Page 47 of Seized by the Lawman

Chapter 16

MELLY COULDN’T BELIEVE her eyes. There she was, that same blonde she saw half naked at Nix’s cabin. Melly reached for her ice water and was at a cross between wanting to drink it or splash it in Nix’s smiling face. The gall of the man! To follow her here and then…then what? Just as she’d told him he couldn’t tell her what to do, she didn’t have a right to get angry if he chatted up the sexy blonde who had her hand on his shoulder.

She had thought she was over the morning sickness, but suddenly she wasn’t feeling well. She drank half the water and looked over the rim at Brad who was staring inquisitively. Placing the glass back on the table, she jerked herself on track. “I’m glad you came to see me.”

“I must say, when I got the call I had hoped you were going to tell me that you’ve changed your mind and wanted to give me a second chance, but after seeing the scowling cowboy at the bar and the heated discussion between you two, I realize we aren’t getting back together.” Brad grinned and leaned back in the chair.

“It’s not like that…”

“Really? I’d say if we had half that amount of heated spark and sexual tension between us, you and I would still be together. Come on, sweetheart. We’ve known each other too long to beat around the bush. Why am I here?”

This wasn’t easy, but she had no choice. She rolled the tip of her finger around the rim of the glass, choosing her words carefully. She couldn’t tell him too much, but if she didn’t tell him enough he wouldn’t help her. “When I left you, I left everything, the condo, the furniture, everything. You offered to pay me my share—”

“Melly—”

“No, let me finish please. I need some money.”

One corner of his mouth lifted. “Sure, sweetheart.” He reached into his back pocket, withdrew his wallet and sifted through the stack of cash. “How much do you need?”

Acid crawled in her chest. “Fifty.”

“Fifty dollars?”

“Fifty grand.”

He blinked, folded his wallet and pushed it back into his pocket. “Melly—”

“Brad.” She interrupted him again. “I’m asking for way less than what the condo is worth. We bought it together and my name is on the deed. I haven’t pushed you into giving me what I’m owed.”

He folded his large hands on the table and he lost some of his charm. “I can’t…”

“Think about it.” Her bottom lip trembled.

“It’s not that I don’t think you deserve it, but I don’t have it, not right now. I told you I’ll have to sell the place, and I just bought a new BMW—.”

“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped. What was she going to do?

“Look, I’ll call the realtor come Monday morning,” he said. “The place will go lquick.”

She lifted her eyes. “Sure, but I need the money now.”

“You didn’t really think I could hand over that much cash, did you?”

Her hopes were dashed. She had less than twelve hours to get her hands on fifty grand. She didn’t have enough in her savings to cover it.

Her gaze naturally slanted toward the bar where the blonde had sidled up closer to Nix, so close that her double ds were pressing against his arm. Melly wanted to throw up. Nix was smiling from ear to ear, of course he would be.

“Are you in trouble?”

Hearing the question, she dragged her attention from the fuckery at the bar and onto the man who she’d just asked for money. Clearing her throat, she placed her palms on the table and prepared herself to lie, something she’d never been good at. “N-no trouble. I-I just need it.”

The area between his brows scrunched. “Fifty grand is a lot of money. And considering you didn’t ask your dad makes me a little suspicious.” He reached over and laid his hand on hers. “Although you and I are history, I did care for you once upon a time, Melly. I just wasn’t ready, I guess. Can you forgive me?”

The blonde now had her fingers in Nix’s hair. Why would she have her fingers in his hair? Was this his way at getting back at Melly?

“Melly?”

“Sorry. I do forgive you. Neither of us were ready and you couldn’t see yourself ever living here in Wyoming and wearing a Stetson. Some heads are just not made for a cowboy hat.”

---