Scarred: A Mountain Man Romance

by J. R. Ryder

  “Tanya.”

  “Oh! That lovely little assistant of yours.” My mother cooed. “You’re a blessing, dear.” She took Tanya’s hand, squeezing it. “Everett would have lost his head if it wasn’t for you.”

  Tanya blushed ever so slightly. “I do what I can to help.” She said graciously.

  “What is she doing here?” My father asked, ever blunt.

  “She’s my date,” I said, hoping that would end the conversation.

  “You two are dating now?” My mother asked.

  “She’s my date,” I repeated my tone even firmer this time.

  A grunt of disapproval came from my father.

  “Well, there’s no point in us just standing here. Let’s eat!” My mother grabbed my hand, leading me to the dining room.

  I noticed, almost instantly, that there were five plates on the table. “Are we expecting someone else?”

  Just then, there was a knock on the door.

  My mother disappeared to answer it as I pulled out a chair for Tanya.

  She sat down, fiddling with the cutlery, avoiding eye contact with my father who was watching her like a hawk.

  Just before I could take a seat, he pulled me aside. “What do you think you’re doing? You can’t be serious.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Bringing your assistant to the family dinner?”

  “What about it?” I challenged, pretending I had no idea what my father was upset about.

  “She has no class, and you know it, Everett. Of all the girls you could date, why go for your poor assistant?”

  “Because I want to,” I said, teeth clenched. “And, I believe that who I date and don’t date is my own business. stay out of it.”

  “Let me remind you that you’re in my home and I will not be spoken to in that tone.” He growled, features darkening.

  Before I could retaliate, my mother returned.

  At her heels was Nettie.

  Great, this day was just getting better and better.

  Chapter 15 (Tanya)

  This dinner was turning out to be a disaster and it hadn’t even started.

  As I sat there, I could hear the men talking about me. If they thought they were whispering, they obviously did not know the definition of the word.

  I didn’t ask to come here – I was coerced.

  I tried my best to swallow my pride knowing that if I didn’t, I’d be without a job or worse. What if Everett tried to sue me? Then I’d be screwed. I’d probably find myself in jail. It was hard to believe that Everett would stoop this low but I had seen him use dirty tactics before and I guess I was no different.

  “What is she doing here?” Everett turned, eyes burning with hatred.

  It was the second time I was seeing the blonde woman. A few weeks ago, she had barged into Everett’s office. This must be the ex-girlfriend.

  Great, just great.

  “What is she doing here?” Nettie returned, pointing a manicured finger in my direction. “Shouldn’t she be at the office filing papers or something?” She snorted before sitting down at the table, whipping her hair behind her shoulder.

  “Get out,” Everett demanded.

  “Now, Everett, be civil. You wouldn’t want to ruin dinner, would you?” His mother asked, waving a hand as if that would melt away all the tension building in the air.

  It didn’t.

  I feared that Everett would pounce across the table at any moment. I had never seen him look this angry. It terrified me.

  “Sit down.” His father ordered. “Now.”

  Everett hesitant but eventually, with a huff, he sat down, staring at Nettie across the table. Once the food was served, he stabbed into his meal, tearing at his meat like a rabid animal.

  “ Nettie, what have you been up to?”

  “Oh, you know, not much. Just got a new modeling job. It’s a Paris company, but they have a branch here in the states. It’s a few blocks down from Everett, actually.”

  “Great.” He grumbled.

  “Now, don’t be rude.” His mother shot him a reprimanding glance.

  “And you, Tanya, do you do anything outside of assisting my son?” This time, his father spoke up, watching me carefully.

  I gulped, feeling small under the heat of his gaze. “Um…”

  He frowned. “I thought as much. I honestly don’t know why you’re wasting your time on this woman.”

  Everett growled. “Do not insult her.” He tightened his grip on his fork. “She is my date, and I demand that you treat her with respect. Tanya is an intelligent –”

  He was interrupted by Nettie’s laugh. “Intelligent? You can train a lab monkey to do her job. Don’t kid yourself, Everett. You just feel sorry for her because she’s fat and she won’t ever get someone else.”

  Her words pierced through me like bullets.

  Was that what this was? A pity party? Was I just the fat girl he could manipulate into having his child? Unable to stand another minute of this horrible experience, I got up from my chair and stormed out. I didn’t even bother to look back, door slamming in my wake.

  ***

  I ran as fast as I could, legs carrying me as far as they could before my knees threatened to buckle. I looked up, finding myself in the middle of town.

  The sidewalks, usually crowded with pedestrians, were deserted. No doubt, most people were at home, enjoying time with their families.

