Page 49 of The Billion Heirs Boxed Set

It’s my turn to roll my eyes. “You can’t tell me you never had dinner together? Passed in the hall? Hell, saw each other while working? He didn’t mention he took the Vance land?”

“To him, I was an employee, just like everyone else on the ranch. The only difference is I lived in the house. You asked about facts. I don’t know shit about what Vance mentioned or the deal itself. I mean, there have been rumors for years, but my father always told me to pay them no mind. That the townsfolk were just jealous.”

It’s easy to be jealous of billions of dollars.

“Uh…what kind of rumors?” Anger slithers up my spine. The more I learn about Jonathan Bridger, the more I hate him.

If my bastard father hurt Carly’s family, after everything they’ve already been through…

Vance may be angry, but he seems justified, although his focus is directed at the wrong people. Still…

“We’ve got to find a way to fix this,” I say, this time to both my brothers.

“I agree,” Miles says. “I know the mayor came on pretty strong, but I don’t get the feeling that he’s a bad guy.”

Yeah, he’s thinking like me.

“Then he ought to know we aren’t our father,” Chance says. “But he doesn’t seem to.”

I rub at my temples, which are starting to ache. “Let’s just make a deal with Vance. In a year, when we get our money, we’ll pay him the fair market value of his property plus a healthy amount of interest. Surely he’ll agree to that.”

Except I don’t believe my words.

Rick Vance might want his land back, but his focus now doesn’t seem to be the Bridger money.

He seems out for Bridger blood. That means mine. I knew it was tainted all along, but now it’s truly fucking with me. Vance’s hatred is like a sticky web, ensnaring Carly in it. Making her unhappy, which I don’t like at all.

Miles and I sit in the truck when Chance runs into the store for the supplies he needs and then we mutually decide to ditch the beer idea. We don’t talk much during the drive back to the ranch. I spend the time ruminating on how I disappointed Carly and how I can make it up to her.

I come up with zilch. I can’t fix my mom being sick. I don’t know how to fix this because I have no clue what’s going on.

Fuck.

We pull into the long driveway only to see a black Jaguar parked off in one of the guest spots.

“Shankle,” Chance says. “Is he going to check up on us all year long?”

“I don’t give a shit about that.” I click open the door of the truck. “But we can ask him about Vance’s land. See if we have enough money available to pay him off. I’ll forgo part of my thousand dollars a month if I have to.”

“That won’t be enough, Austin,” Miles says. “I’m not an expert on ranch land in Montana, but I know real estate.”

I sigh. I knew that when I said it. But damn, I’m willing to try anything. Anything to bring that beautiful smile back to Carly’s face. Anything to ease the ache in my gut from disappointing her. Because if Vance gets his way, she’s not coming back to work. Yeah, it would suck if I didn’t see her here, but this is about her happiness. I know how much she loves her job.

“Fine. But there’s one way to find out,” Chance says.

We walk into the house, give the dogs a few belly rubs, and then head into the living room where Shankle is sitting. In his black suit, bolo tie, and felt hat, he looks a lot like Johnny Cash. Funny I didn’t notice the resemblance the first couple times I met him.

“Mr. Shankle,” Chance says. “Didn’t realize we were out past curfew.”

“Boys,” he says, ignoring Chance’s sarcasm, “we’ve got a problem.”

Great. A problem. As if the list of problems isn’t long enough already.

Just great.

14

CARLY