by Thianna D.
A few more men from the circuit showed up and they battled multiple phone calls from Neil, Craig, and others. About thirty minutes after she left, Madison came back in, a tray of coffees in her hands. Behind her a man in a doctor’s coat walked in as if he was there on a purpose and strode through the door they weren’t allowed in.
The waiting was intolerable. There was little seating so when one popped up, he waved Madison toward it. “I’m fine,” she assured him. He sighed, sat down, and pulled her onto his lap.
“We’re all worried,” he murmured in her ear. “But this is unfortunately one of the dangers of the job. Every time Kendrick gets on a bull, this is a possibility. The man is stronger than anyone I know. He’ll pull through.” As long as they didn’t take his leg. Beau couldn’t imagine losing his.
Chapter Ten
That had not been what Madison expected to do all night. But she couldn’t leave Beau to face the possibility of losing his friend. He’d looked so lost standing there in the dirt as the ambulance drove off. Unfortunately, she’d recognized a few people in the emergency room the moment they entered it. Two nurses and a doctor. At first she left because she hoped they wouldn’t see her. But the more time she paced back and forth in the main hall, the worse she felt. So she’d called a friend of the family. Jason Milling was a surgeon and a brilliant one at that. At her request that he come take care of Kendrick, he’d dropped everything and rushed down.
She was going to have to pay big as there was no way of hiding anything anymore. Jason would share it with her father at some point, if the nurses didn’t spill to the rag mags first. Madison Barnet, heir to a political dynasty and future governor of Texas, in a relationship with a bronc rider. That was going to go down like a lead balloon.
And she couldn’t even say they were in a relationship. Two nights of sex and spanking and one night of supporting him did not a relationship make. And yet for some bizarre reason, she needed to be there for him.
Surgery took almost seven hours. Thankfully they were allowed to go to a different waiting room for it with more comfortable chairs and less people. But she expected any moment for the bottom to drop out and media people to rush in.
It was just after five in the morning when Jason walked into the waiting room, his expression that of a man who’d been up all night in surgery. He glanced around the room. For a moment, his eyes rested on her and took in the fact Beau was holding her hand and then he looked away and said, “Joseph Kelsey?”
“That’s me,” Joseph said and stood up. “Is he okay, doc? Please tell me he didn’t lose the leg.”
Jason gave a tired smile. “He might have, but at the moment it’s looking good. The first seventy-two hours after the surgery are the most telling. And there will be months of physical therapy once he gets on his feet. But for now, Kendrick is doing fine. He’s in recovery for the next thirty minutes. Once he is transferred to a room, you can see him.”
A feeling of relief filled the room and Beau squeezed her hand. He stood up and hugged Alice. In that moment as he released her and Madison sat there in amidst the joy, she knew she had to get out. Jason was eyeballing her even though he was talking to Joseph. If she stuck around, he’d want to talk to her.
She wasn’t ready for whatever questions he had. A quick glance told her that everyone was busy with someone else. Beau was still talking to Alice, which meant nobody would see her dart out except for Jason. Without another thought, she quickly walked away. As soon as she was out the door, she fled to her car and got out of the parking lot as fast as possible.
How long would it take for someone in her family to be informed?
The shiny black Mercedes parked in front of her house as she arrived home told her they might already know. It was her father’s car. He had been in town for the fundraiser the night before and was either there to read her the riot act about not showing up or to ask what the hell she was doing at the hospital with a bunch of cowboys. Either way it would not be good.
She parked her less-ostentatious Toyota in the garage and got out. Before she even reached the door to the inside, it yanked open and she came face-to-face with Kevin and Kyle Barnet. “Where the hell were you?” Kyle asked as she stepped past them into her galley kitchen. Madison liked her house. It was a simple, old-fashioned rambler with no bells and whistles. Nothing like the house she grew up in.
“I’ve been up all night,” she said with a yawn. “Why are you here?” She decided it had to be her exhaustion that made her speak up to them. Growing up the way she did, she knew it was better to stay quiet and give the more politically correct answer. But in that moment, Madison was tired of being political or correct.