  The thought filled me with a soul-crushing sense of loneliness. Was I the only person who had no place to go? I bit my lip, trying to hold back the tears but they came all the same. I broke down, slumping into a nearby bench. All I wanted was a family. Maybe that’s why I had so foolishly agreed to be Everett’s surrogate. I didn’t want things to be like this. It was a nightmare.

  Tears streamed down my cheeks. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had enjoyed the holidays. Every year, it was the same. While everyone else was happily opening presents or sitting by a warm fire, I was home alone, curled up with a book, trying not to cry. When Everett had invited me to the Christmas ball, I thought, maybe, just maybe, it was the start of something.

  I guess I was wrong.

  Depression weighed heavily on my shoulders, making them sag. All I wanted to do was disappear. No one cared about me, anyway. Nettie thought I was some pathetic fat girl. Everett’s father obviously didn’t approve of me. And Everett? He was just using me. I was a damn fool to think it was ever anything else.

  Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

  At the sound of approaching footsteps, I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes before looking up.

  To my surprise, Nettie was standing there, a smug, triumphant look on her face.

  “What do you want?” I snapped. “Come to add insult to injury?”

  “As a matter of fact…” She grinned. “Well, it’s not a bad thought, but no, that’s not why I’m here.”

  “Then, what do you want?”

  “You’re going to help me.”

  “What? Why would I help you when you just insulted me? It’s obvious you want Everett. Take him. I don’t care.” Even as I said these words, I knew they weren’t true. Despite everything, I still cared for that man.

  “Because you don’t have a choice. You see, I’ve had my eye on Walton Corp for a long, long time. I just need a little bit more information, and you’re the perfect person to get it for me.”

  “What are you talking about…?” I got to my feet, eyeing her with suspicion.

  “I need to get into Everett’s office.” She said as if it were obvious.

  “Why?”

  “Because I need something.”

  “I’m not going to let you break into his office.” I protested. “I’m not going to betray him like that.”

  “Really? Even after what happened today? Don’t you get it? He’s just using you. He doesn’t give one shit about any of the girls he ‘dates.’ He just wants us for our bodies, and then he throws us away like yesterday’s garbage. Take it from me, sweet
ie. You saw how he treated me and I did nothing wrong.”

  “I don’t believe you for a minute.”

  “I could pay you.”

  “No,” I said, holding my ground. “I’m not betraying him. I don’t care how much money you pay me. His trust means a lot to me.”

  Nettie laughed. “You really are stupid. if you won’t do this the easy way, then I guess we just have to do it the hard way.”

  “Hard way…?” I repeated, stepping back, already feeling a little wary. What was she up to? What was she planning?

  “You better start running.”

  “Huh?”

  All of a sudden, two muscular men appeared out of the shadows. They cracked their knuckles, smiling like madmen. And then they charged right toward me.

  Fuck.

  Chapter 16 (Everett)

  As soon as Tanya stormed out, I got up, determined to follow her, but my father blocked the way.

  “Move.” I snarled.

  “You’re wasting your time.”

  “I don’t care. Move.”

  “Honestly, Everett, what do you see in her?” Nettie asked in an annoyingly high-pitched voice.

  “Stay out of this.” I snapped. “She’s a thousand times the woman you’ll ever be.”

  “Is that why you have her under contract to have your baby?” She taunted, lips curling into a sinister smirk.

  I tensed. “How do you know that?”

  “Is that true, Everett?” My mother asked, looking horrified. “You can’t possibly have a child with that woman. What would they say about the family?”

  “Fuck the family. All you lot care about is keeping your reputation. Fuck that. I’ve been a fool. Tanya’s the only woman who hasn’t pined over my money, but I was so blinded by the threat of being hurt, I couldn’t see that. Now, get out of my way before I do something I regret.”

  Nettie walked over to me, fingertips dancing across my shoulders.

  Suddenly, I spun around, grabbed her wrist, and nearly snapped it. “Don’t ever touch me again,” I warned, voice full of hatred.

  “Are you really going to hurt me? I don’t think that’s a lawsuit you want.” Nettie narrowed her eyes, words full of venom.

  I ground my teeth, irritated that she had managed to gain the upper hand. I dropped her wrist and stormed out.

  Outside, I reached into my jacket for my keys, but they weren’t there. I checked my other pockets but to no avail. Through the window, I saw Nettie standing there holding up my keys, a satisfied look on her face.

  Fuck, I didn’t have time for this.

  Without another thought, I rushed into my father’s garage. There, I unearthed my old motorcycle. When I was a teenager, I had bought it with my very first paycheck only to have it taken away by my father for being “inappropriate.” Fuck him.

  Lucky for me, the keys were there. I turned them, praying the engine still worked.

