by Donna Grant
“It’s the same with every girl you date,” Spencer said and propped his elbow on the car door. “Look, we all get dumped. Some relationships end badly, some end quietly, but most all of them end. Why can’t you let the women go? You hold on to them too tightly. It’s like you suffocate them.”
It was sheer reaction. Matt reached over and punched his brother. Blood poured from Spencer’s nose, getting on his clothes and the seat of Spencer’s Porsche Boxster.
“What the fuck?” his brother bellowed as he covered his nose with his hands and leaned his head back.
“Watch your fucking mouth. I might take shit from Michael, but I’ll be damned if I take it from you.”
Spencer’s blue eyes cut to him. “Because the truth sucks that bad, huh? You’re a fucking asshole, Matt. I’m not helping you anymore. Get out of my car.”
Matt laughed. “Make me.”
“My God. We’re kids again.”
There was a tap on Matt’s window. He looked over to see Danny standing outside the vehicle with his pistol in hand. Matt debated whether to throw open the door and slam it into the sheriff to catch him off guard so Matt could tackle him. The only thing that held him back was knowing that Spencer wouldn’t have his back.
If Matt had been alone, he would’ve done it. But, like usual, there was always a member of his family near, preventing him from doing what he really wanted.
The sheriff motioned for Matt to roll down the window.
Matt lowered it a few inches, taking a jab anywhere he could. “Is there something I can do for you, sheriff?”
Danny Oldman stared at him for a long moment before he leaned down and looked into the passenger seat at Spencer. “Stop following me before I have you arrested for harassment, Mr. Gaudet.”
“You couldn’t do that.”
“Actually,” Spencer said, “he could.”
Danny peered closer at Spencer. “Do you need some help?”
Spencer glanced at Matt before he shook his head. “I get nosebleeds all the time.”
Matt could tell by the look of doubt on Danny’s face that he didn’t believe a word of it. Not that it mattered. The sheriff had no reason to arrest either of them.
“Go home, Mr. Gaudet,” Danny ordered him.
“It’s a free country, sheriff. I can go wherever I want.”
Despite the shadows, Matt could see the hard edge that filled Danny’s face. “This is my county, and I don’t care who your family is or what connections they have, I will enforce the law.”
“For what exactly?” Matt smiled, knowing he had the sheriff. “I’ve not done anything. So what if I followed you? There’s no law against that.”
“I was the officer who facilitated your arrest.”
Matt narrowed his eyes. “Meaning?”
“Meaning,” Spencer piped up, “that the sheriff could take you into custody to make sure you don’t cause any more harm.”
Matt snorted, though he wasn’t quite sure if his brother and the sheriff were making it all up or not. He opted to play on the side of caution because if he were in jail, he couldn’t get what he wanted—Skylar.
Not that he’d stay in jail long. He’d bail himself out quickly enough, but that was beside the point.
Matt started the car and shot the sheriff a wide smile. “I’ll be seeing you around, Danny.”
“You better hope not,” the sheriff replied.
Matt rolled up his window and drove away. He glanced in the rearview mirror to see Danny standing there, watching them leave. The sheriff had yet to holster his gun.
“That was stupid,” Spencer mumbled.
Matt glanced at him. “You had the chance to get me arrested, but instead, you chose to say you have nosebleeds.”
“The sheriff knew I was lying.”
“So?” Matt said and shrugged. “You still lied. If you really didn’t want to help me, you would’ve done something about it then.”
Spencer sniffed loudly and reached into his glove compartment where there were tissues. He pulled out several and wiped at his nose, face, and hands. “Whatever. Let’s go meet Mom and Dad.”
“No.”
His brother’s head snapped to him. “What?”
Matt couldn’t hold back the grin at the high-pitched, shocked sound of his brother’s voice. “You heard me.”
“They’re waiting for us.”
“I don’t care.”
Spencer sat up straighter, worry settling over him like a cloud. “We don’t keep them waiting. Ever. They tell us to do something, and we do it. You know that, Matt.”
“I’m a fucking adult, Spence. I don’t have to jump every time they tell me to.”
“You do if you want them to keep helping you.”
Matt threw back his head and laughed. “God, you’re such an idiot. As long as Michael is in politics, and they worry about the precious Gaudet name, they’ll do whatever they have to in order to keep anything bad from leaking to the press.”
“You really know how to alienate people.”
“Maybe, but you know I’m right.”
Spencer shook his head. “That’s not the point. We’re a family. We stick by each other.”
“Really?” he demanded as he pressed the accelerator, propelling them faster down the road. “When has anyone ever stood by me?”
“Every fucking time!” Spencer yelled. “Now slow the fucking car, you maniac.”
Matt grinned and looked at his brother. “About time you let the cap off your anger.”
“I hate you,” Spencer said and looked out the side window.
“Feeling is completely mutual.”
Matt drove toward the East Ranch. He’d hired a couple of world-class hackers to break the security system so he could get to the house. He had enough money to throw out that someone would get him what he wanted. He just had to be patient.
In the meantime, he planned to remind Skylar, Danny, and anyone else who thought they could get in his way that he wouldn’t be sidelined.
