Rodeo Rancher

by Lauren Wood

  The doorbell rang and she went to open it to find both men standing there. Royce didn’t look at all comfortable in his own skin. He seemed to be taking things in stride, but there was something about the way that this man put his arm around his shoulder that made him cringe at the very thought of having him this close to him again.

  “I have to tell you that what I have learned about you, Nicole is a bit of a surprise. You were amongst the elite and then you left it all behind for a simpler way of living. This place really doesn’t do you justice and the condominium that you had in the city was a lot more your style. I understand that you have to make compromises in order to find that happiness that was out of reach. I think that you’ll find that you and Royce have a lot more in common than you thought you did.” Caleb took off his jacket and was wearing a very pristine white suit that made him look like an angel, but he may as well have been wearing horns on the top of his head.

  “I have some coffee boiling in a pot and being a good host, I think that it would be a good idea that I offer you some. I’ll go get another couple of cups and I will join the both of you in the living room. I will say right from the very beginning that I don’t like the way that you make Royce feel.” “I thought it best that I tell this man how I feel. It doesn’t look like it has affected him and apparently he doesn’t really care about what I have to say. His smile should be putting me at ease, but it is only raising my radar and making me vividly aware that he’s in my home. Royce tried to set my mind at ease last night, but he was doing it in the wrong way. I really should have taken it slow; so that I would see that everything was going to work out the way that it was supposed to.”

  Her hands were shaking with the coffee cups and some of it was spilling over onto her hand. The burning feel of that liquid touching her skin made her want to scream, but she didn’t wanna give that man inside her living room that kind of satisfaction. She walked gingerly and then Royce appeared with his hands touching hers to settle her nerves. He didn’t say anything and all that Nicole needed was to feel that he was close at hand.

  They sat down on the same couch across from the man that had his leg crossed over the other. He had his hands in his lap and his dark hair was now pulled back into a ponytail. He had the scruff of a 5:00 shadow on his face and his blue eyes seemed to see through to her very soul. It sent a chill down your spine and she actually thought that somebody was walking on her grave. This guy had no emotion and whatever he was doing; he was doing it for the sheer joy of making somebody feel uncomfortable.

  “I would like to tell you that I get no joy from this, but that’s not exactly true. The only thing that I find in life that gives me any kind of enjoyment is doing this. I hope that he hasn’t been a bad boy and told you of the deal that we made five years ago.” Caleb saw that they were looking at each other and it was obvious that something had been said, but not enough to fully reveal the extent of their relationship. “I’m going to tell you a story and it’s going to sound like a fable or some kind of fantasy, but believe me everything that I’m going to tell you is the god honest truth.”

  Nicole saw that he was ready to begin and decided to interject one last thought. “You probably think that you are hard to read, but I don’t think that it’s all that difficult. You’re bored and you need to make others miserable to feed some craving that is a little hard to digest. You should be ashamed of your actions, but that’s not how it is. You want others to fear you and be intimidated, but that is the one thing that you’re not going to find with me.” I’m trying to show more courage than I don’t want him to think that I can be walked over. He obviously knows the power that he wields, but what he doesn’t realize is that I’ve never been what most people would call a pushover. Being in that business for years taught me that people lie all the time and you just need to read between the lines to see the truth.”

  “I like that you can show this kind of conviction and not mean a word of it. Anyway, Royce and I have a contract that gives him everything he wants for five years. You think that he was always like this, but what he’s living is a lie. I gave him five years and in return he gave me his soul.” Caleb let that word linger in the air and enjoyed the awkward silence that followed. “I call myself the devil and I don’t think that any word is more fitting to describe me. He has less than 12 hours and then all of his money vanishes. He will be left the same that he was with one subtle difference. He can never have that money again and if he were to try, I will snatch it out of his grip, as fast as he is able to make it.” Caleb enjoyed the look on Nicole’s face and now he was ready to hear any kind of argument to the contrary.

  “You like to throw that term around and we both know that it’s not true. You could easily give him back his life, but you don’t want to. You take these contracts too seriously when they are really not worth the ink that is printed on the paper. It’s definitely not legal and would not hold up in the court of law. There is no such thing, as money growing on trees. You know that there’s no rest for the wicked.” I can see that he’s not swayed by my words. He thinks that it matters to me that Royce has money. I’m not going to deny that I like the finer things, but I also lived by having mouths to feed in my family. I sacrificed a lot for the chance to get away from all that, but I never really knew how good I had it.”

  “There is a way, but I don’t think that you’re willing to entertain that idea. Let me throw another proposal out there for the both of you, as a couple. I will give you five more years of influence and power in the palm of your hands. You would have all the money that you could ever want and you can take it and turn it into millions more like Royce has done. I have to say that I was very impressed by his ingenuity and there are very few that I have worked with in the past that have even come close to amassing his kind of fortune. The only thing I ask is that at the end of those five years that you stay together in poverty and wallow in self pity.” Caleb was having the time of his life knowing that he was laying down the ultimatum and hoping that they would be stupid enough to grab onto that lifeline one more time.

