Page 45 of Live for Me

His eyes scanned my face. “You hurt Beau again, I’ll ruin your life.”

The threat come out like a swift punch to the gut, causing me to jerk back, eyes widening. “Mason, I’m not here because I want to be.”

“Don’t give a shit,” he returned, stepping back and readjusting his cowboy hat. “You hurt Beau again, I’ll ruin you. He barely fucking survived the last time. I was halfway across the worldand could feel his pain when I had my check-ins with Jigs. Now, I’m here, and I’ll be damned if I have to watch you destroy him again.”

I said nothing, letting more tears fall as I stared up at him.

His eyes tracked the movement of the tears as they slid down my cheeks, dipping over my jaw, down to my neck. He took a deep breath before he reached up and tipped his hat to me. “Enjoy the sunrise, Abbie.”

Then, he was gone, heading down the porch steps to his truck.

I managed to wait until his truck disappeared into the next pasture before falling to my knees, burying my face in my hands as sobs rocked my body.

Destroying Beau had never been my intention.

Hurting the only man I would ever love was the last thing I wanted to do.

They didn’t understand.

They would never understand.

All they could do was hate me, and it was what I deserved.

I didn’t know how much time I’d spent crying on Mason and Harmony’s porch, but when I lifted my head again, the sun had risen, and the air around me was warming up.

I’d missed the sun rise, the only thing I wanted to see.

“Stay strong, Abbie,” I whispered to myself, wiping my tears and let down my hair.

I just had to stick it out for a few more hours.

Then, I’d leave Hallow Ranch for the second and final time.

The sound of a guitar strumming inside caught my attention, and my head snapped to the front door, my lips parting.

I was still on the porch, right where Mason left me. The sun was nearly to its peak in the summer sky and sweat dotted my brow. I was certain my bare feet were starting to burn, but I couldn’t move. My brain wouldn’t allow it, keeping me frozen in place, because if I moved too soon, everything in me would break.

My phone dinged, snapping me out of the small daze the soft melody coming from the house put me in. Clearing my throat, I pulled out the device and I let out a breath, feeling hopeful for once.

Dave: I’m almost there. Meet me at the front.

I sent a quick text back, my thumbs flying over the screen.

Me: Thank you. I love you so much, Dave.

Dave: You fucking better. I missed out on a blow job for this.

A small laugh came from me as tears welled in my eyes, and I shook my head.

That was my best friend.

He’d save you anytime you needed it, but he wouldn’t let you forget all the sex he missed out on to do so. The horny jackass.

I rolled my shoulders, put my phone up, and turned, heading back into the house.

The music was coming from the living room, which was towards the back of the house. I walked through the narrow hallway of the foyer, coming into an open space with a large dining room on the left and a small office to my right. Still moving, I padded into the kitchen. There was a large bowl of freshly cut fruit in the middle of the island, along with a cast iron skillet filled with biscuits resting beside it.

My throat tightened.

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