Chapter 13

Sawyer heard the two women's voices long before he got the barn and picked up his pace, afraid that Helen had come back again, but when he rushed through the doors, Piper was talking to an older woman he didn't recognize. He had a second to study the pair before they noticed him, and he began to see the resemblance between them. The woman had to be Piper's mother, he decided closing the distance between them, and putting his arm around Piper.

"Oh, Sawyer, there you are," she said, a look of relief on her face. "This is my mother, Heather, and she was just leaving."

Piper's mother studied them for a second, then understanding blossomed in her eyes, "Oh……Sawyer……it's nice to meet you," she stammered. "I was just urging Piper to go see her father. He isn't well and he'd really like to see her. Maybe you can help me convince her, it would really be best for everyone."

"Well, I don't know about that," Sawyer said, looking down at Piper, who looked furious. "The way I see it, the choice should be up to Piper, but if it was me and I wanted forgiveness, I'd come to her. That's the way it's usually done."

The anger in Piper's eyes faded away, replaced by the warmth of love, and he pulled her just a little closer. "Oh, he couldn't do that," Heather said, shaking her head, "he's not well enough to travel this far."

"Then that's his problem," Piper said. "It's not my job to make him feel better about what he did."

"Please, Piper, it's just a couple of hours out of your life," her mother begged. "I can't go home and tell him that you refused, it will crush him. He really has changed, and he regrets sending you away all those years ago. That's what he wants to tell you. He wants things to be different, all I'm asking is that you give him a chance to tell you all of this himself."

"All I can promise is that I'll think about it," Piper said. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a ranch to run."

"Please, Piper, it would mean so much to me," Heather said. "But if you don't want to do it, I'll understand."

Piper didn't say anything. As far as she was concerned, the conversation was over, but as soon as she was out of sight, Piper sagged in Sawyer's arms and leaned up against him. "That was not how I wanted to start the day," she said. "Just hold me for a few minutes until I feel better."

They stood in the middle of the barn, arms wrapped around each other for a long time, then Piper sighed, "I guess I should have known this was going to happen eventually," she said. "I just didn't expect it to be so hard. I really thought that I hated them, but seeing my mom……"

She buried her face in Sawyer's chest again, "They're still your parents, Piper," he said, stroking her back. "As messed up as they are, they were a part of your life for eighteen years. It's hard to let go of those feelings, and maybe you don't have to. Maybe your mother was telling the truth."

"Do you really think so?" Piper asked, pulling back to look up at him. "My father has never changed his mind about anything in his life, but if he really is dying……"

"I'm not telling you that you should go," Sawyer said. "Only you can make that decision."

"I'm not sure what I want to do," she said with a sigh. "I think I need some time to think about it."

"I think that's a good idea," he said, pulling her close again. "I'll support you no matter what decision you make. I just want you to be happy, but I don't think you should go in there blind. Let's give my mom a call, she has connections all over the state. Let's see what the gossip train has to say about your father."

Sawyer pulled out his phone, clicked speed dial for his mom, then turned on the speaker, "Hey, Mom," he said, when she picked up. "I need your help."

"What's wrong?" his mom asked. "Is it Reese? She's not sick, is she?"

"No, it's nothing like that, Reese is fine. It's Piper that I'm worried about," he said. "Have you heard anything about her father having cancer? I know that's a bit out of your territory, but I'm sure you know someone who will know."

"First of all, don't underestimate me, I have a good friend who lives right down the road from Piper's parents. She'll know what's what," his mom said, a bit indignant. "Secondly, what is this all about? I really need to know before I start poking around."

He hesitated for a second, then looked over at her, "This is just between us," he said. "Piper's mom was just here, she wants her to come to dinner at their house, supposedly so her father can apologize or something like that. Heather claims that he's got cancer and only a year to live. I guess I just want to make sure Piper's not walking into an ambush if she goes."

His mom was silent for a second, "I don't like the sound of this," she finally said. "Tell Piper to stay away from them until I find out what's going out over there. I don't trust her father; he's a rude, egotistical bigot."

"Well, Mom, tell us how you really feel," he said, shaking his head. "But thanks for your help, we really appreciate it."

"Piper is family," his mother said. "No thanks needed; I'll call you as soon as I know something."

***Piper***

Piper climbed the porch steps, wondering how many times she'd done the same thing over the years, but when she reached the imposing front door, she paused, unable to raise her hand to ring the bell. Until six years ago, she would have just walked into the house, but she felt like a stranger now, the ranch and house foreign to her, as if the first eighteen years of her life had never happened. This was no longer home, she realized, stepping back and looking at the door again. Home was Sawyer and the ranch they'd created together.

Her confidence back, she reached up and rang the doorbell, rolling her eyes when she heard the familiar gong sounding throughout the house. Only a second later, her mother opened the door, the butler standing right behind her, a disapproving look on his face, and for a second, she was eighteen years old again.

