001

The bells chimed loudly across Cardone Ranch, rousing every farmhand, stable boy, and creature that dared to laze in bed past dawn. At six o'clock sharp, the ranch stirred to life horses neighed in the stables, chickens flapped in protest, and weary farmhands trudged toward the great Cardone kitchen for their morning meal.

It was harvest season, and Mike Cardone ensured the family's sugarcane empire ran like a well-oiled machine.

The Cardones were among the most respected sugar producers in Texas, owning over two thousand acres of plantation and more than twenty processing factories across the state. Yet, for all his wealth and success, Mike Cardone carried a burden a legacy without a son to inherit it.

Instead, he was blessed or cursed with Lisa.

Fiery, headstrong, and stubborn as a wild mare, Lisa Cardone was the spitting image of her late mother. She was breathtaking, sharp-tongued, and utterly unwilling to be tamed. And that terrified Mike more than he cared to admit. He loved her, but sometimes, in the dead of night, he wished his wife had given him a son instead. At least then, he wouldn't have to constantly battle his own daughter for control.

Sighing, he strode past the busy servants, making his way toward Lisa's room. Nupe, an older housemaid, nearly bumped into him, her arms full of freshly laundered towels.

"I'm so sorry, master," she muttered hastily, bending down to pick up the fallen linens.

Mike barely acknowledged her apology. "Is she awake?"

Nupe sighed, shifting the weight of the towels in her arms. "I'm afraid not, sir. She refused to rise not even a wink."

Mike exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "She's doing it on purpose."

Nupe hesitated before speaking again, her voice carrying the wisdom of years. "Why don't you try waking her, Master? She'll listen to you."

Mike let out a humorless chuckle. "Oh, it's no use, Nupe." He rubbed his forehead in frustration. "She hates me because I won't let her chase that foolish dream of becoming a ranger."

Nupe smiled knowingly, the lines on her face deepening. "You know how young señoritas are, sir. Their dreams run wild. But in time, she'll understand your good intentions." She patted his shoulder before continuing on her way, leaving Mike standing there, dreading the battle he knew was coming.

Across the hallway, behind a set of elegant brown double doors, a pair of bright blue eyes peeked cautiously through the narrow gap. Lisa Cardone watched as her father and the plump Nupe exchanged words about her, of course.

With a sigh, she eased the door shut and turned back toward her spacious, overly polished bedroom, a place that felt more like a gilded cage than a home. She crossed the room in slow, deliberate steps before sinking onto the edge of her grand four-poster bed.

Lisa's POV

Waking up in this overbearing ranch one more day might just kill me.

As if it weren't bad enough that I'm trapped here, my father has no shame in discussing me like I'm just another business deal. Right in front of the staff, no less.

And my dream? Silly. That's what he called it.

Becoming a ranger fighting, riding, defending the frontier it's the only thing I've ever wanted. But to him, it's a joke. To everyone, it's a joke.

I clench my fists, staring at the elegant lace curtains that billow softly from the morning breeze. This isn't where I belong. I know it deep in my bones.

I waited For my father's arrival. For another argument. For more proof that he wished I had been born a boy.

How I hated that man.

He never hid his disappointment in me, always making it painfully clear that I wasn't the son he wanted. If he had his way, he'd have a proper heir someone like Carlos Mendoza, a man who actually deserved to carry on a family legacy.

The thought made my stomach twist.

I barely had time to compose myself before the door burst open with a force that rattled the hinges.

I flinched.

My father stormed in, his boots stomping against the polished wooden floor. But just as quickly as his anger flared, it dissolved into something else. Something I didn't quite recognize.

Defeat.

To my surprise, he didn't start yelling. Instead, he strode toward my bed, removing his dusty brown hat and setting it down on the oak bedside table near my feet.

"Lisa," he began, sighing heavily. "You know how much I love you, mi amor. I only want what's best for you."

He reached for my hand, his calloused fingers brushing mine in an attempt to hold them.

I snatched my hand away.

His jaw tensed, but he didn't stop. He simply exhaled and continued.

Ignoring her angry expression, he continued, his tone firm.

