Backlash Tender Trap Aftermath - Lisa Jackson Page 0,89
took a long swallow of beer. “I didn’t come here just to give you a wedding present,” he said, wincing a little as he shifted in the chair. His face grew taut and white from pain. “I want to know how you can reconcile yourself to all this, Denver. How you can give up your life in L.A. and marry a woman you can’t trust?”
Denver stepped between Tessa and Colton. “It’s simple.”
“Is it?”
“We love each other.”
“Bah! Love?” Colton laughed. “You? Give me a break!” His insolent gaze moved to Tessa. “You conned him again, didn’t you? He’s always been weak where you’re concerned.”
“Leave it alone, Colt,” Denver growled.
But Colton’s mouth curved into a cynical smile. “At least she’s smart enough to get what she wants, isn’t she? She always wanted this ranch, Denver, and now she’ll have it.”
Tessa’s chin inched upward. “Believe what you want, Colt. I’m sure I can’t change your mind. But just to set the record straight, I’m marrying Denver because I love him.”
“Sure you do.” He took another long swallow. His eyes slid to his brother. “Have you ever explained what happened the afternoon of the fire?”
Denver crossed the room and loomed, huge and furious, over his brother. “It’s a closed subject.”
“Not with me.” He took another long swallow, ignoring the storm in Denver’s eyes.
“If you just came here to cause trouble, you may as well leave. Now.”
Beneath his beard, Colton grinned roguishly. “Now that’s not very hospitable of you, Denver. I traveled all this way—”
“To mess things up.”
Colt’s smile faded. “To straighten things out. I owe you one, and I’m paying you back right now.”
Denver’s voice was low, threatening. “I appreciate your concern. Now, either you’re here with good wishes or you’re history—if I have to throw you out myself.”
“Stop it!” Tessa intervened. Outside, thunder cracked. “If you two want to fight like a couple of twelve-year-olds, for God’s sake, wait until after the wedding—after Colton’s recovered.”
She heard the whine of an engine and her heart dropped. Glancing through the windows, she saw the truck roaring up the lane. So Mitchell was back. Maybe he could stop the fight simmering between the two brothers.
“God, Denver, open your eyes, for crying out loud!” Colton said just as the back door banged open. His voice had taken on a slight Irish accent—as if he were used to slipping into brogue. “The woman’s been playing you for a fool from the first time she set eyes on you.”
“That’s enough!” Denver growled. “Tessa is going to be my wife and nothing you can say—”
“What the hell’s goin’ on in here?” Mitchell asked. Standing, dripping, in the front hall, his wheat-colored hair plastered to his head, he surveyed the room with surprised green eyes that landed with an almost audible thud on Colton.
“Well, if it isn’t Denver’s future brother-in-law,” Colton drawled.
“Colt?” Mitchell whispered, eyeing the bearded man. All the color drained from his face.
“In the flesh.” Colton stood and ignored the fire in Denver’s eyes. “Tell me, what do you think about Denver and Tessa tying the big one?”
“I figure it’s Tessa’s life.”
“And my brother’s,” Colton added.
“Knock it off, Colt,” Denver warned.
“Not until I get to the bottom of this. Not until I convince you that the woman you’re planning to marry betrayed you and the whole family. Don’t you remember the fire, Denver?” he asked, clutching Denver’s scarred hand and raising it high in the air like some sort of medal.
Tessa took one step toward Denver, wrapped her arm through his.
“It’s over.” Denver yanked his hand back.
“It’ll never be over, Denver. How can you forget all those days in the hospital—all the surgery?” Colton spit out. “And the fire. You remember that, don’t you? And Mom and Dad didn’t make it out of there, for Christ’s sake! All because Tessa, here, and her old man, were ripping us off!”
Mitch’s face washed with horror. “Don’t—” he rasped.
But Denver moved as quickly as a cat. He shoved his brother against the wall and pinned him there.
Colton’s shoulder slammed against the wall and he winced.
Face set, Denver curled his fingers around the sodden lapels of Colton’s jacket. “You want to settle this, Colt, then let’s settle it. Between us.”
“A fight?” Colt drawled, his face tight with pain but his hard smile flashing beneath his beard. “How chivalrous!”
“No!” Aghast, Tessa wedged herself between the two brothers. “Stop this right now! I had nothing, nothing to do with that fire—”
“Like hell!” Colton hissed.
“But maybe you did,” she went on defensively. “You didn’t have an