Page 84 of The Lies We Told Ourselves

“I called you…A. Piece. Of. Shit!” I enunciated as I strode closer. “I’m not afraid of you. What are you going to do, Camden? Are you going to hit me again in front of all these people? Are you going to run to Daddy and tell him all these mean people hurt your feelings? I don’t care if no one’s going to arrest you. I don’t even care if you walk out of here and live the same nasty pathetic life you had before. But you come back here again, you even try anything to hurt these people, and I’m going to send all the pictures, all the emails, all the documents I took from your computer straight to dear Daddy and straight to the press.”

Camden’s face flushed white and then quickly went red with rage. “I don’t know what you think you have…”

“I have everything,” I told him calmly. “Now leave.”

He stared at me for a second, and the town waited calmly to see what he’d do. I knew he could hurt me. Hell, I knew how much he wanted to. But he wouldn’t risk the scandal, and just like I’d thought he would, he turned and left instead.

A breath of relief rushed out of me, and the crash of adrenaline that followed made me feel like I was going to vomit.

I felt Booker’s presence at my back as he pulled me back against his chest.

“I’m proud of you, baby,” he murmured. “But next time, let me hit him at least once before you chase him off.”

I chuckled sadly then, and he held me tighter.

“You didn’t tell me about the files.”

“That’s because I don’t have anything,” I told him honestly. “But he doesn’t need to know that.”

Booker kissed the top of my head, and I trembled in his arms. This wouldn’t be the last we’d see of Camden. It couldn’t end this easily.

“Come on, baby. Let’s go home.”

Home. That sounded nice.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

BOOKER

Reece had been quiet since the town meeting and the confrontation with her ex. I knew it wasn’t easy for her to see him again, and it was harder still for her to stand up to him in front of the whole town.

Honestly, I didn’t think that guy could get away with showing his face anywhere around Willowbrook again. I wouldn’t be the only one who wanted to show him what I thought of a man who preyed on a woman like that. He definitely wouldn’t be getting his claws into the town by trying to buy his way in, that was for sure.

But there was something that was worrying me. Reece had bluffed with something she didn’t have, and if he called that bluff, I didn’t know what he’d do if we couldn’t follow through. The only person I could think of turning to for help was the last person I wanted to go to.

I’d do it for her, though. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for her.

“How is she?” Xander asked as he stood at my side in front of the window I’d been watching her through for the last ten minutes.

“I have absolutely no idea,” I admitted.

We’d brought the mare out onto the sandy training ring this morning so she could have some time out in the sun. The skinny little thing was doing well. She was into a normal feeding routine and finally putting on weight like she was supposed to. Partially because of the sheer amount of treats that Reece kept sneaking to her, but it wouldn’t do her any harm. The mare deserved to be spoiled after everything she’d been through.

“I need to go and see Dad,” I told Xander.

He nodded quietly, watching Reece talk to the horse outside with Val sitting at her feet like a sentry. “If there’s anything to dig up, he’ll have someone who can do it,” he told me.

I’d confided in the guys last night about everything I knew about the Camden situation and everything we didn’t have to protect Reece if he ever came back.

“Stay with her. If she asks, I’m going into town,” I told him, turning to leave, but Xander’s hand came to my shoulder to stop me.

“First, you can’t actually think I’m about to let you drive with that thing on your arm. Second, it’s already done. Spend some time with your lady, Booker. Trust us to have your back.”

I blinked in surprise. I knew Xander hadn’t gone to our father because he hadn’t left the ranch since we got back last night.

“Tell me Trace didn’t?—”

“There’re such things as telephones, Booker,” he said, sighing like I was the most exhausting person he knew. “I made the call. He’s looking into it already.”

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