“Morning, Mills,” I say, flopping down onto the couch, a little tired and hungover.
She looks up at me with a smile. “Dada.” She comes running over. She climbs up onto the couch, her little feet dangling over the edge. She kicks them up and down and points at the TV. “Mickey.”
I laugh. “I know. You love Mickey, don’t ya?”
Her smile only grows as she nods her head.
“What do you want to do today?”
“Cest, Dake!”
I laugh at her names for them. “Alright, I’ll give them a call in a little while.”
I finally manage to pull myself off the couch and get dressed, and we make our way to Drake’s. He’s in the drive, unloading a horse from a trailer.
“You finally did it, huh?” I ask, walking over with Milly in my arms.
He smiles and nods. “Yeah, Celeste wants horses. She hasn’t stopped talking about Brennan’s.”
“Horsey,” Milly says, reaching out and running her tiny hand across the horse’s back.
Celeste steps out and joins us. “What do you think, Milly?” she asks, petting the horses face.
“Yay!” Milly cheers. “What’s his name?”
“His name is Jasper,” Drake answers. “Apparently, he used to belong to a teenage girl that was a huge Twilight fan.” He rolls his eyes, causing me to laugh.
“Come on, Milly. Let’s go get a snack and let these guys put Jasper into the barn.” Celeste holds out her hands and Milly leaps into them.
I help Drake into the barn with the horse. As he puts the horse in his stall and works to get him fed, I sit on the bench.
“So, how are things going with Brennan?” he asks as he carries a hay bale.
“Great. Things between us couldn’t be better. It’s other things that are the problem.”
“What do you mean?” He comes to stand in front of me, leaning against the horse stall.
“She has this ex from college. She broke things off with him when she came back home, but he decided to follow her back. Her dad loves the guy, so he hired him to work the farm, and he’s letting him stay in the loft in their barn.”
Drake nods. “This guy causing problems?”
I tell him about the few times I’ve met him, including running into him at the carnival and how I found my truck.
Drake shakes his head. “What are you going to do about him?”
I take a deep breath. “He better hope I don’t run into him, that’s for sure.”
“Well, not trying to add to your stress, but Celeste has been doing some digging on our mystery brother.”
“Yeah, she find anything?”
“She tracked down his birth certificate. Dad’s name isn’t on it. Only the woman he had the affair with.”
“So does that mean that he has no claim to the brewery?”
He shakes his head. “Celeste says he can take a DNA test to prove that he’s related. From there, it’s up to us. We can either divide up our shares to give him his part, or we can refuse. If we refuse, he can take us to court.”
I rub the scruff of my jaw. “Why do you think he’s doing this? I mean, do you think he actually wants to help run the brewery, or do you think he’s just wanting something for nothing?”
Drake shrugs. “I don’t know. I mean, if it’s the money, we could just buy him out of his share. But honestly, family is getting scarce around here. I’d like to meet him, get to know him. Wouldn’t you?”
“I guess it would just depend on what his intentions are.”
“Oh, Celeste is wanting to try and have a cookout soon. Get the whole family here. You’re still the only one she’s met. How hard do you think it would be to get the others here?”
“I haven’t talked to any of them in a while. Who knows where Wyatt is. I haven’t heard from him in months. Last I heard, he was in Canada.”
Drake snorts. “What the hell is he doing there?”
I shrug. “Fucking around like usual,” I reply. “But let me know when. I’m down.”
Drake and I hang out in the barn a little while longer, talking and tinkering with random shit. After a while, we go inside and find Celeste and Milly in the middle of dress up.
“No boys,” Milly says, pushing me by the legs toward the door.
I turn to Drake. “Looks like we’re being kicked out of your house.”
He laughs. “Fine by me. Want to go fishing?”
“That okay with you, Celeste?” I ask, not trying to stick her with babysitting.
“That’s fine. Go.” She waves us on.
Drake and I head back out and start gathering the gear before loading it all up on the ATVs and hitting the trail that leads to the pond.
