Only You by Francis Ray Page A

he purchased the land for back taxes.”
    “That took time.”
    “Almost two and a half years,” Daniel answered. “He’s fair, but if you come at him the wrong way he’ll come back hard. He’ll slap you down and that’s where you’ll stay. He doesn’t care how long it takes.”
    And he wants Sierra. Luke blew out a breath. “You never answered my original question: is he ruthless with women?”
    “I’d say no. Nothing I’ve seen or heard about him indicates he’s that type,” Daniel said. “In fact, women usually come on to him, and it’s not just his money. He’s a handsome devil.”
    “Why Sierra?” Luke gritted out.
    “As you pointed out, the pigtails are long gone.” Daniel chuckled. “Being a big brother is hard. I well remember Kane and Matt wanted to beat me to a pulp when I was fighting falling in love with Madelyn. If I had been around when Dominique was in Dallas dating Trent, I’m not sure how I would have handled it.”
    “Sierra is not falling in love. She is just going to sell real estate,” Luke said, his voice tight.
    “Then why are you so worried?”
    Luke scrubbed his hand over his face. “Sierra is too reckless at times. I don’t want her to get hurt.”
    “I’ve never stood in your shoes, but I’d say trust Sierra. Blade is obviously interested, but he will accept a no.”
    That was Luke’s dilemma. He’d seen Sierra’s expression when Blade’s name was mentioned, how her face softened, the wistful expression in her eyes. Luke wasn’t sure she’d say no.
    “If you want, I can give Blade a call, ask him to back off, although I’m not sure he’ll listen,” Daniel said into the silence. “He can be a law unto himself.”
    “Just like you when you wanted Madelyn.”
    “The same goes for you and Catherine.”
    Luke blew out a hard breath. “No power on earth could have stopped me from loving her, marrying her. But my intentions were honorable.”
    “I hate to say this, but were they initially?”
    “I’ll kill him,” Luke snarled.
    “Sierra won’t thank you for it any more than Dominique would have. Cuz, as difficult as this is, you’ll have to stay out of it,” Daniel said. “If you try to interfere, you’ll make Sierra think you don’t trust her to make the right decision.”
    “It’s Navarone I don’t trust.”
    “Amounts to the same thing.”
    Luke glanced up as the door to his office opened. “Morgan just came in. I’ll talk to you later.”
    “I never thought of it before, but I’m glad Daniel Junior is a boy.”
    Luke’s gaze went to the wedding photo of him and Cat on his desk. For them there would never be any children, but he blessed the day she came into his life even if she had been pointing a gun at him. “Bye and thanks, Daniel.”
    Morgan glanced at the nineteen-inch computer monitor, then at his brother. “What did you learn from Daniel?”
    Before Luke could answer, his door opened again. Brandon and Pierce stalked across the room.
    “What are we up against?” Brandon asked.
    “How can we protect her?” Pierce wanted to know.
    As usual and fitting, they looked to Luke for leadership and answers. This time he wasn’t sure they were going to like what he had to say. “I’d rather say this once.”
    As one they all turned to the door and waited. In less than two minutes there came a knock at the door.
    “Come in, Mama.”
    Ruth Grayson wasn’t any more surprised to see her sons than they were to see her. She took the seat Morgan held for her because it was expected and because none of them would sit until she did. “Luke?” Ruth questioned.
    After the death of their father, Luke had become the one his mother looked to. He never wanted to let her or his family down. He was well aware that as each of her sons had married, she had let them and their brides have their space … until now.
    “Daniel confirmed what Faith said. Women chase Blade, not the other way around,” Luke said, but somehow those words didn’t make