Chapter 2

Very reluctantly, Killian had made use of the first-class ticket the attorney had left and flown here to Red Creek, Kansas. Where he'd received the next biggest shock of his life, meeting his half-brothers. When he and his half-brothers had seen each other for the first time, they were stunned into silence, warily watching each other.

The attorney rattled the papers in his hand. "As I told you, Dusty and his wife Theresa were killed in an auto accident. We're told they died instantly. It was a very sad day." He looked from one to the other. "So, if there are no more questions, I'll begin reading the key points in the will." He waited a few seconds, meeting each of their gazes.

"Yeah, I've got one." Rogue looked at his brothers. "How did he...?" He held up a hand. "Let me rephrase that. Why? Why four families in four different states?"

The lawyer tossed the papers on the desk and laced his fingers together. "Your father wanted to have children, and he confided to me that his wife didn't want them. This broke his heart."

"So he went around hunting for incubators?" Killian spat out.

"That's a little disrespectful," Benner chided.

"You're calling me disrespectful?" Killian made a rude noise. "I'd say your client is the one who's guilty here."

"She knew about all of us?" Dylan interrupted. "His wife, I mean?"

"No, she did not." Benner's cheeks turned ruddy. "And I was sworn to silence under attorney-client privilege. I'm assuming your mothers made you aware of your father's marital situation?"

Killian wanted to shout, Mine damn sure didn't.

One of the men cleared his throat, but no one spoke. Out of the corner of his eye, Killian saw Jackson stare at the law degree on the wall. What was going through his mind? Any of their minds? Had any of them known about Dusty's wife or the fact this made all of them.... No, he wouldn't go there. Instead, he focused his attention away from Montana and back to Kansas.

"So, in the interest of time, I will read the highlights of the will. Copies of the entire document are in the folders I set in front of you." The attorney cleared his throat and read for a quarter of an hour. The details included a grocery list of assets: a mineral and water rights company boasting assets near five hundred million dollars, including a private ten-person jet, a storefront in the small town of Red Creek, Kansas, as well as a big house on the outskirts of town.

The brothers sat silent.

"Of course, there are the four houses in four compass points of the US. In the north, Montana, where Killian resides. Texas, from where Rogue hails. Dylan, of course, from Nashville, and Jackson, from Oregon."

Killian's gaze flicked to each of his brothers as they glanced at each other then back at the lawyer.

"These houses are currently company property," Benner went on. "But your father notes you four, as the new owners of D. Walker Mineral, can opt to transfer the homes into your mothers'-"

"Hang on." Beside him, Killian sensed Dylan stiffen. "You're saying he left the company to us?"

"Yes, of course." Benner's eyes widened. "I didn't read that portion of the will because I assumed...." He hefted out a sigh. "The company is now legally in your names, exactly one quarter going to each."

Dylan let go with a long, low whistle.

Killian was dumbfounded. Holy fucking shit! He owned a fourth of a half-billion dollar company? Hell, he'd always figured Dusty had plenty of money. Their house in Montana, where Dusty had set up Killian's mother, Mairi, was practically a goddamn mansion. It sure cost more than a pretty penny.

But half a billion? Man, what he could do with a fourth of that. Although he wasn't sure money would take away enough of the pain of betrayal.

"So, if we sell our quarter?" Jackson said the words slowly, figuring the other three had to be pondering the same question.

"There are repercussions."

Repercussions? What the fuck?

The attorney flipped pages. "Ah, here. ‘Heretofore, the parties to which-"

"In plain English, please." Killian put one booted foot on the opposite knee.

"Of course." The man set down the papers and leaned back in his chair, placing one hand on his round belly. "The company is essentially frozen as is for a full year. After that time, if one of you wants to sell, the others have the option of buying you out at half-worth."

"Half-worth?" Rogue fisted his hand. "Meaning they'd buy me out at a 50 percent discount?" The guy glowered.

"Yes, that's correct. Your father wanted to keep the company in the family. Wanted you four boys to run it together."

