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to remain on the ranch.
    Robert’s blistering curses filled the office, and he paced the length of space behind his desk. “And you actually agreed to those outrageous terms?”
    Refusing to be baited, Seth shrugged nonchalantly. “I’d be a fool not to. I want the Golden M.”
    Robert stopped his agitated pacing and whirled to face Seth. His stare turned hard and bitter. “Yeah, you’re a fool all right. An idiotic fool for marrying that little tra-”
    “Don’t say it,” Seth interrupted, the chilling tone of his voice menacing enough to make Robert reconsider his derogatory remark. He stood and faced his brother squarely. He was taller than Robert by at least three inches, and more muscular from the physical labor of working the ranch and herding cattle.
    Now, he used that superior strength to send a silent, but unmistakable warning. “In fact, I’d appreciate it from here on that you keep any insulting comments about Josie to yourself.” As much as Seth had his own personal grudges with Josie, he wouldn’t tolerate his brother, or anyone else for that matter, slandering the woman who would be his wife.
    “Good God, Seth,” Robert breathed incredulously. “You’re not still hot for her, are you?”
    Oh, Josie made him plenty hot, all right—in ways that becoming his wife would certainly appease. “She’s a means to an end,” he said, stating a fact. “However, since she’ll be my wife, I’ll expect you to give her the same respect you would any other woman I would have married.”
    Robert shook his head, his eyes wide and wild, as if he were searching for a way to make Seth see reason. “Are you totally and completely out of your mind? You can’t marry a McAllister !” He spat the word like an expletive.
    If Seth wasn’t on the verge of letting his own anger get the best of him, he would have found his brother’s ire amusing. But he didn’t care for the ominous slant of their conversation, or the hostility burning in Robert’s gaze. For crying out loud, it wasn’t as though Robert had to marry Josie.
    He let out a deep breath that did nothing to ease the tense muscles in his body. “I can marry a McAllister, and I will .” His brusque tone left no room for debate. “I suggest you get used to the idea.”
    Robert raked him with a scathing look. “You’re going to marry her, even after what she did to you?”
    Seth didn’t want to think about Josie’s deceit, knowing if he dwelled on that aspect of their time together it would eat him alive. “What happened in the past has nothing to do with the present.” Josie was a business deal, part of the package for the Golden M, which he wanted so badly he could taste the sweetness of freedom owning his own place would provide.
    “She used you, Seth!” Robert pointed an angry finger his way for emphasis, but didn’t dare actually jab Seth with the offending digit. “And she tried to pawn off that brat of hers as yours after sleeping with God only knows how many guys!”
    Seth’s jaw clenched. Unbidden, visions of Josie’s daughter filled his mind, momentarily taking the edge off his rising temper. The timid young girl looked just like Josie, with curly auburn hair and big green eyes. Nothing about her physical appearance gave any indication as to who her father could have been. Seth wondered if Josie even knew who’d fathered Kellie.
    Shoving the disturbing thought out of his mind, he decided then and there that he wouldn’t punish the girl for her mother’s past indiscretions. It just wasn’t fair.
    He headed toward the door, ready to end their discussion, but paused in the threshold to glance back at Robert. He leveled his steady gaze on his brother, who looked absolutely livid at the turn of events. “That ‘brat’ is going to be my step-daughter, and your niece. I’ll expect you to treat her with the same kindness I give your own two children, or you’ll answer to me.” With that, Seth left the office and headed down the