Page 120 of His Last Nerve

I smirked and took two steps down. “Fuck. You.”

He lifted his foot to move towards me, but a voice from the side of the house cut him off. “Move an inch, Moonie.One inch. I dare you.”

Denver.

I turned to find my cowboy emerging from the side of the house, Mags and Beau in tow. I looked back to Moonie, who was plastering on a fake smile for the man of the hour. My eyes dropped to Denver’s hand, and my stomach tightened. He had a pickaxe in his fist.

My heart fluttered as the dark cowboy charged towards me. He didn’t pull me behind him like I thought he would. No, he was theone who got behind me, pulling my body flush against his. His scent wrapped around me as I met my ex-employer’s eyes. He studied up for a moment, his eyes dropping to the weapon by my thigh and then dismissed it by adjusting his sleeves.

“Mr. Langston, you and I have business to discuss.”

“Pretty sure you discussed everything you needed to with Cathy,” Denver replied coolly. Beau chewed a piece of gum loudly and put his foot on the front tire of the SUV, leaning over his knee to pull his aviators down a fraction. Mags was standing a few feet from us, his jaw tight. He wasn’t wearing sunglasses, but his eyes were shadowed by the brim of his hat.

Tim Moonie’s eyes flashed with something that could make a grown man cry. “She’s just doing what’s best for her son,” he assured, dropping his arm.

“Sucking your limp dick ain’t doing shit for him,” Beau snorted.

Moonie turned to face him. “I’m sorry, how are you relevant to this conversation?” he asked.

Beau’s face split into a dazzling smile, his white teeth stark against his tanned skin. “Give me a second and I’ll be the man breaking your spine. Then we’ll see how relevant I am.”

A dark chuckle came from Mags as Denver growled, “That’s enough.”

“Mr. Langston, I suggest you get your dogs under control—”

He was silenced by Denver’s pickaxe flying through the air and piercing the car door an inch away from his thigh. My cowboy didn’t wait for a response. “Insult my boys again, Moonie.”

Though he tried to conceal it, Tim was scared. His hands were shaking, and his skin seemed a shade paler than before. He looked up from the weapon to the man standing behind me, his eyes wild. “Congratulations, Mr. Langston. You just gave me the fuel I needed.”

A chuckle came from the men around me. “I have cameras all over this property, and there isn’t a doubt in my mind that you intended to lay a hand on Ms. Cross before I came around that corner,” Denver snapped.

“You know nothing! I was just explaining to—”

“Get your slimly, greasy ass off Hallow Ranch. My lawyer will be in touch,” my cowboy quipped, shutting Tim up. Mags moved then, walking slowly, power oozing from him as he closed the distance between him and Moonie. Without breaking eye contact, he pulled the axe out of the car door and stepped back. “You folks have a nice day now,” Mags said, dismissing them both.

Tim Moonie’s dead eyes swept back to me. As he slid his shades back on, a chill went down my spine. “I’ll be seeing you real soon.”

I didn’t know if he was addressing Denver…or me.

He was about to shut the door when he called, “Valerie, be sure to tell your mom hello for me.”

Mom.

My knees gave out. Strong arms banded around my waist, holding me against a strong chest as a bearded jaw scraped against the side of my face. “I’ve got you, baby,” Smoke said in my ear as the car drove away.

I’ve got you, baby.

No one has had me in a long time.

I broke then, my face crumbling as I let out strangled, broken cry. My hands braced against Denver’s arm as I doubled over, tears streaming down my face as the revelation hit me like a swinging baseball bat to the gut.

“Jesus, Valerie,” Denver cursed, his other hand coming up to my front. He spun me in his arms, and immediately, I fisted his T-shirt, burying my face in it. My body shook violently as it let out more emotions I bottled up. My toes curled in the dirt as my body tried folding in on itself, bracing for impact.

The impact was the man holding me.

The impact was the unwavering, staggering, harsh love.

I was in love with Denver Langston.

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