Page 48 of Tempted By the Broken Cowboy
“Selfish as they come,” another adds. “Quinn, you better quit while you are ahead. You’re wasting your time on them.”
The sting of their words is sharp, but I lift my chin higher, refusing to let them see the hurt. Still, the doubt is beginning to creep in. My father’s glare only adds weight to it.
And then Beck moves.
He pushes his chair back, slow and deliberate, the kind of movement that makes the entire room turn to watch. He doesn’t rush. He doesn’t stumble. He just stands there, broad-shouldered and calm, like he owns the place, even though every person in here would rather see him run out of town.
And I know, whatever comes out of his mouth next will either save me or ruin everything.
He rests his palms on the polished wood of the long table and lets the silence stretch. My pulse hammers in my ears.
“You’re right,” he says, his voice steady, unflinching. “The Morgans have always looked after their own. That’s not news.”
A ripple of murmurs runs through the committee. They weren’t expecting that kind of bluntness.
“But here’s the thing you don’t seem to realize.” His gaze sweeps across the room, sharp as a blade, before settling on my father.“Looking after your own means loyalty. It means protection—that when you’re family, you don’t get left behind.”
Someone scoffs from the far end. “Big words, Morgan. Too bad they don’t apply to anyone outside your bloodline.”
Beck’s mouth curves, half a smirk, half a warning. “That’s where you’re wrong.” He straightens, no longer leaning on the table. “Because Quinn here will be a Morgan soon enough,” he decrees, wrapping a protective arm around my shoulders.
My breath catches in my throat. The room explodes into gasps, whispers, outright shouts.
“She’ll be what?”
“This is a farce!”
“You expect us to believe—“
Beck raises a hand, and the noise dulls just enough for his voice to cut through again. “She’ll be my wife. Which means her vision, her fight, and her cause will have Morgan backing whether you like it or not. And trust me, once Quinn sets her mind to something, she doesn’t back down. You’d be fools not to throw your weight behind her.”
Heat creeps up my neck, part mortification, part something else. I don’t correct him. I don’t deny it. Because even in the chaos of voices, I can see it happening—the shift. Eyes flicking toward me with new calculation, murmurs turning from dismissal to intrigue. The tides are moving in my favor.
If you can’t beat them, join them.
Beck and I will discuss this later, but for now, I better join him before his plan unravels.
I lift my chin, steadying my voice. “You heard him. This project isn’t a gamble. It’s a guarantee. Wrangler Creek deserves better, and I intend to give it to them.”
My father clears his throat, gavel striking to regain order. “We’ll take a vote.”
One by one, hands rise around the table. Some reluctant, some eager. Enough of them to make my chest swell with disbelief. Then joy.
I’ve won!
I’m still reeling from it when the meeting ends and the room empties. My father lingers behind, waiting for me near the door. His eyes cut to Beck and back to me, sharp with fury.
“This is a mistake,” he says under his breath, so low no one else can hear. “Beckett Morgan will ruin you. Mark my words.”
Something inside me trembles, but I force myself to meet his gaze. “No, Father. I trust him.”
The words come out steadier than I feel. Because deep down, beneath the triumph and the adrenaline of winning, I’m terrified he might be right.
18
BECKETT
What the fuck did I just do? Better yet, what the fuck did I say? She’ll be part of the Morgan family soon. What the hell was I thinking uttering those words in front of everyone? I must have lost my damn mind for a moment.
