Page 9 of Cinnamon Cider Whiskey
Pete:Where the fuck are you? How dare you turn off your location. You think I won’t find you? As if there are a ton of places you’d go? You’re probably back in Buhl. Ha. If you think your idiot cousins can keep you from me, think again.
Pete:You fucking little whore. I know who’s back at Whiskey Ranch. You think I’m a monster? He killed his fiancée. He’ll do the same to you because you’re damaged goods. I’m the only one who will ever want you. I’ll give you a day to come home, and then I’m coming to get you.
Pete:Pick up the damned phone, you little cunt. I’m tired of this game. You’re never going to leave me. You like my money too much. Fucking bitch. Get your ass home now and make sure these cops drop the charges. If you don’t, you’ll pay.
Austin had read enough. He set the phone on the other side of the bed. He certainly didn’t want Cinnamon to read or listen to any more from Pete. It would only stress her out. “I’m going to call Brad now.” He reached for his phone.
“I don’t want you to wake him or Tina up. Don’t they have a newborn?”
“Gabby’s one and Ben is four.” He tapped his screen. “Neither one of them will care if I call about this. Besides, I’m not risking that Pete will wait a day or two to show his face in Buhl. He’s irrational and this is harassment. Brad and his department need to know. The next call we are making is to JW.”
“Absolutely not.” She jumped to her feet. “I will deal with my family on my own terms.”
“It’s almost two in the morning,” Brad said when he picked up on the second ring. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Cinnamon. She left Pete after he beat the crap out of her. He was in jail but has since been bailed out and is now sending her threatening messages. I’ll text you screenshots.”
“Do that now so I can take a look.”
Austin did as instructed and waited.
“Does she have a restraining order in place? If she doesn’t, we can file one here just in case.”
“Let’s do that.”
“All right. She’ll need to sign it,” Brad said. “I can bring that by first thing.”
“Wonderful, but I think the ranch needs a little extra security.”
“I’ll make sure units are patrolling the entrances,” Brad said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Thanks.” He tapped the screen and pulled up JW’s contact information.
“I swear to God, I’ll walk out that front door if you call any of my cousins.” She groaned when she folded her arms across her middle. “I’m not ready to face them.”
“Ready or not, they have a right to know that he could be on his way here. Not to mention they love you and only want you to be safe. That’s all they care about.” He stared at her for a long moment. “Is there something else you’re not telling me?”
She turned, swiping at her cheeks.
He climbed from the bed. “Cinnamon. What’s going on?” Gently, he took her by the arms, forcing her to face him. “Whatever it is, I can’t help unless you tell me.”
“A few months before you moved back, Pete and I visited the ranch. It ended badly.”
“I heard.”
“I doubt they told you everything, especially Irish.” She shrugged off his embrace and crawled into his bed, hugging his pillow. “It was a real shit show. At first, I had planned on coming by myself. Pete hates this place.”
“I remember. He moved you away from Buhl the second you got married, and according to Georgia Moon, you barely came back.”
“At first, Pete had me convinced the only way we had a shot at a real marriage was if we had a clean break from everyone. I believed him because my family all believed I was making a mistake. They didn’t think being pregnant was the right reason to marry someone. Not to mention, all Pete ever wanted was to work for his father and when I got pregnant, his dad offered him a job.”
Austin had wanted to interject, but kept his mouth shut.
“I was so focused on being a good mom and wife that I was okay with it. Things weren’t great, but I had Rosy. Then my baby girl got sick. She was only two years old. The next year was fucking hell.”
“I can’t even imagine.” Austin eased in next to Cinnamon and rested his arm around her hip.
“Both Pete and I were devastated. Believe it or not, he was a devoted dad. He loved his little girl. She was his world. He would have done anything for her and for a few short years, we were happy-ish.”