Sixteen
Brennan
AS I drive back home, I can’t help but to think of Colton’s truck. I know Nate did it—I mean, it had to be him. Nobody knows about us; Nate didn’t know about us either though. Maybe he just put two and two together. I mean, I have been spending more time over there and, up until yesterday, I never left the house with Milly and Colton. Or maybe I felt like someone was watching me because someone was watching me. Maybe he saw the kiss we shared when Milly was riding the cars. Regardless, he knows. Now, I’m wondering what he plans on doing with this information.
Maybe it’s all he’ll need to see to realize that I’m not interested in getting back together with him. Maybe he’ll leave and go back home. Or maybe he’s pissed and is planning on making my life a living hell. If he’s got a brain at all, he won’t try fucking with Colton again. I’ve never seen someone look as angry as Colton did last night. And the fact that he was deathly silent only made it worse. I would’ve understood him yelling, cussing, going after Nate, but he did none of that. He just silently stewed.
I pull into the drive and park my car under the big tree out front. I kill the engine and climb out. Nate is just walking into the barn. He glances my way but doesn’t stop. The look he gives is one I’ve seen before but never toward me. I want to chew him out for causing a scene last night. I want to tell him I know that it was him that painted Colton’s truck. I want to yell and let out some steam on Colton’s behalf. I follow him into the barn and up the stairs. He’s sitting on the edge of the bed, elbows resting on his knees, hands holding a bottle of Jack.
There goes his sobriety. A drunk Nate is bad, but a whiskey drunk Nate is worse. There’s no point in even starting something. He will only overreact, and he won’t even remember it when he sobers up. I shake my head and turn to leave.
“Finally home from fucking your boss?” he spits out, causing me to freeze.
Fuck it. I know this won’t do any good, but it will make me feel better. I spin back around to face him. He stands up and sets the bottle on the bedside table.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” I argue. “And I know it was you who spray painted Colton’s truck. You better hope he doesn’t find you. If I were you, I’d pack my stuff and hit the road. This town is too small for the two of you.”
He lets out a laugh. “You think I’m running from his old ass?” He rolls his eyes. “I can’t believe that we dated for almost a year and I got nothing. But him, you work for him for what, a month, and already you’re sucking his dick?” He shakes his head, grin in place. “I guess he must pay pretty good, huh?”
I take a deep breath. He’s angry and only trying to hurt me. “He doesn’t pay me to sleep with him, you jerk! And yeah, it only took him a month because he’s actually a man, not some little boy that doesn’t know what he’s doing, like you.” My anger carries me forward. “I mean, how many times do I have to turn you down before you get the fucking point, Nate? I don’t want to be with you.” I take another step. “You’re nothing to me but a constant annoyance.” Another step closer puts me right in front of him. “You’re as bad as a dog in heat that’s always trying to hump my leg,” I spit out. I’ve never in my life felt more anger than I do in this moment.
My rage has me seeing re
d, and that’s the reason I don’t realize how pissed he’s getting until it’s too late. He twists his upper body and grabs the bottle of Jack, throwing it against the wall. It shatters and breaks on impact, causing the brown liquid to roll down the wooden wall. I jump from the force.
With my eyes on the broken bottle, I don’t see him coming at me until it’s too late. He grabs me by my biceps and spins me around, throwing me down on the bed. During the fall, the back of my head smacks the wall. My vision blurs and has me seeing stars.
“You think you’re so smart?” he yells, hovering over me. “Let’s see what your dad has to say about his little girl riding some old man’s dick. I bet that’ll make him real proud.” He spins around, heading for the stairs.
I jump up and steady myself before I race after him. “Nate, no!” I grab ahold of his arm, trying to stop him, but he turns and swings. His palm smacks across my face and I fall to the floor.
