Page 85 of Rough Ride with the Grumpy Cowboy
He better not try.
He does speak up, his next words stopping me in my tracks. “Ryder delivered.”
I turn to him slowly. “Really?”
“Yes, they arrived well-packaged earlier this morning. They’re in the gym,” he explains.
“Perfect—I’ve got some anger to work out,” I grit out as I change my direction.
“What is he talking about? What did Ryder deliver?” Ella questions as she follows Beck and me to my burned-up gym.
I haven’t had time to fix it yet, and I probably won’t. There’s no point since I won’t be needing it ever again—my riding days are over, for good this time.
Two of my ranch hands are watching the door, and they step aside, opening it to let us in. The room still smells like smoke even though it’s been more than a week since the accident. The fire was localized to the area around the mechanical bull, so the rest of my equipment is still intact.
I’m not here for an inspection though—my focus is on the three sacks at the corner of the room.
Ella gasps behind me since it’s clear those are bodies in there.
“Are they who I think they are?” she whispers.
“Yes,” Beck confirms for her.
I snap my fingers at him, and he quickly jumps into action, pulling the three sacks to the middle of the room. He unties the knots, and three heads pop out, all gagged, beaten up black and blue.
Two days ago, I called Ryder and asked him to track down Ava’s family for me. The police were taking too long, and I couldn’t stand to see Ava live with so much fear because of them. In the end, they’ve won because she’s ended up leaving me. It looks like Ryder had his fun with them before delivering them to me.
“Cole!” I call out to one of the ranch hands by the door.
“Yes, sir.”
“Bring me a welding torch.”
My words cause their eyes to widen in fear, which is exactly what I’m going for.
“Yes, sir.”
I set my crutches aside and turn to my sister. “El, you might want to leave for this part.”
“You’re not gonna kill them, are you?” she whispers fearfully.
“They tried to kill me twice and almost succeeded. He stalked your best friend for a year, making her life a living hell to the point where she almost starved herself to death, and she tortured Ava her whole life. Do you really care if I do?” I ask, pointing to each individual.
“You’re right—they belong in hell,” she spits at them. “But I don’t want to watch.”
She kicks Estevan on her way out, which makes Beck laugh. It looks like he’s sticking around.
Cole comes back with the welding torch, and after he sets it up for me, I dismiss him—it’s better if there are no witnesses to this. I crouch in front of them and watch their eyes widen in dread as I switch on the flames.
“You really thought I’d let you get away with attempting to kill me? I’ve got to give it to you though—how you managed to sneak into the ranch is still a mystery, so kudos to you. But you should have stopped there. Releasing Brutus from the bucking chute was a step too far.”
I should have listened to Ava when she warned me about her family coming after me, but since I was lucky to escape with my life after both attempts, I’m going to make them pay.
“This is for trying to kill me and for all that you did to Ava. Now, who would like to go first?” I ask them—not like they can answer.
They try shuffling back, but they’re tied so tight, they can’t move.
“How about you, the rapist,” I say as I turn to Estevan, who has new injuries on top of the ones I’d already inflicted on him.