  “You are despicable and somebody should do something about you before it’s too late. You can’t possibly believe that anything that you do is right. I’ve sat here for too long and it’s time that I finally say what’s on my mind. I was foolish to get into bed with you metaphorically speaking. I thought that money was everything, but it doesn’t even compare to the love of a good woman. You can take your proposal and stuff it where the sun doesn’t shine. I think it’s time that we sever ties.” Royce was showing that he had backbone and was not going to stand idly by and let Nicole walk down the same path that he did.

  “I would be very careful about what you say next, Royce or should I say Randal. The name that you have carried with you is also mine and a product of my imagination. I made you who you are and it’s about time that I take it back and give it to another. You do know the reason why I have made it part of the deal that you stay out of the public eye. I can’t have you destroying the myth and legend of Royce Hamilton. I really don’t like your attitude and you are starting to grate on my last nerve. Be careful, or I might decide that your name is not the only thing that I take from you. The only thing that you have left in this world that means anything to you is the girl and the very life that you breathe. Trust me; I have no problem taking either one of those out of your hands.” I thought that I made it abundantly clear that this discussion with Nicole was going to be one on one.” By interfering, he felt like Randal was getting dangerously close to walking off a very short pier.

  “There’s no call for those kinds of threats in my house. I am tempted to take your offer, but if I wanted any of that, I could easily go back to the same profession that I was in before. I could have the money that I want, but I would never have the life that I wanted. I would say that somebody has hurt you and made you bitter to the point of wanting to hurt others for the sake of the fact that you can. Royce or is it Randal and I will not have anything to do with you. You
can peddle your wares someplace else. Leave now, before I forget that I’m a lady.” “I don’t think most would be able to turn down an offer like that, but I’m not like most. I’ve been exactly where he wants to take me and I really don’t want anything to do with it. Randal may not be able to have money, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t secure him a future in my arms.”

  “You’re making a very bad mistake. I think that maybe I will have to act upon the fine print in the contract. I don’t like the very idea that he could have happiness after walking away from me. I might have to make it part of the contract to kill you or him. I do believe that is exactly what I’m going to do. You can blame him for interfering and for making me feel like lashing out. One of you is going to die. I’m going to leave it up to each of you to decide which one will make the ultimate sacrifice. It’s been fun, but I do have to say that my proposal is still opened. You can either decide to end one of your lives, or you can have five years in perfect luxury. I think that you’ll both come to the right conclusion.”

  “You can’t…” The resounding crack of Caleb’s hand across his face was like a gunshot going off.

  “I think that, if you look at the contract that you’ll find that you weren’t exactly diligent about reading it down to the last letter. It is written, as plain as day that you can’t talk during any negotiations. You ruined a moment between myself and Nicole and for that you have to pay. I’m not uncaring and if both of you are willing to take my five year plan, then we can all walk away and shake hands cordially. To me, it doesn’t look like there’s much of a choice and the options that you have are limited. I just hope that both of you can live with your decision one way or the other. By the way, if you try to run I’ll know and things will get infinitely worse.” Caleb got up and smugly walked to the door without even glancing back to see their reaction. He liked the shock looks on their faces and how easily he had made Randal lose his composure. That was his main purpose of coming here in person. He had rocked the very foundation of their relationship and he couldn’t have been happier.

  As the door closed, both Nicole and Royce AKA Randal looked at each other and knew that they were going to have to come up with some way to save face. Neither one of them wanted to die, but the choice was in their hands.

  Chapter 4

  It was time to discuss things and to find out exactly what was going on each other’s heads. “I feel like I’ve done you wrong and that everything that I’ve built up to this point is going up in smoke. I think that I’ve been sleepwalking and I’ve been trying to make what is broken right. I don’t want you to be a part of this, but I don’t see any way around it.” Randal didn’t like having that name crammed down his throat. He had walked away from that man sitting over garbage cans warming his hands with the other derelicts that had found themselves down on their luck. He couldn’t help, but to jump at the opportunity to stop being the one that was looking in from the outside.

  “You know that the money doesn’t matter to me. I just want the opportunity to hold you tight and never let you go. Everything that you have has been a house of cards and with one swift wind Caleb walked in here and knocked it over. I don’t see how we can fight back. If we were to alert the authorities, they would do an investigation. I doubt that he would have anything incriminating and even this contract looks like a joke. It’s something that was printed to make it look official, but it really doesn’t have any kind of power.” I don’t know if he can do without the money. We could both be on the streets and I wouldn’t worry about anything because I would be warm and safe in his arms. He’s putting too much stock in the creature comforts and not in what really matters. Perhaps this is his way to finally shed the playboy persona for something that is more real and lasting.”

