Page 32 of Broken Player

He pulled me along behind him deeper into his parent's mansion. Everything in me wanted to turn and run the other way, but I couldn't. Instead, I inhaled deeply to calm myself down. After what felt like miles, we stepped into a tastefully decorated room with bland furniture. The second I laid eyes on Yates's family, I expected nothing other than the place in front of me. Beige sofas, pastels, and nothing with any personality at all. But I was sure it was all expensive.

The two sofas in the center of the room faced each other. I absently wondered if I should have taken off my cowboy boots before I stepped onto the plush white carpet, but it was too late now. I couldn't guarantee there wasn't dust on my sundress either, so I dusted myself off the best I could before lowering myself onto the pristine couch beside Yates.

He still held my hand in his while we watched his parents silently take the couch across from us. Jacqueline crossed her legs at the ankle, folding them off to the side, and she looked every bit the high-class, well-bred woman I took her to be. I played with the hem of my dress which had ridden up my thighs, exposing my knees and a few inches more thigh than I'd like, and her eyes ran over me, filled with disdain.

I got the feeling Yates enjoyed pissing his parents off. When I looked up at him, he was watching his mother carefully. After a few minutes, he took our entwined hands and rested them on my exposed thigh, his thumb stroking the skin just above my knee.

Jacqueline followed the movement as her lips pressed into a thin line. We'd only been seated about thirty seconds before a woman in a classic maid's uniform suddenly stood beside the sofa with a tray in her arms. She wordlessly set it on the table before turning and disappearing to wherever she came from. "Tea or coffee?" Jacqueline offered.

"Coffee, please, mother, and Ryan will have tea," Yates spoke for himself and me, and I bristled. Who the hell did he think he was ordering for me like that? I clenched my teeth together. This wasn't the time or place to bite his head off, but we'd be having a discussion later. I was not a woman who'd shrink beside her husband. If that was what he wanted, this would never work.

I accepted my tea with a mumbled thanks, taking a small sip and relishing the burn. Anything to distract me from the awkwardness of this moment was welcome.

"So, Ryan, my son tells me you've planned to get married in just a month. While I can't imagine what the hurry could possibly be to marry my only son, he's made it clear you've made up your mind," Jacqueline passive-aggressively began.

And what the actual hell was Yates's game here? He blamed this entire thing on me? I wanted to punch him in his damn pretty boy face, but instead, I shot him a quick death glare out ofthe side of my eyes before smiling widely with the fakest grin I could manage. "Yes, that's right. The plan is to get married next month. I know it seems sudden, but we just love each other so much we can't wait to start our lives together," I said, my voice sickly sweet. I dug my nails into Yates's hand clasped in mine, the only retaliation I had right now for what he just forced me to endure. He stiffened next to me as I broke the skin, and I squeezed a little harder, enjoying his discomfort.

Asshole.

She clicked her tongue while she sipped her coffee, and I looked over at Richard. He was stoically watching everything with a disinterested expression on his face. He looked like he wished he were anywhere else but here, and I couldn't blame him. "We'll have to make do. Of course, you'll have the ceremony and reception here."Of course.Who the hell did this woman think she was?

I plastered that fake-ass smile on my face again. "I live on a ranch. I thought we could do-"

"No, that will never do. You'll get married here. What would people think if my son got married on some disgusting farm? Could you imagine?" She laughed as if I was being ridiculous.

"We appreciate you offering the estate, mother," Yates agreed before turning to me with a condescending look in his eye. "While Knight Ranch would be quaint, there are certain expectations when a Rutherford gets married, Ryan. Mother's right. This will be the best place for the ceremony on such short notice."

What people thought of him must be more important to Yates than I thought. He must be really desperate for his trust fund if he was willing to marry me since he couldn't just hide me away. What the hell was his game here? I was just alowlyrancher's daughter. How had he ever thought this would work? We came from two different worlds. If we loved each other, thatwould be one thing, but this seemed like an awful lot of trouble to go through just for some money.

"Fine," I bit out, sure the smile on my face looked a little deranged at this point but not caring in the slightest.

After another twenty minutes of uncomfortable small talk where I learned Yates was his mother's bitch, I'd lost almost all the respect for him I had, and I was beyond ready to leave.

"Excuse me," I interrupted. "Where's the restroom?"

Yates pointed toward a hallway off to the right. "Third door down that hall."

I stood and quickly left the room, reaching into my purse and pulling out my phone the second I was where the Rutherfords couldn't see me.

Ryan: In five minutes, call me with a fake emergency.

Quinn: You got it

I could always count on Quinn when I needed him, and I'd reached my limit of all things stuck up asshole for my lifetime. This was going to be one long year.

I quickly splashed cold water on my face, making sure to turn the ringer up on my phone before sliding it back into my purse and making my way back out to the couch. Sitting back down, Yates slung his arm over my shoulder and pulled me into his body. I didn't want to be touching him in any way right now, I was so disgusted and angry, but his mother's observant gaze lingered on us, and there was nothing I could do. She reminded me of the Eye of Sauron fromLord of the Rings.

Right on time, my phone rang out loudly in the room. I shot an apologetic look to Yates and then his mother as I dug my cell out of my purse and swiped to answer. "Hello?"

Quinn's panicked voice filled my ear. "Ryan? You need to come home right now. The main tractor broke down, and we have to hand-feed the entire herd before it gets dark, or they'llstarve." I suppressed my giggle at how ridiculous that was. Hand-feeding five hundred cattle in three hours was impossible, but these people had no idea. Quinn was messing with me, and I loved him for it. I needed the laugh, even if I had to keep it inside, and I immediately felt lighter.

"Oh mygod,are you serious?" I shouted for added effect.

Jacqueline pressed her hand to her chest as she jumped at the loudness of my voice.

"Dead serious, Lancelot. Time to come home," Quinn said, and I could hear the smirk in his voice.

"Okay, I'll come right home," I finished, ending the call, turning to Yates. "Emergency at the ranch. I need to get back."

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