Page 92 of Untamed

I quickly wipe away my tears, pushing myself up into a sitting position. Nova watches me carefully, a soft smile playing on her lips. “As good as can be expected.”

She nods. “Everything’s going to work out, Mila.”

“Hopefully.” I try to sound hopeful, wishing I had even an ounce of the positivity my best friend seems to have. “Now where’s my phone?”

Nova smile fades into a frown, “I haven’t seen it since you send a message to your mom at the rodeo.”

With a heavy sigh, my gaze sweeps over the nightstand, then the bedspread, searching for my phone. Nothing. My brows knit together as I climb off the bed, scanning the floor for any sign of it. Still nothing. Which can only mean one thing, I must have dropped it in my struggle with Maverick. It could be in the SUV, or it could be on the ground in the parking lot of the rodeo.

Growling in frustration, I stride to the door, then stop. I have two choices. I can go ask my father for the keys, or I can wait an hour or so, giving him more time to cool off. On one hand, I doreallyneed my phone. I want to check on Colter, make sure he’s okay… But on the other, the thought of facing my father again, of seeing the sheer disdain in his eyes is enough to keep me in this room. As much as I want to talk to Colter, I’m drained. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. And leaving this room is only going to escalate things further and right now, I don’t have the mental capacity to deal with that, so I retreat back to the bed where Nova now lays in pajamas.

She eyes me, “What’re you doing?”

I sigh, closing the distance between us and climbing back on the bed. “Nothing. I wanted to go look for my phone but it’s not worth the argument.”

She laughs, snuggling into the pillows. “No way would I be going anywhere near your father right now if I was you. I’ve never seen him that angry.”

My thoughts drift to my father. The argument alone was enough to turn my stomach, but the look of disappointment on his face. That will haunt me. My chest tightens. I love him, and I would never want to intentionally hurt him, but he has to understand, I’m not a child anymore. I’m growing, learning, figuring out who I am. And part of that is accepting I’ve fallen in love.

Maybe it’s with someone I wasn’t supposed to love, but who is anyone—even my father—to tell me who I cannot be with?

Colter isn’t perfect, but if there’s one thing I know, it’s that he’s a good man. He might not have told me everything about his past, but even if he had, it wouldn’t have changed anything. Because we’re meant to be. People might think I’m a young woman infatuated with an older man and caught up in the intensity of her first relationship, but they don’t feel what I feel. Deep in my soul, I know this is real. When you know, you know, and it’s insulting to be dismissed because of how many years you’ve lived.

Sighing, I squeeze my heavy eyes shut, willing the chaos in my mind to quiet. I burrow into Nova, willing sleep to come. Minutes pass, as I try to channel a semblance of peace. It takes time, but eventually, after all the awful images of today flicker through my head like a movie reel, one by one fading into nothingness, I fall asleep.

I make my way out of the lobby with Nova by my side. After what happened last night, my father decided we’re leaving Texas a day early. I still haven’t spoken to Colter. He must be beside himself, and not having a way to contact him is slowly eating me alive.

As we cross the parking lot, I freeze in my tracks at the sound of loud, angry voices. My head is foggy, and for a brief moment, I think I’m dreaming. But then the shouting grows sharper, cutting through my haze. My head snaps up, my gaze landing on Colter surrounded by my father, Maverick and Skylar.

“Oh, fuck,” Nova murmurs.

That’s all it takes to jolt my ass into action.

Flying across the lot, I skid to a stop in front of them. Tension pulses through them, so thick it’s almost suffocating. But it’s not the standoff that has my stomach twisting.

It’s the gun my dad has pointed at Colter.

“No,” I cry, stepping between them. My wide, disbelieving gaze locks on my father’s. “What are you doing?” I demand, my body trembling.

“Get in the SUV, Mila.Now.” My father’s voice is low and furious, his words ground out through clenched teeth.

At the same time, Colter speaks, his voice tight and laced with fear. “Get out of the way of the gun, Sunshine.” His hands grip my shoulders as he tries to pull me aside.

I shake my head, my heart pounding as I glance over my shoulder at the man I love. His face is unreadable, carefully blank, but his worry filled green eyes betray him.

“I won’t let him do this to you,” I whisper

“It’s okay, Sunshine. Just step aside. I’ve got this.” His tone is soft, pleading.

But before I can move, my father speaks. “Sunshine? I’ll fucking stick this where the sun doesn’t shine, you fucking piece of shit.”

I watch cautiously, breathing a sigh of relief when he lowers the gun to his side.

“Daddy, stop,” I plead, desperation thick in my tone.

“Listen to your daughter, Linc. I know you’re angry, but you can’t go pointing guns in people’s faces—especially in public.” Skylar rests a hand on his bicep, and I don’t miss the way he exhales a slow breath at her touch.

“Are you okay?” Colter asks softly from behind me. I turn to face him, taking a step forward only to roll my eyes when my father’s hand clamps around my elbow, stopping me in my tracks. Colter’s gaze drops to where my father grips me, his eyes flashing with anger. His jaw tics, as his voice drops low, “Let her go.”

---