Wild Ride: BBW Western Romance (Under Open Skies Saga Book 2) (28 page)

Was this woman really that dangerous?

“
Yo
u’
ll need to do the rest of the work on your own. Put it together. Figure it out
.
”

“
And what about you
?
”

“
I will tender my resignation for next week, and offer my shares for sale. You can purchase them from me, or they can. I do
n’
t care. I have other business matters, and it is
n’
t worth losing my family over. I told her she was
n’
t going to get away with this, but she did
n’
t listen. Why do I always get into these fucking messes
?
”

That was the best thing she heard come out of his mouth the entire evening.

“
Maybe you could stop cheati
n’
, lyi
n’
and steali
n’
. Bet that would be a good start
.”
That last little bit of snark could
n’
t be helped. She was still angry, her blood boiling. But she was finally getting somewhere.

After all this time.

She finally knew exactly who she was facing, and she was ready. Whatever was going to happen, it was going to be because of her decisions. Kat was in charge of her own company.

In charge of her own life.

“
Take me home
,”
She leaned into him and pressed her face against his shoulder.

“
Sure, why do
n’
t we go find my mom, say goodbye, and then go
.
”

The two of them weaved towards the crowd to the front of the home, where they expected to find Muriel, except she was
n’
t there. The crowded space offered no respite. All this was doing for her was exciting her nerves. She just wanted to get home into his arms.

“
Well, just who I was hoping to see
.”
A familiar voice prickled the hair on her neck as she turned to address it.

Shit.

Chad Hayworth.

“
My mom invited you
?”
Hunter asked.

“
Nah,
I’
m here with a date. Could
n’
t miss the biggest bash of the month. It was a networking opportunity I couldn't afford to miss
.
”

But she wished he would have.

“
Kat, I see you are still hangi
n’
on this wastre
l’
s arms
.
”

“
What the hell do you have against him
?”
She spat, her anxiety and her irritation gripping hold of her.

“
Where do you want me to start? With the way he just bailed on the rodeo as soon as a woman caught his eye, or the fact that he walked out on a good opportunity to get into the business. With me
.
”

“
You used to work with him
?
”

“
I was young, and dumb. I thought he was a nicer guy than he really was. Fooled me
.”
Hunter kept his eyes on Hayes, like he was sizing him up.

“
Shit, that boy walks out on everything. Gets a good thing, just fucki
n’
walks out. Did it to me when I needed him, to his last woman, and h
e’
ll do it to you
.
”

“
You asshole
.”
Hunter took a few steps forward, his temper finally getting the better of him, but his mother appeared in the room just in time.

A swift movement later she was across the room with her hand on his arm.

“
Sweetie, I need some help in the kitchen, why don't you come back and give me a hand
?
”

Her request brought him out of his rage.

“
What, mom
?
”

“
The kitchen, now. I need your help with some trays, they are just a bit too heavy for me
.
”

“
Yeah, sure
.”
He said, physically brushing off his anger and following her towards the back of the room and through the doorway.

She stood, frozen, her temper keeping her from moving.

The small crowd that formed looked almost dejected as they disbursed.

“I’
m trying really hard to keep my composure, Chad. I thought I communicated my goals to you, and that you understood them
.”
She could
n’
t help it, she had to say something to him.

“
You think you know what yo
u’
re doing, but you do
n’
t. And i
t’
s going to run the company into the ground. All those men, they all need it. I was against it at first, but now, now it gives them hope. And yo
u’
re fucking ruining it
.”
Chad spat right onto the ___

“
Leave. Now
.”
Cody stood behind her, his presence comforting, in the way that an old friends would be
.“
Now
.
”

She stood there, frozen in place as she watched him turn and leave the room, taking any last shreds of confidence she had with him.

“I’
m sorry about that, Kat. That asshole does
n’
t know how to keep his mouth shut
.”
Cody stood next to her as they watched him walk away.

Muriel appeared in the doorway
,“
Kat, you did
n’
t want to help
?
”

“I’
m sorry Muriel,
I
…
”
Her words escaped her. She was still frozen in place.

“
I
t’
s okay, dear. It is okay
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re being awfully quiet over there
.”
Hunter finally broke the silence after a long, winding ride home.

“
I just, I realized. I do
n’
t know you, Hunter. Not really. Not actually
.
”

“
Shit, Kat
.”
He pulled off onto the side of the road
.“I’
m tired of this back and forth. What do you want from me? What can I do to make you have faith in me? To believe me
?
”

“
You can start by telling me the truth
.
”

“
What do you mean
?
”

“I’
ve been listeni
n’
to the rumors for weeks. About you. Your life. Hell, Cody fucki
n’
outed you. I know that you were a bit of a player, I even know you were married. Just not the details. But I kept my mouth shut, because I thought you would tell me. When you were ready
.
”