LITMIR.BIZ

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thoughts turned once again to his father. Cadde was in the oil business because of him. Chuck Hardin roughnecked his entire life, but he’d said his sons would do better. They’d get an education and work their way up the ladder into a position of power.

      Cadde had worked toward that one goal and now it was within his grasp. Somehow, though, it was tainted by the betrayal of his father. The man who’d taught him about family values and honor was a phony. Cadde didn’t want any son or daughter of his to think that of him. He wanted to be in his child’s life one hundred percent of every day. And he didn’t want a baby conceived as part of a business deal.

      Damn Jessie!

      “Cadde,” Chance prompted again.

      Cadde swung from the window and walked back to his desk. “Are you two through arguing?”

      “Yeah,” Chance replied. “We decided Kid’s an ass and left it at that.”

      “We did not!” Kid protested.

      Cadde held up his hand. “Enough. I have some important things to discuss with you.” He glanced at the document. “The day that Jessie gives birth she’ll sign over a share of her stock to me…giving me control of Shilah.”

      “Hot damn, now we’re talking.” Kid jumped to his feet in excitement and then stilled. “What’s wrong? I can see something is by the look on your face.”

      Cadde remained silent, having a hard time explaining the situation to his brothers. But they had a stake in Shilah, as well.

      Chance leaned forward. “What you’re saying is that you and Jessie haven’t had a real marriage and she wants to make it real in every way possible.”

      “That’s about it,” Cadde had to admit.

      “So what’s the problem?” Kid wanted to know. “You’ve worked your ass off for Roscoe for years and now it’s time for the big reward you’ve been waiting for. Jessie’s handing it to you on a platter. All you have to do is get her pregnant. Easy as pie.” Kid’s eyes narrowed on him. “You’re hesitating. Why?” Before he could form a reply Kid added, “You’re not impotent, are you?”

      Chance slapped Kid’s shoulder. “Shut up, you idiot.”

      “I’m not shutting up!” Kid yelled. “I have a stake in this business, and if you hit me one more time I’m gonna knock you on your ass.”

      “Just try.” Chance faced him—two brothers, same height, same build, both angry and neither afraid to fight.

      “Cut it out, dammit. I don’t need you two at each other’s throats.”

      “Hell, Cadde, that’s what we do best—fight with one another.” Kid was back to his usual cheerful self. “Just tell us why you’re finding it hard to accept Jessie’s offer.”

      “Because it’s a business deal. I never planned on my firstborn being part of a negotiated legal document.”

      “So?” Kid pressed. “It gives you control of Shilah. That’s what you’ve wanted.”

      Cadde eased into his leather chair. “I keep thinking about Dad.”

      “Oh, God.” Kid closed his eyes. “Let’s not go down that road.”

      “When we were boys,” Cadde went on, as if Kid hadn’t spoken, “he was a good father. I thought there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do. I hung on his every word, but in the end he tarnished all of those childhood memories with his betrayal. I don’t want a child of mine to have bad memories of me.”

      “Why would he or she have anything but love for you?” Chance asked.

      “Because Jessie wants full custody.”

      “Oh, my God.” Clearly, Chance was shocked. “She’s asking you to give up your flesh and blood?”

      “She says I can see the child whenever I want, but basically I’d be trading the baby for Shilah.” His eyes swung to Kid. “Now do you understand my hesitation? Imagine how that child is going to feel about me later in life. I don’t want any kid of mine to have bad feelings about his father.”

      Kid looked straight at him. “Then do something. You’re a wheeling-dealing gambler just like Roscoe. You can do anything if you put your mind to it. Remember that little old lady in Midland who said she’d die before she’d lease her land? Even I couldn’t sweet-talk her, but you mentioned her kids and how the money would benefit them. You had her eating out of the palm of your hand. You have to do that now. Find a way around this business deal. Make it work for you and Shilah.”

      “For once I agree with Kid,” Chance said. “Whatever you do, though, do not give up your rights as a father.”

      “I’ve got a handle on it now, guys. Thanks.”

      “That’s what brothers are for,” Kid replied as he and Chance headed for the door.

      Cadde drew the document forward. Jessie wasn’t going to have it all her way. He picked up a pen and began to scratch out lines he didn’t like and then he added his demands. At the bottom he scribbled his name.

      Jessie was in for a shock.

      CHAPTER THREE

      CADDE MARCHED THROUGH the back door of the Murdock house. “Jessie,” he called.

      No one answered, but he found Rosa in the kitchen. “Where’s Jessie?”

      “Mr. Cadde,” Rosa acknowledged in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting you again.”

      “Where’s Jessie?”

      Rosa wiped her hands on her apron. “Probably at the barn. She went to feed her animals.”

      Animals? What the hell was Rosa talking about? It suddenly hit him that he knew absolutely nothing about his wife other than she was Roscoe’s daughter and a pain to deal with at board meetings. He had no idea how she filled her days. He just had this vision of her lying across the bed in that big master bedroom eating bonbons. Obviously, she had more animals than that silly dog.

      Before he could question Rosa, Jessie came through the door looking flushed. He did a double take and wasn’t really sure it was her at first. She wore jeans, a blue T-shirt and work boots. Dark stains smeared her T-shirt and strands of dark brown hair had worked loose from her knot, curling around her face. She looked like a teenager bent on a day of mischief.

      “Cadde,” she said, breathing heavily. Evidently she’d run to the house. “I saw your truck…”

      He held up the document in his hand. “We need to talk.”

      “Oh. Okay. Let me wash my hands first.” She hurried into the bathroom off the kitchen.

      “You don’t really know Miss Jessie, do you?” Rosa asked in a disapproving voice.

      “No, ma’am. I don’t,” Cadde answered truthfully.

      Rosa shook her head. “Mr. Roscoe was a good man but paranoid about his daughter. He never allowed her any freedom and…”

      Jessie came back, interrupting Rosa. “I’ll check on Mirry and I’ll meet you in the sunroom,” she said to him.

      “The dog can wait. We need to talk.”

      “I’m checking on Mirry.” Her dark eyes narrowed and she brushed past him.

      He charged into the sunroom, anger eating at his insides. Was she always going to have the upper hand? Whipping off his hat, he slammed it onto the glass table along with the damn document. He eased into a rattan chair, feeling out of place in the green-and-white room that overlooked the closed-in pool. Plants seemed to be everywhere, even hanging from the ceiling.

      He took a long breath, trying to relax. He’d been negotiating business deals for years and he never felt as nervous as he did today.

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