"A year?" Killian raised an eyebrow. "Okay. Sure. But, hell, no matter what Dusty wanted, there's no room in my life for small-town Kansas and an eight-to-five job. I'll probably be the first to sell my quarter of the company."

Benner feigned a tepid smile. "However, you are each officially on the payroll, and your first paychecks will be cut the day you successfully complete the one...." He swallowed then cleared his throat. "Stipulation in the will."

All four of them leaned an inch closer.

"Stipulation?" Dylan prodded.

"To inherit, you must spend a week in Red Creek, working in your father's office, learning more about the business, sharing with each other what you've learned from your father over the years. You must also reside for that week at your father's house-your house-on Osprey Lake."

"A week?" Jackson shook his head. "What's the time frame here? Anytime in the next year?"

Rogue slapped open his folder and pulled out his copy of the will. "What section is that in?" His words came out clipped.

"Second from the last page. You'll see there's a thirty-day time limit." The attorney checked his calendar. "Today is August second. You'll need to decide which week in August works for all four of you and plan to be back here then. Or if this week works...?" He shrugged.

Killian tapped his fingertips on his knee. "Dad wanted the four of us to live in the same house and work in the same office? For an entire week?" He had things to do and places to go. He saw this windfall as the means to realize a long-held dream, and he wanted to do some investigating.

"Like summer camp for the bastard sons of Dusty Walker." Dylan mumbled a curse.

Jackson rubbed the spot between his eyebrows. Good. At least, Killian wasn't the only one who found this situation bizarre. "What the fuck was he thinking?"

Rogue kept reading silently.

Benner's face turned a dark shade of red. "He loved each one of you. I know because he took great pains to create provisions to make sure you were taken care of after his death. Just as he did while he was alive."

Yeah, real good. The jackass obviously thought money could buy anything and everything, including his kids.

"Listen here." Rogue stared at the will. "It says we each have to spend a week, but it doesn't say it has to be the same week."

"No, it, uh.... What?" The attorney sat forward and frantically flipped through his paperwork.

"I say we each take a week, get this goddamn stipulation out of the way, and figure out the rest later." Rogue looked at his brothers. "Agreed?"

Dylan accessed his phone. "I can stay this week. I got nothin' goin' on."

Jackson grabbed his folder. "I can do the week after. Get this bullshit out of the way."

Killian rose. "Sure. I'll do the third week."

"That leaves week four for me." Rogue stood and tucked the folder under his arm.

"Now wait, boys." The lawyer stood, still staring at his copy of the will as Jackson and Dylan got to their feet. "Your father wanted you all to be here together. At the same time. To get to know one another."

The brothers stood in a half-circle. Killian saw Jackson's gaze drop suddenly to the belt buckle he wore then the others. The exact same belt buckle on all four of them. The one given to them by their father.

"Am I seeing things?" Jackson asked.

Killian looked down at his waist. "Son of a bitch. I can't believe this. They're all alike."

"That's kinda fucked up, huh?" One side of Dylan's mouth curved up. "The old man gave us the same belt buckle, like we'd use them to somehow magically find each other."

Jackson frowned as if he wanted to fling the buckle into the nearest lake and watch it sink.

Killian sympathized. So much for imagining his father thought he was special. Special, like one of a matched set of four.

The room went silent, and, as if on cue, they all turned toward the door.

"Wait." The attorney raced around his desk and stood in front of the men, his brow wrinkled, his breath coming fast. "Your father's wish was to have you spend this time together." His hands fluttered like he didn't know what to do next."

"Well, then...." Killian patted Benner's shoulder as he strode past him. "I guess he should have had his lawyer write that in the will."

He noticed Jackson bite back a grin.

They were complete strangers. Best to keep it that way.

Dylan gave the others a trigger finger salute and headed out the door, the others right behind him.

Killian watched as each of his brothers-half-brothers, you idiot-entered their separate limousines and left the parking lot. He climbed into the one still waiting for him and leaned back, eyes closed, as the vehicle began to move.

Now, the fun begins.