Crude Intentions

Chapter 13: Looking at the Dirt

The Goliad courthouse square was blindingly bright as the South Texas sun finally burned through the morning fog. The sky was that brilliant, endless blue that only comes after a massive storm, and the humidity was already rising off the asphalt like a physical weight.

Charlie leaned against the passenger side of the Escalade, a massive, ice-cold styrofoam cup of sweet tea pressed against her flushed cheek. Theo had kept his word. They hadn't even cleared the courthouse parking lot before he had Mark track down a local drive-thru that was pulling its first batches of the morning.

Theo walked out of the convenience store across the street, carrying two hot breakfast tacos wrapped in foil. He had discarded the yellow muck boots somewhere in the courthouse basement, courtesy of a generous tip to the night janitor, and was now wearing a pair of clean, dark leather boots his team had scrambled to find. He still wasn't wearing his suit jacket, and the sleeves of his clean gray t-shirt stretched tight against his biceps as he tossed her a taco.

"Chorizo and egg," Theo said, his voice still carrying that low, rough morning rasp that did dangerous things to her heart rate. "The lady at the counter said it’s a local requirement."

"Look at you, adapting to the habitat," Charlie teased, taking a massive bite. The warm, spicy flavor was heaven after a night of pure adrenaline. "If we stay out here another day, we might actually get you into some denim."

Theo stepped closer, trapping her between his large frame and the door of the SUV. He reached out, his thumb casually wiping a speck of stray foil from the corner of her mouth, his touch slow and entirely too deliberate for a public parking lot.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Landman," Theo murmured, his dark eyes glittering with a lazy, possessive warmth. "I’m an apex predator. I don't adapt to the habitat. I conquer it."

"You conquered Garrett Cole, I'll give you that," she said, her breath hitching slightly as his thumb lingered on her bottom lip for a fraction of a second before he pulled away. "But the Henderson tract is a different beast. Ready to go look at the dirt?"

"Lead the way, Head of Land."

Thirty minutes later, the Escalade pulled up to the highest ridge of the Henderson tract.

In the daylight, the land was breathtaking. Rolling hills of green brush and ancient live oaks stretched out as far as the eye could see, the San Antonio River cutting a silver ribbon through the valley below. This was the heart of the eagle ford shale—millions of dollars of liquid gold buried thousands of feet beneath the limestone, and now, Vance Energy held the exclusive key to all of it.

Charlie stepped out of the truck, walking up to the rusted barbed-wire fence. She took a deep breath of the clean, rain-washed air. For the first time in twenty-four hours, the weight in her chest was completely gone. She had saved her local families from a predatory contract, and she had proven that a small-town landman could outmaneuver a corporate empire.

A heavy, solid warmth pressed against her back as Theo stepped up behind her. He didn't say a word. He just wrapped his long arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest, his chin resting against her shoulder as they both looked out over the horizon.

"It's beautiful," Theo whispered, his deep voice vibrating right through her spine.

"Yeah," Charlie said softly, leaning into his strength, her hands resting over his forearms. "It's worth fighting for. My grandpa used to run cattle on this exact ridge. The oil companies always see lines on a map and production numbers, Theo. But to the people out here, this is legacy."

Theo’s grip around her waist tightened, his chest rising and falling against her shoulder blades. "I know what legacy means, Charlie. I told you about my father. I don't just want the oil. I want to build something that lasts. And I want the best people running it." He turned his head slightly, his lips brushing the sensitive skin beneath her ear. "Starting with you."

Charlie turned around in his embrace, her heart hammering a wild, chaotic rhythm as she looked up into his intense, dark gaze. "You really meant it, didn't you? The job offer. Head of Land."

"I don't make jokes about my company, and I don't make jokes about what's mine," Theo said fiercely, his hand sliding up to cup the nape of her neck, his thumb caressing her jaw. "Bob’s old brokerage is gone. Apex thinks they bought a weapon, but they just bought an empty shell. Every file, every client, and every title chain you've ever built belongs to Vance Energy now."

"And what about me?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly under the weight of his stare. "Do I belong to Vance Energy too?"

A slow, dangerous, and incredibly wicked smirk spread across Theo’s lips. He leaned down, his mouth hovering a mere breath away from hers. "You work for the company, Charlie. But you... you belong to me. And I’m a very hands-on executive."

Before she could fire back a sarcastic retort, he kissed her. It wasn't the frantic, desperate midnight kiss from the scenic overlook. This was slow, deep, and utterly dominant—a declaration of victory in the bright Texas sun.

The spell was broken by the sharp, aggressive ringing of Charlie’s phone in her pocket.

Charlie gasped against his mouth, pulling back with a flush on her cheeks as she snatched the device. She expected it to be Ms. Mae or another local heir checking on the filing.

Instead, the caller ID read: BOB — OFFICE.

Charlie frowned, her landman instincts instantly flaring. She swiped the screen and put it to her ear. "Bob? If you're calling to apologize for selling out to Apex, save your breath. Your non-compete isn't worth the paper it's—"

"Charlie," Bob’s voice came through the line, but he didn't sound defensive. He sounded absolutely terrified, his breath coming in ragged, panicked gasps. "Charlie, thank God you answered. You need to get to the main office in Goliad right now."

"Bob, I don't work for you anymore," she said, her voice hardening. "Garrett Cole fired me last night, remember?"

"It's not Garrett, Charlie!" Bob choked out, a loud crash echoing in the background of the call. "The corporate lawyers from Houston just arrived with a police escort. They aren't from Apex. They're from the Vance Energy main board of directors. They have a corporate freeze order for all local assets, and they’re demanding your arrest for collusion!"

Charlie’s blood went entirely cold. She slowly lowered the phone, her eyes wide with shock as she looked up at Theo.

Theo’s corporate mask immediately slammed back into place, his dark eyes turning into twin chips of ice as he saw the expression on her face. He snatched the phone from her hand, his voice a lethal, booming growl as he spoke into the receiver.

"Bob. This is Theodore Vance. Who the hell is in your office?"

A cold, unfamiliar voice took over the line, smooth, clinical, and completely detached.

"Hello, Theodore," the voice said, sending a chill straight down Charlie's spine. "This is Richard Vance, Chief Legal Counsel for the Board. Your board of directors just executed an emergency corporate intervention. We have reason to believe you’ve been compromised by a local contractor in Goliad, and we are freezing the Henderson project effective immediately. Step away from the landman, Theodore. The war isn't over—it just moved to the boardroom."