  “If we take this deal, we are only playing into his hand. I looked at the contract and he’s right. I really should have taken time to go over it more closely with a magnifying glass. He states emphatically that I can’t interfere and that anything that I say will be used against me. There are many options that he could have chosen, but he must have taken some offense and decided to make me pay for it. I would rather die than to have anything to happen to my beloved. Say the word and I’ll gladly fall on my sword for you.” Randal wanted to be the bigger man, but he knew that eventually he would run. He would constantly look over his shoulder, but there would be no way for him to stay and face that kind of punishment. He could only hope that she would come with him.

  “I don’t want you to think that you are in this alone. By involving me, you have made me part of the thing this, whether I want to be or not. I want you to know that I don’t feel any ill will towards you for making the deal five years ago. You were in an untenable situation. He took advantage of you when you were the weakest that you could possibly be. I can’t blame you for wanting something better. You must have looked around and saw your life going nowhere and decided that this was the only way. You didn’t realize that you were stronger than that. You probably could have done it yourself by lifting your own bootstraps. I know that you are that strong, even if you can’t admit it to yourself.” The very idea of one of us dying is crawling up my skin like some kind of insect. I don’t want to consider the possibility of one of us losing our life to a man like that.”

  “I can’t stop and I really can’t get enough of you. I know that I might be asking for too much, but do you suppose that we could adjourn to the bedroom. I have a few ideas that might be able to turn the tables, but I’m going to need some time to maul it over. I still have all this money at my disposal. It’s a wonder, I didn’t think about this sooner.” Randal had evil intentions and the very thought of what he had in mind was now making his cock rise up from the shrinking turtle that it was from the moment that Caleb came through that door.

  “I can tell that whatever you have in mind is making you a little randy.” She stared at him for a moment and saw the smirk from hearing his real name being used in a sexual way. “I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t help myself. It was too easy. You also know that I would never say no to anything that you wanted to do. I will stand by you and I think that I would like to reinstate our declaration of love.” She took his hand and brought him upstairs into the bathroom. “I saw the way that he was looking at me outside when the rain was falling. I know what was going on in his naughty little mind and I think that I can make part of what he was thinking into reality. I didn’t want him not to be around, but Caleb was holding the proverbial gun to our heads.”

  “I played the game, but I feel like I’m burning within the flames of my lies. I can’t let go of you and I know that there are lonely nights in my future without you. I know that this might sound disgraceful, but I really hope that I expire before you do.” He watched her intently bent over at an angle with that short skirt now rising up to meet his eager eyes. He felt like he was floating on a cloud and there was no way that he could feel his feet on solid ground again. He couldn’t recall feeling like this any time in his life. He never had anything of worth and having Caleb come around with that proposal was a no brainer.

  Nicole could literally feel his eyes burning a hole into her very delicate red panties. She began to shake her ass in his face and using the color red to draw him to her like a bull ready to strike. Those panties were wedged up into the crack of her ass with lips hanging over the fabric with the wetness now soaking through the material. “I want this to be very special and I think that I would like you to get into this shower with me.” “There’s a sort of freedom that comes from knowing that we have chosen this path together. He may be able to dictate the terms of our surrender, but we are ultimately in control of our own fate. He’s trying to make one of us slip and fall into the old habit of wanting that kind of money. I have to believe that taking the deal is the better of the two evils.

  Randal grabbed her and pulled her toward him, lifting her easily into the shower with the water now dancing majestically off her clothing. He saw her giggle like a schoolgirl, a
s the hot water penetrated through the clothes and made them almost see through. Her hard nipples were easily seen and he stripped off his clothes in a mad dash to join her underneath the hot spray. “I want you to know the time that I have spent with you has been the happiest of my life. We may live in luxury for the next five years, but that is only a small pittance compared to the rest of our lives.” He lifted the wet fabric of that leather skirt and easily fit himself in between the cheeks of her ass.

  “You know that I feel the same way about you, Randal. I will say that I’m a little unnerved that I have to use a different name, but I think that I can get used to it.” She could feel the product of his love and the wetness on the tip was joining the soaking material of her panties. “I don’t think that I can wait. Just being near you has made me like a live wire ready to go off. I do think that it would be a good idea that I prepare you.” She turned quickly and found herself right into his capable arms. The strong muscles were a good way to prove to her that he was strong and more confident than he really gave himself credit for. “I can feel him with my fingers and I love the way that he opens his mouth with a sigh of desire. It makes me feel wanted and not walking this life alone.”

  “You’ve had me wrapped around your little finger. You may think that it was otherwise, but I don’t think that I can say the same thing. The way that you touch me and look at me are like a dream come true. I can’t fully comprehend why you are with me. I want your mouth sucking me deep and tasting what you have coaxed from my heavy balls.” He watched with avid attention, as she got down on her knees with the hot water now hitting her from behind and it gave her that sexy hot wet look that had him sporting another hard inch.