“The meaner they look, the easier they are to tame, sweetheart.”
“If you say so.”
She figured there was no need to tell him that she’d almost passed out, watching him. She’d been so worried. But now, she’d had a front row seat to seeing just how skilled he truly was.
“You expecting company?”
Dani glanced through the windshield and saw a car parked in front of Richard and Libby’s ranch house. “No.”
When the driver saw them approach and got out, she recognized him. Anger swept through her. “It’s Steve. What on earth is he doing here?”
Wade had barely brought his truck to a stop when Dani swung open the car door and got out. “Let me handle him, Wade,” she said over her shoulder as she moved toward Steve. “What are you doing here?”
“Why aren’t you taking my calls, Danielle? I’ve been trying to contact you.”
“Why?”
“We need to talk. I lost my job.”
“So, I heard. Angie called and told me.” Angie was married to Steve’s good friend, Elwood.
“You knew and didn’t think I would need financial help?” Steve yelled.
“Is financial help more important to you than moral support, Steve?” Dani snapped.
At that moment, Wade got out of his truck and leaned against it. Steve shifted his attention from Dani and frowned upon seeing Wade. “Who is he?” he asked angrily.
“He’s none of your business. And as for your needing financial help, that’s not my problem. We had a healthy savings account before you began taking money from it to feed your gaming addiction.”
“This is a private conversation, Danielle. I don’t like the thought of him being here,” he said, pointing at Wade.
“Too bad because he isn’t going anywhere. But you are. Leave.”
“Is this why you refused to take my calls? Someone told me they heard that you were house-sitting for yoursister, but it looks to me like you’re doing more than that. When did you become a whore?”
Dani wasn’t sure how Wade moved so fast. The next thing she knew, Steve was sprawled on the ground with a busted lip. Wade looked at Dani, an expression of rage on his face. “Nobody will disrespect you like that while I’m around.”
She nodded in thanks, then turned her attention back to Steve. “Leave now before I call the sheriff. Just in case you didn’t understand me the last time, Steve, we are through. I don’t want to have anything to do with you.”
“I told you I was sorry,” Steve said, easing up off the ground. “I didn’t mean to hit you.”
Wade’s head jerked toward her. “He hit you? I thought you said he started to, but stopped.”
Before Dani or Steve realized what Wade was about to do, he knocked Steve’s legs from under him, and before he fell to the ground, Wade punched him in the face. “Get up, you bastard! Get in your car before I beat you to a bloody pulp. A real man would never hit a woman. Leave and never come near her again.”
Steve all but crawled to his car, opened the door, and got inside. Moments later, he sped off. Wade glanced over at Dani, an angry expression on his face. “Let’s go inside. We need to talk.”
Wade dropped down in the chair in the living room and watched Dani ease down on the sofa across from him. She looked gorgeous today, as always. No woman looked better in a pair of jeans. He had noticedthe admiring glances she’d received from the single men, which was why he’d kissed her every time he broke in a horse. He had wanted everyone to know who she belonged to. Because she was his. Every time they made love, she became even more his. He’d never known a woman so giving and so loving.
Drawing in a deep breath, he turned his thoughts to their present situation. Wade wasn’t known to have a temper, but the thought of someone hitting her made his blood boil. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth, Dani?”
She lowered her head, as if ashamed. When she glanced back up, he saw her tears, and immediately felt like someone had hit him hard in the gut. Standing, he crossed the floor to sit beside her. Pulling her onto his lap, he held her tight in his arms.
“I didn’t lie to you, Wade,” she said, swiping at her tears. “You assumed I left the day he almost hit me because I didn’t tell you the whole story.”
“Will you tell me now?” he asked her softly.
She didn’t say anything for a moment, and then she nodded. “I told you how he tried to hit me. but I got away. He told me how sorry he was, and it wouldn’t happen again.” Then, with a shake of her head and after a long exhale, she continued. “What I didn’t tell you is that I believed him and agreed to give him another chance.”
