Page 25 of Chasing Bandit

He clenched and unclenched his jaw, then reached into his pocket and retrieved the all-black pliable ring that I'd impulsively bought in San Angelo. I had done it for my mom, or so I told myself, and also for the sake of the inevitable photographs. It would look even more convincing to have pictures of me placing a ring on Wylie's finger. Yet, I hadn't anticipated him returning the gesture.

Especially not with something as sentimental as his mother's.

I swallowed, “Why? Take it off, Wylie. I don’t care. It was only for the photographer and because I knew our parents would be disappointed if I didn’t give you a ring.”

His eyes narrowed as he removed the ring he'd just placed on his finger with deliberate slowness. For a moment, I braced myself, expecting him to hurl it at me, an act I wouldn't blame him for. Instead, he grabbed my left hand and forcefully slid the black adjustable metal over my ring finger, securing it tightly.

"There."

“You’re acting insane,” I stated but didn’t make any effort to remove the ring.

“You come here tonight, with another man, place your ass on his dick covered by a thin bit of jean and think I'm not going to care?”

“Why would you? Didn’t you have plans to meet up with Millie tonight?” I snapped back as his eyes narrowed.

“I haven’t touched her since we got married. I haven’t touched a single woman since I've been with you. Yes, she texted me to ask if I would come out tonight, and yes, I agreed, because I was trying to distract myself from the fact that I was fucking married to a woman who I've been trying to avoid on account of feeling like I conned her into a fucking marriage.”

Shit.

“We agreed this was on paper only so you could get Cameron ranch.”

“Maybe I don’t want it to be only on paper anymore,” he responded.

“You can’t just change your mind because you’re jealous! You don’t get to decide when it’s convenient to be married. I don’t want this!" I lied, knowing I wanted everything Wylie gave me even if it made me feel crazy, "I did you a favor, now do me a favor and let me go act like I’m a single woman.”

I stormed past him, my long blonde curls streaming behind me like a wild mane. Wylie's words echoed, searing, and twisting inside me, but I refused to let them take hold. He didn't mean any of it; it was just his way of asserting control, of trying to own and manipulate me, like every other man before him. Marrying Wylie was supposed to be my escape from that, not a ticket into another cycle of being controlled.

I scanned the crowded bar, my eyes finally landing on Franklin as he stood near one of the bull riding pens talking to Nash. When he found my gaze, he smiled and waved enthusiastically however before I could move in his direction, I smelled him and felt him again, this time his arms didn't touch me as he stood close behind. His breath tickled my neck and my heart raced as I felt his thick cock press into the thin fabric of my dress.

“You take one step towards him, and I swear I’ll throw you over my shoulder and haul your ass out of here. I don't care about the scene we'll make. I'll relish in it as everyone in Lonestar Junction sees me with my wife.”

A shiver ran down my spine so forcefully that Wylie felt it through his clothes and before I knew what was happening, he’d grabbed my hand again and was tugging me towards the edge of the warehouse behind one of the bars.

“Come here, let me show you a little secret section of the bar upstairs where you can view the band better.”

Wylie pushed through an exit door leading to a darkened stairway, ascending into an empty room at the top of the facility. From there, a wide ledge and fenced porch overlooked the crowded facility below.

“Where are we and how did you know about this?”

He smirked.

“Never mind, I don’t want to know,” I responded.

I stepped out onto the balcony, taking in the expansive space below. The music had grown louder as Dove reclaimed the stage, her voice belting out country hits with a rocker vibe that filled the air. Down below, some were dancing while others watched two men battle on the mechanical bulls. Wylie joined me, caging me with his arms on either side of the railing.

“Tell me, Stevie Vector, why do you keep running from me?” He murmured in my ear as he brushed a bit of my blonde curls from my shoulders and placed a kiss on my neck that sent shivers flooding my body.

“I haven’t been avoiding you. You’ve been avoiding me.”

He hummed in response as his lips found my neck again, scattering kisses up and behind my ear while his hands found the curve of my waist.

“I was trying to give you space, but now, I no longer think that's a good idea. Tell me you want to go back down there with Franklin, and though it'll drive me mad, I’ll let you go.”

I shivered as his hands moved to my front, brushing against the fabric that covered my pelvis and inching lower towards the trim of my loose, flowy dress.

“I…I…”

“My bandit bride…” he murmured against my neck as he bunched up the fabric of the hem and smoothed his fingers over the thin bit of fabric that separated my throbbing clit from the warm, bar air.

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