the interaction as if in shock.

“You got her cell phone?” Brad asks.

“She dropped it in the foyer,” Scott replies, and my heart sinks.

“William, this is too much. You can’t just—”

“Enough, Lenora!”

My mom goes silent as I’m dropped down onto the carpet of the guest bedroom, clamoring to my feet and rushing to the door just in time for it to slam in my face, the sound of the lock resonating through the dim space.