Page 121 of Chasing the Wild
I’ve never been more relieved for the fact we always used a condom and that I got myself tested as soon as we split up.
God knows what fleas this girl is carrying around.
Ugh, a shudder runs through me.
Kayce is the fucking worst. How many other random girls exactly like this one has he had on his roster of beds to hop between.
“Well, congratulations that you guys are… uhhh… starting a family.” I really wish she’d just leave. This whole conversation is making my stomach churn.
“I knew he’d come to his senses.” She cocks her head to one side. Still staring at me with a shit-eating look on her face.
Good thing I couldn’t fucking care less. She can have Kayce and his drinking and his uselessness. If anything, my heart aches for the fact Colt is going to invariably get tangled up in this disaster that his son has gotten himself into. After having gone through his own trauma with unexpectedly becoming a father, he’s now got an awfully similar situation come to shack up right under his roof.
“Ok.” I shrug.
“So, you haven’t had anythinghappento you up here, Layla?”
“Excuse me?” God. This bitch might be pregnant, but I’m not above throwing some horse shit at her if she doesn’t get the hint and leave me the fuck alone.
“Did Colton Wilder ever tell you the truth about Devil’s Peak Ranch?”
My nails thread into Ollie’s mane as I try to control my temper. There is nothing I want more than to be able to snap my fingers and vanish from this spot. To escape whatever this is.
“I’m guessing not.” She continues. “Did you know his grandaddy was a filthy molester? That he assaulted women and got away with it? Colton Wilder inherited a property that, by all rights, should have gone to others in this town. The only reason it didn’t is because old man Wilder lied through his teeth, and back in the day, fifty-odd years ago, who would believe a young girl working on a ranch up a mountain? Who would believe the underage girl with a baby on the way?”
I stop and meet her intense stare from across the stall.
“Let me guess. Thosepeopleyou’re talking about are the Piersons?”
Everything suddenly begins to slot into place. The real reason Colt seemed so reluctant to point the finger at them, even though he had evidence they’d been up to no good around his property. Why he was so protective over me. From what he’s told me about how much he hated his grandfather, I don’t doubt the man was capable of something so awful.
“And guess who got them fucking arrested last night… all because they were dancing withyou.” Chy just about spits the words in my direction. Her overplucked eyebrows arch as she dares me to confess to the reason why Colt might be acting protective over me.
But I’m not having any of it. I have no idea if Colt was involved with what happened last night. It’s all a blur, but either way, it wasn’t me they roofied. The other girl with me on the dance floor is the one they got to before anyone could stop them.
Folding my arms, I stand my ground. “I don’t know what you think you heard or saw, but it was one of Kayce’s friends—and by extension, I’m assuming one of your friends—who those guys gave a drink to. One that I can only guess had something slipped in it.”
She waves me off with her lurid claws.
“You have no idea about anything here, sweetie. I suggest you think twice before you let a man like Colton Wilder anywhere near you.”
“Listen, Chy. I don’t particularly care what you think you know, or saw, but I’m going to politely ask you to let me get back to work. I’ve got a job to do, and as you can see, there’s plenty needing to be done up here.”
“Oh, I can imagine.” She gives me a smirk. “Is that the kind of work that requires you to be on your knees, Layla?”
This fucking bitch.
“There you are, babe.”
Just as I’m getting ready to drag a pregnant piece of scum out of this barn by her hair, Kayce’s voice cuts through the tension.
Chy whirls round, all fake smiles, making cooing noises at the man coming toward us.
“What cha’ doing out here in the cold?” He doesn’t seem overly affectionate or touchy with her, I’ve noticed. Not that I’m interested in the slightest about their relationship, but it hasn’t escaped my attention that Kayce doesn’t exactly seem to be acting like a doting boyfriend or father-to-be.
Maybe that’s because he hasn’t had any role models growing up to show him an example of that.
Jesus. We’re all just as fucked up as each other when it comes to shitty family dynamics around this place. One big ball of generational screw-ups.
