Mustang_A Mountain Man Romance

by S. Cook

  “Cut the crap and tell me what’s really going on here,” Theo snapped, suddenly moving and grabbing my shoulders before I could draw back. He looked ready to shake me. “You want to break it off just like that?”

  “Theo, please understand,” I said as I tried to force the quake out of my voice. I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me. “I can’t marry you. It took me some time to work it out in my head, and most importantly my heart. Can’t you see I could never make you happy?”

  “Is there someone else?” he barked suddenly, as if he hadn’t heard anything I’d just been saying. “Because if there is, I’ll tear him apart piece by piece. I’ll fucking crush him with my bare fucking hands! No one is going to take you from me.”

  Fighting back a tremor at his vengeful words, I glared up at him defiantly. “It’s not going to ever work between us. Can’t you get that? I’m very, very sorry but it’s over. Let me go!” I pushed against his chest until he released me, our eyes locked in a long, wordless battle before he let out a cold harsh laugh that chilled my spine.

  “You don’t know the dangerous game you’re playing right now,” he said softly, shaking his head with a pitying smile. “If you think I’m going to let you make a fool out of me.”

  “I’m not afraid of you,” I said, lifting my chin with a furious look in my eyes.

  “Maybe not of me, but what I can do. What I’m capable of,” Theo replied, eyes cold and menacing. “You think it’s going to be easy to simply walk away? You have no clue, Lydia. I’ll finish you, finish your family. Oh, you think it’s funny?’

  My defiant look seemed to inflame him but I didn’t care. “Don’t you dare threaten me. Seriously, Theo? I know full well how you hate being thwarted but you’re being ridiculous now.”

  His bark of laughter once again sent the chill through my bones. “Ah. I can see you really don’t have an idea exactly what’s at stake here.” His look was more a sneer. He went to the bar and helped himself to a glass of bourbon. I watched him in growing apprehension. He downed the drink and then glanced my way with that same look of derision.

  “What do you think is the main reason your parents pushed us together in the first place? Or should I say, your parents shoved you onto me?”

  He saw my eyes flash angrily and he merely laughed. “The truth, Lydia, may be a little hard for you to swallow but you’ll hear it anyway. Your father got involved in a few high-risk deals over the years, many of which fell through, leaving him with debts in tunes of millions. More than he could ever hope to repay. If I and my family hadn’t waded in, he’ll probably be in jail thanks to the unscrupulous practices of the people he partnered with on those deals. He was just naïve and gullible, which in itself is criminal in my opinion. In any case, combining our fortunes in marriage, he believed, would be his way of ensuring we’d always keep in good terms and he’d never have to worry about falling into financial ruin, not with his name permanently linked to my family’s. And you know what? I played along with his scheme to see us together. Why? Because I felt you didn’t need to suffer for your father’s mistakes. Now you think you can just walk away? Not going to happen, Lydia.”

  His lips had curled in scorn, and I couldn’t help but stagger back, landing in the nearest chair as I stared into space trying to digest what I just heard. Finally I looked up at him and said shakily, “Your consideration is commendable. But I don’t believe there’s no way out. I’m done with this farce and whatever my father owes you, he’ll find a way to pay it all back. There’s always a solution.”

  “Fine.” Theo gave a nonchalant shrug. He threw off the towel carelessly and made for the walk-in closet while he said, “Call your dad. Ask him what he thinks. But I promise you, walk away from this and I won’t hesitate to carry out my threat. You’ll discover it’s a long way down to the gutter which is where you and your family would end up by the time I’m through.” He gave a thin smile and walked in to dress just as I furiously reached for the nearest phone.

  I quickly dialed the long distance number, telling myself Theo had to be bluffing. What could be so impossible about clearing some debt? And why would Theo think he could take me in exchange like I was some commodity to be traded?

  Still, my hands slightly shook as I lifted the receiver to my ear. My father’s reassuringly I voice came on the line and after the warm greeting I quickly brought up the questions I was dying to have answered.