Restraining order or not, nothing would keep him away from Skylar. Especially not some family who thought they had money. No one had money like the Gaudets. The Easts were a poor replica of what it really meant to be wealthy.
And Matt was going to show them exactly that.
As for the sheriff and his deputies, he would take care of them in time. Same with the judge. That bitch was supposed to have refused the restraining order. Instead, she’d almost gleefully signed off on it.
But with enough money, anything could get done.
Chapter 18
December 10th
She’d been warned, but Skylar still wasn’t prepared to read the article about her. It was just so … wrong. She felt dirty afterward, as if she had done something terrible by standing up for herself and wanting to be safe.
“I’m sorry,” Leslie said.
Skylar looked up at her attorney with Abby and Clayton sitting on the other side of Leslie. Skylar forced a smile as she looked at the trio. “I’m fine.”
“No, you aren’t, and it’s okay not to be,” Clayton said.
Abby nodded. “He’s right. What was said is just…” She paused, searching for the right word.
“Shit,” Leslie offered.
“Yes. It’s shit,” Abby stated firmly.
This time, Skylar’s smile was easy. “Thank you. All of you. I’m glad I have y’all, because the thought of doing this alone is frightening.”
“It isn’t easy to call someone out like you have Matt,” Leslie said. “But I’m glad you did it. More women need to do it. But sometimes, it’s easier just to go about their lives.”
Movement out of the corner of Skylar’s eyes caught her attention. She spotted Hope outside with the ranch manager, Shane, and his partner, Beverly Barnes. Hope was running and laughing as Shane chased after her, and Beverly snapped photos of them.
“It is easier,” Skylar admitted while continuing to watch Hope. “It shouldn’t be, though. I didn’t w
ant anyone to consider me a victim or look at me with pity. But if I have to endure that in order for others to stand up for themselves, then I’ll gladly do it. The abuse has to stop. The abusers have to realize that they can’t get away with it. And those who’ve endured the abuse need to feel that when they do take a stand, they’ll be heard and can gain back their lives.”
Leslie beamed at her. “Damn, girl. If you batted for our team, I think I’d make you mine.”
They all laughed, but it brought to mind that Danny hadn’t been by in days. Skylar tried not to let it affect her, but she couldn’t help that any more than she could stop reading the things being written about her.
She went to bed each night thinking of him. And he was the first thing on her mind each morning. It didn’t seem fair to have finally found someone she wanted to be with only to realize that it was most likely nothing more than a fling.
No matter how many times she told herself that Danny was staying away to protect her, she couldn’t help thinking the worst. It was something she always did, but this time, she truly believed the worst would happen.
“Not all the articles are putting you in a bad light,” Clayton pointed out as he jerked his chin to Beverly. “You have someone on your side.”
“That’s true.” Skylar was aware that it had more to do with the fact that Beverly didn’t like Matt than anything having to do with Skylar herself, but she was fine with that.
Leslie checked her phone when it vibrated. Her face fell into a deep frown. “I hate to be the downer, but it looks as if the Gaudets are suing you for slander.”
For a moment, Skylar couldn’t move. Then it felt as if the world had tilted on its axis and she was desperately trying to hang on.
“You can’t be serious,” Clayton said angrily.
Leslie handed him the phone while her gaze slid to Skylar. Skylar couldn’t speak, because her brain had yet to process the information. It was all just so surreal. She was the one who had been abused, and they wanted to sue her?
“I have no words for how utterly ridiculous this is,” Clayton stated as he got to his feet and walked a few paces away.
Abby took the phone from him and read it before she slowly handed it back to Leslie. Then she asked the attorney, “Can they really do this?”
“Absolutely.”
“But Skylar didn’t make a false statement,” Abby pointed out. “As a matter of fact, Skylar hasn’t said anything.”
Skylar cleared her throat. “That’s not entirely true. I spoke to the judge.”
“That’s not the same thing,” Abby argued.
Leslie’s mouth twisted ruefully. “Actually, it is.”
“What does Skylar do now?” Clayton asked while pacing.
Skylar’s gaze was locked on Leslie while her lawyer considered her next move. The seconds that ticked by felt like eons, and the longer the silence filled the room, the more Skylar was tempted to pick up and disappear somewhere with a new life and a new name. Maybe the Caribbean. Perhaps Europe.
Surely, if she put enough distance between Matt and her, he would eventually give up.
“In order to throw out the lawsuit, we have to prove what Matt has done,” Leslie said.
Clayton halted and looked her way. “Cooper has already brought in an old buddy of his who now works as a private investigator. Cash is looking into Matt’s past.”
The hope that sprang through Skylar was so intense that she got dizzy. She realized how tenuous and perilous it was for her to pin everything on one PI and what he might find.
“While I like the initiative, I can’t wait for the PI to find something,” Leslie said.
Abby’s brows furrowed. “But what if Cash finds something that could help?”
“Then we’ll use it,” Leslie stated.
Clayton crossed his arms over his chest. “We’re hoping to dig up an old girlfriend or two. Matt abused Skylar. Chances are, he’s done it to others.”
