by Amelia Shea
Chapter Fifteen
Britt drove up Main Street and pulled up in front of the small blue house with the white shutters. Sarah’s car was in the driveway. She took a deep breath and got out of her car. She needed to make this right. Lucas flat out refused to talk about Sarah, after spouting how he didn’t want to be with anyone who didn’t trust him.
He was hurting, all because of some little prick’s lies. Britt was determined to make it right. She and Sarah were friends. She knew if she just explained the misunderstanding, Sarah would see the truth and talk to Lucas. It was ridiculous. Tripp could spew lies and she would just believe him.
Britt walked up the stairs and rang the bell. She heard the door open and was faced with a tear-streaked face. Poor Sarah. Britt gave her a small smile, which quickly turned to shock when Sarah’s angry eyes heated.
Sarah was enraged. She threw open the screen door and charged toward her. Britt stumbled back with her hands thrown out in front of her in defense. Sweet, pretty Sarah looked like she was ready to rip Britt’s head off.
“You get off my property right now. I can’t believe you have the nerve to come over here after what you’ve done. You and Lucas can have each other, you’re both despicable liars and you deserve each other. You both disgust me. Get off of my property!” She screamed the last part and her rage turned to pain, Britt could see it as she held back tears.
“Sarah, let me explain what…”
“Let you explain? Is that what I should do, Britt, let you explain how you seduced my boyfriend? I should let you explain how you slept with the man I love. Is that what I should do, Britt? Is that what they do where you’re from?” she sniped. Her face was full of rage again. “Get off my property before I shoot your whore ass.”
Britt flinched and widened her eyes. Her whore ass? Did she just call her a whore? Oh, hell no. Britt straightened her back and glared into her angry stare. She understood her anger, she knew what she had been told and what she believed, but there was no way Britt was going to stand there and be called a whore for something she didn’t even do.
She took a deep breath and gathered herself. Pull it together, remember Sarah’s the victim here. She was mad and upset. Britt needed to remind herself before she beat the shit out of her for calling her a whore.
“Fine, Sarah, believe what you’ve been told. You think I fucked Lucas, okay, then believe it, I don’t care.” She watched Sarah flinch at her vulgarity. Britt knew it was being crude, but that was her intention. “You want to believe your boyfriend of four years, the man you claim to love, the guy who is saving up his money to buy you a ring… If you want to believe Lucas cheated on you, then believe it.” Britt shrugged her shoulders. “Throw away this good guy but I’ll tell you something, Sarah, it will be the biggest mistake of your life. Lucas is a good, faithful, honorable man. One of the most honest people I’ve ever met and don’t think for a second a woman won’t come along and swoop him up it a heartbeat if you let him get away. The woman won’t be me, Sarah. And if you believe this bullshit story, it won’t be you either.”
Britt descended down the porch steps and turned around to face her at the bottom.
“You don’t know me, Sarah, but you know Lucas. Do you really think he would cheat on you? Do you?” Britt saw the conflict in her eyes. She didn’t know who to believe, Lucas or her family. Britt released a breath along with some of her own anger.
“Ask yourself this, Sarah. Isn’t it ironic, the only person who saw Lucas and I together is the one who I refused to sell my property to, and the one who wants my land? The same one Lucas refused, when he told him to quit and leave me stranded without anyone to help me with the ranch?” Britt walked toward her car. “But you believe what you want to believe.”
She grabbed the handle and opened the door but halted before she got in. Britt turned to Sarah, who was still standing in the same spot on the porch. She could tell from the strained look on her face her mind was reeling, and she was second guessing everything she had been told by her cousin. Britt felt bad for her but as her dad always said, “being upset gives you no right to be cruel.”
“Oh, and Sarah, I’m going to give you a pass this time. Next time you call me a whore, I will fucking bitch slap you.” Britt hopped in her car and gave one last look to a stunned and shocked Sarah before driving away.
One down, three to go.
