Page 74 of Outlaw

Stevie was asleep minutes after the plane took off. She had played hard all day.

Until our ride to the airstrip, I had seen little of Linc, which led to a much better day. Coming here had been good for me in the end. I wasn’t bothered or worried about the fact that these people would be in Stevie’s life anymore. Seeing them, being there again, it had given me a sense of peace rather than fear for her attachment to the family. I knew once the year was over, I probably wouldn’t see them again, and that thought made me sad, but I wasn’t going to dwell on it. Stevie would have them, and I was thankful for it. She deserved a big family. I’d always wanted one, and when Daddy had died, my lack of it had been painful.

Once we were leveled off, I carried Stevie to the small bedroom in the back and laid her on the bed so she wasn’t slumped overin a seat. Linc had started to stand, and I shook my head and kept walking with her. I didn’t want his help. When I reentered the main cabin, I didn’t glance his way even though I felt his eyes watching me. I planned on ignoring him.

Leaning back into the soft leather seat, I sipped the champagne that the flight attendant had brought me. She wasn’t the same one who had given Linc a blow job, but she was young and attractive. Her smiles and flirty looks she was giving Linc weren’t subtle either. I didn’t care. Whatever.

Looking out the window into the night sky, I enjoyed my drink, and we could continue in our silence. I was sure when Linc was done doing whatever he was handling on his phone, he’d take the attendant up on her silent offer. I’d said I didn’t care, and yet I kept thinking about it. Real convincing.

“I think she had a good time.”

Linc’s voice startled me. I hadn’t expected to hear it. I turned to look over at him, forgetting that I was going to ignore him.

“She did. She loved it there.”

His gaze traveled down my legs, and I wanted to kick him in his handsome face.

“Did you enjoy yourself?”

As if he cared.

“I did,” I replied in a clipped tone.

“How long should I expect this pouting to last?” he asked as if I were a child.

My hand gripped the glass I was holding tightly, and I clenched my teeth together. That arrogant ass. I was not pouting. I was hurt. I was angry. I might hate him. But I was not pouting.

“I’m not pouting,” I replied.

“You’re in a snit.”

“A snit?” I asked incredulously.

He nodded. “Yes. I’m the one who should be pissed. But I got over it.”

I set the glass down before I broke the damn thing or threw it at his face. “What did you have to be pissed about?”

He took a drink from his glass. His expression seemed to say that I knew exactly what he was talking about. But I was clueless.

“The dentist,” he said, his tone harder than before.

I frowned. “What about Hudson?”

His eyes narrowed. “That he came to the house, Branwen.”

I nodded, still confused. “Yeah. But I hadn’t asked him to, and I got him to leave.”

“You didn’t tell me.”

I shrugged. “Why would I need to tell you? Jayda and Luther knew. You were acknowledging their existence. I assumed they’d tell you. I haven’t been spoken to or treated with any respect since the night you came to my room.” I hadn’t meant to blurt that all out, but I was angry, and it was just bubbling out of me.

He didn’t say anything, and I figured we were going back to the silent treatment.

“Did you expect me to treat you differently because we’d fucked?” he asked. As if he wasn’t sure what I had expected.

Yeah, maybe I had. But then why wouldn’t I? It had felt like we were…different then. Like something had changed.

“I didn’t expect to be treated worse. But don’t worry. I am not hoping for a repeat. In fact, I’d rather have my teeth pulled out with pliers.” Asshole.

---