"Lisa, you can't be a ranger. It's not how things are. You're a beautiful young woman, my daughter. That life isn't for women." He exhaled, as if trying to reason with a child. "You're a Cardone. Your duty is to—"

"—give birth to handsome, dusty heirs."

Lisa cut him off, rolling her eyes so dramatically it would have been comical if she weren't furious.

Her father frowned. "Not necessarily," he lied.

Then, forcing a smile, he tried another angle. "Look on the bright side. You're my princess. You'll marry for love."

That was it.

She was done.

"Always the same thing, Papá. That's all you think about."Lisa snapped, her voice shaking as she pushed off the bed and started pacing. The walls of her room felt like they were closing in, suffocating her.

"What if I can't give birth?" she challenged, stopping mid-stride to glare at him.

Her father scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Don't be absurd. You're thinking about this all wrong. Besides, children are a blessing."

He stood, ready to end the conversation and walk away.

Too late.

Tears had already begun spilling down her cheeks.

He hated this.

With a defeated sigh, he wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry into his chest.

"There, there, my love. Don't cry," he murmured, rubbing slow circles on her back.

"You don't care," Lisa mumbled into his shirt, her voice muffled by fabric and snot.

She knew she was smearing it all over his work clothes, but frankly, she didn't care either.

Neither did he.

He just wanted this dramatic scene over and done with.

Once her sobs had quieted and her sniffles turned to occasional hiccups, he took his chance.

"The Mendozas are coming for dinner tonight."

Lisa barely reacted.

He pressed on. "I heard Carlos is back from the military."

That got her attention.

Her head jerked up so fast, she nearly hit his chin.

"Carlos?!"

She hadn't seen him in three years.

They had been close once, when she was younger. When everything was simpler.

When she had a ridiculous crush on him before he left to serve.

"Carlos is back?" she sniffed.

"Yes, my dear," her father chuckled, gently tucking a loose strand of her tangled blonde hair behind her ear, ignoring the mess on her face.

"Why is he back?" Lisa demanded, her voice laced with anger.

She hadn't expected to feel this way, but the moment Carlos' name was mentioned, her blood boiled.

He never replied to a single letter after he left.

Not one.

Her father furrowed his brows. "What do you mean? You're friends, aren't you?"

Lisa scoffed, turning away from him.

"He's not my friend," she snapped, marching over to her dressing table. She grabbed her brush and began dragging it through her tangled hair. "He never even asked how I was doing."

Mike sighed, choosing his words carefully.

"He did ask about you, Lisa. You know how rough it is in the military. I'm sure he missed you just the same."

Lisa's hand stilled mid-brush as realization dawned on her.

She met her father's gaze through the mirror's reflection, her expression cold and unreadable.

"Tell me you're not trying to set us up for marriage," she said, her voice tight with suspicion.

Her father shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat.

"Well…"

A knock at the door saved him.

The maids entered, carrying fresh towels and bathwater.

Mike thanked the stars for the interruption.

Quickly addressing the staff, he seized the opportunity to escape, slipping out of the room before Lisa could press further.

As he walked toward the stables, his mind turned over the situation.

This should have been easy.

Lisa had been secretly betrothed to Carlos since she was seven. They had been paired together for years so their bond would feel natural when she was old enough for marriage.

But from the looks of it, she didn't like Carlos.

Or maybe it was all just an act.

Maybe she did miss him.

Or maybe this was just another way for her to defy him.

Mike shook his head.

Carlos was a fine, healthy young man. The kind women dreamed of marrying.

Lisa was speaking from childhood rage, that was all.

Once she saw him now, she'd fall for him.

And Carlos would surely feel the same.

With that thought, Mike decided to skip breakfast and head straight for the stables to check on his injured horse.

Far beyond El Paso, in the heart of the Texas Ranger headquarters near the Rio Grande, Luis Delemante sat stone faced, struggling to make sense of the mission before him. The echoes of border skirmishes and outlaw raids still lingered in the air, reminders of the unrest between Tejano settlers, the U.S. Army, and the ever-shifting tides of law and survival.

