Page 76 of Inheriting Miss Fortune

Kenji’s entire face lit up. “Here we go. Now you’re talking. I think I need to dial in the guys.”

“Do not dial in the guys,” I warned.

“Even if you weren’t rich,” Tully continued, “I’d still wonder why you have so little personnel caring for such a large ranch. It makes no sense.”

“Agreed,” Kenji said gleefully, typing away on his keyboard. I knew what was coming.

The familiar chime of a video call preceded my groan. “Seriously?”

Landry’s voice was the first one to come through Kenji’s laptop speakers. “Did they arrest those bastards?”

I shot a look at Kenji. “How does he know already?”

Surprisingly, Kenji’s cheeks took on the barest tinge of pink. “Yes, but I’m sure they won’t hold them,” Kenji explained, ignoring my question. “They’ll book them and then release them.”

“Book and release who?” Bash asked following the chime of his addition to the call. Kenji turned the screen so I could see their faces as each member of the brotherhood appeared. I noticed Rowe seated in Bash’s lap on the sofa of their house in the Hamptons.

Silas frowned from his little square on the screen. “Tell me Zane didn’t get arrested again.” Zane’s face popped up in time to hear enough of Silas’s question to get defensive. Kenji tried to calm them all down by explaining what happened at the clinic.

Tully raised an eyebrow at me, but I could tell by his grin he wasn’t intimidated by this motley crew.

“Guys,” I said, interrupting. “This is Tully Bowman. Tully, this is the guys. That’s Bash and his barnacle, Rowe, this is Landry, you obviously know Silas, and the guy with the Jesus hair is Zane.” I pointed to each window in turn.

I watched Tully as he greeted them. All of my friends were sexy as hell. One was a literal model, and another was a famous rock star. Any one of them would be a better catch than I was.

He waved and smiled before reassuring them Lellie was safe and in good hands with “her daddy.” The words sounded surreal.

“Thanks to him,” I said, reaching out to put a hand on Tully’s shoulder. “He was her hero today.”

A chorus ofaww’s and cheers came from the speakers, causing Tully’s cheeks to darken more than Kenji’s ever did. Before everyone could calm down, Kenji broke in.

“Tully wants to know why Dev hasn’t hired more help on the ranch.”

The cheers turned into loud agreement, pointed barbs, and laughter. “Because he’s a controlling asshole,” Silas accused. I could hear Way in the background trying to defend me.

Landry chimed in. “Never get between a man and his horseflesh. That’s why.”

Bash kept a straight face. “Money, probably. Employees are expensive.”

Everyone burst into laughter. I was tempted to go over there and slam the laptop closed. Instead, I reached for Tully’s hand and yanked him out of the room while telling my friends to fuck off.

When I got Tully alone in the guest room, I closed the door and pulled him into my arms.

And shocked both of us by promptly bursting into tears.

TWENTY-ONE

TULLY

Dev collapsed against me, hot tears soaking my collar. My heart ached for him.

“Let it out,” I murmured. “It’s okay.”

I wanted to tell him I loved him, that he was, in fact, beloved. But I also knew this was not the time. I could show him without saying it in words.

I held him tightly. The sandalwood scent of what I’d come to learn was his hair product was familiar in my nose as I brushed my face against the dark waves of his hair. The usual tinge of horse and hay was absent, and I found I missed it. Dev didn’t smell like himself without it.

“Sorry,” he said in a ragged voice, trying to get himself under control. “Sorry.”

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