Page 16 of Hope's Heartlands

I agree. Heck, I’d agree to anything about now.

She starts to walk out the door, but I stop her. “Don’t tell Saint where I’m at.”

She nods her head at me. “Sure.”

It’s obvious she’s fighting with herself about leaving. She really is like a mama hen to all of us, and she’s only twenty-three years old. With her hand on the door, she takes a deep breath. “These guys, the Heartlands, most of them are something special. You have a guy that you seem to love and he definitely loves you. Fuck, Cat, he’d do anything to be with you. I would give anything to have that. I’m just saying, don’t throw it away until you get his side of the story.”

I can tell she’s hurting. The usually upbeat Roxy has a story that I don’t know anything about. I almost ask her about it, but she shuts the door quickly.

When she leaves, I lock the door and fall to the ground, big wracking sobs filling my body. I can’t stop the tears from pouring down my face. I trusted him. Hell, I put all my trust in him and he’s broken my heart. I’ve survived so much in my life, but I don’t know if I can survive this.

Chapter15

Saint

What the fuck is going on?

I get up and get dressed. Whatever is going on, Cat is upset. I go down to the bar searching for her, but instead I find Barbie drinking a sweet tea. “Have you seen Cat?”

Barbie just shrugs her shoulders. “Cat left with a bag. It looks like she left for good.”

She seems far too smug about it. I sit down on the stool next to her and her hand goes to my knee. I remove it from my body. “No one touches me. Not anymore. No one but Cat.”

I should have been more forceful with her before, make her understand that there’s never going to be a chance with me. “What did you do, Barbie?”

She looks down at her tea. “How was I supposed to know that you didn’t tell Cat you were in prison for murder? I mean, how did she not know? Has she been walking around with cork in her ears? Everyone’s mentioned it at least a few times since you’ve been back.”

I slam my hand down on the bar top. She looks stunned and I know that part of this is Barbie’s fault, but I deserve some of the blame too.

“You’re Cat’s friend. You and Roxy are the two she trusts here. Why would you sabotage her happiness? It’s a fucked-up thing to do, Barbie. Even for you.”

I walk away from her. I have to before I lose it on her. I pull my phone out of my pocket and dial Cat’s number. It goes straight to voicemail. “Fuck!” I scream.

I fall back into a chair. A few of the guys are walking in, but they see the look on my face and go the other way.

I don’t know what to do. I don’t know where to go, how to find her. If I’ve lost her, I might as well be dead. I’m nothing without her. A week ago I told her I needed her. Today, fuck today, she owns me.

I dial her number again, but again it goes straight to voicemail.

I toss my phone onto the table.

“Saint.”

I hear Barbie, but I don’t want to mess with her right now. “Not now.”

“Look, I’m sorry. I was jealous and I know what I did was wrong. I just wanted you to know that she had Roxy take her somewhere.”

I thank her and then walk out the doors of the bar. The garage is just closing up and I’m pacing in the parking lot, not even having a clue how to get a hold of Roxanne.

I start to go find Ranger. He probably knows where she is. Before I get too far, I hear a lone motorcycle pulling into the lot. It’s Roxanne and she’s by herself. She no sooner parks than I’m standing next to her.

“Where is she, Roxanne?” I ask her. Not hello, how are you, nothing. I just need to know where my woman is. That’s all that matters right now.

Roxanne just shakes her head. “She asked me not to tell you. She’s really upset, Saint. Why didn’t you tell her? Why didn’t you just explain it to her?”

“Look, Roxanne, I know I fucked up. I know I did. But I need to make this right. I don’t have a choice, because I can’t spend one day without her. I can’t and I won’t,” I plead with her.

I know I fucked up, but I need to make this right. I have to.

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