As Ruby pushed to stand, Cleo cleared her throat. She looked up and down the table before her gaze fell to her lap. “I have some news to share,” she said, pausing as Lennox reached over and grasped her hand.
“Sweetheart, is everything okay?” her mom asked, concern etched into her features. She and Doug shared a look, and he shook his head. Clearly, he didn’t know what was going on either.
“I know I’ve been back in Texas for a while now, and there've been a lot of questions I haven’t had answers to,” Cleo said, straightening her shoulders. “But I wanted to let you know I’m not going back to Montana.”
Ruby put a hand over her chest. “You’re staying in Texas?”
Cleo nodded. “Yeah, Momma. I am.”
“Oh, thank God,” Doug laughed. “I’ve been wondering when I’d walk out to find your bags packed in the foyer.”
Lennox raised her hands above her head, trying to bring alightness to the confession that felt like anything but. I admired that about her. She used her loud as fuck nature to divert the attention of others her way when things got heavy. “The Hayes sisters are back, baby!”
“What about Thomas?” Ruby asked, brows furrowing.
Josie swung her gaze down the table. “Mom…”
“Are you guys going to get a place in town? We’d love to have you close, to gift you a plot of land like we have for your sisters?—”
“Momma, seriously?—”
“We’re getting divorced,” Cleo said in a rush. “Thomas is staying in Montana with his brother, or at least that’s what he told me. I don’t know, and I don’t care. He can rot in hell.”
lennox
. . .
The whole tablewent silent as the full force of our sister’s news settled. Josie and I were the only two who weren’t surprised. I’d had a sinking suspicion ever since I noticed that her wedding band had been replaced by a tan line.
Men who believed women were property, who ruled with iron fists and sharp-edged words, deserved a one-way ticket to the deepest parts of hell. It’d become somewhat of a joke within our family that the ranch was big enough to hide bodies if the need arose, but I knew damn well if Thomas ever stepped foot on this ranch again, he wouldn’t be leaving.
That was both a threat and a promise.
“Lincoln, why don’t we—” Bishop began, pushing to his feet and gesturing at the table.
“Right! Yeah, let’s do that,” Lincoln agreed.
Both men picked up what they could carry from the table and brought it into the kitchen. Within moments, they were gone, leaving us alone with our parents. They stared at Cleo in shock, trying to process the gravity of what she was saying.
“What’d that fucker do?” Dad asked, voice deadly low. I’d never heard him speak like that before. For all his empty threatsabout violence or kicking someone's ass if they broke our hearts, I’d never actually seen my dad follow through on any of them.
Josie moved to Cleo’s other side, and I hoped it was enough to show her that we weren’t leaving. Our sister looked up at Dad, tears pooling as she began to speak.
I could barely stomach hearing it again, but I would do it for her. Josie and I sat there, each of us holding Cleo’s hand as she spoke of the abuse she’d endured over the past fifteen years. It’d been slow, starting out as little comments here and there designed to chip away at her value. How he’d made her feel worthless, had diminished the way she viewed herself until she no longer recognized the haunted woman in the mirror.
By the time she was done, Mom was crying, and Dad looked like he was ready to commit murder. The house was eerily silent. I didn’t know how long we’d been there or where the guys had run off to, but I was grateful Bishop had the sense to vacate the premises.
“Yep, I’m gonna fucking kill him,” Dad whispered, staring down at his empty plate. “I swear to God…”
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” Cleo said, gripping my hand tighter when he lifted his gaze. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to disappoint either of you and I?—”
Dad’s face fell, draining of color at her words. He and Mom were instantly out of their chairs, wrapping their arms around her shoulders. Josie and I kept hold of her hands, never letting go. She needed this, needed to know that no matter what, her entire family stood behind her.
“Baby girl,” he said, pressing his cheek to the crown of her head and closing his eyes. “If there’s anyone who should be apologizing, it should be your mom and I.Wefailed you. We didn’t…” His voice broke as the tears began falling. I knew he was barely holding himself together and would fall apart the moment we were out of his sight. “We should’ve known. And weshould’ve ensured you knew you could always come to us, no matter what.”
“You girls are our priority,” Mom said, meeting each of our eyes. “And you have our support no matter what. I don’t care what it is or what has happened. You. Come. First.” Her words were enunciated as she moved to press a kiss to each of our heads.
The tension in Cleo’s body vanished as she let herself relax into our hold. She’d been so worried about what Mom and Dad thought, which Josie and I had told her was utterly ridiculous. I didn’t have blind faith in much in this life, but when it came to our parents?
