Page 26 of The Cowboy Hitch

I kneel in front of her, taking one of her hands in mine, hoping for her attention. Her lips form a tight line, and her gaze bounces around the room, like she’d rather be anywhere but here.

With a growl, I grasp her chin, forcing her to look at me. “Tell me, Lace. Now.”

She lets out a strangled sort of sound—her eyes now brimming with something that looks a helluva lot like lust, along with the tears.

But I ignore the building pressure behind my zipper.

“Your mother…” Her words are barely a whisper, but they ring loud and clear.

Truthfully, she doesn’t need to say another word for me to understand, but I want to hear it anyway. I need to know the details of what duplicitous shit Mama’s up to now.

“She offered me money.” Her chin wobbles despite her obvious effort not to cry. “Told me I could either get rid of the baby or get out of town. She didn’t care which, but either way, it was clear she wants me gone.”

Rage so potent it hurts claws its way up my spine. “Fucking bitch.”

“Excuse me?” Lacy pulls back like I’ve slapped her, yanking her hand out of mine.

“Not you.” Both outraged and insulted, I push my hand through my hair to stop myself from reaching out for her again. As much as I want to comfort her, it’s clear touching her right now would be a mistake.

“She’s your mother, Ridge. You’re telling me you didn’t see this coming?”

My gut reaction is to deny it, but didn’t I foresee a scenario exactly like this playing out? I knew Mama wouldn’t just accept this and move on. I knew her mixed-up sense of family values would never allow me to be anything less than her grandest vision.

Still, it’s hard to admit my own flesh and blood would stoop so low, regardless of her reasoning. “She thinks she’s protecting me.”

Lacy huffs, her lips twisting to a pretty scowl, her body still rigid and withdrawn.

Fuck, how does her hostility turn me on so damn much, even when I’m near to bursting with anger?

“I know. It’s a rotten and pathetic excuse. But it’s the only one I’ve got.”

“Do you really think you should be making excuses for her?”

“No, you’re right. And I know giving in to her whims so often is what’s allowed her to become as terrible as she is.”

A sick feeling takes hold as I think of all the times I’ve looked the other way. Or worse, gotten my hands dirty and colluded in one of her schemes. I never even second-guessed her, especially not when it helped me get my own way.

Hell, I even backed her in screwing over my own brother, all so I’d get the thing I was always promised…

Control.

I take Lacy’s hand again, thankful when she doesn’t pull away. “I’ve always played her games. Always figured it was better to be on her side than fighting her. But not this time.”

She squeezes my fingers, and I carry on, empowered by the connection. “I promise you, Lace, I’ll talk to her. Put her in her place. I won’t let this stand.”

“Ridge…” She leans toward me, with a hint of resignation in her gaze. “I’m not going to pretend to understand your family or the rules you all play by. And honestly, I don’t care what you have to do to make her stop. Just…please make her stop.”

Her brow furrows and her gaze bores into mine. “And leave me alone to raise this baby the best I can.”

It takes every ounce of willpower I possess not to grab her and kiss the hell out of her until she caves to my desires. Instead, I run my free hand up the side of her leg, only stopping when I reach her waist.

She sucks in an audible breath when I shift my hand, ever so slightly, and stroke my thumb over her stomach.

“You’re not doing this alone,” I vow.

“But I—”

“No.” I can’t handle the thought of her struggling for another minute on her own. “No fucking way. I don’t know how many times I need to say it, or what I need to do to show you how serious I am. You arenotdoing this alone.”

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