Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“The paddock’s a mess. The fields look like they haven’t been tended in weeks. The fences are falling apart—”
“We’re fixing those,” Daisy snaps.
“—And I think the barn roof might collapse at any moment. Not to mention the mess inside. How long have you been in charge?”
“Long enough to know that you’re not welcome here anymore, cousin.”
“I came back to say goodbye to my father,” Melody says.
“Then say goodbye and leave.” Daisy takes a step closer. “Or did you think you could roll up here after all these years and get welcomed with open arms? Did you really think anyone wanted you here?”
“I’m not here for you,” Melody says but I can sense her starting to wilt.
“That’s right, you’re only here for yourself. Leave your poor father alone. He’s been through enough and he deserves some dignity in his last days. Not some ungrateful brat daughter who hates the family that gave her everything.”
“You gave me nothing,” Melody says, hands curled into fists. “None of you did.”
“Oh, poor girl. You going to start making some bullshit accusations again, huh? Or maybe you want to smear my dead sister’s name some more?” Daisy jabs a finger in the air, pointing it at Melody’s chest. “Turn around and go home, Melody. Fuck off and don’t come back. You are not wanted at this ranch. We’re doing fine without you.”
Melody lets out a soft grunt of pain and her hands relax. She takes a step back and, for a second, I think she’s about to turn and bolt like she did back at the farm. Instead, she shakes her head, looking like Daisy punched her in the chest and ripped her heart from its cavity, and storms back to the front door.
I pause and watch her go before glancing over at Daisy. “Nice to meet you. You seem lovely.”
Daisy sneers at me. “You can fuck off too, rich boy. I don’t even know why you’re here.”
I follow after Melody and find her in the quiet sitting room standing by the cold and dead fireplace. She leaning against the mantle, breathing hard, shoulders slumped. I touch her arm softly. “Melody.”
She turns on me, face lit up with fury. “You don’t know anything about me,” she says, her voice a harsh whisper. “Just leave me alone.”
“You can tell me—”
“Just fuck off, War. I don’t want you here right now.” She grinds that out through her teeth and her eyes shine with tears. “Just get away.”
I take a breath and back off. Whatever just happened with her cousin, it was bad enough to crack Melody’s hardened skin, but I feel completely lost. What accusations did Melody throw around? What does Daisy’s sister have to do with anything? I wish I understood even half the nuance of this house, but as I step out into the hall and stand in the quiet, I realize I know nothing.
But I catch sight of Daisy in the kitchen smiling at me as she pours herself a glass of water.
Chapter 12
Melody
Riding is the only thing that calms me down anymore.
I head out early the next morning after spending the night holed up in my old bedroom. I don’t know where War slept—I should’ve been a better host, but I was feeling too lost and confused to do much more than mope and stay locked away. I get up before the sun and I ride out before it’s fully risen on the back of a friendly old mare with a chocolate coat and a tan mane. I take her along my usual route, skirting along the fencing to the edges of the property, and back around through the woods.
I keep seeing my father. Everywhere I look, he’s there. Memories of him as he was, tall and proud. Memories of him now. Wasted, shriveled, exhausted. Sad and angry. The desperation in his eyes when he was coughing, the fear when he spit out the blood, and the need, the utter and incredible need when he told me he wanted to leave the ranch to me. I didn’t know what to say, and I still don’t.
I don’t want this place.
I left for a reason. Leader Ranch was my childhood, it was my entire world for a long time, and it’ll always be the most influential place I’ve ever lived. This land shaped me, made me who I am today, and riding through it brings back so many memories it’s like an avalanche that I can’t keep at bay. I knew each tree, each bush, each hill and valley, and all that knowledge is still locked up inside of me, lying dormant. It would be so easy to accept my father’s offer and slip back into the role of keeper and tender and rancher, to become the girl I was always meant to be, to take over Leader and turn it around.