When she pulled into the Triple R ranch, Britt zeroed in on her target right away. She jumped out of the car, slamming the door and marching toward the four men standing in the gated pasture. They all stared at her as she came closer. Britt tried to even her breathing but it was useless, she was enraged. Seeing his face made her blood boil. She was about ten feet away from them when she noticed Tripp on his horse with a smug look on his face. Fucking bastard.
“You’re a lying piece of shit, you know that?”
Tripp laughed as the other men joined in. Britt recognized them from the auction. They were ranch hands. Tripp trotted his horse closer to the fence and stopped.
“Sweetheart, what’s got your panties in a bunch? Lucas not satisfying you, it’s got you all frustrated?” He laughed at his own joke and the men joined in with him.
“You know damn well nothing happened between Lucas and me. You’re the worst kind of person, Tripp Fords. You don’t care who you hurt as long as it will benefit you in the end. Even your own cousin isn’t safe from your deception. Sarah is absolutely destroyed by this bullshit story you made up. Do you even care?” she shouted.
His tone was overly confident. “She’ll thank me in the end. She can do a whole lot better than Lucas Taylor.”
Britt stalked forward, incensed. Lucas was a good guy and Tripp had just shit all over him. There was no way he would get away with this. The ranch hands scattered as she got closer. She hopped on the fence, which brought her just about eye level with Tripp. He cocked his eyebrow in challenge. Bastard.
“What the hell is going on here?”
Britt turned to see Greyson and Jasper striding down the hill. She glared at both of them until they were standing next to Tripp and her near the fence.
“What the hell are you doing? Get down from there, you’re going to get yourself hurt. Jesus Christ, girl.” Grey reached out to grip her waist, but she shoved his hands and scowled.
“Like you don’t know, Greyson? Please, spare me. You know exactly what the hell is going on.” Britt pointed her finger amongst the group. “You all do and I think you’re all disgusting, lying asshole pricks.”
Grey looked at Tripp and then at Jasper, who appeared confused, then back at her.
“I haven’t the first clue what’s gotten you so riled up but you need to get down before I take you down.”
“I’ll get down when I’m good and ready, Grey. I’m not done.”
His jaw locked and his temple pulsed. “Get down. Now!”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do!” she loudly retorted.
Through gritted teeth, he said, “I sure as hell do if you’re on my property.”
She stared at Grey. His blue eyes grew darker with his increased anger. He clenched his fists and his body slightly trembled. He was livid, and she was pushing him to his breaking point. She was smart enough to know when to back down.
“Fine, I’ll get down.” Britt stepped down one rod when Tripp chuckled. Her eyes flew to his, and his amused eyes drove her into a rage again.
She jumped back up to the top rod and put her face into Tripp’s. “Have a great ride, Tripp.” She leaned over and smacked his horse on the ass and dropped down to the ground.
The horse jumped and kicked out his back legs. Tripp, not expecting it, fell back and off the side of the horse onto the ground.
“Jesus Christ!” Grey said, before jumping the fence.
“What’s wrong with you?” Jasper yelled at her.
Britt released a bitter laugh and walked toward the car. “Dickhead got what he deserved.”
“You kiss your mama with t
hat mouth of yours?” Jasper spewed.
Britt stopped and slowly turned around. Grey was helping Tripp, who was cradling his arm. They both glared at her. She looked over at Jasper, whose mouth was twisted, and stared him in the eyes.
“My mother’s dead, asshole.” She whipped back around and stormed back to her car.
She heard a muttered “Shit” from behind her.
She tore out of the driveway, not even bothering to wipe her fallen tears. She was done with this. The ranch, the Fords, Sarah. She was done with it all.
»»•««
“What the hell was Britt so fired up about?” Grey snarled and yanked Tripp’s injured arm harder than he probably should have, considering his fall.
“God, Grey, I didn’t know her mama died.” Jasper voice was distraught. His face was stricken with sadness.
“Neither did I.” Turning back to Tripp, he asked, “What the fuck happened?”
