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“Oh, shit!” Tasha repeated my curse. “Is Adam there with you?”
“No. He’s on his way to Medicine Bow to meet with Travis about some cattle,” I replied, my heart beating a mile a minute as Robert reached the porch steps.
“Don’t panic. I’ll contact—"
The rest of her words were lost as Robert reached the porch, and I jumped to my feet. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I snapped, my eyes shooting daggers at him.
His watery blue eyes latched onto mine. “Is that any kind of way to greet dear old daddy?” he asked, his mouth twisting up in a sarcastic smile.
His insinuation made me feel nauseous. “You’re not my daddy,” I bit out. “What do you want?”
“So, all of this is yours now,” he said, ignoring my question as he cast his eyes around the ranch house and the land surrounding it. “How fortunate.”
“Fortune has nothing to do with it. It’s what Grams wanted,” I reminded him abruptly.
His eyes narrowed on me. “And she arranged your sham of a marriage to Adam Sterling to make sure of that, didn’t she?”
“I can assure you that our marriage is anything but a sham. We’re husband and wife in every sense of the word,” I stated firmly. I lifted my chin, holding his smug gaze, all the while hoping and praying that Tasha was still connected to the video call.
Robert took a step closer. I flinched as he reached past me and snapped the lid of the laptop closed. “Is that right?”
“Y-Yes, that’s right,” I replied, hating the fear I could hear in my voice. “In fact, he’s inside right now—”
I stopped short as Robert laughed. “Oh, we both know that’s not true, don’t we, Isabelle? I’ve been waiting for weeks to get you on your own. Saw your husband leaving earlier for his trip.”
“How did you…? You’ve been watching me?” I gasped.
“I prefer to think of it as keeping an eye on my financial interests. As for your other question, I still have a few friends in Medicine Bow. I know all about your husband’s deal with Travis. He won’t be back until tomorrow.”
My blood ran cold at his words. “What exactly did you hope to achieve by coming here?” I demanded, trying to school my features not to show my fear.
He took another step closer, and his alcohol-soaked breath washed over my face as he spoke his next words. “Just your signature,” he said with a sickening smile.
He’d been drinking. What a surprise.
“My signature?”
“On these documents,” he said, pulling a wad of papers from his jacket. His glazed eyes fixed on mine. “Sign over what’s rightfully mine, and I’ll be on my way.”
“Are you crazy? I’m not signing a goddamn thing! You made my mom’s life hell. Shit, you’re probably the reason she killed herself, just so she could get away from you. If you think I’m willingly putting my signature on anything that allows you to get your hands on any part of this property or my inheritance, you’re sadly mistaken!”
Robert’s face darkened with anger, and I mentally kicked myself for losing my cool. I knew how unpredictable he could be. I knew better than to poke the bear—or in this case, the narcissistic asshole.
“Oh, you’ll sign it, even if I have to hold you down and force the pen into your hand,” he bit off.
I had no idea what my mom had ever seen in this sorry excuse for a human being. He was a big man and strong, but any good looks he’d had faded years ago. Maybe he’d been different before the alcohol had taken hold of him, but I couldn’t remember a time when I’d felt anything but contempt for him. The man had no redeeming qualities.
“Par for the course for you, right? Using brute force and ignorance to get what you want,” I accused hotly. “Even if I agree to sign this document, it won’t hold up in a court of law. Firstly, I’d be signing under duress, and secondly, I’m not twenty-one yet.”
His face broke into a cruel smile. “You let me worry about that, little girl. There are ways and means to get what I want. People who still have my best interests at heart.”
I shuddered. There was no way he was leaving until he got what he came for. I nodded. “Okay. Let me go grab a pen.”
I turned to go inside the house, but he caught my wrist in a bruising grip. “Oh, no, you don’t. No trying to run away and slam the door in my face. I have a pen right here.”
I tugged against his hold, but his grip tightened, and I winced. “You’re hurting me,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Then do as I ask, and I’ll stop,” he replied, dragging me back toward the table that held my laptop.
