Page 52 of Tainted Empire (Sins of Our Father)

“Told me what?” I ask, looking around at everyone.

Claire avoids my gaze, staring at her hands that are knotted in her lap as Earl breathes out a curse, glaring at Hunter.

“You didn’t tell her? Not good, Son,” Ezra says, his tongue clicking.

“Tell me what?” I ask again, my voice louder as I stare at Ezra.

“That my son and I made an agreement to take over this ranch when your father died.”

“Dad-” Hunter starts, but Ezra cuts him off.

“An agreement with a plan, created by my dear son, mind you, to take this land once he got close enough to you. Once he got you to trust him and convinced you that this land would be ours. He even signed and dated it,” Ezra says, shaking a piece of paper in front of his face as I walk towards him with heavy footsteps and an even heavier heart, my stomach knotted with sickness.

I snatch the paper from his hands, reading over it and holding my stomach to quell the nausea as I read the plan in detail, followed by Hunter’s signature with a date, a date signed well after we met. I gasp, dropping the paper as I look at Earl and Claire.

“Did you know?” I hiss and they shake their heads.

“He just told us, but that’s why we tried to keep you away, we knew he was up to no good somehow, Ali. We tried to protect you,” Claire says, tears in her eyes as Earl stares at me with a sympathetic expression.

Fuck sympathy, I want the truth.

I snatch the paper back, turning and walking to Hunter before I slap it against his chest.

“Tell me this is a lie. Tell me right now that your father is making all of this up and forged your signature. Tell me that you’re not capable of doing something so disgusting as this,” I beg, my voice cracking as I search his eyes, nearly falling after he silently nods his head.

“This was before I got to know you, Ali. I only did this to keep him off my back-”

“No! You did this because you’re a selfish, manipulative bastard and you don’t care about what you do or who you hurt, as long as you get what you want!” I shout, tears falling as the darkness of betrayal rains down on me.

“Ali, please, I’m begging you. You’ve got to believe me-”

“Believe you? Where has that gotten me Hunter? Just tangled into more of your shit! You know, you were right. You’ve said and done some really bad things, but this has got to be the worst and the most unforgivable thing you could’ve done,” I cry, running past him, out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

He follows me, his heavy footsteps thumping behind me as he calls my name.

“Ali, please! Please, baby! I didn’t know you then, I didn’t even want to go through with it.” He begs, but I just cover my ears as I run.

“Ali, I love you. Please!” he calls, and I freeze on the stairs, my heart sinking to my stomach as I turn and face him one last time.

“You really are a good liar,” I snarl before I run to my bedroom and slam the door, packing as many things as I can before I book the next flight to Seattle.

42

Hunter

I am standing outside Ali’s bedroom, pounding on the door and begging for her to come out. She doesn’t answer, just ignores me as Earl climbs the stairs and pulls me from it. He walks me down the stairs, shoving me toward my father as he walks to the front door.

“I want you both out of here and off our property. If you step foot here again, I will shoot you. Now go, before you hurt her any more than you already have,” he hisses, my heart at my boots as I walk to my truck, my father marching proudly behind me.

“I hope you’re fucking happy. You’ve successfully taken everything from me in one lifetime and I hope it’s enough now,” I growl, not even able to look him in the eye as he laughs behind me.

“Oh, don’t get your boxers all bunched. You didn’t really love that girl and she was nothing but a distraction. I have another plan to help the ranch, so it’s time we ditched this one. You fucked it up anyway by getting your dick wet,” he snarls, and I whip around instantly, marching up to him and squaring off as he stares me down, not moving an inch.

“Just because you didn’t know how to love Mom doesn’t mean you’re entitled to know what love is. You’ve never been capable of feeling such a thing because you’re a hateful, drunken bastard. I love her and I will kill you right here if you say one more thing about her,” I growl, towering over him as he narrows his eyes at me.

“Careful, Son. I’d watch what you say since I not only employ you, but house you as well,” he hisses, believing that the same threat he’s used on me for years could even work anymore.

What he doesn’t know is that I have a savings account bigger than the revenue he has at the ranch and not even because of the ranch. I’ve saved every penny of my pension, retirement and benefits from the army. Not to mention that I’ve made more selling our livestock than what’s on paper, so I fucking pocketed that too. I could start my own business if I wanted to. It would be small, but possible. I’m not going to do that right now, because I have another plan on my mind. A plan that will hopefully set me back in good graces with the love of my life.

---