She didn’t answer, because, of course, she didn’t.
The dark, angry clouds in the sky were pierced by shafts of sunlight at that moment, and I found myself mesmerized as I watched the sun chase away the storm. And as I watched the sky turn from black to a pale blue bathed in pinks and purples and gold, I felt a flutter of motion in my stomach.
My heart leapt, a wave of relief soothing the fear inside of me. She was okay. And by the string of the following kicks and familiar movements, she was happy.
I couldn’t run away. Not this time.
Not just for Maverick, but for this little girl. This little girl who deserved to have a Daddy who loved her, cherished her, worshiped her. No one could do that better than Maverick. No one could love her more fiercely, or raise her better.
I pressed a hand to my stomach and looked down at Brandy. “No more runnin’, girl. I ain’t my mama.”
I’d let my fear turn me into the very woman I hated more than anything. Running away when things got hard. Letting my fears win.
But I wasn’t my mother, and I wouldn’t give up on Maverick. Not now. Not ever again.
Chapter fifty-four
Keep The Wolves Away
Nate
The day after the fight…
12:49 PM
Iroused from sleep,pain pounding through me—behind my swollen eyelids, in my goddamn ears. The sound was deafening, wrenching a groan from my lips.
Wait…
The pounding wasn’t just in my ears. That was the door. Gritting my teeth and forcing myself to sit up from my spot on the couch—I hadn’t had the strength or energy to make it to the bed—I trudged toward the noise.
My head felt like it was filled with cobwebs, partially from the pain, but also from the half-drank fifth of whiskey and the bottle of painkillers sitting scattered across the coffee table. They’d only done so much. At least part of my face was still numb.
As I padded across the wood floors, I caught a glimpse of myself in the small entryway mirror.
Holy shit. I looked awful. Almost unrecognizable with all the swelling and bruising. Both eyes were black and purple, my lipcracked open. The air shifting around my face as I turned it this way and that was almost enough to make my eyes blur.
Fury pulsed through my veins. Fuck that dude…and fuck Cheyenne.That bitch. Of course, she’d kept the baby. That girl was always more trouble than she was worth.
A scowl formed on my lips before falling into a grimace as another wave of pain flooded through me. Something was broken. Had to be.
I should go to the ER…
But there would be too many questions. I’d already been trying to lay low since the whole trailer park fire. There was no need to draw more attention to myself. But the idea of pressing charges on that prick and getting him arrested, leaving that little slut all alone did sound pretty damn nice.
A knock sounded on the front door once more, and I bit back a groan as I moved forward and turned the knob, yanking the door open.
Two cowboys stood on the front porch. No, not just two cowboys. I recognized the younger one from the night before—that prick’s friend who’d knocked out Jesse. He looked all suave and soft, but the kid had a mean right hook. I recognized the man beside him a moment later.
Clint “Bad” Mooney. Rodeo Champion, wannabe cattle baron. Man had a temper…and an influence in the horse world.A lotof influence.
Well, shit.
“What the fuck do you want?” I spat out, ignoring the aching in my face. Blinking alone hurt, talking was pure agony.
“We wanna talk,” the younger cowboy said. Must be his son. They looked similar enough.
I glared at them, spitting at their feet. The movement took more effort than I’d intended and I instantly regretted it. “Ain’t in the talkin’ mood,” I grunted, before slamming the door closed.
