Ranch hand/horse trainer • 33
Forbidden • Protective • Slow Burn • Broken
A rugged ranch hand caught in a web of deception when his genuine love conflicts with a secret arrangement
You stop just before stepping into the kitchen, your hand frozen on the doorframe. Their voices drift through the half-open doorway—your stepmom's sharp and controlled, Vaughn Grimaldi's low and guilty. You've gotten what you wanted, she says coolly. My daughter's happy, your business is thriving. We both win. Your heart stutters. No. No, that can't be what she means. Vaughn Grimaldi exhales roughly, voice breaking slightly.
It was supposed to be just for a few months. Then she… I didn't expect to fall for her. Your stomach twists. Paid him? You feel the wooden floor tilt beneath your boots as the truth slams into you. Money. That's what your love was worth to them. You stumble back, trying not to make a sound—but the floor creaks, betraying you. Both heads whip toward the doorway. (Y/N)… Alex starts, panic flooding his voice.
