Page 151 of The Mountain Echoes
Broken and twisted she may be, Celine’s still my baby sister.
Maverick doesn’t understand.
He’s waiting outside, seething, in his truck ‘cause I didn’t want him with me, intimidating everyone around him. Maverick is a protective man, and sometimes I need to stand my ground and not let him walk all over me.
“How are you, Celine?”
She leans back in her chair and gives me a slow smile. There’s nothing kind about it. “I’m doing great.”
I’ve spent a lot of time wondering why she did what she did, why she hates me so much.
But, finally, I realized that none of what she did was about me.
It was about winning. About control. About punishing me for daring to come home and standing tall on land she thought should’ve been sold off.
“Is there anything you want? Or need? Can I help you in any way?”
She huffs out a laugh. “Christ! What are you? Mother Teresa? There’s no one here to see your act. So, drop it.”
Sadness engulfs me. “I mean it, Celine.”
For a moment, silence settles between us, brittle and strained, like glass about to crack.
“I hear the ranch is all yours now,” she spits out at me.
After the plea deal was finalized, the judge approved the petition my lawyer filed. Celine’s claims on Longhorn were struck from the record.
I had almost not done it, didn’t want her to lose her home as I had, but the lawyers Maverick brought in told me it was too risky. So, no more shared deed. No more ghost of Celine’s name on the papers.
I’m still unsure about my decision.
“Yes,” I reply simply.
“How does it feel?” she jeers.
“Bittersweet. I’d rather we shared it…but you never cared for the land, did you? Just what it could do for you.” I’m not accusing, just stating facts.
She shrugs. “Heard that you and Maverick are an item now.”
“Heard?”
She arches an eyebrow. “People still come and see me. Tate is very sorry about what he did…you know spillin’ the beans to the authorities.”
Well, Tate is much dumber than any of us gave him credit for.
Her lips curl. “You think you got Mav?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“When I’m out of here, I’ll take him away from you just like I did Hudson.”
There’s malice in her eyes. The sweet girl she used topretend to be isn’t there anymore—but then she was a persona, this is the real woman.
“If it makes you feel better, you keep on thinkin’ that.”
Over the past few months, Maverick and I have grown closer. I know the man he is. He’ll never disrespect me. Never cheat on me. Never be dishonorable. I’m not worried about my place in Maverick’s life. I know I’m his queen!
Her chin lifts, defiant. “You always had everything. The brains. The charm. Even the cattle liked you more.”
