Page 14 of Dante (Members From Money Season 2. #153)

He sent her a very terse email on Sunday. After spending the weekend stewing and vacillating between hope and despair, she finally concluded that she was out of a job. And adjusted her thinking accordingly.

She prayed. It had been some time since she went on her knees or even gone to a church service.

When she had been stuck in that group home, she had prayed that a nice family would show up and adopt her and Caleb.

She had been faithful in praying for that to happen.

Had listened to the droning of the preacher who had turned up every Sunday, the one who had told them that God was gracious and loving and would answer their prayers if they were good little boys and girls. And she had been scrupulously good.

Until it dawned on her that her prayers of them finding a good home would not be answered, they were on their own and "the good God" had completely forsaken them.

But lately she had started praying again.

She was pregnant by a man who had not loved her enough to stick.

Just like her parents. They had chosen to run instead of sticking to their responsibilities.

A child required love and stability, and she made a promise to the life growing inside her that she was going to be different.

No matter what happens, she was going to stick.

The email came late in the afternoon and had her blinking at the terse message.

"Cancel my appointments until further notice. I'll be out of town."

That was it. Nothing was mentioned about the crisis she had going on. She supposed she should be grateful that it was that and not "you're fired. Get the hell out of my company" email.

But it was still obscure, and she had no idea what her future holds at the company or if there was a future for her.

"It's good news." Her brother commented as he cut into his grilled chicken and wished it was fried and crispy instead. But his sister had made the effort, and he had to remember that she was tentatively trying to stomach meat.

"How is it good news?"

She was grateful that he had come by yesterday and today to spend the time with her and see to it that she was okay. Her appetite was off, and her morning sickness was draining the life out of her. She woke up this morning with tears on her cheek and a low feeling inside her.

"It means you still have a job." He jabbed the fork in her direction to make his point. He was worried about her and wished she would change her mind and come and stay with him. It was not like he had anything going on in his personal life anyway. Hell, all he did these days was just work.

"For how long? And why this sudden trip? I have his complete schedule, even the personal ones and it never said anything about him going away. And where the hell is he? There's no mention of where he's gone. Nothing."

"The man is a freaking billionaire. Something might have come up in the middle of the night.

He owns companies all over the world. He might have gotten a call saying there's a crisis somewhere and just took off.

It helps when you have a private plane tucked at an airfield and not have to deal with the peskiness of commercial flights. Lucky bastard."

He lifted a shoulder when she simply stared at him. "Just saying."

"It doesn't strike you as odd that the minute he knows about my pregnancy, he just up and disappeared?"

"Sounds like the son of a bitch who knocked you up." He grimaced at her expression and shook his head. "Honey..."

"You're right." Pushing the plate away, she reached for her glass of water. "I must have that aura around me. Men keep disappearing when it comes to me. Our father did, Michael did and now my own boss who knows almost nothing about me."

"Don't go there." He warned.

"Why the hell not?" Shoving from the table, she started pacing the small space. "What is it about me that makes men want to leave?"

She swung around and faced him as if demanding the answer to her question.

"I'm still here."

"You're my brother." She muttered.

"Precisely. And I've been here for you, always.

You're beautiful, smart, and sensible, most of the time.

" He grinned at the look she slid him. "And I might have to point out that you're being irrational.

The guy who made us was an asshole who took the easy way out, they both did.

The bastard who left you did you a favor. And your boss..."

He gestured with his fork. "Has nothing to do with any of it. It's not personal to him. He's probably pissed that you kept such an important thing from him and is stewing about it. But your work speaks for itself. He's smart enough to know that he has a good thing. And that's you."

She sat back down and blew out a breath. "I'm scared." She admitted shakily.

"I know." He reached for her hand and linked their fingers. "We've been through a lot. Insurmountable obstacles and we came out on top. I have no doubt that this time will be no different. I'm here for you, never forget that."

She smiled tremulously, her grip tightening. "Thank God for that." Sucking in her breath, she steadied herself. "Okay, I'm fine and suddenly ravenous."

