Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
“It’s not a wildlife trap,” Rem murmurs, staring down.
“Yeah, well, it could be one because there were bones down there.” Millie shivers as I stand and then simply lift her into my arms, as if I’m about to carry her over the threshold. “And it’s fucking creepy as hell.”
“I’m so sorry, little rose.” I kiss her temple and then her cheek.
Then my eyes move up, and sitting on a horse on the other side of the property line fence is John Wild.
“Millie,” I murmur, getting her attention, and then gesture with my chin to her father as she tightens her hold around my shoulders.
“Daddy, why are you over there?”
“I won’t set foot on that land.” His voice is hard, but it looks like he has tears in his eyes.
“Dad, for fuck’s sake,” Ryan begins, shaking his head, but John just glares at his son and then turns his gaze back to us.
“You’ve done nothing but hurt her,” he says, his eyes on mine. “And that’s all you’re going to do until she’s dead and gone.”
“DAD!” Millie’s voice is hard and loud as she shouts at her father. “Stop it. Stop it right now. This was an accident.”
“That hole didn’t magically appear there by accident,” John says, narrowing his eyes. “I’ll bet everything I have that his fucker of a father dug that hole, hoping something like this would happen. Looks like he got that wish.”
I swallow because I can’t dispute what he says. My first thought was the same thing.
And Tim and I are going to have a long conversation, because the old man would know if this is something my old man did.
“If you think,” I begin, cutting off whatever Brady was about to say so I can address their father, “that I let Millie ride her horse out here, alone, hoping that she’d fall in here and break her neck, you’re fucked up in the head, Mr. Wild. Respectfully, of course.”
John’s lip curls up in a sneer, and I keep talking.
“She needed some time alone with Betty because she was beating herself up over her conversation with you. So, you go ahead and tell me exactly who’s hurting your daughter.”
I narrow my eyes, but he doesn’t respond to me.
“That’s what I thought.”
“Jesus Christ,” Chase says. “We’ll get some men out to scout for other holes.”
“I’ll do that,” I reply more calmly. “I have the men for it, and it’ll be handled first thing tomorrow.”
“If you need help,” Remington says, ignoring the scathing look from his father, “let us know. We have the men, too.”
“Appreciate it.”
“Please stop, Daddy,” Millie says, her voice soft and pleading. “This wasn’t the fault of anyone here. He’s long gone.”
“Yeah, and he’s still fucking with my family.”
With a shake of his head, John turns his horse and rides off in the other direction.
“I think it’s going to take a while for your dad to like me,” I murmur against Millie’s hair, making her choke out a laugh. “It’s okay, I’ll win him over.”
“That’s the spirit,” Blake says with a laugh as he climbs onto his horse.
“We’ll see you at the barn, boss.” My guys head out.
“Want help getting her up there?” Ryan asks.
“Yeah. I don’t want to hurt her.”
It takes three of us to get Millie up on the horse, ensuring that we don’t hurt her ankle. I pull the blanket out of the waterproof sheath and then wrap it tightly around her to warm her up. I jump up behind her and take the reins before looking at all my friends and Millie’s family.
“I don’t really have the words—”
“This is what family does,” Remington says with a shrug, then tips his hat and rides away.
Just like that, I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me again as the others nod and also ride away.
“Did he—?”
“Yeah,” Millie says, wiggling back to rest against me, pushing her perfect little ass against my crotch. “My dad’s an ass, which is something I never thought I’d say about my dad, by the way. Everyone else seems to be just fine, babe.”
“I’m sorry.” I kiss her head as I carefully maneuver the horse in the direction of my barn. The adrenaline is wearing off, and I feel the exhaustion wanting to settle in as darkness begins to seep in around us. She must be fucking decimated. “I don’t know this babe person.”
“Holden.”
“Nope.”
“Honey.” I can hear the smile in her voice.
“Who?”
She chuckles softly. “Husband.”
“There she is.” I kiss the top of her head. “Sleep if you want, wife. I have you. I might not ever let go of you again, let alone let you out of my sight.”
“I was so scared.” Her voice is so small it breaks my heart. “The only time I’ve been that terrified is w-when I thought you were in that building—”
“Shh.” I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pressing my forearm across her chest, and hug her close against me. I can feel her heart hammering, and it fucking tears me apart. “I’m right here, baby girl. I’m going to get you home, and you’re going to stay there for a few days, resting.”