  The call lasted barely minutes but once it was over, I sat there pale-faced on the edge of the bed, the phone rattling limply from my fingers to barely make it to rest on its cradle.

  When Theo returned and glanced my way, his smug smile at my look of defeat made me want to smack his face. My father’s response had felt like I was being given a life’s sentence but a part of me still warred against what was taking place. I hadn’t even been able to say one word more to my father after his explanation. I’d hung up with the cold fist closing around my heart, almost choking me. Slowly, I returned to reality as I looked up into Theo’s cold eyes.

  “Looks like you’ve seen the light,” he noted with a mocking smile.

  “None of it matters,” I said coldly, rising to my feet. “You still don’t own me, Theo. And no matter what my happiness and freedom is paramount to me. Believe me I deeply appreciate the help you rendered to my family – but I’m a human being, not a piece of property despite the mistaken belief you and my father seem to have. I will definitely not be sold like a common slave!”

  “But you are my slave,” Theo said with deceptive mildness. His hand closed around my arm and yanked me to him. “And despite your protests, I’ve paid quite handsomely for you. Cleared your family’s debts, kept your father in business and even continued to transact with him on many investment deals – putting myself out quite a bit, I’ll tell you. But hey, I’m not complaining. You’re more than worth it,” he added, his hand smoothing down my back to cup my ass in a demeaning caress.

  I tugged furiously out of his hold. “You’re disgusting,” I spat. “You couldn’t even be man enough to win my love so you sank to trying to buy me. But my heart’s not for sale and neither is my body.”

  Theo’s laughter vibrated through the room. “It’s actually amusing that you think you really have a choice.” His face smoothed into a hard mask as he continued, “Wake up, Lydia. I own you. And as for the issue of love, in my own way I grew feelings for you, like any red-blooded man would. I mean look at you. That face and body would be really hard to ignore.”

  I drew in a furious breath as his insolent gaze lingered on every inch of me exposed by the bikini. He went on through sneering lips, “That’s part of the reason why, when I realized your father’s wishes where we were concerned, I didn’t find the idea too unappealing. And you can stop pretending that you weren’t happy for the prestige that came with being my wife.”

  It was my turn to view him with a sneer. “The fact is I could barely stand you. But I was too weak to defy my parents’ wishes each time they threw us together. In time I may have convinced myself it wasn’t such an unbearable predicament to be lumped with someone I always considered loathsome when we were kids. Remember? You used to pick on me whenever you had the chance. But when we grew older I somehow let myself get blinded by your charm, almost fooled into thinking you’d changed. Someone any woman would feel secure with but guess what? You’re no different from that bully you were at sixteen. You’re a sorry excuse for a man because no self-respecting man would take advantage of me and my family the way you’re doing. You have no code, Theo and you have no honor. You’re nothing.”

  My face exploded with excruciating pain and I gasped as I fell forward to the floor, barely catching myself on my hands and knees. It took several moments for my head to clear as I realized Theo had struck me. So hard I still had to blink repeatedly before my vision stopped whirling. I stared down and saw the drops of blood that had dripped from my mouth to the floor.

  “Don’t...ever...speak to me like that again,” The
o was saying softly from above me, and I could barely make out his rage-filled words. “Or believe me I’ll forget my good intentions and end this arrangement of ours. Let you walk away knowing you’ll be responsible for every member of your family ending up on the street because make no mistake I will finish you – all of you. Is that what you want?”

  Slowly, I struggled to my feet with dignity, before looking up at him while hiding the defeat from my eyes and voice as I whispered, “No.”

  A cold smile curved his lips. “Good. Now, I’m hungry. I suggest you get your things transferred back to this suite and then change so you can join me down in the restaurant for some lunch,” he said calmly, as if everything was back to normal.

  He scrutinized my face as I pressed my knuckles experimentally to the swelling just beneath my eye. He sighed deeply, brushing my fingers aside and then cupping my face to hold my gaze for a few moments. “Now see what you made me do,” he said and bent to kiss my stiff, unresponsive mouth.

