Page 64 of The Unbuttoned Ranger
“Then you must be finally willing to let me see him.”
“The court awarded full custody to me for a reason. I refuse to go against the order.”
He scrubbed his whiskered jaw.“Then I’ll fight for my parental rights. Circumstances have changed.”
“Really? Looks like they’re the same to me.” She looked at the empty whiskey bottle on the nightstand.
“I don’t trust your judgement,” he bit out.
“Then, go ahead. Do what you see fit but I need you to realize that I’m going to fight back. I’m not running. Carsen is happy here. I’m happy here. This has become our home. You want to see our son, then stop living like this. And stop stalking us.”
He chuckled.“Whoever put that idea into your head is lying.”
“We have video surveillance of you trespassing. You’re no longer in control, Dante.”
He jumped up and she instinctively took a step back.
Sharp was just outside the door. All she had to do was call for him and he’d be inside. Dante couldn’t hurt her any longer.
He walked past her to pour himself a glass of whiskey from a full bottle.
She hated that things were like this. Where in their lives together had Dante become a monster? She didn’t want this for Carsen.
“You’re going to come back to me. You know you will. You’re not cut out for this shit,” Dante said in a near whisper.
“No, I won’t come back. Ever. What we shared is history. Now my only concern is my son.”
“Our son,” he slurred.
“Right.Ourson. Are you even thinking of him while you’re drinking yourself to death?”
This didn’t even make Dante twitch.
He said bitterly,“Are you even thinking of our son when you fuck the cowboy?”
She shook her head. This was a waste of time.“All you care about is your ego. I should have known better than trying and speak to you. I’m warning you, stay away from me and Carsen. You’re toxic.” She swiveled and crossed the short distance to the closed door.
Dante slid between her and the door as a barrier.“Leaving already?”
She felt the tension rise.“One raised word from me and Sharp will break down the door,” she said boldly.
Dante’s abrasive chuckle felt like sandpaper on her senses. He reached around and pulled open the door.“She’s all yours, cowboy.”
CaDee stepped out, inhaling fresh air.
“You okay?” Sharp asked.
“Peachy,” she said and didn’t look back as she made her way to Sharp’s truck, her knees shaking.
Once she was in the passenger seat, she finally managed to breathe normally again.“I feel relieved. Liberated,” she said.
“I’m proud of you.” Sharp pulled onto the highway.
“Let’s go home.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Sharp looked at the circle of men who were hanging around the corral fence.“If anyone here isn’t committed to this, now’s the time to say. No one will judge you. Ranching isn’t easy and this land hasn’t been what it can be in a long time.”
