My blood seethes just hearing him call her his daughter. Phony piece of shit.
“Your daughter has extra space in her room for me to store them,” I inform. “And since one of these is enough for Clay to share with the partygoers, I’d appreciate it ifthey were out of sight.” I turn to Clay. “Mail them to whoever. I don’t care, but I don’t want them here.”
“You know, this is a really big accomplishment, Stet?—”
Suddenly, Nate wants to care about what happens with his daughter. “There’s no extra space in her room. I checked on her this morning, and all her bedding filled the extra space.”
I still, chills rushing down the back of my neck. “And why’s that?”
“Clearly, there isn’t as much space as you thought,” Nate tells me, the tone of his voice rubbing me wrong. He’d better watch himself. I’ve got a gun loaded with his secret failures, and I’m not afraid to use it. Blackmail is ammunition at its finest.
“That’s not what I asked, Nate. Why is Cove’s bedding on the floor?” I take a deep breath through my evident frustration. There’s not a ton of space, but enough beside the bathroom and window to store packed boxes.
Another thought comes to mind. So help me god…if I find out…
“Hell if I know. She’s been down there every morning I’ve looked for her.”
“Define down there.” There’s no disguising my hostility. I’m past the point of refrain, and I have a sick feeling that whatever Nate says next will send me straight to the circle of death.
“Sleeping on the floor, Stetson. What the fuck is your deal? She’s an adult. I’m sure there’s a reason for it. Leave it alone.”
I don’t process pastCove sleeping on the floor.
On the floor.
In my home. Under my roof.
Without a mattress or anything remotely soft to sleep on.
On. The. Fucking. Floor. Whilehesleeps on the bed.
“Oh, fuck no,” I shout before slamming the magazine to the ground and searching the barn for Austin Hartwell. “Stetson. Hold on a second,” Clay calls out to me, but I can’t be stopped. Everything around me obscures to small specks of black. Every guest on the dance floor turns fuzzy as I book it to where he stands with his hands on my girl, flaunting her to people he doesn’t know like a trophy.
She’s fucking gold. Cartier and Rolex quality combined. Calling her a prize would be a humiliating offense, especially for a man of G-Shock quality.
“Stetson, what up, my man?” Wesley, an old buddy from college, greets me as I hover behind Austin’s lanky frame. With my hands behind my back, I hum roughly, “Nice to see you, Wes.”
As if my voice is his cue, Austin turns around and, if it’s even possible, grips Cove tighter to his side. I see how uncomfortable she is, and it doesn’t help the anger inside me, inches away from boiling over. I look Austin up and down, reveling in being a man of power over him.
I can feel his cower from here, yet he works far too hard to hide it. It’s useless. I may be a small-town cowboy rancher, but I learned a long time ago how far dedicated eye contact and a firm handshake can take you.
And Austin lacks both of them.
I see the panic in Cove’s eyes, just as I know for a fact she sees the rage in mine. I send her a reassuring smile followed by a nod before saying calmly, “Cove, sweetheart. Would you mind taking four steps to your left, please?”
She doesn’t argue, just obeys, untangling herself from Austin’s overbearing hold. “Great party, man. My princess and I were just saying how awesome this week has been.”
I drop my head, directing the wrath in my body to the floor. I pace my unstable breaths, waiting for the moment he stops fucking talking. This is me communicating, andright now, I’m about to do my damndest work with my fist. “Hey, Austin?”
“That’s my name, don’t wear it out.” He chuckles, and well, I don’t.
I act. My fist connects with his nose before anyone can stop me. One punch has him falling to the ground in agony, the sound of gasping guests only satisfying me more. He deserves an audience for making Cove sleep on the filthy floor. He struggles to get up, his hand covering his nose helplessly to stop the blood. “What the hell was that for?” he shouts.
I take a slow step forward, already hearing Nate charging in on me from behind. So much for waiting for the grand finale. I knew I’d snap sooner or later. With my finger pointed inches away from his face, I shout, “I don’t know why that beautiful woman over there has been sleeping on the floor in my home while you sleep your lifeless brain away, but let me tell you something, and you hear me loud and clear. You let me find out you made her uncomfortable in any way, and you’re gonna have a much bigger problem than that cracked nose of yours. I want you gone. Out of my fucking house and off my fucking ranch. Do you hear me?”
Austin spits words and blood. “You broke my nose, and now you want me to leave? What’s your problem?” he sneers before turning to Cove and holding out his hand. “Cove. Pack your things. We’re leaving.”
I hate that he singled her out, but this is Cove’s moment to stand up for herself. “Cove? Stetson?” Nate intervenes. “Anyone wanna tell me what in the hell is going on?”
