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“We had to put them down,” he says blasé, no emotion in his voice at all and my gut twists. “Get Marty down there,” he orders Pacey, his eyes narrowing.
“I don’t understand why you’re being targeted,” I mutter but I’m not sure if I am directing it to anyone or if it is just my thoughts speaking aloud. Another lot of Riggs’ cows got taken down a few weeks back and we put it down to a wolf attack but now, I’m not too sure.
“It’s got to have something to do with Clay,” Tripp puffs his cheeks out, his grip tightening on the reins of his horse and I don’t miss the sparkle of his sheriff badge clipped to the waist of his jeans. “I’ve pissed him off and he decided to let it get personal. Well, I’ll fucking get personal with him.” Venom seeps from Tripp’s lips, his tongue vicious as the rage saturates him and Riggs turns to look at his brother, a wave of concern lapping over him.
“Well, thanks for letting me know. I’ll keep an eye out to see if anything happens over this side,” my dad lets out a heavy sigh. “Keep safe boys, we have no idea whom Clay is partnering up with. His dad would be turning in his grave over his behavior.”
Riggs grunts before his eyes move to Conrad.
“We could use a hand moving the animals,” Riggs says and Conrad gives him a nod.
“Can I borrow a horse?” Conrad asks as he begins walking towards the stalls with my dad.
Austin has already gone with his mare and I am just standing in front of the three brothers.
One can’t take his eyes off me.
One has a boyish smirk on his face.
And the other has a thundercloud over his pretty fucking head as his eyes burn into my soul.
“I’ll help,” I say softly.
“No, princess, you stay here. Wouldn’t want you to chip a nail now would we? Plus, how would you help? You won’t sit on the back of a horse,” Riggs drops his head after hitting me where it truly hurts...
“Fuck you, Riggs,” I yell back at him and ignore the way I choke on my inhale. A knife penetrates my skin, straight into my back and lodges itself between my shoulder blades making it impossible to breathe.
It was a cheap shot and a venomous insult, but it didn’t stop it from being true.
What help could I be?
My feet stay anchored to the ground as they all stand in front of me, sitting tall and proud like the knights of the round table. Disgust rolls through my gut. I twist and walk towards the house. Slamming the door in retaliation behind me, the outside world and Riggs fucking Rivera shut away from me before I let the anger consume me whole.
CHAPTERTWELVE
RIGGS
“I’ll help,” her soft beautiful voice masks her vulnerability, but I see it fucking written in her pretty honey eyes. I know damn well she couldn’t stomach it. I know damn well this will just bring everything back, hitting her with a wave of grief that she isn’t ready for.
So what did I do? I fucking hit her with a truth she thinks I believe in. All I want to do is protect her, but I know she isn’t going to see it like that.
“No princess, you stay here.” My stomach knots and twists and I feel the sickly ache in my chest, “Wouldn’t want you to chip a nail now would we?” This is when I knew she was going to hate me, but I’m doing this for her,always. “Plus, how would you help? You won’t sit on the back of a horse,” I drop my head, hiding behind my cowboy hat because I am so disappointed in myself that I had even stooped that low. I don’t want her to see the sadness in my eyes, but I know she is going to think that I’m mocking her offer of help.
“Fuck you Riggs,” her voice cracks, and I see the tears welling in her beautiful eyes as I look back up at her and I hate that I was the one to put them there. She turns quickly, walking towards her house and slamming the front door.
“That was a bit much wasn’t it?” Pacey tuts at me, opening his horse’s rein and kicking her on as he begins to gallop down the pasture.
“I get it,” Tripp mumbles quietly as I follow suit and turn my horse so I am looking up the fields whilst we wait for Austin and Conrad.
“Do you?” I turn to face my brother, his eyes narrowing on me as I ask him the question.
“Yeah, Riggs, I do. Stop acting like an ass. I’m trying to be supportive, so you can stop chewing me out.” He shakes his head, a loud tut echoing before he kicks his horse on and leaves me sitting in the dust his mare kicked up.
Exhaling, I rub my temples as I try to alleviate some of the tension.
“We good?” I hear Austin and I nod, clicking my tongue at the top of my mouth, urging my horse on with my boots. Conrad is trotting up beside me as I kick my stallion on and head towards the massacre we have created.
But all I can think about is her.