  Theo pulled away to say gently, “I hated to hurt you, Lydia. Believe me. And everything would have been going so perfect if you hadn’t suddenly decided to turn on me for no good reason. In fact, we’ll do exactly as you suggested and check out tomorrow. I don’t like the effect this place has had on you. You were always such a sweet, pliable girl. And that’s why I’m prepared to overlook everything that’s happened.” He gently stroked his knuckles along my cheek and I couldn’t help but flinch. He simply smiled.

  “Get changed and meet me downstairs. Don’t keep me waiting,” he said, giving me one last look that told me he wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. Without another word he exited the suite.

  The door clicked shut after him and I felt the room start to spin. Stumbling, I grabbed the edge of the nearby table. I managed to make it to the bed and sat heavily on the edge, finally giving in to shock. My world which had seemed so perfect when I awoke that morning had now come crashing down so hard, so fast.

  It had to be a bad dream, I told myself over and over as I rocked my body back and forth. It had to.

  But it wasn’t. The throbbing pain in my left eye told me it was all too real. This was a nightmare that would never, ever go away.

  The thought of Brian crossed my mind and in an instant I knew I’d have stood up for myself if it had been about just me. I’d have told Theo to go ahead and do his worst but it wasn’t all about me. There were my parents, my siblings – people whose futures I’d jeopardize if I tried to fight this. I was doomed to sacrifice my happiness for theirs and there seemed absolutely no way out.

  Chapter 14: Brian

  I hadn’t known what to expect. But I certainly didn’t think I’d have to witness the sight of Lydia calmly eating lunch with Theo in the hotel restaurant. She had a huge pair of sunglasses on which shielded half her face and she wore a black, clinging strapless cotton dress.

  There was no way to know if I’d caught her eye with those glasses she had on, and the last thing I wanted was to draw Theo’s attention especially after Lydia’s adamant plea for me to stay out of the way.

  But I couldn’t stay away. I swore under my breath and held back the urge to punch my fist into the nearest wall. What was Lydia playing at?

  A sudden thought struck me and made me see red for a moment. What if Lydia had been toying with me? Playing some game to pass the time? And now that her billionaire boyfriend was back, she’d had her fill of fun? Or else why had she run off like that, when Theo showed up?

  Why hadn’t she done what she should have and come right out with the truth? I’d only decided to give her the benefit of doubt because her call for discretion had made sense. But now I was done with discretion. If I had my way I’d walk right up to that table and ask her what the hell she was up to.

  But then common sense prevailed and I exerted the utmost control on my emotions. I wasn’t the hothead youth I used to be; I had responsibilities now. I couldn’t act the fool no matter how much it made me crazy seeing Lydia with Theo again. I had to find a way to seek her out since I hadn’t heard a thing from her and I couldn’t just wait around expecting her to call.

  My chance came not moments after when I noticed Lydia excusing herself from the table and heading for the ladies room.

  I didn’t think twice, taking a detour that quickly brought me to the corridor outside the ladies’ rest room. I intercepted her the moment she came out again and the way she almost jumped out of her skin at the sight of me made me grit my teeth.

  Without another word I backed her right into the room again, noting that the cubicles were empty of other inhabitants. I locked the door behind us and then faced the nervous looking Lydia.

  “Brian please, I can explain,” she began in a stammering voice that I quickly cut off.

  “Did you tell him about us?” I asked. She was up against the wall and my hand propped against the wall kept her wedged in the corner. “Because if you haven’t, I’m going out there right now and...”

  “No!” she exclaimed suddenly, her hand fisting in my shirt to keep me from storming out to carry out his threat.

  “Why are you so afraid of him?” I asked angrily. “What kind of power does he have over you Lydia and how long am I expected to stand around and watch you with him?”

  Lydia anxiously combed her fingers through her hair and that mistakenly sent her oversized shades going askew on her face and exposing the swollen, darkening bruise around Lydia’s left eye.

