Unbridled (7 page)

She snorted and mumbled under her breath as she put the license back in her overstuffed wallet. “Well, that’s a blessing, isn’t it?” Her smile was positively feral. “Now, what about the property?”

Connor was flummoxed by the change in topics. “The property?”

“The dude ranch. This piece of land we’re currently occupying.” She made a twirling motion with her finger. “Doesn’t this property belong to me now?”

“It’s a guest ranch, not a dude ranch. And it doesn’t entirely belong to any one person. You see, there are other people involved and—”

“What other people? There was me, my mother and my father. She’s buried up on the hill underneath that huge Bigtooth maple tree. I don’t know where the hell he’s buried.”

Connor told himself to stay calm. He didn’t need to get angry with her too. He told himself she was experiencing normal emotions after finding out her father had died.

“I think we need to spend some time with Michael Bailey—he was your father’s attorney. He’s out of town for a few days but he’ll be back later this week.”

“I don’t want to talk to an attorney right now anyway. Just tell me who the hell owns part of this ranch.” Alex’s voice grew harder and colder with each syllable. “I deserve to know that much.”

Connor wondered how much fury Alex Finley had inside. Judging by the way she reacted to the ranch not being hers, it was as much as he suspected, perhaps more. He had wanted to own a part of Finley’s for years, and after Grant died, the legal tangle had prevented him from fulfilling that desire. Maybe if he handled this situation right, he might be able to buy Alex’s half and then they’d both come out winners. She would have cash and he’d get half of Finley’s.

Connor had always dreamed of owning his own land. A poor kid from a bad neighborhood had no hope of actually owning anything but the lint in his pocket. Land had been out of his reach most of his life, until Grant Finley had yanked him from the road to jail and given him something to work toward. He coveted Finley’s Ranch, could almost taste the opportunity to own a substantial chunk of it.

He opened his mouth to speak when Daniel catapulted into the room with every smidge of an eight-year-old’s energy, screeching to a halt with his sneakers squeaking on the hardwood floor.

“Connor, wait until you see this! Buttons decided he was going to—” He caught sight of the visitor in the chair and his eyes widened. Connor noted they were every bit as blue as Alex’s.

“Daniel, what did I tell you about running in here?” Claire’s harried voice came from the hallway, and before Connor could say a word, she came into the office as well. When she spotted Alex, she smiled and turned to Connor. “Introduce us to your friend.” He thought he saw amusement in her gaze; little did she know there was nothing to smile about.

“Claire and Daniel Finley, meet Alex Finley.”

He let the words drop like a boulder into a quiet lake. The splash could likely be heard in the next county. Claire’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open. Daniel just looked confused as he stared at Alex.

Alex’s cheeks grew pink and he could see the muscles jumping in her jaw. “Finley?” Her voice was sharper than the knife in his desk.

“Alex Finley? Really? This is Grant’s daughter?” Claire held out a shaking hand after Connor nodded.

Alex didn’t move. “Finley?” she repeated.

“Yes, Finley. This is your stepmother and your half brother, Daniel.” Connor sat back and waited. He didn’t have to wait long.

“I have a sister?”

“I have a brother?” Alex looked at Daniel and shook her head. “No, I refuse to accept that. My parents had one child and that’s me.”

Claire looked as if she was going to fall over. “I can’t believe this is Alex Finley. We looked for you for so long.” She looked at Connor. “Did you tell her about the will?”

“No, I haven’t had a chance to.”

“I have a sister?” Daniel gazed around the adults with wonder on his face. “And she’s old too.”

“What about the will?” Alex’s voice grew louder the more Daniel hopped around the room. “Can you please ask the child to wait outside?”

“The child is half owner in this property and his name is Daniel Grant Finley.” Claire sounded shaky but firm. “This ranch is the only home he’s ever known, so I’ll ask you to treat him with respect.”

“Right now I don’t really want to talk to you. I just want to find out what’s going on.” Alex seemed to be at her breaking point as her hands dug into the plush arms on the chair. “What about the will?” She enunciated each word and her stare nearly burned a hole in Connor’s face.