"Piper, I'm so glad you could make it," her mother said, gesturing for her to come inside. "You look so nice, I'm glad the dress fit. I was hoping you'd wear it."

"I only did it to make you happy," she said, surprised to hear the sound of male laughter coming from the dining room. "I thought it was just going to be us for dinner."

"Oh, well……you know your father, he wanted to make a celebration of it," her mother said, not meeting her eyes. "Honestly, I didn't know anything about it until the last minute. I'm sorry, Piper. Please stay, you just got here, and we haven't had a chance to talk."

"I didn't come here to go to a party," she said, then saw the pleading in her mother's eyes. "I'll stay for a little while, but then I'm leaving."

A smile spread across her mother's face, "Oh, I'm so glad," she said. "Your father would have been so disappointed, he means well, you know that, Piper."

She shook her head, "I don't know how you can still believe that," she said. "He's only interested in what he wants. That's the way it's always been and will always be. When are you going to see that?"

"Piper, let's not do this now," her mother said, looking anxiously around. "We have guests."

That should have been her cue to leave, but instead she followed her mother into the dining room, "Look, boys, here's the woman of the hour," her father bellowed as soon as he saw her. "And right on time, you always were a punctual little thing."

She looked around the room, her heart sinking. Besides her mother, she was the only woman in the room, and the four hungry pairs of eyes that raked her up and down weren't looking at her mother. Before she could back out of the room, one of the men jumped to his feet, walked over to her, a big smile on his face, took her by the arm and led her to a chair.

"Your father said you were beautiful, just not how beautiful," the man said. "I'm Jacob Malone. It's a real pleasure to meet you, little lady. We've heard a lot about you."

"Funny, I haven't heard a word about you," she said, pulling away from him. "I can manage on my own, thank you."

"Piper, where are your manners?" her father asked, a warning look on his face, and for a moment she felt like she was a kid again. "Jacob was just trying to be nice."

"I think maybe this was a mistake," she said, trying to get to her feet. "I'm leaving."

When she tried to get to her feet, Jacob put his hands on her shoulders and held her down, "Now, Piper, we're just getting started," he said. "Sit back, relax, your father planned a special meal for us; the least we can do is enjoy it."

She looked over at her mother, who was staring down into her lap, "And if I don't want to?" she asked, glancing around the room, alarmed to see two of the men who had been sitting at the table blocking both of the doors out of the room.

"Then you can watch us while we eat," Jacob said, then leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Behave yourself, and this will all be a lot easier."

The first ripple of fear washed over her, but she told herself she was overreacting, "What's going on?" she asked, glaring at her father. "Why did you get me over here? I have a feeling it isn't to apologize."

"You always were a smart girl," her father said, then nodded at Jacob. "I think you can sit down now, son. Piper understands that she won't be going anywhere."

"You can't keep me prisoner here," she said, getting to her feet, but the man closest to her came over and pushed her back into the chair. "You've got to be kidding me! Not even you can get away with this."

"Just for the record, I didn't want to do it this way," Jacob said, shaking his head. "But your father thinks that you need a strong hand."

"Let's get back to the business of the moment," her father said. "Piper, I've been as patient as I can be, but I'm afraid my time is quickly running out, and I can't die without having an heir, so we're going to have to work very quickly."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, again, trying to get to her feet, only to be pushed back down, a little more forcefully. "How exactly are you planning on getting an heir?"

"Why, the usual way, of course," her father said, waving his hand in the air. "You and Jacob will be married in two days, and I expect you to produce a son nine months from now."

She was so shocked she couldn't speak for several long seconds, and then she looked over at Jacob, "You can't honestly think I'll do this," she said, then looked over at her mother. "This is crazy, he's crazy, someone do something."

"Oh, you'll do it, I'm going to see to it that you do," Jacob said, getting to his feet. "Your father has offered to compensate me generously. I'll have this ranch to run until our son gets old enough to take over and just to sweeten the deal, I'll have you in my bed. All in all, it's a deal I can't refuse, so you see, Piper, I'm very anxious to make your father happy."

"I'll fight you ever step of the way," she said. "I'll never let you into my bed. I'll kill you before that happens."

Jacob crossed the room, grabbed her by the jaw, and made her look up at him, "We can take the easy way, or we can take the hard way, it doesn't matter to me," he said. "I like my women with a little fire inside them. You and I are going to have a lot of fun together, and I'm going to enjoy teaching you what I like."

"You're going to be sorry," she hissed at him. "I'll never give into you, never."

"We'll see," Jacob said, pushing her away, then looked at the man standing behind her. "Take her up to our room and lock her in. I'll be up to deal with her after dinner."

The man grabbed her and pulled her out of the chair, "Let me go," she screamed, then looked over at her mother. "Don't let him do this, please……I'm your daughter."

Her mother looked away, shaking her head, her face filled with sadness and fear, then got up from the table and ran out of the room. "Get her out of here," her father said. "I'm ready for my dinner."