Page 23 of Filthy and Fierce

I break off the kiss. “I need to go talk to your dad.”

She walks over to her boots, and I do the same. As I’m tugging mine on, I tell her, “I want you to stay up here.”

She scrunches her nose up. “You’re not fighting my battles for me, Dixon. He’s my dad. I’ll just explain things and?—”

“Princess, this is our battle, and as your man, I’m going to talk to your dad. Okay?”

She doesn’t like it, but she nods her head. “Okay. Fine.”

I kiss her again and promise her I’ll be back.

As soon as I walk out of the room, I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to convince her dad because this is probably the most important conversation I’ll ever have.

I pass a few cowboys I know on the way. I’d normally stop and talk but not today. Today, I’m focused because I have to make this right.

By the time I find Charlie standing next to his truck and trailer, any hope that he has calmed down is gone when I see him pacing back and forth, still shaking his gun in his hand.

I’m not sure how he got through the hotel with it, but most people know the legend Charlie Allen, so they probably don’t question him much.

I stop a few feet away from him. “I really am sorry, Charlie.”

He sets the gun on the bed of his truck and then puts his hands into fists. “Sorry for what? Betraying my trust, using my daughter?—”

As calmly as I can, I shake my head. “I didn’t use your daughter. I wasn’t lying up there, Charlie. I love Faith, and I want to make a life with her.”

He spits out the words in disgust. “What kind of life? You’re a cowboy through and through.”

I shrug. “So are you.”

He slaps his hand on his pant leg. “Exactly. That’s what I’m saying. I sent her to school because she deserves more than this life, Dixon. And now what? One look from you and she’s throwing it all away?”

I put my hands on my hips. “Sir, she’s not throwing away anything. Whatever she wants to do, I’ll support her. I’ll be the man she needs.”

He shakes his head. “Dixon, you know how I feel about you. You’re like a son to me, and maybe I could live with this, but you don’t know. The ranch that I love, her mother hated it and resented me for it.”

I jut my chin at him. “Is that why you don’t want Faith there?”

He finally looks at me instead of over my shoulder. “Is that what you think? You think I don’t want her there? Hell, I love it when she’s there, but I don’t want her to resent me for it.”

CHAPTER 14

FAITH

“Is that what you think? You think I’ll resent you if I stay at the ranch?”

My dad holds his hands up. “Now, honey…”

I walk up to stand next to Dixon. “No, don’t ‘now honey’ me. Is that what you think, Dad? Is that why you’re always pushing me away? You think I’ll resent you for loving the ranch as much as you do? Dad, I’m not Mom. She left you—hell, she left both of us fifteen years ago. She didn’t want you, but she didn’t want me either. It wasn’t the ranch. She may have made you think that, but there was more to it, and you know it. She was selfish and self-centered. She knew when she married you what she was getting into?—”

Dad runs his hands through his beard. “No, when we got married, we were traveling the circuit. New cities, bright lights, big parties. Once I had to start settling down and find another way to make money, it wasn’t the life she wanted anymore?—”

I shake my head. “Dad, I’m not going to stand here and listen to you make excuses for her. She left. She could havefound another way, but she just left. Maybe she didn’t want this life, but if I stay in Whiskey Run, it’s because I want to.” I take a deep breath. “I didn’t get a degree in accounting, Dad.”

His mouth drops. “What are you talking about? Honey, you were at school. I visited you every semester. I saw your room, your?—”

I interrupt. “I graduated with a degree in agribusiness. I wanted to get something that would help me when I came back to help you run the ranch.” I suck in a breath. “You’ve spent years pushing me away from our ranch when all I wanted to do was be there.”

My dad’s mouth falls open, and it’s obvious he’s shaken. I put my hand in Dixon’s, and he threads his fingers with mine. “Now, Dad, I love Dixon, and yes we should have told you about us, but we weren’t sure what this was?—”

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