Chapter 2

two

. . .

Cross

Present day

" R iver."

The last time I saw River Adams, I was inside her, taking her virginity, making her mine as she told me she loved me.

Biggest fucking mistake of my life. Which was saying something, considering how I made my living.

Years of hurt and confusion burned in emerald eyes that always saw way too fucking much. I was an asshole, but I knew that and never pretended to be anything different. It was on her if she hadn't seen me for who I was. For a girl who watched me like a hawk, she'd been looking through rose-colored glasses where I was concerned.

"Is it cold in here, or is that just me?" Walker asked in a misguided attempt at lightening the mood.

Without acknowledging my brother's words, I cut a glance over to the lawyer standing at the head of our long conference table. My father had this made out of a slab from one of the red oaks surrounding the property that had fallen during a storm when I was a kid. It used to fascinate me to no end. I'd spend hours tracing the ragged edges of the wood, imagining the grooves were paths on a map of a fantastical world far away from here. That was before I'd been shown the bitter truths of reality.

Now, I didn't imagine a damn thing. There was no escaping my reality, and it was better for everyone if I remembered that. People had a way of finding themselves on the wrong side of a rifle when I forgot.

Or worse.

The Crosses weren't good people. We may have more money than God and a damn castle to boot, but we were the bad guys, and we did bad things. End of story.

I didn't need to say a word as I held McCreedy's stare. Years working side by side in our fathers' shadows had made us partners of a sort. Usually he was cleaning up my mess, but I paid him well for the privilege, so he didn't say shit when I told him to jump. He just fucking jumped. It's why we worked so well together. If a man like me had friends, McCreedy would be the closest thing I had.

The lawyer gave me a little nod and opened his briefcase while I pulled out a chair and sat as Walker and River took their places across from me.

"All right. Miss Adams, I'm Jackson McCreedy, the Cross family's attorney. Thank you for joining us. I know it was a long trip from Alaska." He pulled out three manila folders and passed one to each of us. "The stipulations of Cross Senior's will were very clear, and we wouldn't be able to do this today if you hadn't joined us in person."

River glanced around the room, her expression filled with confusion. "Is this everyone? I honestly don't understand why I'm part of this. I'm not family."

"No. You aren't," I grumbled, forcing myself to look into her eyes again, even though facing her was the last thing I wanted to do. To say I didn't want her here was a massive fucking understatement. If I had my way, she wouldn't be within a hundred miles of this place. "She shouldn't be here."

"It's not my place to know why, only to do," McCreedy said with a self-deprecating smile.

"Don't listen to my brother, ladybug. He's had a stick up his ass since the day you left town. I'm glad you're here. It's been too damn long." Walker took her hand and squeezed.

If I clenched my teeth any harder, my molars were going to fucking crack.

"The sooner we get this over with, the sooner she can go back to wherever the fuck she was hiding." I stared McCreedy down and opened my folder. "What the fuck is this?" I asked, my eyes lifting from what appeared to be a transcript.

"I was getting to that." McCreedy grabbed a remote and pushed a button, opening a panel on the wall and turning on a flat-screen TV.

My father's face appeared on the screen, and what felt like a thousand insects began to crawl beneath my skin. From the look of him, this had been made within the last year. His hair was peppered with gray, eyes sharp but sporting deep crow's feet, jaw unshaven with a neatly trimmed beard.

"Hello, boys. River. I'd say it's good to see y'all, but we all know that's not why you're watching this. My life caught up with me. I hope the funeral was nice." He glanced off camera and nodded. "Jackson says I need to get to the point, so here we go. I, Daniel Everett Cross Senior, being of sound mind and body, declare this my last will and testament." He held up a newspaper displaying the date—two months before his death—then continued. "This ain't gonna be an easy pill to swallow for any of you, but I have my reasons. To my eldest son, Daniel Everett Cross Junior, I leave my collection of antique guns, my horse Julep, and a twenty-five percent share of Twisted Cross Ranch, along with all related Cross Industries assets."

My gut clenched. Twenty-five percent? "Are you fucking serious?"

"To my son, Walker Wayne Cross, I leave my collection of classic cars with the stipulation that if one is totaled due to his negligence, ownership will immediately pass to Junior, and a twenty-five percent share of Twisted Cross Ranch, along with all related Cross Industries assets."

I couldn't believe this was happening. "This has to be a joke."

Anger burned in my brother's eyes. "No less than I expected," he muttered, used to my father's mind games.

On screen, my father sighed heavily. "Now this is the part I know will come as the biggest shock, but I want y'all to know, as I said before, I have my reasons, which hopefully will become clear in due time. So last, River Danielle Adams, I leave you the remaining fifty percent share of Twisted Cross Ranch, along with all related Cross Industries assets."