  “Aah, fuck,” I said in a rush of utter rage that almost had my brain dissolving in black smoke.

  “That bastard!” I all but yelled as I finally gave in to the urge to smash my fist in the wall. I didn’t even feel the impact, punching into the opposite wall. I took a few seconds to calm myself, and feeling Lydia’s hand rest on my arm I turned to see her worried face. Her brown eyes begged me. “Brian...”

  “He did that to you?” I breathed with deceptive calm, belied by the fearsome fury in his eyes.

  She only tightened her hold on my arm with both hands, as if she suspected I was moments away from going out there and punching Theo to a pulp – which I knew I was close to doing.

  “Brian, please listen,” she said desperately. “I tried to tell him about us. I told him I wanted to leave him but it’s impossible.”

  My fury gave way to shock as I stared at her. “What do you mean, impossible? I want to be with you and I know you want to be with me. What’s impossible about that?”

  She bit on her lip, her face creasing as if in pain, before whispering, “Everything.”

  For a moment I was simply stunned. I moved back a few steps, unable to credit my hearing. And then slowly, realization dawned. “I knew it. This never really meant anything to you. All we shared – was just a lie.” I burst out in a harsh, mirthless laugh.

  “That’s not true!” she cried, hands covering her cheeks. “I just...my hands are tied. I...”

  “Spare me the lies,” I said with a cool shake of my head. “I must have been out of my mind thinking you’d dream of giving up Theo Clayton for me. I mean, he’s the one with all the pull, right? Big shot billionaire up against what? Some hotel employee. Pretty uneven playing field, huh?”

  “Brian.”

  Her hurt expression couldn’t pierce the furious cold I felt inside.

  “So exactly what was I anyway? A one night stand? No, of course not – I was even less than that, wasn’t I? Damn, Lydia. You really had me fooled. You’ve either got to be the best actress in the world, or you don’t know what the hell you really want. Or maybe it was all part of your bid to enjoy your vacation to the fullest, just like you once told me. Is that it?”

  “Brian, just stop,” she choked, staring at me imploringly.

  I was shaking my head and smiling without humor. “I only hope I was up to standard last night,” I mused crudely. “Did my skills in the bedroom meet expectations as much as the other duties I’d carried out? I mean with me being a devoted hotel staff aiming to please a valued guest and all. Did I
win the resort a glowing five-star review?”

  Lydia smacked my face sharply, and the next instant was gasping in remorse. “Oh God. Brian, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”

  “Oh yes you did,” I said softly, not even flinching from the blow that smarted my jaw. It was nothing to the ache disintegrating my heart into nothing. “From the moment you met me.”

  With a disgusted sigh I turned sharply and unlocked the door to leave. But not before I turned and said, “Seems I was wrong about one more thing – Theo definitely does deserve a woman like you.”

  Not sparing her one more glance I walked out of the restroom and the door closed behind me with a decisive click.

  Chapter 15: Lydia

  I had my face turned to the window seat of the aircraft, my head resting briefly on the glass as I held back tears. The last twenty-four hours had been the worst of my life and nothing seemed capable of taking away the pain.

  It felt like I’d left my heart back in the Caribbean, even hours after takeoff from the island. I couldn’t get Brian out of my mind and how disillusioned, bitter and hurt he’d sounded. If only he’d given me the chance to explain, maybe I’d have made him understand. And maybe he wouldn’t loathe me so much.

  I saw nothing of him after our confrontation in the rest room. The next morning, I caught a flight with Theo who was seated next to me and busy on his computer. He seemed oblivious to my turmoil and the last thing I wanted was his attention, of any kind.

  Goodbye, Brian, I whispered soundlessly as my eyes shut tight, agony ripping my soul. I had my whole life waiting for me back home but suddenly anywhere without Brian could never feel like home. Those few moments of rapture in his arms had been the happiest I’d ever been. For once in my life I’d felt I was where I belonged. And that was gone, forever.