Page 21 of Knot Her Cowboys
Relief crashed through me and I started bawling in his arms, clinging to the riverbank. Above us thunderous hoof beats went silent and then Dakota was sliding down the bank, his handwrapping around my wrist. The two of them pushed and heaved my frozen, panic-laden body upward. Dakota dragged me onto the grass and climbed back down the bank to make sure Levi got out safely.
Then they were both all over me, Dakota pulling me into his embrace despite the fact I was soaking wet and shivering.
I was still weeping as they cradled me between them. Neither the warmth of their bodies nor the sun was enough to dispel the chilling knowledge that I could’ve died.
“Riley.” Levi cupped my cheeks. “Do you think you can stand?”
I shook my head, my shaking body well beyond my control.
“Okay.” He scooped me up. “Dakota’s still dry so you’re going to ride with him back to the lodge. We’ll just be a few minutes to make sure everyone gets back safe. I’ll keep Starlight with me.”
Dakota hopped back on his mount and Levi helped to get me settled on his lap, Dakota wrapping a firm arm around me. I clung to the heat of him, still crying no matter how much I wanted to stop.
Levi sprinted ahead of us, already stomping across the river at the crossing by the time it was in sight.
As we got closer, I could hear shouting.
“Absolutely the fuck not,” Bruce snarled.
“Get. Off. Your. Fucking. Horse,” Levi demanded. “When you behave like you did, you walk. If you won’t get off, you’re no longer welcome here, and I will bemorethan happy to give you a police escort off the property.”
“That’s insane.”
“You put one of our guests in danger, you put us in danger, and you’ve disrespected our horses. Everything you did is grounds for immediate removal and don’t think for one fucking second I won’t push for that.”
“Just get off the horse,” Bryan pleaded with Bruce. “You’re embarrassing us.”
“No. My shoes will get wet.”
Of course that was what he was worried about.
Levi took over the reins of Bruce’s horse, taking them both across the river before staring him down. “Off.”
“Fuck you.” He slid to the ground with a roll of his eyes and Levi passed the reins to Dakota.
“Deep breaths for me,” Dakota crooned, pressing his lips to my hair. “Levi can handle himself. We’ll get you a hot shower and something warm to drink soon.”
“Give her to me,” Bruce demanded.
I shied away from his reach, holding tighter to Dakota.
“She doesn’t want you right now. Maybe you should do some self-reflection on why that is.”
“Oh, for god’s sake. Anne, you’refine.”
“No thanks to you,” I snapped.
Bryan nudged his horse across the river, almost face-planting as he hopped down. “Anne, baby, are you okay?”
“Shut up.” Bruce growled.
Bryan flinched, taking a step back.
Bruce tore his furious gaze from Bryan back to me. “Stop using this as an excuse. It’s bad enough you let that other fucker touch you, and now this one too?”
Dakota tightened his grip on me.
Fury boiled in my gut. “Don’t you even care I could’ve drowned?”