He turns around and sees me on the floor, my hand cupping my cheek. For a moment, he’s worried. It was clearly a reaction to me grabbing him since we’re both so angry, but then the worry is wiped away and the hate and anger is back. His brows wrinkle and his jaw is cocked. Instead of helping me up, he just turns and walks down the stairs.
Tears fill my eyes. Tears of anger, rage, and worry. I know my dad and his traditional ways. Hearing that I’m carrying on a relationship with a man that’s almost twice my age won’t sit well. Especially not with Colton Slade. While Celeste has done a good job at getting the town to let go of the past, many people, like my dad, still feel that they are no good. My dad will have a fit, possibly even disown me.
I get myself off the floor and run from the barn. I don’t go to the house though. I’m not ready to deal with the consequences. Instead, I run for my car. I climb behind the wheel and drive away as quickly as possible without looking like I’ve robbed a bank. I know throwing dust and rocks will only draw attention to myself. I hate that I’m bailing on my dad’s birthday but I’m no state to celebrate.
I have no idea where I’m going. I can’t go home. I drive and drive until I finally give in and go to him. The driveway is empty when I pull in, but I have a key and I let myself in. The house is quiet without Milly here. I walk back to his room, kick off my shoes, and climb into bed. I curl up into a ball and pull the blankets up over me. Tears fill my eyes at the possibility of what could happen. My dad could demand I break things off with Colton. No way could I be here, watching Milly and unable to touch him. I bet my dad would demand I quit this job altogether. He wouldn’t trust me to be here anymore.
Or I could move out and get my own place. I have the money to now. But if I did that and kept doing what I’m doing with Colton, I know my father would want nothing to do with me. My family is all that I have. Worry and fear consume me and before I know it, I’ve cried myself into a deep sleep.
Colton wakes me a little while later and crawls into bed next to me. He nuzzles his chin into the crook of my neck. “What are you doing here, beautiful?”
I roll over to face him. The moment he sees me, anger mars his features. “What’s wrong? You’ve been crying.”
I take a deep breath. “I confronted Nate,” I confess.
He lets out a deep breath. “Why would you do that? You know I don’t want you around him.” His hand moves up to cup my cheek. His eyes narrow on my mouth, and his thumb rubs under my eye, back and forth.
“What happened to you?” His voice is hard, rough, and filled with anger.
“What?” I ask, confused, worried that he’s angry with me for confronting Nate.
“Your eye is bruised and your lip is swollen. Did he fucking hit you?” His whole body goes rigid.
“Colton,” I breathe out.
“Brennan, did he hit you?” he grinds out between clenched teeth. He’s barely holding his rage back.
“Yes,” I start, but he’s up and out of bed, moving toward the door. “But it was an accident,” I say, rushing after him. I grab ahold of his wrist just as he reaches the door.
He stops and spins around to face me. “How was it an accident? You don’t hit someone on accident.” His back is straight, every muscle hard.
“He said he was going to tell my dad about us. I panicked. I ran at him and grabbed his arm to stop him, but he was really drunk, and he just reacted. When he swung around to face me, he smacked me. I saw the look on his face. It was just a reflex. He wasn’t trying to hit me.”
He pulls me against his chest, one arm wrapped around my lower back, the other up top with his hand tangling into my hair. “I’m going to fucking kill him,” he breathes out.
His hands move up to cup my cheeks, directing my eyes to his. “You’re mine, Brennan, and nobody touches what’s mine.” His mouth lands on my lips and he kisses me deeply.
Right now, I’m not worried about Nate or my dad or our future. Right now, I can’t think of anything but the way he makes me feel: safe, important, loved. I wrap my arms around his neck and lace my fingers into his hair. His hands move down to my ass where he picks me up against him. My legs immediately wrap around his hips as he carries me to the bed.
He lays me down gently and covers my body with his. His weight feels good on top of me. He’s like a weighted blanket that relieves every ounce of my stress and worry. Having him on top of me feels right, perfect. His hands take my wrists, and he pins them above my head as his mouth descends down my neck. He’s moving slowly, teasing, torturing. A part of me wonders if he thinks this is our last time. Does he know the choice I’ll have to make between him and my family?
