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Prescott downed the rest of his bourbon “Sorry, Will, but I can’t do that The syndicate—”

“No excuses I checked the records The land is yours, not the syndicate’s It’s too steep for cattle You don’t need the water, and we both know the gold was nothing but a tall tale So why not let et ant”

The congressret “It’s not that simple On his deathbed my father made me promise that I would keep that land in the family That’s why the syndicate doesn’t own it”

Will suppressed the urge to swear out loud He should have expected so Prescott had locked down that land to spite the Tylers or he’d still believed the Spanish gold was there, maybe both

The two“There has to be some way around this,” Will said

“What does it matter?” Prescott demanded “If the land’s as worthless as you say it is, why in blazes do you want to buy it?”

“To get it back in the family It’s the only piece of the ranch that’s ever been sold”

“So it’s the principle of the thing?”

“More or less But if you can’t—or won’t—budge on it, you and I have nothing et my vote as usual, and that’s it”

Prescott appeared to be studying his manicured nails “I’d sell it to you in a minute, Will, but al expert Maybe I could ask Tori—”

“Leave Tori out of this!” Will snapped

“All right” Prescott exhaled slowly “There e bet”

“On what?” Will was instantly suspicious

Prescott glanced toward the front door, where Beau and Lauren had exited earlier “Your brother’s a bachelor with half interest in your ranch And I have a beautiful, spirited daughter with a great deal to offer a e for ive her that little canyon as a wedding gift?”

CHAPTER 8