“Why are we here?” her father said. He never raised his voice, but he had certain tones that let a person know he was not pleased. The one he currently used told Madison she was in deep shit. “Your political career is about to launch, Madison. With any luck, in just over a year, you’ll be our next governor. About damned time too. The present one has an agenda I can’t stomach. We need one we can control.”
Startled as he had never been so honest about why he wanted her in that seat, she stared at him and leaned against the counter. “So basically you want to control the senate, the congress, and the state. When are you getting into the executive branch?” Even as the words left her mouth, she couldn’t believe they came from her. It was like some alien had invaded her body and was saying all the things she wanted to say but wouldn’t. At least wouldn’t on any other day.
He glared. “Enough, Madison Cassidy Barnet. What the hell has gotten into you? We’ve been grooming you for this for years.”
“Ever since you got rid of Terrell,” she snapped. Angrily, she opened up the fridge and pulled out a bottle of ale that had been there for ages. Usually not a beer drinker, she was tired, frustrated, and needed something cool down her throat.
Kyle stared at her, incredulity on his face.
“Terrell wasn’t good for you,” Kevin said, his tone turning a little more derisive. “No way was my daughter dating someone like him.”
“Why? Because he was black? Nothing like showing your racist colors, Dad.”
His eyes narrowed. “This has nothing to do with racism, Madison. He was a poor man from a poor family. You think you’d be where you are today if you’d stayed with Terrell? You’d be nothing.”
She took a big swig and choked as the burn went straight down her throat. Surprised, she looked at the bottle. It wasn’t ale. It was one of Judy’s attempts at homemade hard cider. Wow that was strong.
“You shouldn’t be drinking at six in the morning,” Kyle said with a frown. “What will people think?”
“Oh, I don’t know. That maybe I have to drink to deal with you two. That maybe there’s something wrong with the Barnets?” The words were flippant but the moment she said them, she regretted it. “I—”
“What the hell has that cowboy been filling your head with?” her father asked and she startled.
“Wh-what cowboy?”
“Don’t mess with me, Madison. I know all about you and that stupid cowboy at the rodeo. I’ve got pictures.”
Heat flooded her face and she took another large gulp of cider. “Pictures?” She couldn’t imagine how the guy got pictures of Beau spanking her, but if he did, she was screwed.
Kyle leaned in and tried to take the bottle away. She jerked it back. “Yes. Ron sent a photographer to follow you that night and took pictures of you leaving with some stupid cowboy. And that same photographer got photos of you hanging out with the same cowboy at the hospital last night. Who is this guy?”
Drat. She quickly drank the last of the cider. “He’s nobody. The rodeo’s going to move on in a couple days and I’ll never see him again.”
“Don’t lie to me,” her father said in a cold voice. “I know his name’s Beau Trey, that he gave up a real job to let horses knock him around, and that he’s sick in the head. Enjoys beating on women. And,” he added, his voice dripping
down into pure ice, “that you spent time with him two years ago. So don’t tell me he’s nobody.”
Kyle blinked in what looked like surprise. “You’re dating Beau Trey? Damn, Madison. He’s like the best bronc rider out there.”
Their father sent Kyle such a look that he flushed and stepped back. “I don’t care if he’s good at what he does,” Kevin said succinctly. “He is out of your life right now. Got it?”
“Dad, I—” She fumbled for something to say, but all she could concentrate on was what he’d just said. “What do you mean two years ago? I just met him.” Two and a half glorious days and they were now over. So stinking unfair.
Bang! She jumped at the sound and it took a couple seconds before she realized her father had opened one of her cabinets and slammed it shut. “You think you can hide your kink from the world?” he demanded. “I got rid of Terrell. He would have ruined your reputation with the things you two did. For years I thought it worked. Until you went to a BDSM club two years ago and hooked up with Beau Trey.” A sound that was almost a growl left his throat and his lips curved into a horrible grimace. “For your information, I have pictures of that as well. You should be ashamed of yourself. It ends today, Madison. No daughter of mine is going to be spanked. It would ruin us.”