Leslie nodded. “I agree completely. However, we’ve got to get ahead of this thing.”
“How do you get ahead of such a lawsuit?” Abby asked.
Skylar stopped listening to them. She was on a roller coaster of emotions. Not to leave Matt, then to leave Matt. Knowing her freedom was within reach, then having it snatched away briefly, only to get it back again.
Finding Danny and the passion between them, only to fear that it was now over before it’d even begun. Obtaining the restraining order, which was a win in her book, but also knowing that it wouldn’t stop Matt. Reading horrible lies about herself, only to accept it all in exchange for standing up to being abused. Then to learn that she was being sued by Matt’s family for slander.
Skylar wasn’t sure how much more she could take. It was all so much more than she’d ever expected. Then again, she hadn’t known what to imagine.
It all came back to one simple question: why should she give up her life because she wanted out of an abusive relationship?
She shouldn’t have to. Matt was the one who should be worried about his future. Instead, she was holed up, afraid to go out by herself, simply because he was still in town.
Skylar looked at Leslie, Clayton, and Abby as they sat together in the office, trying to come up with a solution for her. She suddenly needed some air. It felt as if the walls were closing in on her.
None of them noticed when she got to her feet and quietly slipped out of the room. She left the house and grabbed her coat, putting it on as she walked outside. Skylar walked in the opposite direction of Hope, Shane, and Beverly. She wanted to be alone, didn’t want to answer more questions or be asked how she was doing.
She wasn’t a victim!
And yet, that’s exactly what she was.
Skylar stuffed her hands into her pockets and lengthened her stride. She had no idea where she was going, but there was plenty of land in front of her that she could walk. And since Matt couldn’t get onto the ranch, she didn’t have to worry about being alone.
Her mind wandered as she walked. She didn’t pay attention to where she was or how long she had been gone. Skylar followed the fence, knowing it would take her back to the house when she decided it was time to return. Right now, she just wanted to be on her own.
She’d always been independent. It’d never bothered her to be alone. In fact, there were times she preferred it. It allowed her time by herself with her thoughts to figure things out. Now, more than ever, she needed to get her head on straight.
Because while she had expected the write-ups about her, she hadn’t anticipated being sued. She was just so flabbergasted by the move that she didn’t know what to think. Though with Leslie and her new friends by her side, Skylar wasn’t worried. It would work itself out somehow.
She thought of the private investigator. It would be nice if he dug up one of Matt’s old girlfriends who might have dealt with something similar to what Skylar had, but she knew the odds of that happening were slim.
If the Gaudets were suing her for simply getting a restraining order and telling the truth, even if there were others abused by Matt out there, they likely wouldn’t be able to come forward. No doubt non-disclosure agreements had been signed, and who knew what else. Families like the Gaudets took care to protect themselves and their family name. Add in the fact that their eldest was in politics, and things became even more complicated.
They shouldn’t. In fact, it should be extremely easy. But that’s not how their society operated.
Skylar stopped and looked around. She saw the big live oak to her right and walked to it. The sky was bright blue without a cloud marring it, and while the temperatures were a bit nippy, it wasn’t too cold that she couldn’t remain outside a little longer.
She sat down with her back against the tree and simply looked out over the pasture with the cattle grazing in the distance. There was something incredibly peaceful about the scene. Even surrounded by rodeos and cattle ranches, she’d never felt the desire to know anything about it while growing up.
&
nbsp; Looking over the land now, she realized everything she’d missed out on. She let go of the anxiety and dread that had overtaken her in the office. Skylar drew in a deep breath and slowly released it. She had once meditated daily. Perhaps she should do that again to help center herself, especially with everything that was going on.
But that was for later. Right now, she wanted to continue enjoying the beauty. The quiet was only broken by the occasional moo from a cow and the sounds of birds, and it eased her little by little. She was able to relax and put everything into perspective.
When she felt she was ready to return, she got to her feet and dusted herself off, then headed back in the direction of the house. Except after fifteen minutes when she came to a junction in the fence, she didn’t know which direction she’d come from.
She’d been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hadn’t paid proper attention. And no one knew that she was gone.
Skylar turned in a slow circle, trying to orient herself and pick out something—anything—that looked familiar. But there was nothing. She had to make a decision. She had a one in three chance of getting it right. After a few seconds of internal debate, she went to the left.
She had only walked another five minutes when she saw something or someone coming toward her. It wasn’t long until she made out that it was a horse and rider.
Her heart leapt when she recognized Danny. He nudged the horse into a gallop to reach her quickly. Skylar wore a smile when he pulled the horse to a stop and dismounted.
“You scared the hell out of me,” he stated angrily.
She blinked, taken aback. Before she could respond, he enveloped her in his arms. She held him, her eyes closing as his warmth surrounded her.
“Don’t walk off like that again,” he said.
She nodded. “I just needed some time alone. I didn’t mean to worry anyone.”
He pulled back to look at her. In the next instant, their lips were pressed together as they kissed. And everything else faded to nothing for Skylar.