Page 62 of Caught By A Cowboy

“Youwere texting me?”

“Well done, Maddison, aren’t you a smart girl?” He stands back up and I scream when he takes a fistful of my hair and uses it to pull me onto my feet. He marches through the hall,dragging me behind him and when we get to the living room, I just manage to brace my fall when he tosses me at the couch.

“I don’t know about you, but I need a drink.” He makes his way toward my dad’s liquor cabinet, and when I look between me and the front door, I think about making a run for it.

“If you're thinking about running, I wouldn’t waste your energy,” he calls out as if he can read my mind. “I’ve locked all the doors, you're not escaping here, not until we come to a resolution to all the mess you caused.” He places a glass of scotch on the table in front of me and takes a sip from the one he’s got in his hand.

“Go ahead, it’ll take the edge off.” He slides the glass closer to me.

“I can’t…I’m…”

“Ahhh. That's right, you're expecting.” He looks down at my round tummy sarcastically, “You let that good-for-nothing cowboy knock you up.” He shakes his head and retrieves the gun from the back of his trousers.

“Paul, please put that away, it’s scaring me.” This man in front of me is not the man I’ve known since I was a child. Paul was always so put together. Friendly but at the same time firm. He’s one of my dad’s best friends.

“Where are Adam and Clarissa?” I ask, trying to create some kind of link between what's happening in here, to reality.

“Clarissa’s at home, clueless to what mess we’re in, and Adam…well, he’s probably drunk somewhere.” He knocks back what's left in his glass and slams it on the table. Taking the one he poured out for me, he holds it up and ‘cheers’ me, before knocking that back too.

“Let’s talk, explain to me what this is all about, and maybe I can help.”

I need to take some control over this situation. I’m too far away from Jace for him to come to my rescue. Keeping myself and our baby safe is all on me.

“You can help, Maddison, and that's why you're here.” He seems calmer as he takes the armchair beside me.

“Your parents have always loved you, you’ve always been the spoiled, little apple of your daddy's eye. Even after you ran away to be a whore to that Sullivan guy. You know, your daddy wouldn’t have a bad word said about you.” He laughs to himself as he stares into the bottom of the glass.

“Roger wanted the best for you, a life where you’d want for nothing, and he knew Adam was the best fit.”

I want to argue and tell him that only I should have been in control of that decision, but I allow him to continue.

“He’d already made Adam a partner at the firm but after the wedding, he was going to take it further.”

“I don’t understand.” I stare at him, trying to figure out what he’s telling me.

“Roger wants to retire, he was going to hand his entire firm over to Adam. Do you know how much that firm is worth?”

“What?” I had no idea this was happening, I know my Dad has slowed down the past few years but he loves his job. I never envisioned him retiring so soon.

“Allyouhad to do was put the ring on your finger, and it would have ended all our troubles.” He closes his eyes and when I notice a tear slip from the corner of them, I reach my hand out to touch his knee.

“Mr Handley, why don’t you tell me about those troubles?” I whisper, praying that talking will keep him calm.

He may be holding me against my will, but watching as he breaks down and starts to sob makes me really sad.

“I can’t. I can’t tell anyone.” He covers his face with his hands.

“That’s not true. You can tell me. I won’t judge you.”

He drops his hands and stands up in a rage, throwing his glass at the wall and placing the gun to my head.

“You stupid, fucking whore!” His spittle lands on my face. “You fucked everything. I have nothing left.Nothing!”

“Paul, you're really scaring me, Please, don’t hurt me,” I beg him as my eyes fill up with tears, and I feel my little boy wriggling inside me. Jace tells me that he picks up on all my emotions and right now, he must be petrified.

“I can fix this, whatever help you need. We can find it.”

“You are marrying my son,” he tells me, the gun shaking as he presses the barrel deeper into my temple. “Your mom told everyone that you were ill and getting help, we can work with that.”

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