She stared at him, her mouth halfway open. “Two years…” Beau. Her memory of that night was filmy, but she remembered the spanking and how kind the Dom had been. How had she not recognized him? Quickly, she guzzled the last of the cider. It had been him. Beau Trey. Her head became more fuzzy, but she kept trying to focus on the fact that her Beau was the wonderful Dom that night at the BDSM club.
For months afterward, she’d dreamed of him, his voice, and his hand smacking her pussy. But the details of what he’d looked like and the sound of his voice had disappeared. Her father had proof… A snicker left her and it quickly turned into a giggle. “You’ve got proof.”
“I do,” he replied with a nod. “So you will not see him again, young lady. From now on you will do everything Ron tells you to. You will toe the line. And I’ll find a husband who will help you in your career.”
A cloudy feeling filled her head and even with the influence of the alcohol, his words reverberated in her head with the force of a rocket. “No,” she said quietly.
He blinked and then shook his head as if sure he couldn’t have heard her correctly. “Got it?”
It was obvious he expected her to concur and she had for most of her life. But suddenly she just didn’t want to. “No,” she said louder. “I’m an adult. I’m twenty-nine, for goodness sake. I’m in control of who I see, who I date, and not you.” For a brief moment she was really proud of herself. Then he yanked the bottle away from her and sniffed the top.
“Madison, you’re drinking hard alcohol at six in the morning? What has this guy done to you?” His eyes narrowed. “Did he try and hit you again?”
“It’s not hitting,” she said in exasperation. “It’s spanking, Dad. It’s legal. It’s fun. And you can’t stop me.” Geez. She was reverting to an eighteen-year-old mentality. Just what had Judy put in that bottle?
“I can’t, hmm?” He leaned back against the counter opposite her. “I control your money.”
She snorted. “The money I got from grandma’s will paid for this house. The money I make doing consulting pays my bills.” Barely, but still. It gave her enough to live her life in the way she chose.
“Who do you think paves the way for you to get the contracts you do?” he said in a scathing tone. “If it weren’t for me, you’d be a pauper.”
Madison wondered if that was true. But no. At first maybe…? “No. Maybe when I was twenty-one and fresh out of college, but now I get contracts on my reputation. Not on your word.” She hoped.
Kyle looked between her and their father as if watching a tennis match. When neither of them spoke, he cleared his throat. “Can you introduce me to him?” he asked. She spluttered a laugh as their father jerked toward Kyle.
“Why do you want to see him?” Kevin asked.
Kyle flushed a deep pink. “He’s the best bronc rider out there, Dad. I just thought… I’d get his autograph.”
Her splutter turned into a full laugh as for the first time in her life she saw her father speechless. It only lasted a few seconds and then he said, “You’re a state senator, Kyle. You don’t go after nobodies for an autograph.”
“He’s not a nobody,” she and Kyle said at the same time.
It felt strange having Kyle on her side. They hadn’t been close since she went to college and he became their father’s mini me.
Kevin Barnet stood to his tallest and stared at the two of them coldly. “Kyle, get in the car. We’ll talk about this. Madison, you won’t see that man again. Instead, you’ll apologize to Ron and get to work on becoming our next governor. We’ve got some legislation coming up in a couple years we’ll need gubernatorial support on. Get that office.” He turned to leave and then paused and looked over his shoulder. “And if I ever hear a peep that you’ve let yourself be spanked again, young lady, I’ll send you to work with some friends overseas where you won’t be able to embarrass me. Got it?”
Even with the liquor flooding her veins, she shrunk away from him. No bravado was possible against that threat. “I understand.” He was gone two seconds later. Slowly she sunk to the floor. While she knew she wouldn’t be able to see Beau again, she hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. But going up against her father was stupid and scary.
