Page 9 of Tainted Empire (Sins of Our Father)

Danny smiles at me and asks what we want to drink. Marley orders a beer and I look at her with uncertain eyes as she gives me a teasing smile.

“Just a gin on the rocks if you have it,” I say, not wanting to embarrass myself with the whole tonic thing again.

“It ain’t nothin top shelf, but I gotcha,” Danny says before walking away to make our drinks.

“Ali, I didn’t mean to bring up your dad like that. I coulda just said your name and been done with it. I’m sorry,” Marley says sincerely, but I don’t get flustered with her apology. It’s hard to get flustered with anything Marley says, she’s too sweet.

“No sorry needed, Marley, seriously,” I say with a smile.

“Sorry for what?” a male voice asks right next to me.

I look over and lock eyes with the most boyish looking man I’ve ever met. He’s got puppy dog brown eyes and dirty blond hair held back in a short ponytail. He’s cute, but not my type. I like the clean shaven, nerdy boys with glasses. A type that I know for a fact I won’t find here. Which isn’t a problem. I’m still a virgin and haven’t really dated much. Men have always been the last thing on my to-do list. I’ve maybe gone on a few innocent dates to the movies that only ended with an awkward goodbye kiss. No sparks or butterflies for this girl, just the kind you read in books. Nothing is ever as good as what’s in the books, so why bother?

“Rob, don’t bother my patrons again please. I don’t want to kick you out for the third time this week. You ain’t nothin’ but a pest at times,” Danny says as he comes back with our drinks.

I sip my gin and try not to grimace. It’s definitely not top shelf, but I can stomach it.

“Yeah, Rob. Hands off the boss’s daughter,” Marley says with a giggle, and I look at her in confusion.

“Rob works for Bailey Ranch. He’s our new horse trainer,” Marley explains, and my mouth forms an O.

“Yep, the best of the best. I’ll break a wild mare faster than lightning!” Rob exclaims as he sips his beer.

“Rob is also not very modest,” Marley says as she rolls her eyes, making me chuckle as I sip more of my gin.

It gets easier to stomach when I feel my buzz kick in. Thank God.

The door chimes open again, and I turn to look at who’s entered while Marley and Rob bicker. As soon as I look at the tall and broad, muscular man that walks in, everything in my body halts.

The man is huge. I mean, huge, His shoulders have to be the broadest shoulders that I’ve ever seen, they nearly touch each wall on either side of him. He's wearing a white t-shirt and Wranglers. All of which hugs every muscle and thick vein in his large body. He has on a pair of black cowboy boots and a matching black cowboy hat. His beard is thick and dark, like the night sky without stars. His beard and his long, wavy hair that touches his broad shoulders match.

What gets me are his eyes. The bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. While Marley’s eyes are bright like a glacier, his are dark like the rarest sapphire. They’re entrancing, his eyes. I feel like I’m lost and swimming inside them when they lock onto me. They travel up and down my pudgy body, making me feel warm under his stare.

I turn away abruptly, feeling embarrassed from staring and from the sudden wetness that surges in my panties. I don’t know why I have this reaction to this stranger. He’s not at all my type, especially since the scowl on his face tells me I’m not his either.

“Who is that?” I whisper over to Marley as the large man sits at the opposite end of the bar.

Danny hands him a beer automatically and I watch as his thick, muscular arm reaches out to grab the beer and bring it to his full lips, completely entranced by him. Like I’m under a spell or something.

“That’s Hunter Brooks. Son of Ezra Brooks, your dad’s rival,” Marley hisses as she glares in his direction.

Yep, definitely not my type and definitely off limits.

So then why can I not stop staring at him?

8

Marleyand I finish our drinks and she orders another round. I already feel a nice buzz settling in, but it’s disrupted by the constant looks that I can’t help casting on Hunter at the other end of the bar. It’s like a chemical reaction, and my eyes can’t help but drift over to where he is. He takes up so much space around him because of his large body, but also because of his aura. It’s like he takes up all the air and energy of the bar as soon as he walks in, because I’m finding it hard to breathe now that he’s here.

I chug my second drink as soon as Danny sets it down, surprising Marley as she smiles widely at me.

“Atta girl! Come on, this song’s my favorite and I wanna dance!” she shouts as a Miranda Lambert song comes on.

I don’t know a lot of country music, but Dad would play it a lot. And I’ve always liked Miranda Lambert. I recognize the song asGunpowder & Lead,and I try to protest as Marley grabs my hand and pulls me to the small dance floor by the pool table.

“Oh, come on, Ali! Live a little!” she says as she swings me around on the floor.

I trip and stumble in my heels and we laugh as we spin and dance in circles. I don’t think I’ve ever really danced before besides in my bedroom. I’m a shy girl and I don’t go out much, but Marley has this way about her that makes anyone do outlandish things. I find that I like it. I can’t help but smile and laugh as we spin around like a couple, dancing and giggling as people laugh with us and clap.

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