“Daniel, please go outside now.” Connor didn’t want the kid exposed to too much of his sister’s anger, justified or not.

“Aw, but Connor . . .”

“It’s getting time for the guests to pick their saddles. I’m sure Julio can use your help.” It was the right thing to say. With a whoop of delight, Daniel scrambled out the door, leaving the tension in the room behind him.

“No more bullshit, Mr. Matthews. I think I’ve been more than patient here.” Alex completely ignored Claire, who was standing beside the desk. “Or tell me where this attorney is and I’ll find out on my own.”

Connor didn’t want the first meeting between the women to be such a mess, but it was too late to stop it. He found himself wanting to throw Alex over his knees and spank her until she stopped behaving as if the world owed her something. She’d been through a hell of a lot that morning, but still, he prided himself on his iron control and she couldn’t be testing it more.

“I told you he’s out of town until later this week. I can set up a meeting when he returns, but for now I can fill you in on the gist of it. Michael can give you the particulars. The will has split the ranch and its property in equal proportions for his two children, you and Daniel. Claire gets a monthly stipend for the rest of her life. I am head of operations and receive a salary just like anyone else at the ranch, but I have control over the business.” Connor heard the steel in his own tone.

Alex watched his face carefully, her blue eyes like chips of ice. “I think you need to contact that attorney so I can see this will. Not that I don’t believe you, but understand that I have never even seen you before and I’ve learned to trust no one.” Her gaze moved to Claire’s. “You, however—I remember very well when you showed up here hanging on my father’s arm before my mother’s body was even cold. I hope you enjoyed her funeral.”

Claire’s cheeks flushed and Connor realized angry Alex was telling the truth. He’d had no idea Grant would have brought his new wife to his first wife’s funeral. It seemed out of character for the man he’d looked up to.

“I, uh, didn’t know your mother had passed away. I tried to offer my condolences but—”

Alex cut her off with a wave of her hand. “It was ten years ago and your apologies don’t really mean much now. I was a scared, grieving sixteen-year-old girl and you appeared with my runaway father. Forgive me for not accepting you at your word. As I just said, I don’t trust anyone, least of all you.”

Connor imagined Alex as a teenager, angry and full of sadness over her mother’s death. He wondered why Grant had left them and if her anger was misplaced. Perhaps Grant had had a very good reason, or perhaps his timing was just a coincidence.

“Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to review the books as soon as possible. I have a laptop, so if I can get access to the network, I’ll use it to open whatever program you use for accounting purposes. Also I’d like the name of the attorney and his number so I can verify he’s out of town.” Alex rose and Connor couldn’t have been more surprised to see her entire body trembling. She was iron on the outside, but obviously not on the inside. He wanted to comfort her, even if she’d been a bitch to Claire and Daniel.

“Where are you staying? I can get all the information to you.”

Alex’s smile didn’t even come close to her eyes. “I’m staying here, so you either find me a room or I’ll pick one. When you have the information I need, find me.”

With that, Alex left the room, leaving disaster in her wake as if she’d been a tiny brown-haired hurricane. Connor met Claire’s worried gaze. Grant had left quite a mess and it would take a lot of patience to sort it out. God help him if Alex proved to be as difficult as she’d already been, because then he really would have to spank her.

A
lex didn’t even remember walking out of the house, but she found herself at the pasture, watching the horses graze. She had adored riding, and everything that went with it. The smell of the grass, the horses, even the not-so-sweet odor of the horse shit reminded her of just how much.

She swallowed with difficulty and focused on controlling her breathing. The shallow breaths she’d managed in Connor’s office had done nothing but make her light-headed. That in addition to all the shocks God saw fit to throw at her helped to make her feel as if she was having an out-of-body experience.

Not only was her father dead, but the ranch was ten times its original size and a fucking hotel for pretend cowboys. She had a
brother
, for pity’s sake. Her father finally had gotten the son he always wanted. No wonder he’d never mentioned Alex—there was no need since he was finally pleased with his family.