The handsome ranger turned the polaroid photo in his hand, his sharp eyes narrowing as he examined it.

A teenage girl stared back at him from the faded image.

She looked no older than eighteen young, delicate, almost angelic.

Her hair was light, possibly blonde, and though the black-and-white photograph hid the true shade of her eyes, they seemed strikingly pale.

Luis clenched his jaw, frowning.

"This is her?" he asked again, glancing up from the picture. "You're sure?"

Across the sleek black leather desk, Eddy Collins, a grizzled veteran of the force, scowled.

"Of course she's the one." He leaned back in his chair, striking a match and lighting his worn-out pipe. As the first drag of smoke curled into the air, his gaze sharpened.

"She's Lisa Cardone, heir to the Cardone Ranch. And intel suggests Mike Cardone was behind the 1886 San Juan shooting." The Ranger's voice was low, deliberate. "That bastard is dangerous, Delemante. We've been tracking stolen cattle and missing supply wagons for months now, and they all lead back to his ranch. He's too careful to get his hands dirty, but his ranch hands? They're knee-deep in it."

Luis exhaled sharply, his fingers tightening around the Polaroid photo in his hands. The San Juan shooting a violent clash between merchants and smugglers along the Rio Grande, one of many since the Salt War left the region in chaos. Wagon trains carrying goods from Mexico had been vanishing near El Paso del Norte, and cattle branded with unfamiliar marks had been showing up in markets farther east.

Now it all made sense. Mike Cardone ran one of the most powerful ranches in Texas but that wasn't enough, was it? Like so many others, he saw an opportunity in the lawless borderlands, using his men to steal cattle, hijack supply wagons, and sell smuggled goods under false brands. And if someone got in his way? Well, the San Juan shooting proved how far he'd go to protect his empire.

Luis ran a hand through his dark hair, exhaling sharply. He understood his mission.

But the girl in the photograph looked too young.

Too innocent.

"Isn't there another way?" he pressed, setting the photo down. "Something that doesn't involve going through the daughter?"

Collins' lips curled into a smirk.

"What's the matter?" he taunted. "Afraid the little vixen might ruin your plans?"

Luis's jaw tightened.

Damn him.

"You know what I'm saying," he muttered. "She's just a kid. I don't want her caught up in this."

Collins exhaled another plume of smoke, watching Luis through the haze.

"Always the hero, huh?" he mused. "Relax, Delemante. No one's asking you to do anything to her. Last I heard, she's already betrothed to some Mendoza boy."

Luis stayed silent.

"Just stick to the plan," Collins added firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Luis clenched his fists, knowing this was his cue to leave.

Without another word, he tucked the photograph into the pocket of his uniform, then turned on his heel.

Stepping outside, he was met with the jarring blaze of the Texas sun.

He pulled his hat low over his eyes, his thoughts dark and unsettled.

Luis Delemante squinted against the sun, his steel-gray eyes scanning the towering fence of the ranger base.

Without thinking, he pulled off his worn ranger hat, running a hand through his tawny brown hair.

Something about that photograph unsettled him.

He wasn't an idiot. He was a rogue, a man who had spent years surviving on his cunning and manipulation. That was how he had gotten into the Ranger Force at the raw age of sixteen.

And yet, looking at that photo, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen her before.

She couldn't have been more than eighteen when the picture was taken.

She had youthful innocence, the kind that didn't belong anywhere near a world like his.

But by now, she would be older. Probably a beauty.

He sighed, reaching into his pants pocket and pulling out the polaroid again.

The girl in the image was smiling at the camera, her expression carefree.

Too carefree.

Luis frowned.

He wished he could see her eyes somehow, he felt like they would tell him more than the photograph ever could.

Shoving the picture back into his pocket, he turned on his heel and strode toward his black mare, Pirate.

With a swift motion, he mounted the muscular stallion, adjusting his grip on the reins before nudging her forward.

As the hooves kicked up dust, he turned onto the left fork of the road.