I jumped to my feet, slamming my hands on the table. "This is bullshit!"

McCreedy paused the video and waited silently.

My fiery gaze pinned River. "What did you do to him to get him to give you all this? Were the two of you fucking in secret? Couldn't keep the heir, so you went for the king instead?"

Her eyes widened, and a flush stained her cheeks, but she managed to keep her voice even as she said, "I may like older men, Cross, but not that much older, and as you already know, I've been in Alaska. So unless this supposed affair was a virtual one and my pussy is so magical, just looking at it is enough to inspire a man to acts of madness, your theory is dead in the water."

I happened to know for a fact how magical her pussy was, and it only infuriated me further. "Who's to say you were even there? If it acts like a whore and looks like a whore?—"

"That's enough, Cross," Walker growled, getting to his feet, ready to put himself between her and me. "Let's see what else the old man has to say. We can't change it."

"Maybe not, but if you think I won't be contesting this bullshit, you're dead fucking wrong." I stormed to the bar on the other side of the room, fuming as I went. Once I'd poured myself a liberal serving of whiskey, I took a deep breath, knocked it back, and nodded at McCreedy to continue. I needed to be as far away from River as possible.

The video resumed, and my asshole game-playing father grinned on the screen. "I know you're likely throwing a hissy fit right now, but it can't be helped. This is how it has to be. Half of this company was always her birthright, and with her father gone, it rightfully belongs to her. In addition to the majority shares of the ranch and all business interests, I'm leaving the lodge to River on the stipulation that both my boys get to stay. The rest of the details are in the document Jackson has prepared for you three." The old man lifted a glass of whiskey, tipped his hat, and winked at the camera before the screen went dark.

River sat there, her eyes wide, disbelief stamped on her face. It was almost enough to make me believe her innocent act wasn't all smoke and mirrors. Almost.

McCreedy cleared his throat. "That's not all, I'm afraid. If I could please direct your attention to the final page of the document I handed to you. It outlines the remaining pertinent details."

"You mean there's more?" River asked.

"Ladybug, when it comes to our father, there's always more. Senior isn't happy unless he's well and truly fucked you."

Shaking with anger, I returned to my seat and flipped to the last page of his transcript.

There it was, in bullet-pointed bold font.

River Danielle Adams must maintain residence at Twisted Cross Ranch for a period of no less than 365 consecutive days prior to any sale or transfer of her majority shares.

This stipulation also pertains to the sale or transfer of any and all properties and assets owned by Twisted Cross Ranch and/or Cross Industries.

Should Ms. Adams vacate the property, all shares will be placed in a trust only accessible by McCreedy and Sons until sold at public auction.

My fury was all-consuming. There was no goddamn universe in which I would be okay with River Adams becoming my roommate. Fuck, not just my roommate, my damn landlord. The property was more than big enough for us to never cross paths, but I wasn't fool enough to believe that would actually happen. If she was here, constantly underfoot, I'd find her. Just like when she was a kid. She'd always been a moth, and I was the flame, ready to burn off her wings. Or maybe I was fooling myself, and it was the other way around.

"But I don't want to live here. I have a whole life back home. A business. Animals to take care of." Her eyes flicked to mine, and her expression hardened. "A boyfriend. I can't just up and leave."

The thought of her having some pencil-dicked boyfriend waiting for her back in Alaska had me white-knuckling the arms of my chair. It shouldn't, but it did.

"Tell him you'll be gone longer than you thought, sparrow. This house has been in my family for a hundred years. I won't lose it because you can't keep a bargain."

"Is it a bargain if it's forced on me? A gilded cage is still a cage."

"Oh yeah, you're really the inconvenienced party here. Cry me a fucking river, River ."

"Cute."

"You used to think so."

"Used to is the operative phrase there." She cut a glance at McCreedy. "Are we done here? I have a hotel room waiting for me in town."

McCreedy cleared his throat, but years of working for my family kept his expression blank. "It behooves me to inform you, Miss Adams, that the clock starts after you spend your first night under this roof. Although there is a clause that allows you seven days to begin your tenure here, I would suggest you make alternative arrangements so you may begin your stay tonight. After seven days, however, your shares will be null and void as outlined in the document."

"The sooner we get this year over with, the sooner you can get out of my hair and sell me back my life," I grumbled. "I'm not giving up everything because you're a stubborn, spoiled brat. Call your hotel. Cancel your registration. Don't worry about your clothes, you can buy more. God knows you have enough money now. The countdown begins tonight."