Page 13 of Wrangle Me

CHAPTER 11

MAISIE

“He’s saddledwith her for life?” I can’t hide the contempt in my voice. I don’t bother to try. “What the hell, Callum?”

He shrugs like it’s no big deal. “Come on, sweetheart, you know what I mean. No man wants to get the surprise news that his ex-wife’s knocked up. Right?”

The casual way he’s trying to get out of this makes my stomach turn.

“Sothisis the Kingridge brother vibe I’ve been so heavily warned about,” I snap. “It isn’t a fight over beer pong,it’s thisthat makes women weary. Good to know who I’m dealing with.”

Callum frowns but doesn’t back down. “You know I like your sister. I feel like I already know Dawson too, with the way y’all talk about him. I’m sure he’s a good enough dude if she likes him so much. She’s been moping around here for weeks. He just needs to get Rosalie in line. Tell her they’re going to be a family now. She’ll be okay.”

Get her in line.

I stop cold, turning to glare at him like I’m seeing him for the first time. That phrase punches through me like ice water down my spine. I’m so outraged, I can’t think of a single thing to say tohim. So I don’t. I fold my arms across my chest and walk the rest of the path in silence.

He walks me to my door, quiet now, maybe sensing just how far I’ve pulled away. I step inside and put a hand up when he tries to follow me. Tension crackles between us like static, and my fists stay clenched at my sides.

“I’m not staying?” His forehead wrinkles in surprise.

“No, you aren’t staying, Callum. I’m going to let you go before you keep digging that hole you're in. We can talk when you haven’t been drinking.” It takes everything in me to bite back what I really want to say.

“Hey—” He reaches for me, his voice softer now. “I’m sorry. I’m being a jackass.”

But the damage is done. “Good night, Callum.”

I force a smile I don’t mean and close the door. The moment the door clicks shut behind me, my knees nearly buckle. My mind is spinning too fast to land on a single thought. His words echo like warning bells.

Get her in line.No man wants to hear that news.Saddled for life.

They aren’t just comments. They’re devastating blows. It’s true that I’m not feeling well. But it has nothing to do with the conversation and everything to do with the truth sitting heavy in my gut.

Rosalie is pregnant… But I am too.

I just found out this morning. I had every intention of talking to him about it right away. But tonight wasn’t the time or place. I stayed late at the stable working with our new mare. When I got to Pa’s, Callum had already had too much to drink.

He was joking too loudly and leaning too far into his brothers’ banter. There was no way I could bring it up. Now, after what he just said about Rosalie, I’m questioning everything I thought I knew about him.

What was I thinking? I knew better than to let my guard down. I’ve fought too hard for my freedom to hand it over now, not to Callum, not to anyone. And now it matters more than ever because it’s not just about me anymore. I have a baby to think about.

And that changes everything.

Rosalie is already gone. No matter how old I get, she’s always going to be my big sister. I know exactly how she’d respond. She’d drop everything, forget whatever’s going on with Dawson, and come running to stand by my side. That’s just who she is, and I love her for it. But I’m not going to do that to her. Not this time.

Not even Lord Pawldemort is here for me to talk this through. He isn’t a fan of my apartment, preferring to spend his days following Callum around the stable. So, I’m truly alone when I crawl into bed with the weight of the world on my shoulders.

I lay awake for hours, staring at the ceiling. The silence is loud… too loud. In it, at first, all I can hear is my own doubt. But somewhere between my own worst nightmare and the sunrise, I feel something solid settle in my chest.

I reach a decision.

This time, no one’s going to rescue me. I’m not going to lean on my sister or a church community that has its own vested interest in my decisions. I can’t wait for this storm to pass.

I’ve been down that path before. I’ve lived under other people’s rules, tiptoed around their tempers, and molded myself into whatever version of me made their lives easier. But all of that is behind me.

This time, I’m going to put my head down and do my job. I’m going to make a plan… for myself and my child. I’ll figure out the logistics, the finances, and the support I need. I’ll map it all out.

And then, I’ll tell Callum. He can be as involved as he wants to be. But I need to know I’ll be okay with or without him. The only way around that fire is through it.

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