would have in his old, worn hands. After three long days of walking across tough land, he had hoped for a fresh start, far away from the problems of city life. He had come because he was promised good land for rearing cattle, but now that he was facing the scary people on the porch, that promise felt like a cruel joke.
Three women stood in front of him, and their strong bodies formed long shadows on the ground. The tallest one came up with a smile that didn’t quite reach her icy blue eyes. “You must be the new owner,” she remarked, her voice full of confidence that made Boon shake. He could feel how penetrating their looks were as he stared at the two women close to her, like hunters weighing up their prey.
Boon said, “Ladies, I think there has been some confusion,” trying to keep his voice steady. “This is mine now.” These are the papers that are lawful. He held up the deed, which still had a clear official seal on it. The tall woman’s smile got bigger, and her teeth looked overly sharp.
“We know who you are, Boon Whitmore.” We were waiting for you. He thought she had struck him with lightning. How could they know his name? The vendor had told him that the sale would be private. The second woman said in a deep, rich voice, “We’ve been living here for a long time.”
Boon’s stomach felt like it was getting tighter. He said, “What do you mean?” not wanting to know the answer. The sound of the redhead in the group laughing made him shiver. Before he went, the last owner made some plans with us. Plans that won’t just go away because of a piece of paper.
He now fully understood how serious the situation was. These women weren’t simply squatters; they were women who had been wronged, and now he was stuck in the middle of their problems. “What kind of plans?” Boon inquired, even though he was already afraid of what the response would be.
The tall woman got closer, and her eyes shone with something scary. “The kind that means you’ll always be with us.” Boon’s pulse raced as he understood what she meant. “You’re going to have sex with us, Boon.” We all three. That’s how it works.
Boon’s face lost color. There was more than simply a threat; there was a great promise behind it. He quickly took the rifle off his horse, but then he stopped. What was he getting into? What made him think that what he had done wasn’t worth the paper it was written on?
“I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing,” he said, and his voice sounded like steel. “I spent a lot of money on this land, and I’m not going anywhere.” The tall woman laughed, but it wasn’t a nice laugh. “Boon, this isn’t a game at all.” “This is work.”
She pointed at the house. “The person who sold you this land owed us something.” A debt that won’t go away just because he took your money and ran. Boon began to feel afraid. Marcus Vance, the seller, was very keen to finish the sale. Did he get caught in a trap?
Boon started to see how far the treachery went as the women talked more about their past with Marcus. Marcus had been their partner, lover, and coworker, but he broke up with them when he realized he didn’t want to be with them anymore. The tall woman, Helena, stated, “We have a real claim here, not just to the land but also to what we were promised.”
Boon’s head was spinning. “That’s true, but I didn’t agree to do his work.” For a minute, Helena’s features softened, showing that she was vulnerable behind her scary face. “You probably don’t have to keep Marcus’s promises in court.” But we’ve put everything we have into this land. “We have nowhere else to go.”
What she said made a difference in how they fought. These ladies weren’t predators; they were victims of Marcus’s lies, and now they were looking for aid from him. Boon’s heart sank when he realized what was going on. He was in their way of protecting what they had made.
“Can you explain what you mean?” Boon inquired, his voice shaking with doubt. He felt the weight of his choice on his shoulders as the three women stared at each other. Helena got closer, and now that he knew how much suffering they were in, her huge body didn’t appear as scary. “We want to work together,” she remarked. “Not the half-hearted deal Marcus made, but something real.” We live together, work on the farm, and split the money we make.
There were things that could happen in the silence that came after, but they weren’t said. Boon wanted to know what they were good at and what they weren’t. They weren’t just asking him to trade something; they were giving him the chance to be a part of something bigger and more important.
As they talked about their dreams for the future, Boon started to give in. He was plainly attracted to these women, but he also felt a connection that went beyond that. They were giving him a companion, someone to work with, and a chance to do something with them.
Finally, Boon remarked, “I need to see what you’ve done here.” He couldn’t believe how calm he was. “I need to know what I’m getting into if we’re going to work together.” He was quite interested in the sophisticated irrigation systems and the healthy animals as Ruth led him across the fields. They had built a successful firm, and Boon admired how hard they worked.
Boon was shocked by how wonderful the place they had made together was when they got back to the farmhouse. That house was more than simply a place to live; it was a home. The mood changed from tense to cautiously hopeful during dinner, and Boon felt himself relax in ways he didn’t think were possible.
But then, as they were cleaning up, Helena said something that stunned them. “Marcus gave us more than just broken promises.” He took out a loan in our name. When she spoke those things, Boon felt like he had been hit in the stomach. They had to cope with what Marcus did, and now he had to deal with it too.
Boon’s mind raced as they talked about the debts. He didn’t feel terrified, though; he felt a rush of vitality. He answered, “These numbers are manageable,” which proved that he knew a lot about business. “I can help you pay off these debts and put money into growing the business.”
Their features showed relief right away, and Boon knew he had found both a friend and a family. He could help them fix what Marcus had broken because they were all in this together. “But I have conditions,” he said, his voice getting serious. “We need to be clear about who is in charge of what and how decisions are made. We also need to let our relationships with other people grow on their own.
As they began to fill out the paperwork for their partnership, Boon began to feel a sense of hope growing inside him. What had started off as a nightmare had turned into a chance for them to get to know one other better and grow. They were working together to build a strong family that was beautiful since they had been hurt and valued each other.
The farm thrived well for months since they all worked hard together. Boon started to love each woman in her own manner. He had been missing something for a long time, but Helena’s strength, Ruth’s wisdom, and Magdalene’s passion made up for it. They lived a life that went against the rules, yet it was full of love and kindness.
Boon thought about how far they had come one night when they were all seated on the porch. “Is there anything you’re sorry about?” Helena asked, her eyes shining in the gloom. Boon grinned at each one. “Just one.” I’m sorry that Marcus Vance’s betrayal brought us together.
The sound of their laughter made the air feel cheerful and connected. They chose to be different in a world that wanted everyone to be the same. In a world that wanted people to have traditional relationships, they had their own idea of what love was. And in that option, they found something useful and long-lasting that would help them deal with any problems that might come up on the frontier.