Page 74 of Broken Player

"That's fine, Quinny. We'll meet back here for lunch, and you can help after," Ryan decided, and we both turned and walked hand-in-hand outside. Once the door was firmly closed behind us and we were on our way to the barn, I wanted to check in with my girl.

"How are you feeling, Freckles?" I asked, swinging our joined hands between us as we trudged through the soft grass to the old barn.

"Relieved," she breathed as a slow smile spread across her face. "I didn't think it'd be that easy with them. I thought they'd hate me for what I did."

"I told you they wouldn't. Your parents are the best I know, outside of True's mom and dad. I knew they wouldn't be too mad."

"Yeah, but they didn't even seem mad at all. I wasn't expecting that, but I'm really thankful they're being so understanding." She stopped walking and dropped my hand, instead launching herself at me. I caught her, barely stumbling, as she wrapped her legs around my waist and peppered my face with kisses.

"I love you," she repeated over and over, her carefree laughter was a sound of pure joy that had reduced my heart to a puddle of mush and sent electric jolts of need through my body. My dick was quickly hardening between us as she ground her body against mine. We were in a grassy field with nothingaround. I couldn't push her against a wall and press into her like I wanted, and the living room looked right out onto us. I couldn't lay her down on the ground here and finish what she started, either.

Sighing, I pulled back, and she slid down my body, and I hated every fucking second of it because my body was screaming for her. Her eyes dropped to my hard-as-fuck cock before she lifted them up to my face, inch by agonizing fucking inch. "Thanks for having my back in there, and, well, with everything. I don't think I've thanked you yet."

"You never have to thank me, Freckles. I'll always have your back. You don't have to go through anything alone again if you don't want to," I vowed as we started our walk back to the barn.

She stayed silent the rest of the way, and I got the feeling she was processing what my words meant. But fuck if I was going to let her go through this life alone when I could have her by my side.

We saddled up the horses and rode out to the east pasture, circling the cattle and starting the slow process of herding them toward the west. It was boring as fuck, and I'd have probably fallen asleep on the back of my horse if I hadn't been entranced by watching Ryan work. The way her hips moved on the back of her horse, her absolute control and command of the animal beneath her, her quiet confidence in every fluid movement of her body.

By the time the sun crawled its way to the highest point in the sky, I didn't know which part of my body needed more attention: my growling stomach or my throbbing dick. I watched Ryan bounce on the back of Storm as she rode toward me, my eyes obviously dropping to her tits. Fuck, she had great tits.

I snapped my gaze back up to her face and instantly sobered at the look on her face.

"Quinn just texted me," she seethed, and I wondered what the hell he'd done to piss her off so bad.

"What'd he do?" I asked, tightening my grip on Hex's reins.

"It's not him. Yates is here," she grit out. "We've gotta go."

I followed her out, stopping only to lock the pasture gate before we took off at a solid gallop across the rolling fields. As we approached the house, Ryan nudged Storm into a trot before stopping in front of the house. She threw her leg over the saddle, jumping down. She was so goddamn graceful even when she was fiery and pissed off. She entranced me, and I could watch her all day.

Instead, we were here dealing with this fucker. Again.

He held paperwork in his hands and wore a smug-as-fuck smile on his face I didn't like the look of. Quinn stood off to the side with a death glare on his face pointed right at Yates. The screen door slammed as Alexander rolled out onto the porch behind us. His shotgun laid in his lap with his hand resting on top of it, making his point without ever having to say a word. I made a mental note to buy a shotgun and keep it around for situations just like this because it just hit me where Ryan learned to be a badass. I looked at Alexander with newfound respect, his jaw clenched, and his eyes focused on Yates.

"What the fuck do you want?" I finally asked since it seemed like everyone else was content to just glare at each other.

"This doesn't concern you," he fumed before turning to Ryan with an evil smile that showed more teeth than necessary. I automatically got down off of Hex and stepped up behind her.

"I own this whole goddamn place, and you've got a week to get the fuck off my property," he demanded with a sneer on his face. "You're lucky I'm giving you that long."

Fuck, I underestimated how bad he'd want to hurt Ryan after she humiliated him. The rage that was starting to course through my veins had adrenaline flooding my system. My fists clenchedand I saw red, wanting to destroy him. I didn't just want to make him hurt. I wanted to fuckingdemolishhim. I wanted to dismantle every goddamn piece of his life until there was nothing left.

Maybe in my early twenties, I would have said fuck it and knocked his evil ass out. But I'd learned and grown, and now I played the long game. We had a week to figure shit out and make a plan to take this fucker out. As I watched him retreat back to his stupid vintage car, I glanced at Quinn, who looked at least as pissed off as I felt. Maybe even more.

I knew what my next move was, though. I had Connor in my corner, and that motherfucker could take anyone down. I'd seen him do it with minimal effort. If this was how Yates wanted to play, he'd get the game of his fucking life.

Watching that fucker disappear in a cloud of dust and taillights down the driveway, we collectively stood in silence. No one wanted to admit that we were fucked. Ryan must be devastated after everything, but she wasn't the kind of girl to collapse under the weight of her emotions. At least not in front of people.

I ran my hand up her back and clasped her shoulder, squeezing gently, and she spun, wrapping her arms around me and burying her face in my chest. "I hate him," she mumbled, and I chuckled darkly.

"Freckles, I think it's safe to say you're in good company." I rubbed her back and looked at Quinn, who stood next to me, his jaw working as he continued to glare at the dissipating dust.

"We'll deal with him, Quinny," I promised, and he shifted his gaze to me.

"How? Do you have a plan?"

I looked past him to the porch, where Alexander shook his head before retreating back into the house. Once he was inside, I answered. "We need information, and Connor will know how to get it. Once we know what exactly we're up against, we'll figure out what we're going to do. But there's not one goddamn chance I'm letting him take this ranch."

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