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“Not a conqueror.” Ivan’s voice was as low as usual but with added gravel to give it texture. He cleared his throat, tugged his hand free, and unwittingly closed his fingers around his palm to hold on to the sensation a little longer.
Rory’s pale blue eyes didn’t miss a thing, and his gaze lingered on Ivan’s fist until Ivan unfurled his fingers. “Pity,” Rory replied. “I’d love to draw you a map to a region that could use a good pillaging.”
Cash laughed, and Ivan nearly choked on his saliva as delicious images formed in his mind. If this little minx wasn’t on the ranch, he’d take him up on the invitation shimmering in his eyes and rolling off his tongue. “Just a foreman,” Ivan said, hoping to vanquish the spell Rory Snyder had cast on him.
“I don’t think you’rejustanything,” Rory said. “I think you could be everything.”
Had anyone ever looked at him with so much hunger and possession? Was it genuine or some weird power trip? Approaching footsteps reached Ivan’s ears, but he couldn’t tear his gaze away from Rory’s. What was this man’s game?
“What’s taking so long?” Nick asked as he joined them in the kitchen.
“Your brother is trying to seduce my foreman,” Cash replied. “I think he might be succeeding.”
Ivan heard the humor in his mentor’s voice and wanted to dispute the claim. He just couldn’t get anything to move on his body except his pounding heart and his hardening dick. If this tableau was a scene from a rom-com, the viewer would hear a record scratch as the hero realized what he heard and jerked back to reality. Ivan nearly gave himself whiplash turning to look at Nick and Cash.
“Brother?” he asked before darting a curious glance between Nick and Rory. He couldn’t find a shred of similarity between the two men.
“Half brother,” Nick offered as an explanation. Rory’s visage darkened, and Ivan realized he didn’t like that distinction. The air was suddenly heavier with new tension. “Same mother, different fathers.”
“Ah,” Ivan said as if that explained it all. It didn’t clear up anything. “And you need me here to settle a family dispute?” He’d hoped to inject a little humor into the situation.
“Not exactly,” Cash said.
Nick glanced at his watch and scowled. “Mind if we finish this in your office? I need to get back on the road soon.”
I, not we. Nick Scott planned to leave Rory at the ranch, but why? There was only one way to find out. Ivan gestured to the hallway. “Lead the way.” Nick pivoted and headed back the way he’d come, and Cash quickly followed. Ivan stepped forward but stopped when Rory didn’t fall in beside or behind him. The cockiness he’d witnessed before was gone, and a haughty aloofness had taken its place. Ivan quirked a brow. “You’re not coming?”
Rory’s nostrils flared as life sparked in his eyes once more. “Not yet and preferably not alone.”
Ivan shook his head and forced his feet to move. He didn’t breathe easily again until he’d put a good fifteen feet between himself and temptation. The relief dissipated as soon as Nick said, “I take it you didn’t recognize Rory.”
The comment seemed innocuous enough, but it raised the hackles on the back of Ivan’s neck. “Should I have?”
“He has a very popular channel on YouTube where he travels the world to explore conservation, cultural preservation, and farming sustainability. I’d love to admit I know what the hell I just said, but I honestly don’t have a clue.”
Cash chuckled, and Ivan glared. He was familiar with YouTube, of course, but he didn’t realize there was much demand for the kind of content Nick mentioned. He thought it was mostly true crime, makeup tutorials, and jackasses pulling pranks and stunts. Ivan ignored the curiosity Nick had sparked and focused on getting to the bottom of the meeting. “And he wants to feature Redemption Ridge?”
“Well, that wasn’t the initial reason we came to the ranch,” Nick replied.
“But I decided to capitalize on the unique opportunities Rory brings,” Cash added.
Ivan shifted his gaze between them, feeling like Nick and Cash were tag teaming him. He might look like a hulking ogre, but he was a nice guy with sharp business acumen. What were they trying to hide with their dog and pony show?
“Let’s start with the real reason why you brought Rory to the ranch,” Ivan said.
Nick’s countenance changed before his eyes. Where before he looked a little haggard, now he looked scared. What the fuck was going on?
“Rory Snyder is the only son of Charles Snyder, candidate for governor,” Cash said.
Ivan got a sinking feeling in his stomach. There’d been a lot of talk about the man’s run for office. He was embroiled in a hotly contested primary run for his party. Neither Charles nor his main opponent would be Ivan’s first or even fifth choice for governor, so he hadn’t paid much attention to the controversy. He’d shaken his head over the headlines and moved on, but it seemed the billionaire candidate’s troubles were about to become Ivan’s. “Fuck,” he groaned.
“Rory’s personal life has become weaponized against Charles. I guess they figure Rory is fair game since he’s a successful influencer and a public figure in his own right. Every day brings a more salacious headline than the one before with Rory’s private life at the center. Someone with inside knowledge has fed these stories to the press, who then exaggerate and sensationalize the details that get them more clicks and views. None of them give a fuck about the toll this has taken on my brother or the danger it’s put him in. Charles’s team is in charge of finding the leaks and neutralizing them. I’m in charge of keeping Rory safe.” At Ivan’s frown, Nick rolled his eyes. “I said neutralize, not extinguish.”
“Rory was accosted last night after leaving a restaurant,” Cash said gently. “A belligerent man shouted homophobic slurs at him. When Rory didn’t immediately back down, the guy took a swing at him. He’s scrappier than he might seem and avoided getting hit, but the confrontation shifted from the sidewalks to the streets when the man aggressively pursued Rory in his car. He ended up running a red light and narrowly missed getting T-boned to get away from the assailant. Charles convinced Rory to file an official report with the police so it could be investigated as a hate crime. In the meantime, I need to tuck my brother away someplace no one will look for him. The media frenzy is getting out of hand. Charles had to deploy a decoy to pull the vultures away long enough for me to squirrel Rory away. He also planted a false story that Rory was heading to South America to work with sustainable coffee growers. So I brought my brother to the person I trust most in this world.” Nick glanced at Cash, who gave him the dopey smile he reserved for his best friend.
Ivan was completely sympathetic to Rory’s situation, but he suspected there was more to the story. “Why can’t Rory stay with you or a friend?”
“Rory doesn’t know who he can trust right now, aside from the people in this room.” Ivan wanted to point out that Rory didn’t know him and therefore couldn’t trust Ivan would have his best interest at heart. But Nick knew damn well that Ivan wouldn’t be there if Cash didn’t trust him, so he extended his faith to those living on the ranch by proxy. Nick took a deep breath and said, “And Rory can’t stay with me because I’m heading to DC for meetings, followed by a teaching stint at Quantico. I’ll be gone for a few months.”
