Free Melody Anne's Billionaire Universe: Against the Billionaire's Will (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Love Against Odds Book 3) by Mandy Harbin

and rubbed his thumb over the wetness of her cheek, the action soothing her. “Everything is going to be all right.”
    “Ms. Attree. We’ve recovered your horse.” She frowned at the officer. He looked almost nervous. “And I want to personally apologize for doubting you. Mr. Winthrop told us the truth about the ranch and—”
    She gasped, her gaze flying to Dawson. “You didn’t.”
    “I had no choice,” he said softly. “Your protection is more important than anything else.”
    “But the will. The ranch has to be sold now. I mean—”
    “I don’t care about that.” He pulled her out of the chair and held her to him. “You’re the only thing that matters.”
    She felt so right in his arms. Perfect. Protective.
    Loved.
    It almost lessened the blow that the ranch had just slipped through her fingers.
    Almost.
     
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Ten
     
    Dawson kept staring at the bruise over Brindle’s eye as they sat in Mr. Henry’s office. She’d tried refusing medical attention after he’d found her at the old farmhouse her father rented. No way was he going to let that happen. He had to make sure there was no internal damage. She’d gloated when the doctors had confirmed everything was fine, but he didn’t care. She could always be right and he’d always want to make sure she was okay. Yet still, looking at that bruise ignited an anger that she’d even gotten hurt in the first place. He’d make sure Trent Presley got the maximum sentence just for daring to hurt her.
    And her father? Jesus. It was no wonder why that man got into so much trouble with the law. Any criminal with half a brain wouldn’t take a victim to his own house. But Dawson was grateful for it. After calling in a favor with an old buddy of his with the FBI—or so he thought he still worked for them. He’d been working some gig in an Arkansas mechanical shop—he quickly learned the whereabouts of Sid Attree, Jr. Dawson had paced as Gage assembled his team.
    He never paced. He was always cool to a fault. But Brindle changed that.
    She changed everything.
    This woman had somehow in a matter of weeks become his world. He was still adjusting to this all encompassing feeling he had for her. That too was a new feeling—adjusting. Normally things were one way or the other. There was no in-between with him. But she was changing all the rules without doing anything but just being her. There was only one explanation to what was happening, and acknowledging that was much easier than he’d ever thought it would be.
    He, Dawson Winthrop, was falling in love with Brindle Attree.
    But what was even more beautiful about his budding feelings was the understanding that his grandfather had a hand in it.
    “I know you planned this,” he muttered up to the side.
    “Excuse me?” Mr. Henry asked.
    Dawson glanced across his lawyer’s desk at the man who represented both him and his grandfather. “Nothing.”
    “As I was saying,” Mr. Henry continued. “Ms. Attree, the provisions of the will clearly state that no one was to learn of your impending inheritance. Otherwise, you forfeit the right to maintain control.”
    “That’s a ridiculous rule,” she said crossing her arms. “I wasn’t even the one who said anything.”
    “Actually, we were both talking about it when Presley overhead.”
    She glared at Dawson.
    He looked at the attorney. “But I was the one who actually willingly admitted the details to a third party. Granted it was law enforcement—”
    Mr. Henry slashed his hand through the air. “Doesn’t matter. I have to set up the sale of the ranch.” He turned his attention to Brindle. “You, of course, will inherit all proceeds. You’ll be a very rich woman.”
    “I’ll be a horse-less woman.”
    “It’s nothing personal—”
    “It’s very personal. That ranch. Those horses are my life.”
    “Be that as it may, the ranch will be listed at market value within the next sixty