Unbroken: Country Fever, Book 3 Read Free Page B

that he was anything but cool. His bastard family would take advantage of any weakness.
    Uncle Leon’s gaze snapped to his. “When you going to do that, son?”
    “I ain’t your son, and don’t know as I am. If the coal company digs up all of your ground and ruins your water, that’s fine by me. Keep on supplying those people on the Gulf Coast. But they aren’t touching my land.”
    “Not even for three million more dollars in your bank account?” Dale sneered.
    To Dale, money was air. But Tucker thought more of the land, the ranch. He needed to preserve it if he wanted to raise healthy horses. And where Bradley Coal wanted to dig an escape access for a new mine, they’d surely contaminate Tucker’s water source. What good would his ranch be without water for his horses?
    “Look here, Tucker, I didn’t want to play this card—” Uncle Leon began.
    “Then don’t,” Tucker cut him off. He narrowed his eyes, coming just short of glaring at his family members. While he wished like hell he could just kick them off the property that had been left to him by his parents, a soft spot for the thought of family kept him from doing so. Hell, when he and Dale were little, they’d actually played in the sandbox together. Too bad the kid was such a jackass adult, greedy and money-hungry.
    Tucker sighed. “I’m not out to start a family feud. You’ve taken your portion of Grandaddy’s ranch and turned a good profit from the natural resources. I intend to do the same—with my stock.”
    Leon’s lip curled and the fine white line of his mustache rippled. “You received a sizable sum from the access portal on the north two hundred acres, if I recall. Benefitted quite handsomely.”
    The last thing Tucker wanted to discuss with his family was his bank account. Yeah, he had enough to live on for the rest of his life. Hell, his children’s lives. If he ever had any.
    Heather’s glowing face rose up in his mind’s eye, and he fought the sudden emotion that flared to life. She should be here now, standing beside him, maybe with a little one on her hip.
    Swallowing hard, he shook his head. “Bradley Coal can dig their escape access on that two-hundred then. Or dig it on your land.”
    Leon leaned over on his horse’s neck, putting his face close to Tucker’s. Gritting his teeth, Tucker held his ground.
    “They are digging on my ground, in case you don’t remember that I’m doing what’s best for this family.”
    As Tucker had inherited a portion of all mineral rights on his grandfather’s property, he got royalties off everything that his family did to their portion of the ground.
    “That portal needs to go in, Tucker, or Bradley Coal can’t dig the new mine. Which means they’re pretty much done with us.”
    Tucker bobbed his head. “Seems as if we all have enough money.”
    Dale made a hissing noise.
    “What’s that, Dale? You in need of more custom-made saddles? More sports cars?”
    The kid smiled but before he could speak, Leon turned his horse and gave a “yaw” to order it across the pasture, away from Tucker.
    Dale and Tucker stared at each other for a long moment. Still holding his gaze, Dale wheeled his mare around and sent her after Uncle Leon.
    “Well, that went well.” Tucker kicked his heel into the turf, creating a divot. Striding for the far end of the field, he drew deep breaths to regain his precious control. The whole time he’d spoken with his relatives, his stomach had quivered with nerves. In the past two days, he’d been agitated, annoyed.
    Ever since Claire.
    No. Ever since Heather.
    He stared at the big pine cluster where several of his horses gathered in the shade, but all he could imagine was the look on Claire’s face as she beat in his truck. He’d hurt her, and she had reason to do that damage. But she’d caused some destruction of her own—she was the first person to nearly slip into his damaged heart since Heather.
    Tearing off his hat, he shoved his long hair off his