Page 43 of His Texas Claim

“I’ve read your filings,” she said. “Impressive use of loopholes.”

Arlo barked out a laugh, but it was closer to a cough. “You told her about me,” he said to me.

“He did,” Bryn nodded. “Absolute garbage father and certifiable asshole. And he’s not the only one who says so.”

“She always this direct?” Arlo said, chin jerking at me like he was pulling a string through my back.

I shrugged. “Only with people who deserve it.”

Arlo’s hand dropped to his belt, thumb hooked under the buckle. His mouth twitched. “Stetson always did like the mouthy ones. His taste in women was the only thing he ever got right.”

I felt Bryn’s knuckles brush mine.

Then—for a woman who had consistently surprised me—she surprised me yet again.

She drew back her fist and clocked him.

Right there in the parking lot.

Arlo’s head snapped sideways—not that he couldn’t have taken it, Bryn was small—but because he was so damn shocked. He stumbled a step, hand flying up to his jaw, and Cooper’s mouth actually dropped open.

“Jesus Christ, woman⁠—”

I stepped in front of her before he could return fire, knowing he was the type. He didn’t hesitate to hit a woman. My mom had told me as much.

“You lettin’ women fight your battles for you, son?” he snarled at me. “Always knew you were a pussy-ass little bitch⁠—”

I actually had to hold Bryn back, her fists clenched.

“Let me go,” she snapped. “I’m not done.”

“You landed a good one,” I said. “Don’t push your luck on a second. He’s not worth it.”

Arlo straightened, working his jaw, blood at the corner of his mouth where his teeth had caught his cheek. He looked between us, ugly as sin.

“Cute,” he said. “The two of you. Real fuckin’ cute.”

“Damn right!” Bryn shot back.

My father spat off to the side, then shook his head like he still couldn’t believe what’d just happened. "You think that little piece of paper in there means anything? I've got lawyers who eat petitions like that for breakfast."

"Your lawyers can eat all they want," Bryn said, still trying to get past my arm. "Species is documented. Habitat's mapped. Filing's timestamped and on record. You want to fight it, you're not fighting me anymore. You're fighting the state."

"It's a damn frog."

"It's the only one of its kind on this planet. Living in water you tried to steal from your own family." She finally stopped pulling against my hold, just glared at him instead. "You never got it. Never once. Wasn't about the frog for you. It's about winning. Congratulations. You lost. Today. In a parking lot. To a woman half your size."

Cooper snickered and Arlo’s eyes shot back toward him. He hushed up fast…but I caught the look he gave me, like he was curious if he’d picked the right side.

My father’s grip on the only son he had left was fraying fast.

Wouldn’t last much longer.

Arlo's eyes came back to me, something calculating in them now instead of just mean.

"You gonna keep this one?" he said, nodding at Bryn like she wasn't standing right there.

"Plannin’ on it."