Page 35 of Some Cowboys Fight for Love

Daniel didn’t wait for an answer. He reached across the table and picked up the phone. With a swipe of his finger, he answered the call. “Hey, Sophia, it’s Daniel.”

The sound of her cousin’s voice was muffled and the words were garbled from where Aria was sitting. She couldn’t make out much of what Sophia was telling him.

His eyes locked with hers. “She’s right here if you?—”

Aria shook her head.

Daniel frowned. “Actually, she just left to use the bathroom. Can I pass on the information?” He waited for her to respond, then cleared his throat. “You could always text her…” More garbled conversation. “Oh. Yeah, I can tell her that. Want me to have her call you?”

Aria gripped the edge of the table, her fingertips turning white. She couldn’t explain the reasonings behind not wanting to get the news from her cousin. Somehow hearing it from Daniel seemed to make it more manageable. The sinking feeling she’d had when she saw Sophia’s caller ID had only gotten worse.

He nodded. “Tell Mateo I’ve got things covered. Stay as long as you need.” Daniel hung up the phone and returned it to where it was. “Your dad was hurt.”

She couldn’t tell if she was more relieved, concerned, or confused at this moment. How could she be concerned when he’d been such a bad person? Was she a bad person for wishing ill will on him?

Daniel ran a hand down his face. “It was at the prison. Apparently, he got into an altercation with another inmate and had to be taken to the infirmary. They’re not sure who started it. If he was responsible, he’d be stuck there—his parole won’thappen. But if not…” He blew out a harsh breath, his cheeks puffing. “The hearing has been pushed out again.”

Aria groaned, placing her elbows on the table and her face in her hands. “You’re kidding me.”

“It didn’t sound serious if that helps.”

Her head snapped up, her stomach swirling with emotions she wasn’t prepared for. Tears spilled down her cheeks. “I’m not upset that he’s hurt.” The confession had her stomach roiling. Shewasa bad person. “I’m exhausted that this keeps happening.”

Confusion knit his brows, and her cheeks flushed with mortification. Pushing away from the table, she stormed toward the door. She couldn’t be here. Everything was crumbling. Her past was coming back, and like Cayden had said a hundred times before, no one would ever really want her.

A warm hand wrapped around her wrist and tugged. She spun around and collided with his firm chest. A gasp tore from her throat, but the tears were still falling.

“What’s the matter?” he rasped. “Don’t run away. Talk to me.”

She shook her head. She couldn’t bear seeing the judgment in his eyes—or the pity.

He cupped her face with his palm, the pad of his thumb tracing her flushed cheek. “Please.”

The tears that had been coming down in a drizzle had turned into an all-out downpour. She shut her eyes, but that didn’t do any good. All she wanted to do was lean into him and confide in him, but he’d already witnessed too much. She couldn’t afford to lose him.

Suddenly, she was scooped into his arms. Her eyes flew open and she clung to him as he moved them to the couch in the sitting room.

Time sped up. One second she was crying, refusing to tell him a single thing, and the next she was gripping his shirt in her fists and blubbering like an idiot.

“I’m terrified he’s going to get out and punish my mother for calling the cops. But it was me. I was the one who reported him. He never found out. I think my mother was scared that he’d take out his vengeance on me.” Her confessions about her father shifted as she continued purging all the pain and frustration she had over her past relationships. “He’d never hurt me—not like my father hurt my mother. But when I left him…” She hiccupped. “My boyfriend threatened to find me.”

At that, Daniel went still. He’d been rubbing her back while she spoke of her father. Now? His silence seemed heavier, more threatening. Still, he didn’t speak. He didn’t tell her everything would be okay.

Daniel simply held her, letting her cry out every confession. When she’d run out of steam, she leaned against him. Her eyes were dry and itchy. Her throat was sore. And yet, the whole experience had been more cathartic than she’d expected. While she hadn’t given every detail about Cayden—certainly not his name—she felt better about having all her demons out in the open.

She twisted her head around to stare up into his face. His eyes delved into hers, warm, loving, and so inviting. He was nothing like she’d ever had before. And she’d turned him down last night when he’d tried to kiss her. Regret was a bitter taste in her mouth as she thought about what she’d missed out on.

Placing her hand to his cheek, she whispered, “Thank you.” Then without thinking it through fully, she attempted to pull his face closer to her so she could press a kiss to his lips. Only, he didn’t permit it.

Daniel turned his face to the side, an unreadable ache replacing the look he’d previously given her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea right now, Aria,” he whispered.

His denial of her sliced her sharper than she’d anticipated. The fight or flight response was so strong she attempted to scramble from his arms, but his hold on her remained firm.

“Don’t,” he murmured. “Don’t try to run from this. You’re dealing with a lot right now. I’m not going anywhere.”

She swatted at him, her tearful fury overtaking everything. “Just let me go.”

“No.” His voice was quiet and firm.

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