20
RYDER
I didn’t bother headinghome after I fucked Ellie all afternoon.
Driving out to the ranch, I slammed the door as I got out at Liam’s house, then stalked up the steps to his house. My fist banged against the door as rage simmered under my skin.
I was about to tear the fucking door off when Bailey answered the door, a grin playing at her lips. “Krista’s not here.”
“I’m not here about Krista,” I growled, shoving my way inside.
“Sure, come on in. Make yourself at home.” Walking over to a bassinet, she picked up a baby just as it started to cry. Patting him on the back, she soothed the kid, humming a soft tune until he quieted.
“So, what did you need?”
“Your husband.”
“You could have said that before you stormed in here,” she said, raising an eyebrow at me.
I knew that, but rage was still simmering in my veins, and I needed to see the fucker and let him know exactly what Ellie was suffering on his behalf.
“Where is he?”
“Right here,” Liam said, walking out of the bedroom, doing up his pants. “Is there a reason you barged into my house?”
“Do you know what I saw today?”
Amusement flickered across his face. “You know, I never was very good at guessing games.”
“Slut. Whore. Skank,” I seethed. Every inch of me was growing restless. All I wanted was to kick his ass and tell him what he cost Ellie. I never wanted to see that look on her face again, or those tears in her eyes.
“Excuse me?”
“That’s what I saw when Ellie and I were leaving her house this morning,” I snapped. “Spray-painted all over her fucking Jeep.”
His eyes narrowed slightly at me. “And you think I did that?”
“No, but you know why it happened. Fix it!”
“I tried!”
“Not fucking hard enough,” I growled, feeling like I was ready to explode. “What the fuck do you think she’s going through while you’re over here, living the good life? You have your wife and a baby. Were you even aware that people are saying shit like this to her?”
Sighing, he shoved his hands in his pockets while Bailey stood there, suspiciously silent.
“Look, I don’t like it either. I tried to fix it.”
“You didn’t try very fucking hard.”
“They don’t fucking listen to me!” he argued. “I tried to tell them, and all I did was make it worse. Every fucking time I told someone that she was only helping me out, they made up some reason I was excusing her behavior. This town only hears what they want to.”
“And that’s it? You just walk away and leave her to her misery after all she did for you?” I asked. Then I turned on Bailey. “And what the hell is wrong with you?”
“Me? What did I do?”
“Absolutely nothing, and that’s the fucking problem.”
Shaking my head, I walked out their door and stomped down the steps. But I didn’t get far before Bailey came marching out, pissed as hell at me.
