Free Christmas With the Billionaire Rancher by Mandy Baxter Page B

father’s money only served to remind him of why he left home in the first place. It was only money for shit’s sake. And he knew from experience that money didn’t magically make everything better. In Nate’s case, money had been the source of all of his problems. He held on to his anger, irrational as it was. Because if he didn’t the hurt would lay him low.
    â€œFine.” Emotion glittered in her eyes as she said under her breath, “Stubborn ass.”
    â€œStubborn ass?” Nate tossed the syringe down in the cardboard box with the vaccination vials and rounded the chute. Chloe took a tentative step back. “My father ruined our relationship. Not me . Everyone thinks I was running away when I joined the Navy, but that asshole pushed me away . He thought I was a coward for leaving because I couldn’t face him after what he’d done to me. I left because I wanted nothing to do with him or our family name and I wanted to do something that would make me feel like I had some honor for a change. I saved lives, Chloe. I don’t even remember how many. It’s the ones I lost that I’ll never forget. They’re the ones that haunt me. Good men died unfairly. While he died, rich and comfortable and rutting over a woman he had no business being with.”
    â€œNate.” Tears pooled in Chloe’s eyes and her chin quivered. Chloe didn’t know his history with his father and how he’d betrayed him. How could she? Nate refused to let it soften him, though. He was pissed and wanted to stay that way. He didn’t owe her an apology for anything. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean—”
    â€œI don’t want to talk about it, Chloe. I just…” Nate snatched his hat off his head. He raked his fingers through his hair and let out a gust of breath. He’d let his temper get the best of him. Chloe hadn’t deserved to be at the receiving end of it. “Forget it.”
    â€œI think that’s a good idea.” Without saying another word, Chloe turned and headed back toward the house.
    Nate kicked at the ground, his fists clenched tight. Son of a bitch . He watched her march across the pasture, dust kicking up with every step, her arms swinging purposefully beside her. He hadn’t meant to be so harsh with her. The expression on her face had grown more distressed with every forceful word. As though he’d had an out-of-body experience, his mouth continued to run while he watched from beside himself, helpless to stop the flow of his anger.
    You dickhead. Way to fuck yourself over .
    The echo of his front door slamming behind Chloe made its way across the pasture to the corral. The calves started at the sound and even Nate’s heart skipped a beat. He walked slowly toward the house, giving himself some time to calm the fuck down before he talked to Chloe again. After a week of lawyers, advisors, his brothers, and Miranda all in his ear, the last thing he’d wanted was one more opinion on what he should do with his inheritance. The stress was starting to wear on him.
    And instead of just telling Chloe that, he’d thrown a king-sized tantrum. Awesome.
    *   *   *
    By the time Chloe hit the staircase, her temper had begun to ebb. She hadn’t meant to push Nate’s buttons—the situation had to have been stressing him out—but she wasn’t going to give up trying to convince him to see her point of view.
    Chloe wasn’t stupid. She knew how her nagging must have come across. As though she were more interested in Nate’s money than Nate himself. Nothing could be further from the truth, though. If that had been the case, she would have asked him for the money to save her foundation before she’d even gotten her underwear back on that first night. It wouldn’t matter to her if he had ten or ten billion dollars. She’d still want him. Still crave his touch. She’d still