  Just as my father appeared in the doorway, it rumbled to life.

  Eureka.

  I pulled up the kickstand and peeled onto the road, leaving skid marks in my wake. I drove fast, blowing through lights and stop signs. I didn’t care what happened, all that mattered was finding Tanya. I had to stop running from my emotions and just admit that I truly cared about her. Having my family degrade her had been the tipping point. It filled me with such hatred that all I wanted to do was defend her honor. She meant the world to me, and I’d be damned if she left thinking anything else. For once in my life, I had to be honest.

  For a long time, I zipped around, looking everywhere for her but it was like she had vanished. Then again, there was no reason for her to stay on the streets. For all I knew, she was tucked away in a bus or a 24-hour coffee shop. My motorcycle search was probably pointless.

  just when I was going to give up, I spotted her.

  She was running as fast as she could down a deserted sidewalk, a look of terror on her face. Behind her, a couple of goons chased after her, taunting as they went.

  Oh no you don’t.

  I pressed on the gas, bike lurching forward. Skillfully, I pulled up right next to her, wrapped my arm around her waist, and hoisted her into the space in front of me. Holding onto her, I swerved to the right, entering a small alleyway, side mirrors nearly scarping against the brick walls.

  “It’s a dead end!” Tanya screamed, body becoming as tense as a statue.

  I smirked, pushed the bike even faster, heading for a makeshift ramp consisting of a couple of planks of wood and discarded trash cans.

  Then, all of a sudden, we were flying through the air.

  “Everett!”

  I held her tight; our bodies pressed together as the bike soared over the chain link fence that had halted our progress.

  For a moment, I thought that all this would end badly, but a second later, we landed with a jolt on the other side.

  I steadied the bike, driving off as the goons rattled the fence, faces red with anger. I flipped them the bird before disappearing from sight.

  As I rode, Tanya didn’t say a word, her body shaking with fright. I wanted to comfort her, but I knew that we needed to create some distances. I didn’t know who those men were, but I wanted to make sure that Tanya was safe and sound before I allowed her to get off the bike.

  At that moment, I knew that I never wanted to lose her – that I would never let her out of my sights again.

  Chapter 17 (Tanya)

  I couldn’t

  wrap my mind around what had just happened. One second, I was sitting through an awkward family dinner with Everett and then the next thing I know, I’m running for my life. This had to be some dream – no, a nightmare.

  Even when Everett came to my rescue like a bad boy hero, I still couldn’t believe it. Things like this didn’t really happen, especially to girls like me, did they?

  Before I could gather my thoughts, Everett pulled over. He got off the bike and gently lifted me to my feet, hands on my hips. I looked up at him; my breath hitched in my throat.

  “Tanya, tell me what’s going on. Why were those men chasing you? Did they hurt you?”

  I just kept looking at him, unable to answer.

  “Tanya.” He looked into my eyes, his face so close to mine that I could smell his cologne.

  “I…”

  “Please. Tell me. Let me help you.”

  I shook my head. “No…” I didn’t know what to do. On the one hand, I didn’t want to betray this man. Despite everything he had done, I truly did care about him. On the other hand, I was furious that he would try and use me.

  “Tanya…” He placed his hand on my shoulders. “I understand what you must think of me. You probably think I’m some monster who just wants you for your body, but that’s not true. You have to believe me. I know, I acted like an asshole, manipulating you into the situation, if it’s any consolation, I do care about you, a lot. For a long time, I’ve been very guarded. Nettie and a few other women hurt me – bad – they made it hard for me to trust people. I was scared that if I trusted you, then you’d turn around and do what they did. I was so afraid that I decided that a contract would stop that from happening. I understand now that I was nothing but a fool.” He took my hand, squeezing it. “Please, tell me you believe me.”

  I studied his face, watching his features. From what I could tell, he was genuine. His eyes were a soft pale blue, pleading with me.

  This was real. He truly cared about me. At the thought, my heart started to flutter. I knew there was something between us. Still, that didn’t mean he was completely off the hook for the way he treated me. But first, I had to tell him about Nettie.

  “She’s up to something.”

  “What?” He furrowed his brow in confusion. Obviously, it was not the response he was looking for.

  “Nettie.” I clarified. “She’s trying to take Walton Corp. I don’t know how she plans to do it, but she wanted me to break into your office. I told her I wouldn’t betray your trust like that. Well, she didn’t take to
that very well, so she sent those two men after me.”

  His eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

  “Of course I’m sure. You can’t make this shit up!”

  “Fuck.” He growled under his breath. “I should have known she was up to something when she came sauntering into my office… sitting on my desk…” His eyes widened even further. “That’s it!”