Page 42 of At the Rancher's Pleasure

“I want you to go back to California.”

Of course he did. Her leaving town would allow him to play the part of the much-maligned husband with the gold digger ex-wife. But having her here in Royal, living life on her terms and without any help from him, blew that perception out of the water. She was not prepared to make life easier for Rusty, in any way, shape or form.

“Well, let me think about that...” Sarabeth pretended to mull it over before widening her eyes and blinking. She sent him a taunting smile. “Mmm, no.”

“I’ll give you a million dollars.” Rusty ground the words out. “And I’ll increase your monthly alimony.”

“I don’t need your money, Rusty.”

“Of course you do. You’re the type who always needs a man in her life. Harston might be paying your bills now, but he’ll tire of you soon and where will you be then?” her ex said, his voice snake-oil-salesman smooth. “You’re the type who needs a man to save you.”

That comment cut a little too close to the bone, and Sarabeth quickly reminded herself that she’d been that person once but wasn’t anymore.

“I owned and ran my own business in LA, Rusty. I’ve recently sold it,” Sarabeth told him, already done with this conversation.

And with him.

Rusty’s eyes narrowed, and his cheeks flushed with anger. “I don’t believe that. You’re pretty but you aren’t smart, Bethie.” His expression turned nasty. “I ran rings around you in the divorce and custody battle.”

“Only because you had the resources to hire lawyers who were sharks and you had a social connection with the judge,” Sarabeth spat back, feeling the heat in her cheekbones. “And while you inherited all your wealth from your father and grandfather, I made mine on my own.”

When his eyes flashed with anger and he clenched his hand around the railing, his knuckles turning white, Sarabeth smiled. She still knew exactly what buttons to push, and being reminded that he wasn’t a self-made man, like many of his TCC cronies, was one of Rusty’s biggest pressure points.

“Brett started as a ranch hand and is now one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the state,” she added, her voice low and deliberately catty. “I find thatsucha turn on.”

God, arguing with Rusty was so much fun. For the first time in her life, she felt like they were standing on a level playing field, that she could give as good as she got. She barely recognized the girl she’d been when she’d married him, that wide-eyed, naive, desperate to please child willing to do anything to please her husband.

Not anymore and never again.

Rusty released his tight grip on the railing and shoved his hands into his suit pants pocket. The wind picked up and Sarabeth shivered, desperate to get inside. But if she turned and walked away, Rusty would think that he’d won and she still had a few things to say to him. And if that meant turning into an icicle, then that was the price she’d have to pay.

She’d let him speak, and when he thought he was in control of the conversation, she’d pull the rug out from under him.

“I hear that you are looking at leasing a property in Royal. That you plan on staying in town.”

Man, the Royal Reporters were on fire! “So?”

“I’ve instructed my leasing agents not to rent to you.” Back in the day, she remembered, Rusty owned quite a few properties in town. He probably owned half the town by now.

If she couldn’t find a property she liked, she’d relocate to Joplin, a lovely town close to Royal. Sarabeth shrugged. “Okay.”

“That’s all you have to say?” Rusty demanded, disappointment flashing in his eyes.

Oh, he didn’t like his lack of control over her, his inability to rattle her. She decided to twist that knife even deeper. “I can’t tell you how little I care about how you feel, Rusty. I’m sure I’ll find something, somewhere. Or I’ll just continue renting from Brett...” She smiled and deliberately ran her fingers down her throat in a sensuous gesture. “I’m finding I quite like the arrangement we have.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. She was only baiting Rusty because her ego demanded it, because she wanted to exact revenge for their unhappy marriage and their ugly divorce. It was over, in the past and that was a place where she no longer lived.

And it was definitely time to stop baiting him; not only was it exhausting, it was counterproductive. Rusty wouldn’t apologize, nothing would be changed. And they both knew he couldn’t stop her from renting or buying a property in Royal. She wasn’t going anywhere and he knew it. They had to come to an understanding but, this time, it would be onherterms.

Rusty no longer held any power over her, and she didn’t care what he thought or said about her, because she had the mental strength and the financial resources to deal with him. Her only concern was the damage he could do to her children.

“You’ve made your demands, issued your instructions and tried to dictate your terms, now it’smyturn,” Sarabeth told him, her voice as cold as the dark night swirling around them.

“Like I would listen to a thing you have to say,” Rusty scoffed.

Sarabeth stepped closer to him and drilled a finger into his chest. “I don’t know the full story of what happened between you and Ross, but I have no doubt that you tried to throw your weight around and interfere in his life. I’m quite sure you had quite a bit to say about Charlotte, as well...”

She waited for him to respond, and all she got was a tightening of his mouth and a flash of anger in his eyes. “Our kids are adults, Rusty, but if you mess with either of them again, I will do everything in my power to bury you. Do you understand me?”

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