Page 7 of Cinnamon Cider Whiskey
Austin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. He pressed his lips against her forehead.
It felt like home.
“I’m so sorry about Rosy. I felt like the worst human when I found out. I was such an ass for not staying in touch with anyone at the ranch. If I had known about her passing, I would have reached out. I was a jerk and caught up in my own hurt feelings.”
She rested her head against his strong shoulder. For the first time in a long while, she felt safe. It was as if the past fifteen years melted away, except for the pain of losing her precious baby. That could never be erased. “I never meant to hurt you. I was young and scared. You changed after your dad died and I reacted badly.”
“I was a fool not to fight for you.” He ran his hands up and down her arms. “We can’t do anything about the past. What’s done is done. But you can’t go back to Pete.”
“I know. He’s out of control. He won’t go to counseling and things have gotten really bad. I’m done trying to make things right. He can’t see beyond his own misery and he takes it out on me. I won’t be his punching bag anymore. I filed for divorce, which provoked this beating in the first place.”
“Why didn’t you have an exit plan? You were there when I helped Tina do that.”
She glanced up. “You know how shameful this is and I’m tired of hearing how I need to leave him. I know my family means well, but everyone has an opinion and I don’t want to be a burden.”
He brushed his lips across her temple. “Your cousins only wish to help. However, you’ve pushed them away. JD told me a couple of weeks ago that you barely take their phone calls and you didn’t come back to the ranch for the holidays.”
There were so many reasons she’d avoided her family. However, the moment Pete learned Austin was back at the ranch, there was no way she’d ever be allowed to return again. Besides, knowing he lived on Whiskey Ranch changed everything. It stirred her emotions in ways she couldn’t deal with, at least not while she was still married to Pete.
Nor while Austin was engaged to another woman.
And there was the fact that Charity was still missing and the rumors that haunted Austin’s good name.
“You know why I did all those things.” She pushed from his embrace. She didn’t want to get too comfortable. Her life was too complicated to allow any past emotions to clutter her difficult situation. “For years, you never brought friends home because of what went on in your house.”
“That’s different. I was a kid.”
She arched a brow. “Do you still do volunteer work with battered women?”
He nodded.
“Then you know it’s never easy for someone to leave and not just because of the emotional hold the abuser has over their victims.” She stood, lifting her shirt, twisting her body, showing off the other stab wound. “I have one more on my leg with twelve stitches and this isn’t the first time he’s stabbed me. He’s also bought a gun. I’m terrified he’ll come here and hurt my cousins or their children. Or you. He hates you.”
“The feeling is more than mutual.” Austin folded his arms across his chest and scowled. “The security on the ranch is excellent and I’ll call my brother-in-law in the morning. We’ll make sure everyone, including you, is well protected.”
“That’s not my point and you know it.”
He stood, gripping her biceps. “We may not have seen each other in fifteen years, but I think you know me well enough to know I’m not going to stand here and let that man hurt you again.”
“It’s that tone that makes me wonder if I made the right decision to come to you.”
He chuckled.
“I’m serious. You have a wicked temper sometimes.”
“I have only ever hit three men, and they all deserved it.” He lowered his chin. “Including Pete because he swung first.”
“You were acting like a jealous idiot.”
Austin took a step back. “He knocked up my girlfriend. What did you expect me to do?”
“Oh my God. First, it takes two people to make a baby. Second, I wasn’t your girlfriend at the time.”
“Well, I came home to make things right between us and he tells me you’re pregnant and then pulls out a ring and proposes right in front of me like you’re some damned trophy orsomething.” Austin raked a hand over the top of his head. “I get I was being pigheaded and acting like a jerk, but he was a total dick and sucker punched me. All I did was call him a fucking douchebag with no class.”
“You told him he was going to be a shit father and offered to raise the baby as your own.”
“And I would have if you’d let me.” His chest heaved in as he sucked in a deep breath. “Fuck. I don’t want to fight with you about this. It’s all in the past and you’ve got enough to deal with.”
