Page 18 of River Legacy
“Sorry I’m alive or sorry you got caught?”
“Sorry I’ve been such a shitty brother.” He’d almost sounded truthful.
“Mother wants to believe that you’ve reached rock bottom and might now see the error of your ways,” she’d said, glaring at him. “I think she’s deluding herself. You’re incapable of changing even if you seriously wanted to. Oh, you’d say anything to get out of this. But I know you, CJ. You’re rotten to the core. If you get out of here, you’ll go back to your old ways in a heartbeat. No one will be safe from you.”
She’d seen that he was trying to keep his cool. She always could get under his skin.
“Then, why did you bother to come here?” he’d demanded.
“Because I had to look into your eyes to make sure.”
“And now you’re sure?” He’d held her gaze for a few moments before dragging it away. “You’re right. I’d do anything to get out of here, let alone not go to prison for years. Why wouldn’t I? But maybe I’m not all bad. Maybe there’s hope for me. Don’t you believe in second chances?”
He must have seen that she wasn’t buying it, because he’d continued. “How’s life with Pickett? I heard he’s building a house for the two of you.”
“You aren’t really interested in my life.”
“Heard Tilly’s pregnant. Do we know if it’s a boy or girl yet?”
“Stop it, CJ.”
“You think I don’t know that things have changed?” he’d demanded. “Tilly’s married to a McKenna, and you’re practically married to onetoo. Both of you will be living on the McKenna Ranch. Brand and Ryder have taken over the family ranch. Brand’s now with the daughter of Dixon Malone, mother’s murdered second husband? I hear about all of it. Isn’t it possible that I wish I’d done things differently so I’m a part of it? It’s like you’ve all written me off, forgotten about me as you all go on with your lives as if I never existed.”
Oakley had smiled. “There’s the CJ I know. Poor you. If you’d gotten your way, I would be dead right now. You would have kept the feud going between the two families. It’s been a relief not having you around.” Her voice had broken with emotion. “You’re the family’s bad seed. You will never change.”
She’d seen the look on his face. He’d thought he was never getting out as she’d slammed down the phone and, without even a look back, walked out.
But her mother still wanted to believe that CJ could change, that being in jail all that time had put the fear of God in him.
“Your mother is delusional if she thinks CJ has changed,” Pickett said now. “I’m worried about what he will do. CJ is dangerous when it comes to you. I shouldn’t have to tell you that.” He didn’t. She knew her brother better than anyone. Anyone except her mother. Not to mention Pickett had been the one who’d saved her life that night when CJ’s hired thugs had almost killed her.
Charlotte desperately wanted to believe that a person could change, because she had finally forgiven her former lover Holden McKenna. When they were both young, Holden had broken her heart. While Oakley believed that her mother probably had forgiven Holden, Charlotte seemed to have forgotten her decades-long vendetta against him—a battle she’d dragged her and Holden’s families into.
“I know that look,” Pickett said, drawing Oakley into his arms. “TheI want to believe CJ’s changed and to forgive and forgetlook.”
She smiled. She wasn’t about to do that. Nor did she trust that he’d changed—even though their mother apparently did. But then, CJ had always been her favorite.
“It doesn’t matter how I feel about CJ. I’m married to a handsome cowboy,” she said, snuggling up to him. “I’m living in this beautiful house you built for us and happier than I ever knew possible. I want to enjoy it. No conflict, no drama.”
After her last miscarriage, the doctor had told her that she needed to relax. Getting upset wasn’t helping. “Forget about conceiving for a while,” he’d suggested. “Find something you enjoy doing and throw yourself into that.”
She’d thrown herself into making her new house a home with the man she loved. The doctor had been right. It had taken the stress off in the bedroom. Instead of trying to conceive, she found she was enjoying the lovemaking more. She’d convinced herself that they would have a child someday even if they had to adopt. Pickett had assured her theywould fill this new house with children even if he had to steal them from an orphanage.
“I don’t think we have orphanages anymore. Maybe you can steal a few from a foster care program,” she’d suggested, only partly joking.
He smiled at her now and gave her a kiss. “I just want to enjoy you too. But knowing that CJ’s out... I can’t help but worry about you.”
“We don’t have to see him. If our paths ever cross—”
“You’ll play nice,” he said as he let go of her. “And so will I. We want him to think that we’re not a danger to him. Otherwise...”
“Maybe all this time in jail waiting for his trial has taught him something,” she said, not believing a word of it.
Her husband scoffed at that.
She changed the subject. “I can’t wait to see Ryder and this woman he brought back from Billings. She’s the daughter of the developer who’s been trying to buy the Stafford Ranch.”
“That sounds suspiciously dangerous.”
