Wild Ride: BBW Western Romance (Under Open Skies Saga Book 2) (27 page)

“
What is it
?
”

“
Bourbon. Pretty good stuff. Just drink it
.
”

She swallowed the liquid, letting it burn on the way down her throat. Bourbon was
n’
t her choice of a good drink, but anything right now was welcome.

“
I suspect you will want to be introduced to people, mingle with the common folk, as it were, Princess
?
”

“
Please, do
n’
t call me that, not tonight
.”
She shot him a serious look, and his tone changed, but the smile did not leave his face.

“
Okay, okay. I wo
n’
t. But you wanna mingle
?
”

“
I do
n’
t see why not
.”
She took Cod
y’
s arm and let him introduce her to people. Most of them were less dressy than she was, and a few women were even wearing jeans with nice blouses.

If only she had known, she would have worn jeans, and felt a little less out of place.

“I’
m pretty sure you met some of the girls from the rodeo
,”
Cody waved at the ladies, who smiled at her.

“
I have
n’
t seen you in a good while, Kat. How are you doing? Tammy Lynn smiled at her
.“
I see you have a different man on your arm, did you take my advice about Hunter
?
”

“
Tammy Lynn, ca
n’
t say it is a pleasant surprise, but a surprise none the less. How did you get an invite
?
”

“
Muriel is a very nice woman, invited all the riders, thought, why not? Free food
.”
She smiled and pumped Kat on the arm.

“
Cody is just stepping in for Hunter at the moment, he is busy, elsewhere
.
”

“
Well, damn. Someone finally snagged him
,”
Tamm
y’
s smile went wide
.“
Did
n’
t think that would ever happen, again
.
”

Again.

Another reminder of his previous marriage. The marriage he had yet to tell her about.  The idea swirled in her brain.

“
Yes. Yes she did. Little does she know how bad that really is
.”
Hunter was behind her in an instant, his hand on the small of her back, touching her. Possessing her.

It made her hot with anger and arousal, the combination of the two setting her completely on edge. She prickled at his touch and tried to move away from it, but he pulled her closer.

She could
n’
t deny that she liked it.

“
You actually sticking around on this one
?”
Tammy asked, amused.

“
That is the plan, if sh
e’
ll keep me
.”
His eyes were on her, serious, the depth of emotion in them beyond any she could have imagined. It was almost more than she could handle.

So she chuckled and let go of Cod
y’
s arm.

“
You did pretty good yesterday, at the rodeo. But took one hell of a fall, I hear. How are you feeling
?
”

“
A bit bruised, but nothi
n’
I ca
n’
t handle
.”
If he was in pain he barely let on, but every once in a while she saw the wince in his face. She knew bull riding was dangerous, but to see the man she cared so deeply about get hurt. I made it real for her.

She understood her mother a little better now, her fear, her anger.

“
It was crazy to ride again, man. You coul
d’
ve hurt yourself
.”
Cody said
,“
But gotta say, I bet on crazy pretty often
.
”

“
I was fine. Besides, it got me where I needed to be
.
”

They continued talking, the banter between the three of them, when she spotted him. Edward. He was at the hors
d’
oeuvre  table, a napkin in his hand as he loaded up on coconut shrimp. It took all her control not to march right over there and confront him that very moment, but she had to wait. The right moment would present itself and it was going to be tonight.

“
Did you think I was
n’
t going to find out
?”
She snuck up on him the first chance she got. As soon as she saw him alone in the hallway, next to the buffet she knew it was time.

Edward was completely unaware.

“
Find out? About what
?
”

“
You know exactly what I am talking about. Do
n’
t try to deny it.
I’
ve been to the constructio
n‘
offic
e’
. I know about the embezzlement, I know about the sabotage
.”
She kept her voice low, but did
n’
t leave out the little bit of hiss. She was angry, and it took all her effort not to hold herself back.

“
Where is your proof? You would
n’
t be asking me if you had any. I do
n’
t know what your talking about
.
”

“
Oh no, I have proof. I know the connection, so I have people putting it all together, now
.”
She was bluffing, quite obviously. She had nothing but a conversation, but hopefully some kind of paper would link them together
.“
I just want to hear it from your mouth. I want to know why.

Lucky for her, her pokerface was perfect.

“
I, I had no choice. She said not to talk
.”
His eyes shifted, like he was suddenly afraid someone would hear.

“
Who gave you no choice? What are you talking about
?
”

“
Look I ca
n’
t say, it would ruin everything. It would destroy me
.
”

“
I do
n’
t think you have much of a choice, considering that it would destroy you not to talk. Forget about losing your stake in the company, think about the larger ramifications. Jail time, fines, what about your family
?”
Being harsh was hard, but it was the only way she knew how to get to him, and it was working.

She could see the frayed edges of his confidence as they broke down.

“
Dammit. I, I had no choice. She, found me in som
e…
compromising positions, and not with my wife. Fucking private detectives. Got some dir
t
…”

“
Who
?
”

“
Who else? Is
n’
t it obvious to you? Do
n’
t you know
?
”

“
Know what
?
”

“
The one woman who could hurt you. The one who has reason to try and frame you. The jilted lover. Left with nothing
.
”

He was talking in riddles.

“
What are you talking about
?
”

“
Think about it. It was Sarah. It always has been
.
”

Sarah, she was full of open contempt, but she had only met the woman once. Why would she want to do that, even if she was a lover of her father?

She expected he would have them, especially because they lived separated for so long.

But this woman, she was a partner.

“
Why would she do this
?
”

“
I told you who, I ca
n’
t tell you why. That is for you to find out
.”
He paused
,“
Are you going to have me arrested
?
”

“
Not if you step down, and say exactly why. I will not have you prosecuted, and I will try to convince Hank not to go after you too, but your time at my company is done
.
”

“
Your father needed me, I gave him money when he had none
.
”

“
And this is how you betray him? I mean, if you want, I can certainly go ahead and have the law on you. Your choice. Leave quietly let me catch who is responsible, or get arrested
.
”

“
When you catch her she will rat me out, you ca
n’
t possibly save me
.
”

He was right, she could
n’
t. Eventually this was going to come down on his head, and he was going to struggle with it, he was going to lose his whole world. She did
n’
t feel bad for him, he deserved it, but his family did
n’
t.

“
And I will testify on your behalf, if it gets that far
,”
she reasoned
.“
I will do what I can
.
”

“
I believe that, because, your father, in all his faults. Was honest. And it seems like you are too. But if she finds out that I told you, she would never let me live it down. I would los
e…
everything
.”
A shiver ran down her spine, spreading fear throughout her body.