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“So you bribed him?”

“Paid him for information.”

“Same thing.” She dropped her chin into her hand and fought off the waves of depression that threatened to wash over her. “When it rains it pours,” she said, drinking thoughtfully from her cup. “And they say trouble comes in threes.”

“They might be wrong.”

“I don’t know. First Blake wanting to be with Cody, then proof that Caleb would stoop to just about any lengths to get me to sell my farm and then—” She stopped midsentence, as if in not speaking the thought would make it go away.

“Then what?” Chase asked, crossing the room, turning a chair around and straddling the seat.

“Well, it’s nothing really,” she said, her hands beginning to sweat.

“Something’s wrong.”

“Maybe—”

“Why don’t you tell me about it?”

Why not? No time like the present to get things out in the open. “Cody and I were in the grocery store the other day and I heard a rumor about one of Caleb’s hands.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Chase said, noticing the band of freckles across her nose. “What about him?”

“I’m not really sure. But Jenna Peterson is pretty upset with him. The way I heard it she doesn’t trust him.”

“What’s his name?”

“I . . . don’t know. She didn’t say. But it’s some new guy who works with Caleb.”

“Maybe he hired someone when I was gone,” Chase said thoughtfully. “But even if he did, that doesn’t sound like Jenna. She’s usually a rock. The only person on the whole damned spread I can trust.”

“That’s what makes it so worrisome,” Dani admitted, her hazel eyes staring at Chase’s rugged face. It was a handsome face, hard around the edges, but softened by a sensual dimple when he smiled. The self-effacing glint in his clear blue eyes balanced the determination in the set of his jaw and the pride in his bearing. Chase was a contradictory man of so many emotions and passions and Dani loved him so much it hurt.

“Wait a minute!” he said, holding his cup, his blue eyes becoming hard. “You heard a rumor and you thought it had something to do with me, didn’t you?”

“I don’t know who it was about—I just want to know if there’s any truth in it. It would take a lot to upset Jenna Peterson. She’s worked with and trusted Caleb Johnson for years.”

“Dani,” Chase said, his lips whitening at the corners as he tried to stay calm, “I’ve done everything I can to be straight with you!” Scraping his chair back, he stood, rammed his hands, palms out, in the back pockets of his jeans and began pacing. “I don’t know what more I can do or say to let you know I’m on your side.” His boots clicked on the cracked linoleum with each of his long, impatient strides. “I’ve found evidence you need against Caleb, I stood up for you when you came ranting and raving into his house, and I’ve done everything short of throwing my contract into his face.” Spinning on his heel, he impaled her with his furious gaze. “Lord, woman,” he said through clenched teeth, “I’ve even asked you to marry me and you still can’t trust me! What the devil do you want from me?”

“Just honest answers, that’s all,” Dani said, feeling a little contrite but still angry. All the frustrations of the past weeks burned inside her. “I feel manipulated by the whole lot of you—Caleb, Blake and you!”

Chase came over to the table and placed his hands flat on the polished maple. Pushing his face to within inches of hers, he stared straight into her eyes. She could see his rage in the flare of his nostrils, the way his skin tightened over his tense jaw and the flecks of blue anger in his eyes. He was trying to hold his temper in check, but failing miserably. Rapping the table with his index finger, he growled, “I don’t like being put in the same corral as Caleb and Blake, lady. All I’ve ever done is try to help you—whether you believe it or not. Now, if you don’t want my help, fine. All you have to do is say the word and I’m outta here.”

Her throat was dry, her emotions raw, but she tossed her head back and glared at him. “I trust you, Chase. As a person.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It’s just that this whole damned situation has gotten to me. Not only is Blake back, maybe with the intention of taking my son from me, but now we know for sure that Caleb will do anything, anything to get me off my land. If that isn’t bad enough, you’re partners with the man, for God’s sake!”

“So we’re back to that, are we?”

“I don’t think we ever got past it.”

“And I don’t know why I have to keep proving myself to you.” His eyes narrowed and his hand reached forward to clasp her wrist. “I think we’d better settle this right now! Come on!”

“Wait a minute—”

He jerked her out of the chair, grabbed his hat and shoved it onto his head as he walked out of the door with Dani, still in tow, continuing to protest loudly.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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