Page 68 of Adam's Rising

She leaned against the new fence. “So… not exactly a breakup.”

Adam stepped closer. “Claire, I made it crystal clear. Besides, there could never be anything between Lala and me. This is a case of mistaken identity, on her part. If Lala knew I was Thomas’s sixteen-year-old brother, she wouldn’t want me anyway.”

She nodded, half-smiling. “Good. Because last night I heard her tell her daddy he shoulddo it, and it rattled me.”

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “Do what?”

“I don’t know. Sounded like she was trying to convince him to do something.”

Adam looked toward the barns, chewing the inside of his cheek. “He shoulddo something… Oh,” he said, a nervous laugh escaping. “Buy the ranch…”

“Buy the ranch?” Claire asked, utterly confused.

“When I told Lala to get off my lap… that Clara Mae was going to fire me, she said her daddy would buy the ranch.”

“Well, that’s… a relief. I think. At least she didn’t order a hit on you.”

“Not yet. Clara Mae said something yesterday, though. Don’t mess with cartel families. Not their girls. Not their money. Not even by accident.”

Claire’s eyes widened. “Obviously, Clara Mae doesn’t tiptoe around what everyone else speculated.”

“Nope!” He shook his head. “Dang, Claire. I didn’t mean to get tangled in all of this. But somehow, I landed a trifecta ofdon’t mess withs.”

Claire reached for his hand, gripping it tightly.

They stood there a moment before she said, “We need to be careful.”

“Yeah,” Adam said. “But how do we go from losing each other to finding each other, only to not be able to see each other?”

“I don’t know. I certainly don’t want to stay away from you, either. We just need to be careful on the ranch.” She smiled as she backed away from him. “There’s always the meadow and, someday, maybe your cabin.”

18

Two days later, Boyd showed up to retrieve his horse. He arrived late in the afternoon, loud and annoyed, stomping into the stable like he owned the place. They really needed to hire some more hands.

Adam caught sight of him near Bolt’s stall and walked over, wiping his hands on a rag.

“You here for Pickett?” Adam had never liked the guy, but knowing what he’d done to Claire had made his dislike morph to hatred.

Boyd didn’t answer at first. His gaze shifted beyond Adam to the other side of the open stalls — in the pasture where Claire was brushing Buttercup. His jaw clenched.

He stared deep into Adam’s eyes, as if he were looking for something… or trying to intimidate him.

It didn’t work. Adam stared right back, wishing he’d try something. Adam wasn’t one to start a fight, but like Peter, he’d finish it. You didn’t grow up in a house with two brothers and a wild father and not learn how to wrestle.

“You’re nothim,” he muttered so low Adam barely heard, but his gaze said everything.

Boyd knew he wasn’t Thomas. Anyone who really knew Thomas would know that while yeah, they looked like each other two years ago, Thomas had sprouted up over the last year. He was taller, darker, more hair… everywhere. Thomas looked —had looked— like a man.

Adam stiffened. “What did you say?”

Boyd grinned and moved toward the stall. “My horse ready?”

Adam offered one firm nod. “I’ll bring Pickett to the loading area. Rusty’s bringing up the rest —”

Boyd snatched the reins from Adam, then pushed his horse forward. “Get a move on, Pickett.” Before leading the gelding outside, he turned to Adam. “Better watch yourself,Thomas. People talk. When you piss off the right people ’round here, they know who to tell.”

And then he was gone.

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