Page 79 of Promised to the Cowboy

The lead vehicle doesn’t hesitate. It drives straight toward the house like it’s expected.

A cold certainty moves through me, bone-deep.

“No,” I whisper.

Because I already know. I know those cars. I know that confidence. I know the man who always arrives believing the world belongs to him.

Gabriel’s grip tightens around my hand. “Daniel!”

His voice cracks across the yard. The back door opens almost immediately.

Daniel steps out first. “What?—”

He follows Gabriel’s gaze. His expression hardens. Henry appears behind him. Then Ethan. Jacob, summoned by Gabriel’sshout, is last, his blue eyes narrowed in his weathered face. Mine widen as I spot the shotgun in his right hand.

The lead SUV stops outside the house. The second pulls in behind it. Then the third.

Nobody gets out for several long seconds. As though they’re waiting. Making sure everyone is watching.

Then the driver’s door of the middle SUV opens. A polished Oxford shoe appears first. Then the man himself. Perfectly tailored charcoal suit. Silver hair untouched by the wind. Not a wrinkle. Not a speck of dust.

He straightens his cuffs before lifting his gaze to the house. He doesn’t look around. Doesn’t need to. He already believes he owns everything in front of him.

My mouth goes dry.

Gabriel shifts half a step closer until our shoulders touch.

My father smiles. “Hello, Evangeline.”

Chapter 20

Evie

My father looks straight at me, ignoring everyone else.

“Evangeline,” he says warmly, like we’re a normal father and daughter. “There you are. You’ve been remarkably difficult to reach. Blocking my number was rather childish, don’t you think?”

My voice comes out cold and sharp. “Childish would be showing up uninvited with a small army to intimidate the people I love. What do you want, Alexander?”

His eyebrows lift slightly as I use his given name, but the smile stays fixed. “Straight to business. I see your new… friends have rubbed off on you.”

“They’re family,” I snap. “Something you wouldn’t understand.”

He finally glances at the others, his eyes lingering on the shotgun Jacob’s holding and my hand clasped tightly in Gabriel’s. His smile thins.

“Alexander Voss. I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me,” he says smoothly, as though introductions are necessary.“I’d like to make this easy for everyone. I’m prepared to offer three times the market value for Stoneridge. Cash. No financing. You could walk away wealthy men.”

Jacob laughs harshly. “Not interested.”

Daniel folds his arms. “The answer is no. And it’ll stay no, no matter how many times you ask.”

Alexander doesn’t even blink. “Everything has a price, gentlemen.”

“Not this ranch,” Jacob says. “Not this family.”

Alexander turns back to me, switching to that fake paternal tone that used to make me shrink. “Evangeline, surely you can talk some sense into them. This doesn’t have to be difficult. Come home. Let me take care of you.”

Something inside me snaps.