Bound, Branded, & Brazen by Jaci Burton Read Free Book Online

pile of horse shit.
    There was no refuge anywhere—at the house or in the barn. But at least the house only contained her sisters. She went through the front door and up the stairs directly to her room.
    Unfortunately, Jolene was at the top of the stairs waiting for her.
    “What?” Valerie asked.
    “What are you running from?”
    Valerie rolled her eyes. “Nothing.” She brushed past Jolene and went into her bedroom. Jolene caught the door before Valerie could shut it.
    Her sister made herself comfortable on Valerie’s bed, flopping stomach-first onto it.
    “Ran into Mason outside, didn’t you?”
    Damn Jolene for being so perceptive. “Yes.”
    “He still has the ability to make your heart hurt, doesn’t he?”
    When had her sister grown up and become so wise? She started to deny it, but what was the use? “Yes.”
    “That’s why you don’t come back here.”
    Valerie sat on the edge of the bed and blew out a breath of defeat, feeling like she’d failed at running away from the one thing she didn’t want to talk about. “Not all of it, but that’s part of the reason.”
    Jo rolled over onto her back and leaned against the pillows. “What’s the other?”
    That she wouldn’t get into. Instead, she lifted her shoulders. “I just needed to move on, to find a life outside the Bar M. I wasn’t meant to be a rancher, Jo.”
    Jo cocked her head to the side and studied Valerie. “I’m not sure I buy that. You were as good at ranching as I was.”
    “I just didn’t love ranching like you do. I was good at it, yes, but you love it. I don’t.”
    “Being good at something doesn’t mean you have to love it.”
    She felt the squeeze in her heart. “Loving something doesn’t mean you won’t destroy it.”
    “Ah,” Jolene said. “So we’re not really talking about the ranch now. You’re talking about your marriage to Mason.”
    She lifted her gaze to her sister. “What?”
    “Mason. You’re talking about loving Mason.”
    “No. I’m not.”
    “You’re talking about loving and destroying. That’s not the ranch you’re talking about, Valerie.”
    Dammit. Why did everything get turned around to talk of Mason? “There’s a damn good reason we’re not married anymore. And I’d appreciate if you and Brea would keep your matchmaking fingers out of our relationship.”
    Jo raised her hands. “Whoa. Okay. Hands off. I get it.”
    “Good.”
    Jolene swung her legs over the side of the bed and headed for the door. “But, Val?”
    “Yes.”
    “I think you still love him. And he’s not destroyed, so maybe there’s still hope.”
    “Goddammit, Jo!”
    But Jolene had already pulled the door shut and hadn’t heard Valerie scream at her.
    Somehow Valerie didn’t think that topic was closed.

four
    the funeral was surprisingly well attended considering how much everyone had hated their uncle Ronald. But Valerie supposed most people were better bred than she was and would willingly pay their respects to the mean son of a bitch even if he’d never had a kind word to say to a single soul.
    Lila said people attended out of respect for the family. Maybe so. Valerie’s parents’ funeral had been standing room only. There’d been weeping. Then again, her parents had been kind people. Maybe someone had left Uncle Ronald in a basket on her grandparents’ doorstep, and they’d taken pity on him and raised him as their own. Because no way in hell would Valerie ever believe Uncle Ronald and her father were of the same blood. Ronald had been mean as a rattle-snake, always coiled and ready to strike out at whatever innocent victim was foolish enough to get close. And every eye at the church and cemetery that day was bone dry. No one cried over his death. What did that say about a man’s character?
    They held a luncheon at the ranch after, and lots of folks attended, which gave Valerie a chance to catch up with people she hadn’t seen since she’d left town two years ago. That was both a good and a bad