Page 3 of Cowboy's Sinful Bargain

"We've never discussed it," Monty said, "the reason why you've never married or brought a girl home to the ranch, but you know I've never had an issue with it."

I gulped, caught off guard, and then nodded. "Yes, sir."

"I've always kind of figured as long as you did your job," Monty continued, "it wasn't my concern who you had in your bed. What you did on your down time was your business."

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I'd never discussed my preference for men because it wasn't widely accepted in our little part of Montana. I usually drove up to Helena to relieve my itch when it came. I never indulged myself close to home.

"You know I never married, although not for the same reason. With the ranch and all, there just never seemed to be time to have a family. I always thought I'd get around to it eventually, and then one day, I discovered I was old."

I nodded even though I didn't believe Monty was that old. The accident had just made him seem that way. "Yes, sir."

"I never had any children either." Monty chuckled. "At least, I didn't think I did."

I knew that, too.

"I had planned to leave the ranch to you when I died, Jos."

Well, fuck.

"I still want to give you the ranch. You love it almost as much as I do, but I can't. I hope you understand that. I have to leave something for my kid."

The kid he knew nothing about until now.

I pressed my lips together to keep from shouting at Monty. The man had no idea he had a kid until this Mitsuaki popped up. I, on the other hand, had worked my ass off for this place, taking over when Monty got hurt and could no longer work the ranch.

And now all of my hard work meant nothing.

"Which is why I want you to marry Mitsuaki."

Chapter Two

~ Mitsuaki ~

I stared out the window of the limousine as it slowed and then turned down a long dirt driveway. I glanced up as they drove under a large iron arch that read "Cross Creek Ranch".

So, this was it then.

This was where my birth father lived, a man I had never met.

I drew in a calming breath and tried to settle my agitated nerves. I had lived at the Kaneko family compound my entire life. I'd never even been out to attend school. My tutors, doctors, and caretakers had all come to me.

Montana had been a surprise. I hadn't known wide open spaces like this actually existed. Of course, everything about this trip had been a surprise. The sudden ride to the airport, the flight across the ocean, the ride from the airport in Helena.

Being made to leave the only place I'd ever lived had not been a surprise. When my beloved grandfather had gotten sick, he had warned me to have a bagged packed and ready to go. He said he'd made arrangements for me to be taken out of the country the moment he died.

I hadn't even been able to say goodbye.

I'd been rushed to a waiting car not even an hour after my grandfather took his last breath and then placed on an airplane. Now, I found myself shuttled half-way around the world to some ranch belonging to a man I had never even met.

Montgomery Cross was my father and yet I knew nothing about him beyond his name, and I only knew that because I carried the same name.

Mitsuaki Montgomery Cross.

My mother had died when I was born and my grandfather refused to discuss who my father was with me. I had always wondered why my name was so unusual, and had only learnedthe truth once I was already on the plane and my grandfather's lawyer had given me a packet of papers, which included my birth certificate.

When the car came to a stop in front of a large three story ranch house, rancid tasting bile rose up in my throat. I quickly swallowed it down, remembering that I didn't have a choice about being here—I never did—but I did have a choice about how the world perceived me.

I climbed out of the limo behind the lawyer my grandfather had sent with me and the bodyguard, which I wasn't sure was there to keep me safe or there to keep me from running. That was always kind of in question.

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