As strong alcohol often did, she sniffled and felt the first telltale tear escape her eye. Quickly, she pulled out her phone and texted Judy. Dad found out about Beau and I just had one of your bottles of cider.
Judy: Did you drink the bottle before or after you talked with your dad?
Madison: During.
Judy: Oh boy. I’m on my way with muffins and coffee.
With another sniffle, Madison put her phone down and waited for reinforcements to arrive.
Chapter Eleven
He couldn’t believe it. Beau stepped out of the cab of his truck and stared at the remains of the motel. They’d made him park clear across the street as while the flames were out, the possibility of the roof caving in was high. It seemed like a clusterfuck of a day. First with Kendrick getting gored and the worry of whether or not he’d be able to keep his leg. Then getting the news they expected, but hadn’t wanted to hear. The bull was put down. On top of that, Madison had disappeared without a word.
And because the universe figured they needed another piece of shit on top of their day, their motel caught fire the night before and the chance of getting any of his things back from inside it was small to nothing. It was a good thing he rarely kept anything in a motel room except a change of clothes and toiletries. But it was still unsettling to see the home he’d had for the last few nights all black and gray with wisps of smoke still escaping from the corners.
“Firefighters think it was faulty wiring,” Joseph said, walking over to him. “Damned place is so old, it’s probably not a surprise.”
“Y’all lose much?” Beau asked.
“Nope. We keep all the valuables in the truck. But I think Kendrick’s last few prizes were in there.”
“Fuck. And on top of his leg too.”
Joseph shrugged. “At least he’s alive.”
“He’s gonna hit you if you keep saying that,” Beau said in borderline amusement.
“He’ll have to get up and catch me first. I figure it will help him take his physical therapy seriously.” Joseph paused and coughed into his handkerchief. “Either that, or he’ll get really good at throwing things.”
“Called his brother yet?”
“Left a message for him to call me.”
They talked for a few more minutes but the smoke from the building was hard on the lungs. “Alice and I got us a couple rooms at a hotel about a mile west.” Joseph dug into his pocket and came out with a key card. “Yours is room 110. I’ve scratched for tonight. Wha
t about you?”
Beau let out a breath, coughing a little as he did. “I don’t want to. Too close to winning every one I’ve entered this year. But I’m not sure I have the strength to mount a bronc let alone ride one.” He paused and then added, “And I’m not gonna end up in the hospital because I was too tired to ride.”
Joseph snorted. “Maybe we should start calling it pulling a Kendrick.”
“He’ll kick your ass for that.”
“Like I said. He’ll have to learn to walk first. I’m not too worried.” Joseph and Alice left for their new motel and Beau got back into his truck. He reeked of smoke so he headed to his new room to wash off the stench.
It didn’t work. Thirty minutes later, he was back on the road freshly showered and wearing clean clothes. He could still smell the smoke. Unable to think, let alone make a decision about what to do, he meandered through the streets. A small headache beat in the back of his skull and as he pulled off the road into the rodeo grounds and put the truck in park, he leaned back and closed his eyes.
Almost instantly, the image of Madison the last time he saw her came to mind. She’d been curled up beside him, her head on his shoulder and her hand in his. Even with all the tension in the room, having her beside him had felt comfortable. It helped him relax. He couldn’t have turned from her for more than a minute to hug Alice and she was gone.
And that grated on him like sandpaper. She’d stuck with him all night. Had continually made runs for coffee for them. While Madison hadn’t said much, she’d done a lot. And then she’d left without a word. As she was the kind of woman who spoke her mind, it made no sense. “Why did she leave?” he muttered.
He supposed the simplest answer was that it was morning and she had to go home and get ready for work. But why hadn’t she said goodbye? It wasn’t like she was doing another walk of shame. He hoped after two hot nights that she wouldn’t look at it like that anymore.
“Stop it,” he ordered himself. “She’s a wealthy woman who’s headed to lead Texas and you’re a cowboy who still doesn’t know what the fuck he wants to do with his life.”