Page 61 of Live for Me

I reacted before I could stop it, following him. “W-where are you going? Denver said you didn’t have to work today,” I said to his broad back.

He spun back to face me, both of us standing in the middle of the foyer. His eyes were brighter now, like a blue flame, and that’s when it hit me. Beau’s blue would never match the sky above or the ocean covering majority of the Earth. The beauty within his blue orbs were nothing but heat and anger—pain.

“I said I’ll be back later,” he said through clenched teeth, his nostrils flaring.

“And I asked where you were going?” I shot back.

He stared at me, his jaw working.

“It’s just a question, Beau,” I continued hotly. I jabbed my finger into his chest. “I have had a hell of a day—no, hell of a fucking week. My life is in shambles. My boss doesn’t know where the hell I am. My friends are fearful for my damn life. I’ve been dragged back to the last place on this Earth I want to be by a man—”

“—you destroyed?” he quipped harshly, cutting me off.

His words struck me, and I let them. Honestly, I deserved far worse.

I tried pulling my hand away, but he snatched my wrist quickly.

My eyes widened, and with a growl, he yanked me forward, forcing my body to slam into his. He bent down, his eyes on fire now, his harsh breaths hitting my skin. Goosebumps skated down the back of my neck, over my shoulders, down my arms and back. I held my breath as his free hand came up to grip my jaw, tipping my head back, not allowing me to hide from him.

“You think this is easy for me?” he asked, his voice laced with something that sounded a lot like hate. “You think I want you here? You think I want to look at you, Abbie? You think I want to talk to you?”

Tears welled in my eyes, and I tried to jerk out of his hold, but Beau wasn’t having that. With another low growl, he spun us, pinning me to the front door. His chest heaved against mine as he whispered, “You have no idea, do you?”

All I could do was stare at him—feel him all around me. I was trapped in his prison and my soul didn’t want to leave.

“I was a man when I was with you,” he began, his words coming out in harsh pants. “I had a fucking purpose when I was with you. I had a future when I was with you.”

“Beau—” His grip tightened on my jaw, his fingers squeezing my cheeks together.

“I’mspeaking,” he growled, baring his teeth. “I don’t remember my life before you. My first memory was seeing you sitting all alone in the fucking cafeteria with a damn bruise on your cheek. From that moment, something changed inside me. I was no longer a little boy, careless and free. I had a duty, this overwhelming need to protect you.”

I whimpered, tears flowing from my eyes, running over his fingers now.

His eyes scanned my face, growing cold. “I gave you my fucking heart, Abbie. I gave you all I fucking had, and it still wasn’t good enough.” I brought my hands up to his arm and tried shaking my head. He didn’t seem to notice. “I was ready to give you the world, Wildflower. Fuck, I was so ready.”

If he continued, my heart would be nothing but dust.

You deserve this, Abbie. Shut up and take it.

“I don’t know what was the bigger mistake: letting you walk away the first time, or kissing you this morning,” he murmured, his eyes dropping to my lips. “Got a taste of something I can’t have, and I feel like I’m dying all over again.”

Beau’s eyes snapped back up to mine as his hands fell away from me. I remained where I was, plastered against the door, not wanting to move. Then, when he looked away from me, it took every ounce of strength I had to keep myself upright. I watched in agony as he swiped his hat off the hook and turned away, walking down the hall. I closed my eyes when I heard the back door open, and my knees gave out when I heard it slam shut.

My ass hit the hardwoods, and I brought my knees up, hiding my face.

As my body rocked with sobs, another cold truth revealed itself, and by the time my tears dried, I was numb.

Chapter Fifteen

Beau

“Were you ever going to tell me about the cabin?” I asked Pop as we both leaned on the corral fence, the afternoon sun beating down on us as we watched Mason try and break a new horse.The beast bucked, trying to throw him off, and in the distance, I heard the bull rider’s rough laugh.

Mason was bat shit crazy.

Then again, all the Hallow Ranch cowboys were given what we did for a fucking living.

“Truth be told, Son, I didn’t tell you when you were a kid because I didn’t want you to hurt anymore,” Pop said, not looking at me, chewing on a toothpick. “Your mother caused you enough pain. I didn’t want to make you live in the home meant for the three of us.”

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