Instantly anger surged through my veins, making my skin heat to the point I thought it might blister. My hands trembled and my vision was blurred with memories. I’d had months of the man who was supposed to love me putting me down. Waking up every morning with an ache in my stomach, wondering if that would be the day that I felt worthy. Whether I would do something that he would finally praise me for. Maybe my hair would look right, or he wouldn’t beg me to have a baby because it would make me feel like I was contributing to our relationship. I would not let another woman feel that insecurity and bone chilling worthlessness.
“Take Mav for a cool down session for me, would you?” I hung his reins loosely over the fence before climbing over it.
“Tally, no, it’s fine. You don’t need to?—”
“Yes, I fucking do. I’m not having him speak about you like that. Gunner isn’t here, so it’s down to me as his assistant to deal with it.”
Gunner and Wilder had gone to look at the bull in Montrose a few hours ago, so it was down to me to tell Glenn what a prick he was.
“Honestly, it’s okay.”
Shaking my head, I started to stride away. “No, it’s not okay. Let him tell me I’ve got a fat ass and see how that ends up.”
I hoped that he was still in the stables because I didn’t want to have to get on a horse and go looking for him. Stalking across the yard my boots clip clopped on the concrete, like a horse’s hooves at full trot. The wind whistled through the hooped earrings I was wearing and my braid bobbed on my shoulder.
“Glenn!” He was coming out of the stables with Danny, the new guy. He had a hand on his shoulder and was laughing loudly. “Glenn!”
His head turned in my direction and he instantly smiled, like I’d made his day just by being there. Well, he’d soon change his mind once I’d finished talking to him.
“Hey, Tally, how you doing?”
He looked me up and down lazily, his swagger lazy, his smile lazy. He was a poor man’s Wilder Miller. He had a lazy gait, easy swagger and slow grin but it came with humor, patience and respect. His ego was deserved, whereas this little fucker was not worth the dust on Wilder’s boots.
“Not so good,” I told him, as I clenched my hands into fists to control their shaking with the rage I was feeling. It was good they were in fists. I had two brothers so I could throw a damn punch if I needed to. “I need to speak to you.”
He winked at me. “Yeah, and what about?” He glanced at Danny and smirked. “Something good?”
“Nope.” I took a step closer and straightened my spine. “If I ever hear about you talking about any woman in a derogatory way ever again, you will be sorry.”
“What?”He frowned, taking a step back, while Danny shifted uncomfortably. At least he had the decency to look guilty. Whereas Glenn, he was standing there with a tight jaw looking like his shit didn’t stink.
“You know exactly what.” I took a step closer. “I know what you’ve been saying about Poppy like you have the right. The right to comment on her appearance. Her size. How dare you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What’s she been?—”
“Don’t try and lie because she heard you and everything you said about her.” I pointed my finger close to his chest. “When you see her you apologize. You never repeat anything like that on this ranch again, and you’re lucky it’s me who found out about this and not any of the Millers.”
“Just because you’re boyfriend is one, doesn’t mean you can bawl me out about stuff.” His denial had quickly turned to anger, but I doubted he’d follow the usual arc and move onto acceptance of his wrongdoing.
“Yes I can. As a woman and a human being.”
He shook his head and took a half-step back. Danny scratched his head, looking like he might be about to piss his pants.
“Seriously, you’re taking her word over mine, just because she’s a woman. Just because you’re knocking around with Wilder. Like that’s going to work long-term.”
“My relationship has nothing to do with you,” I ground out, the tether on my temper about ready to snap. “Keep your opinions to yourself and go and apologize to Poppy.”
Turning on my heels I started for the office, desperate to get away from him before I did something stupid and earned myself an assault charge. Rounding the corner, I walked straight into the muscular frame that I knew so well.
“Whoa, where are you going in such a hurry.”
“Wilder.” All the emotions plummeted over the edge of my heart, making my throat prickle. Desperate just to feel him, I flung my arms around him and held on tight. His familiar scent of leather and spice washed over me, instantly calming the storm in my chest. His solid warmth grounded me and made me feel safe again. “I missed you.”
Stroking my hair, he laughed deep in his chest, like it had been lockedup in there all day and was grateful for the freedom.
“I missed you, too, Brownie.” He inhaled and kissed the top of my head. His arms went tighter. “What’s wrong, babe?”
“Nothing.”