“Went over to see Britt, thought I’d give it another go, her selling the ranch and I walked in on a romp in the barn.” Tripp’s cruel smile contorted. “You believe it? I almost expect it from Lucas, being the trash he is, but her… fucking the hired help? Despicable.”
Grey, trying his best to control his anger, gripped Tripp’s collar and pulled him up to his face. “What did you see?”
Tripp struggled against his hold. “Get your hands off me, Grey.”
His grip grew tighter. “What did you see?” he growled.
Tripp relented on the struggle, looking Grey in the eyes. He knew better than to try and evade Grey’s question.
“I saw them in the barn together this morning.”
“Were they fucking?”
“Well, no, but they were sleeping under a blanket together. Doesn’t take a genius to figure what they done.”
“Did you bother asking? Were they awake?”
“No. I saw them, then took off.” Grey released him and Tripp straightened out his shirt. “Stopped by Sarah’s, she should know what kind of man Lucas is.”
“Christ, Tripp, you didn’t see nothing. You saw them sleeping in the barn. How many times have we slept out there with a sick animal?”
“Mystic’s foal is due soon,” Jasper chimed in. “Heard Lucas talking about it to Travis at the bar.”
Grey scowled at Tripp, pushing him away with a swift shove. “You stupid ass.”
“Well, I didn’t know.”
“That’s right, you didn’t know, but you had no problem spouting what you thought happened. Sarah? What about her? You go over there all half-cocked, talking about what you saw, when really, you don’t know what you saw.” He pointed down the road. “And I’m guessing, by the way Britt hauled ass over here and gave you a verbal bitch slap, the story you been telling as fact is nothing but fabricated bullshit.”
“Grey.” Jasper pulled back on Grey’s arms. “Go after her. I feel like a jerk saying something about her mama and this shit with Tripp. Just go, make things right with her.”
He heaved into Tripp’s space. “If she’ll even talk to me.” He yanked away from Jasper and stormed to his truck, reversing fast enough to leave behind a dust cloud.
Britt’s place was about two miles down the road. “Son of a bitch.” Grey slammed his hand on the steering before pulling on to the connecting road. The look on her face, the sadness in her eyes. The anger of the situation combined with the obvious sorrow for losing her mama had left her teary eyed. Seeing her in a grief-stricken state ripped at Grey’s heart. He’d known she lost her daddy a few years back. The lawyer handling her estate had told them, but there was no mention of her mama.
She was alone, no parents, and from what the lawyer said, no siblings either. She had no one. Lost in thought, Grey slammed on his brakes when he saw her car parked on the side of the road. He pulled up behind her and rushed to her window. The sight nearly broke his heart.
Her hands draped over the steering wheel with her forehead resting on top. Her window was cracked halfway.
“Go away.” Her voice was muffled, but he could hear her sniffle.
He bent his knees, putting himself eye level with her window. Staring at her from this angle, he could see the tears dripping down her chin.
“Go away.” She mumbled louder this time.
“Darlin’, open up.”
“God, just go away, Grey.” She banged her head against her steering wheel.
“Not till you open the door, need to know you’re okay.”
Her head whipped over to him, and the sight of her red-rimmed eyes and tear-soaked cheeks nearly gutted him. She shook her head, turning back to gaze out her front window.
“I’m not okay, Grey, and I won’t be. I did nothing to you and your horrible family. I did nothing. But you all seem hell-bent on making me pay for something. All I have is this ranch I never asked for and two people to help me out. Now, thanks to your asshole brother and his lies, I have no one. Sarah hates me, and Lucas is so mad over this he won’t talk to me.”
She cried harder and Grey tried the handle, but it was locked. Her sobs grew louder and she turned to him. Faint black streaked her wet cheeks. Her glassy eyes were defeated.
