The Heart of Texas by R.J. Scott

Author:R.J. Scott
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: M/M Contemporary Romance, Kindle Ready
Publisher: Silver Publishing
Published: 2011-02-04T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

Jeff sat in the car for a long time, considering every word he was going to say, looking at the shell of the burned barn and cursing his idiot brother and that fag Campbell for what they'd managed to do. With the horses surviving, with Campbell able to carry on with his half-bitten excuse for a farm, Jeff was left with weaker leverage. Still, he had what Jack needed, money, and he intended to just go on in and ask. It was Campbell himself who climbed down the steps from the front door, meeting Jeff as he got out of the car.

"Hayes."

"I came to visit my brother," Jeff replied. Enough with the pleasantries.

"He's sleeping at the moment; if you wanna wait in the house then you're welcome."

"Well, I have a small piece of business that we could maybe discuss while I'm waiting on him." Jack's eyes narrowed, and the cowboy folded his arms and planted his feet in his Texas dirt, his face carefully blank. Obviously the cowboy wasn't going to let this be taken into the house.

"Go on," he prompted.

Jeff tried to call the bluff, moving towards the house and then stopping when Jack didn't move a muscle. Well, Jeff decided inwardly, that was a good thing really, wouldn't want his little brother to find out just yet.

"I have an offer for you," he started, pulling himself tall as he attempted to loom over Jack, who merely blinked at him in return. "I heard about your unfortunate… incident… with the barn and your horses. Damn shame, heard they were good horses an' all."

"They're still good horses. One has foaled, and momma and baby are doing fine," Jack pointed out.

* * * *

Jack thought back to the telephone conversation he'd just had with the fire investigator, who had categorically stated the fire was arson and not the fault of a lightning strike. Jeff seemed mighty nervous for all his blustering dominance, and something somewhere in Jack's mind started to connect.

"As I said, I am very pleased y'all are okay."

Jack narrowed his eyes. Was it just his imagination or were the man's words slurring with his Texas accent, pushing through the clipped vowels of his expensive education? A sure sign Jeff was struggling with the wording of what he was saying. Jack knew it because Riley did that too.

"I wanted to thank you for what you've done for my little brother, helping him the way you did with the whole arranged marriage business, and I want you to know that the Hayeses always make good on favors. I want to make you an offer on both horses in exchange for something that won't be a hardship."

"My horses?" Jack chose to ignore the reference to arranged marriage. He was so not going to rise to subtle innuendo and devious guesswork.

"Ten million dollars for the foals, outright, passing them to me immediately, in exchange for the money. It's more than enough I imagine to breed again. All I want from you is proof of annulment.

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