Page 84 of Knot Her Cowboys
I was so fucking relaxed, chilling on Cash’s lap until he glanced out the window and a bolt of panic shot through thebond. He shoved me right off his lap and under the desk before I could fully react and ask what the fuck was going on.
The bell on the door jingled and I instantly knew what had caused his panic by the waft of wildberry and cigarettes.
My mother.
Anxiety crashed over me like a tsunami so hard my breath stalled and my heart thundered in my ears. My stomach turned and I pressed my hand to my mouth, willing myself to not throw up all over Cash’s shoes.
“Where the fuck is she?”
Darlene’s voice was like a fucking ice pick in my chest. I hadn’t heard it in over a decade and it evoked the same fear and nausea it used to.
“Darlene, you’re not welcome here,” Cash snapped, getting to his feet and boxing me beneath the desk with his legs. “Leave.”
“No. My friends and I figured out who she was with, and he’s one of yours.”
“I’m surprised you have any friends, Darlene. Haven’t shown them what a snake you are yet?”
“Fuck you.”
“I hope you’re not using security footage from a government service for your own personal bullshit. Pretty sure that would be illegal.”
Her scoff was all too familiar, a bitter sound full of so much loathing it was the vocal equivalent of her spitting right in your face. “I shouldn’t be surprised this is the first place she came crawling back to. Little whore never could stay away from the Harris boy.”
I pressed my hands over my ears, desperately trying to drown out the sound of her voice, though it did nothing to obscure her scent that invaded my nose and dredged up far too many memories. Cash was too close, and Darlene was too loud, rendering my hands basically useless.
“You’re trespassing on private property, and if you talk about her like that one more time, I’m going to rethink my personal policy of never hitting omegas.”
“You hit me and I’ll sue.”
“We both know you don’t have the money for that, Darlene, and the Deckers don’t give a shit if their omegas get a black eye. Now, you’re going to turn around, get back in your car, and I’d better never see your face again.”
“You can’t keep me from her if she’s here.” Darlene growled, another sound I was all too familiar with that usually popped up right before she got violent.
“Get thefuckout of here,” Cash barked.
“She’s been ignoring her damn duties too long. I’m tired of getting shit on because she can’t be responsible.”
“I don’t think you’re one to be talking about responsibility. You’ve got about ten seconds to get back in the car before I call the cops and have them escort you off the property in handcuffs.”
If Darlene wanted to respond, she didn’t get a chance because Cash started to loudly count backwards from ten. The bell jingled again before the door slammed shut.
Cash dropped his hand down, offering it to me out of sight, and I gripped it like a lifeline. It was several more agonizing seconds before he dropped to his knees and pulled me out from under the desk.
“Holy shit. I’m so sorry. Are you okay?”
I shook my head, panic thick in my throat.
Cash clutched me to his chest. “Deep breaths for me. I’ve got you.”
I held tightly but couldn’t quite make my lungs obey his order. Every inch of me shook as the adrenaline drained away. Fucking hell. I hated that even with so many years apart, my mother could still do damage just by walking into a room.
“I’m going to call the construction company we’re waiting on,” Cash told me. “If I can catch them before they go on break and promise to pay for all their kids to go to college, I bet we can have the new gates installed by this afternoon so Darlene can’t even get on the property.”
“I need—I need some air.”
Cash released his grip and I used the desk to get to my feet, standing on wobbly legs. “Give me two minutes to get the call done and I’ll come with you. I need the landline.”
I shook my head. “Handle the gate. Buttons and Bluebell will distract me while you’re gone. I’m not going to fall to pieces in the few minutes we’re apart.”