She knew it wasn’t the boy’s fault and didn’t blame the little booger. His mother, however, definitely had a guilty conscience, and she damn well should. The memory of seeing her at Katie Finley’s funeral, of the expression on her face, still made Alex bubble with anger.

No matter what her father’s motives were, as soon as Claire realized what was going on, she should have left immediately. Everyone was in black; there was a hearse and a coffin. It wasn’t rocket science, and unless she was masquerading as human, Claire had known it was a funeral but she’d stayed there on Grant’s arm as if she belonged there.

Alex walked around the ranch in a daze. There were groups of people learning to rope a sawhorse with horns, others who were oiling tack, and some standing around watching a young woman teach them how to saddle a horse.

The morning had given way to a beautiful warm day, with plenty of sunshine and blue skies. It seemed almost sacrilegious to be so gorgeous outside when she felt so horrible inside. Nobody spoke to her, although she saw some curious stares from the people working. They all wore light blue shirts and jeans with a happy name tag that read FINLEY’S STAFF.

Alex counted at least twenty cabins nestled on the property, some with people sitting in rocking chairs outside on their small porches. Many of them nodded or said hello as she meandered past. There were signs everywhere leading people to the corral, the barn, the mess hall and a fishing hole.

There were signs leading to six different trails of apparently varying levels of expertise on a horse. Small water troughs were everywhere—one side was for a horse; the other had a spigot for human watering purposes.

It was a perfect, idyllic setting and Alex wanted to hate every inch of it. It had been her home, where she grew up, kissed a boy, learned to ride, where she’d felt loved by her mother. Now it was a stranger’s dude ranch and there was nothing left of her home except the name.

She wandered back to the corrals where dozens of horses milled around. Obviously the riders hadn’t gone out yet, although given that it was likely near ten o’clock, she expected the riding would begin soon in order to be back for lunch. She couldn’t even contemplate eating now.

Alex pressed her forehead against the corral fence and blocked out the sight of Claire’s young face from ten years earlier. Done was done, and Alex needed to focus on the now, on the ranch that was now half hers.

There was no way in hell she’d simply accept everything Connor told her. Alex had worked as an accountant for the last eight years, and the books had better be in perfect condition. If he gave her shit about looking at them, she would do what she could to make him hand over the information. Anger was good—it helped her forget just how devastated she was.

A heated gust and a wuffle caressed her face. She looked up into the brown eyes of a large bay horse. Her tight throat loosened as she stepped back enough to get a good look at him. The white blaze in the shape of a comma near his ear made her breath catch.

“It couldn’t be.” She rubbed him behind the ear and the horse shook his head. “Oh my God. Rusty?” With a laugh she hugged his great neck and realized there was one living creature on the ranch she knew, one who recognized her.

Rusty had been her father’s favorite bay, an even-tempered gelding with an easy gait. She’d ridden him the very day her father brought him home when she was ten. It was amazing the horse was still there after so many years.

“You’re still here, boy. I’m so glad to see you.” He seemed to understand her joy because he allowed her to pet and glom all over him. Rusty was an anchor in the sea of confusion in which she swam. Horses had always had a calming influence on her. They seemed to have a way of listening whenever she had a problem or just needed to vent. “At least someone is glad to see me.”

He wuffled again and stuck his nose in the crook of her neck.

“Old friend?”

Alex’s joy at finding Rusty went south at the sound of Connor’s voice. “Yes, actually, he is.”

He stepped up beside her, and Rusty immediately leaned toward Connor, eager for whatever the man had to offer. Traitor.

“He’s a good horse. One of the best we have. I reserve him only for the VIPs.” He whispered in the horse’s ear and a carrot magically appeared in his outstretched palm. So now he was bribing the equines. Rusty delicately took the proffered orange treat and it disappeared into his great mouth.

“What do you want?” Alex kept her voice steady even as she wanted to get some distance between her and the man who confused her. She didn’t want to like him, but it seemed the universe had other ideas. Even standing there upset and reeling, she was still aware of him as a man, the tight jeans, the well-worn boots, and those hands. She loved a man with wide palms and calluses.