Page 84 of Rough Ride with the Grumpy Cowboy
“I woke up alone in bed, but I thought she was in the main house because I had overslept.”
“So you really didn’t do anything?”
I think back and come up blank. Ava did seem a bit off, but she’s been like that for days, so I thought it was just her usual blues. I didn’t think she was planning on leaving me while I slept.
“Are you sure she’s really gone?” I ask, clearly in denial.
“Where else could she be?”
“Let’s go check the camera footage from last night,” I suggest.
“Good idea,” Ella agrees, turning to leave.
By the time I grab my crutches and get outside, she’s already halfway to the house.
“Keep up, slowpoke,” she yells after me.
“I don’t know if you recall, but I broke my leg,” I shout back.
When I make it to the security room in the basement, that’s accessible with the elevator Jace had installed for himself, they’re already watching the footage.
“She actually left,” Ella cries as we watch Ava get into a cab at four AM.
My jaw clenches in anger when it dawns on me that she really did leave. Why? I thought we were happy? About to be happier after I proposed.
“How did no one hear any of this?” I grit out, turning to Jace and Ella, who live right here in the main house.
She has more than two bags, plus her guitar, and had to make three trips. How did they sleep through all that?
“It was four in the morning, and you didn’t hear her leave your side,” Jace scoffs.
“I was knocked out by the pain meds. What’s your excuse?” I retort.
“I didn’t expect anyone would be leaving the house that early,” he ripostes.
“No one is to blame—she must have left for a reason, so you need to go after her,” Ella demands, turning to me.
“No,” I reply, turning to leave the security room.
She chases after me. “Why not? Why are you so heartless?”
“Did we just watch the same video? She left without saying goodbye in the middle of the night—does that look like someone who wants to be chased after?!”
She gets in the elevator with me, biting on her nails before she looks up, having gotten an idea. “What if her family got to her? They might be blackmailing her.”
That’s a huge possibility, but it doesn’t excuse her leaving without saying anything.
“Then she should have stayed and told me—she knew she was safe with me!” I bellow.
“Zane, please,” Ella pleads just as the elevator doors slide open.
We step out and run into Beck.
“I just heard. I’m so sorry, dude,” he expresses.
I ignore him, brushing past him, headed back to my cabin. I need to be alone so I can process all this.
“Beck, make him go after her,” I hear Ella beg him.