"Nice weather."

"It's damn cold."

"Bracing." Spitting out the tobacco he had been chewing, Barry glanced over at the younger man, a bland expression on his plain face.

The weather had played havoc with his skin, turning it leathery and dark, but he lived for the outdoors.

Riding the range, managing the ranch, tending to cattle and the general upheaval and hard work that comes with it, suited him. He was married to the damn place.

Starlit Ranch had been in his family for generations. Until he had almost lost it due to bad investments and just plain arrogance. Until the boy he had taken in when he was only shy of seventeen and given a job had reached out to rescue him and the place.

You never knew who you were entertaining when you decided to give someone a chance.

The gangly teenager was no more but had turned into a very powerful man.

Slick and smart as a whip and handsome with it.

He had funneled money into the place and now it was back to its former glory.

He had also stayed out of the business end of it, leaving Barry to run things his way.

"Want to tell me what the hell burr you got up your ass?"

Leaning on the saddle, Dante smiled slightly. Barry had been a surrogate father to him and was the only one allowed to take certain privileges, such as talking to him like that.

"None. I thought I was free to come here as I choose." It was twilight and being on top of the hill afforded a stunning view of the wide-open land. Miles of green grass and trees with their leaves billowing in the stiff breeze.

"You can't fool me boy. Something's up with you."

"I'm taking a break." The horse twitched beneath him, pawing at the ground restlessly. "Just checking on things."

Barry's eyes narrowed. "The spreadsheet detailing the profit margin not good enough for you?"

Dante gave him a sideways glance that spoke volumes. "I will not grace that with a response. You know better."

"Yeah." Shoving the battered hat at the back of his head, he rubbed a hand over his face. "Something's up with you and I would like to think we're at a place where you can confide. Always was a closemouthed son of a gun." He muttered.

Dante grinned, feeling the problems rolling off him like a cloud. He had arrived yesterday after alerting Barry that he was en route, and the man had simply told him that his room was ready. And it had been, no questions asked.

"Does it have anything to do with that fancy piece you've been running around with?"

"No." He shifted in the saddle, forehead furrowing. Last night the bed had been comfortable, the sheets clean and soft, but his sleep had been restless. "Something to do with work."

"Like what?"

"A woman," he muttered.

"Isn't it always?" Barry grunted and noticed absently that there was a cut in the east perimeter fencing. Someone was going to have their asses chewed out over missing that little detail. "No wonder I stayed single. I thought you never messed with employees."

"I don't." He admitted and shifted again. "Which is pissing me off. I cannot get her off my mind. And there's a situation I have no idea how to deal with."

Barry was about to respond, when he lifted his head and sniffed the air.

"What is it?"

"Rain coming in."

Dante glanced at the clear blue sky with its pattern of white puffy clouds.

"Trust me." Clicking his tongue, Barry started towards the ranch.

They were barely inside the house when the showers came. The older man just grinned at him and went towards the dining room where the table was already set for supper and the housekeeper gone for the day.

Dante shrugged off his jacket and hung it by the door, the patter of rain falling now against the old tin roof.

The house was warm with the scent of roasted vegetables and something rich simmering in the oven, a comfort he found almost disarming.

Barry had a way of soothing nerves he didn't even realize were frayed, simply by being present, gruff and steady as a mountain.

He washed his hands and, wandering into the dining room, found Barry already pouring two glasses of iced tea. The older man slid one across the table, his eyes sharp but his manner easy.

"Sit," Barry said simply. "And don't think you're getting out of this talk with just the weather for a distraction."

Dante took his seat, the wood creaking comfortably beneath him, and stared at the glass for a moment, weighing his words. He had always been careful, especially with matters of the heart. Especially here, where the land itself carried the weight of old secrets.

But as the rain hammered softly outside, he found himself loosening, the barriers dropping in spite of himself.

"She's a definite complication." Dante cut into his meat slowly with precise movement. "An employee and a pregnant one."