As he kisses, touches, caresses, and teases, he strips me bare. Holding onto my hips, he slides into me, filling me completely to the point where pleasure and pain mix together. “Mine,” he whispers, claiming me. He claimed me the first day we met, even before either of us knew it.
Laying in his arms, I feel complete. His warmth soaks into me as he runs his fingers up and down my bicep. With my head on his chest, his heartbeat fills my ears, calming me, soothing me.
“I don’t want to go home,” I admit.
“Then don’t,” he replies. “Stay here.”
His words make me smile. “I can’t.” I lift my head up to look at his face, propping it up with my hand. “I have to go home and face the consequences.”
“There won’t be any consequences if I beat his ass. I can’t fucking wait until I run into him again.”
“Hopefully you won’t have to. I’m praying that he just gives up and leaves. After today, I don’t see any use in him hanging around. He knows that I’m sleeping with you. He actually insinuated that you’re paying me for sex, not babysitting.”
I see his hand at his side. It was loose and relaxed, but now, it’s tightened into a fist.
“Where’s Milly?” I ask to change the subject.
“We were out at Drake’s when I got the notification from the security company that said my front door had been opened. I left her there, thinking that maybe Nate was here fucking around.” He rolls us over so he’s hovering above me. “Imagine my surprise when I found you waiting in bed for me.” He gives me a grin as he lowers his lips to mine.
My phone dings, and I break away to pick it up off the bedside table. It’s a text from Nate.
Don’t want me to tell Daddy? Meet me at the bar in twenty minutes. We have some things to talk about. Leave your new boss at home.
I shut off the screen quickly before Colton can see. He hasn’t told my dad yet? This could still work. I mean, I know it can’t go on forever, but it can last a little longer, giving me time to figure things out, time to figure out what Colton and I are actually doing.
“I need to go,” I say, standing up and searching for my clothes that are scattered around the room.
Colton sits up. “What? Why?”
“I have some things to take care of,” I reply, pulling on my jeans.
“Now? You have things to take care of now?”
I yank my shirt on and shove my
feet into my shoes. I bend over and grab my phone at the same time I press a kiss to his lips. “I’m sorry for rushing off, but I’ll call you later and let you know how everything goes.” Without another word, I rush from the room. I don’t want to give him the chance to stop me from going. I don’t want him knowing what I’m doing. I know he’ll follow me. If I can take care of things with Nate by myself, then that’s what I need to do. As much as I’d love to see Colton lay into Nate after everything he’s put me though, I want to avoid it if at all possible. Colton is big and will surely beat Nate to a pulp. But Nate is vindictive. He won’t let it go. He will keep fucking us over until he feels like he’s gotten even and made a mess out of Colton’s and my life.
The best thing I can think of, the only way to end this, is to talk to Nate and get him to leave town without talking to my dad and without Colton finding him. It’s the only way this could end well for all of us.
It only takes me minutes to drive to the bar. I pull into the gravel parking lot and park up front. I shut off the engine and look around, not finding Nate’s car, but if he’s driving from my house, it will take him longer to get here. Instead of going inside, I sit and wait in the car. I feel anxiety creeping up my throat. It makes my stomach do flips, making me nauseous even though I’m sitting perfectly still. The air is rushing in and out of my lungs, making my head swim. Fear consumes me. This is it. Make it or break it. I’ll either get everything I want—Nate leaving, my dad none the wiser, and Colton—or I’ll lose it all. A sinking feeling consumes me when I see his blue car pull into the parking lot.
Seventeen
Colton
SOMETHING is going on with her. She was completely content in my arms until she got that text. I wonder who it was from. It could’ve been her dad, wanting her home after Nate spilled our secret. It could’ve been her mom, wanting to know if what Nate’s saying is true. Or it could’ve been Nate himself.
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