He was heading straight into the heart of Texas' sugarcane country, where the land stretched vast and untamed. The fields rolled endlessly beneath the sun, a sea of swaying cane that gave no hint of what lay beyond. The Cardone Ranch wouldn't come into sight for at least five more hours on horseback.

Lisa tugged the carefully knotted rope, ensuring it was secure before tossing it over the edge of her bedroom window.

The plan was simple.

She would run away before the Mendozas arrived for dinner.

She glanced at the clock.

6:30 PM.

They would be here in less than thirty minutes.

Her heart pounded.

Clenching her teeth, she swung her legs over the window ledge and gripped the rope, her hands burning against the rough fibers as she slid down the stone ranch wall.

Scrape.

She hissed as her palms stung from the harsh contact.

Then, without warning

Thud.

She landed hard on the grassy farmland, an ungraceful heap against the cold earth.

Lisa barely had a second to regain her breath before

"Who's there?"

A deep voice cut through the dark.

She flinched.

It was too dark to see.

Her pulse spiked as she scrambled to her feet, bracing her hands against her riding boots.

Think, Lisa.

It had to be one of her father's farmhands.

If they caught her now, she'd be locked up in her room until she was married off to the next available man.

That wasn't going to happen.

Without a second thought, Lisa whipped around and bolted blindly

Straight toward the stables.

Carlos had just arrived at the Cardone ranch with his witty, talkative mother.

The sight of the place filled him with a deep, familiar longing.

He had missed it here.

He had missed her.

Lisa.

Soon, they would be married it was already decided.

And what more did a man need?

A beautiful wife. A family. A legacy.

He had loved her since they were children, though he had spent the last three years without seeing her.

Three years of war.

The memories flashed before his eyes

The battlefield, thick with smoke and gunpowder.

Blood staining the earth.

Him stepping over lifeless bodies, searching for his friend

Only to find him cold, stiff, and gone.

Carlos inhaled sharply, forcing himself back to the present.

Mike Cardone greeted him with a firm, warm handshake, his eyes twinkling.

"Howdy, my boy. How's the military treated you?" the older man asked.

Before Carlos could answer, his mother cut in, already settling into a seat and arranging her plump frame with practiced ease.

""Well, what can I say? My boy has grown into a strong, handsome man." she beamed, reaching for a berry from the dining table.

Mike chuckled. "I can see that, Madam Mendoza."

"Where's your husband?"

"Oh, tending to a poor cow," she sighed. "She's been in labor for hours."

Mike shook his head. "Now, that's simply unfortunate."

"I agree," Carlos said, finally speaking for the first time.

His mother, Claudia, perked up.

"Where is the young missy?" she asked with a playful chide.

Carlos turned to Mike, watching the man's expression closely.

The older man cleared his throat.

"Oh, she'll be down any moment now. You know how young señoritas are always taking their time, powdering their faces and fussing over every little thing."

he laughed, rubbing his hands together as the maids placed appetizers on the table.

Carlos smiled politely but something in Mike's tone made his gut stir.

Where was Lisa?

As the maids carried in the dishes, Mike Cardone signaled to a plump, older maid, who hurried forward and whispered something in his ear.

Carlos watched the exchange carefully.

His mother, however, was too busy nipping at a cream-filled pastry, completely unaware.

Something was wrong.

Mike rose from his seat, wiping his mouth with the tablecloth.

"Is everything alright, sir?" Carlos asked, narrowing his eyes.

Mike forced a tight-lipped smile.

"Yes, just give me five minutes. I'll be down with Lisa."

But his eyes told another story.

Carlos didn't believe him.

As soon as the older man disappeared down the hall, Carlos quickly motioned for the same plump maid.

She hesitated before stepping closer.

"What's going on?" he asked in a low, firm voice. "Where is Lisa?"

His mother, Claudia, finally looked up from her dessert, her interest piqued.

The maid flushed pink under their combined stares.

Nervously, she tugged at the hem of her floral-patterned shirt.

Then, in a quiet voice, she finally said

"The young señorita has run away. We cannot find her anywhere."

A heavy silence followed. Then, almost as an afterthought—

"And the trail she left behind… it doesn't look like she was running alone."