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“What are you talking about?” I force my body to relax even if I fail to do the same with my tone. “You can’t come in here throwing around cash like that.”
“Why not? It’s our money. We got it fair and square.” He snorts and puffs out his already too big belly that hangs over the waistband of his grubby jeans.
“Yeah. And forget about leaving town.” Arlene waves the notion away. “We’re staying. We got a better offer.”
“A better offer?” I narrow my gaze. “Start talking.”
There’s so much more going on here, and while I don’t know what it is, it’s plain to see they got a payout. And now there’s no doubt in my mind…it has something to do with my pregnancy.
“Your baby daddy knows how to take care of us.” She pulls open her purse to reveal a stack of bills.Shit, that’s a whole lot of money. How much is that?
Her crooning tone hauls me back to the conversation. “He’s gonna be a good father.”
Otis snatches a wad from her handbag and smiles while fanning the bills as if to tempt me. The hairs on the back of my neck rise, and nausea swirls in the pit of my stomach.
“Stop beating around the bush. What are you talking about?”
Clearly enjoying themselves, they cackle and grin at each other like cats who ate the canary. I glower and inhale deeply, trying not to give in to the sick desire to strangle them.
He stuffs the cash into his pocket. “Ridge Kincaide gave us money.”
At the mention of the one name I’d hoped not to hear, beads of sweat break out at the base of my spine. I swallow with difficulty, trying to keep a hold on things.
“Lots of it.” Arlene clutches her purse to her body.
“Why would he do that?” My voice is measured, sounding cool and controlled even to my own ears, although I’m anything but.
He shrugs. “I want another drink.”
With a final and dismissive look at me, Otis marches toward the door, and because that’s where I stand, it feels like he’s charging at me. Hastily, I step to the side, and my shoulder suddenly throbs where he hit me.
“Me too. But Otis, you ain’t giving the girls any more.” Arlene bolts through the open doorway after him. “You hear me?”
“Shut the fuck up, Arlene.”
Our conversation plays in my head as I leave the club to head across town to Canyon Spring Ranch. The drive is a blur, and even as I park and march through the building to Ridge’s office, there’s only one thought running through my mind. I have to speak to Ridge and get to the bottom of this.
He’s on the phone when I barge into his office, but with a look of startled concern, he ends the call immediately.
“Is everything okay?” He gets to his feet and is only inches from me when I raise my hand in the universal sign for stop.
“No, everything isn’t okay.”
“What is—”
I cut him off. “Why’d you give them money?” and as I ask the question, my arms wrap around my stomach protectively.
His eyes widen but he doesn’t ask me who I’m talking about.
Because he knows. He already fucking knows.
“Mama went to them first. She offered them money to get you out of town.” Both his voice and expression are solemn, eyes never wavering from mine. “She and I agreed the only way to fix it was to make them a counteroffer. A better one.”
He steps closer and I shake my head, not able to feel his heat or smell him, not when I need to be strong. I step back, and he dips his head on a sigh before continuing.
“I took care of it.”
“By giving them money? Real smart, Ridge.” My sarcasm cuts deep, making him jerk as I utter his name.