“I didn’t ask for this…I didn’t even want it.” She wiped her eyes, but the tears continued to drop down her face. “Do I look like a rancher? God, I hate animals. I hate this stupid heat. I hate the snakes and the barn mice. Damn goat bit me in the ass last week.” She held up her fingers. “Twice. You think I like this? I hate it. But I’m trying, every time I feel like calling you and saying I’m ready to sell, I walk up to The Point, stand in Cal’s spot and think ‘I can do this, I‘ll just try harder.’ I can’t, I’m done. You win, you can have it, I don’t want it anymore. Cal’s dream died with him. What I thought I saw up there at The Point was nothing but false hope, an illusion.”
She rested her forehead down on the steering wheel heaving her sobs, her body shaking. Grey rose to his feet and twisted his arm through the crack in the window. He could barely reach the inside handle, but he wiggled his fingers and pushed his arm down further, praying the window didn’t break from the pressure.
His finger caught on the handle and the door slid open. Britt didn’t even look up. She continued to cry, her breath hitching, sounding like a sad, wounded animal. Turning his arm and pulling it out of the window, he opened the door fully and bent down close to Britt.
His hand reached for her back, caressing her softly. He felt her trembling. He leaned into her ear and whispered, “Darlin’, it’s gonna be okay. Ya hear me, I’m gonna make this okay.”
Her sobs grew louder and Grey couldn’t take it anymore. He pulled her gently toward him and let her head fall against his shoulder. She turned slightly and wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pulled her into a firm hug. He was surprised she didn’t try to pull away. Her actions only confirmed how truly broken she was, and Grey felt a harsh stabbing in his heart. Seeing her this way was breaking him.
“Gonna make this right, Britt.”
“You’re the enemy,” she mumbled into his neck.
Grey smiled. Even completely broken down, she still had a little fight in her.
“Well, I’m calling a truce.”
She hugged him deeper, and he took the opportunity to reach under her knees and pick her up. He walked back to his truck and deposited her into the seat. She held on to him and he let her. She needed this and he was going to give it to her.
“Let me get you home, darlin’.”
She sat back in the seat with her head bowed and he ran back to her car, locked it up, and grabbed her keys and little bag sitting on the front seat. When he got back into his truck, her knees were at her chest and her head rested on them. Giving her a gentle touch on the back of her head, he started down the road and into her driveway.
She hadn’t moved in the three minutes it had taken to drive there. He parked in front of the house and jumped out of his truck.
“What do you want?”
Grey ignored Luca
s, who was walking up the small hill from the barn. He opened the door and picked Britt up, her arms clasped around his neck.
“What the hell happened?” Lucas questioned.
“Get the door.”
Without further argument, he rushed ahead of them and opened the front door. Grey took three strides to the stairs and brought her up to her room, placing her gently on the bed. He positioned her feet under the quilt. He was tucking her in with the care he would use for a child.
He sat down next to her on the bed. She had stopped crying, but a single tear fell. Grey cupped her face and swiped away the tear with his thumb. She stared up at him with her lower lip quivering.
“Why are you doing this? You hate me, remember?”
“Could never hate you. You frustrate the hell out of me, Britt. Make me feel things I’ve never felt before. Wanting you and falling for you, yeah. Could never hate you, though.” He leaned down, placing his lips at her forehead, and pulled back slightly. She was watching him so intently. Her look was a combination of fear, confusion, and need. He knew it wasn’t right, it wasn’t what she truly needed at the moment, but he did it anyway.
His lips came down softly on hers. He only meant to peck her mouth, but the kiss was too sweet to stop. His mouth moved over hers, feeling the soft lips and wanting more, not wanting this to end. He stroked her bottom lip and sucked it into his mouth, releasing it and stroking the seam of her mouth. His hands caressed her neck, drawing deeper into her hair, holding her close. He had to end this now. She’d just had a breakdown, he needed to do what was right for her, not what he wanted. Pulling back slowly, his hands slid down from her neck to rest on her shoulders.
“Grey,” she whispered, hands slipping around his waist, pulling him back into her body.
He kissed her smooth lips once again and reared back.
“I’m gonna get everything clear with Lucas, have him get your car, then I’m going to make this okay, Britt. You hear me?”
