Page 79 of Alive and Wells

The wide-eyed expression on Cecily’s face when she returns to see KJ, beaten and filthy on the ground, almost makes me wish we hadn’t handled this situation in such a brutal way. Not because he didn’t have it coming—he absolutely did. I just didn’t stop to consider whether kicking the shit out of him could be traumatic or hurt her until her eyes meet mine with a look I don’t recognize.

“Hey.” I grab her shaky hands. “Maybe you should go. Colt can sit with you if this is all too much.”

“No. I’m okay. Here’s the envelope you asked for.” She fishes in her pocket and pulls out a thin gold band, scrunching her nose as she hands it to me. “And the ring.”

My lips press softly on the top of her head and her shampoo temporarily replaces the stench of blood and dirt embedded in my nostrils. “Thank you, darlin’. I promise this will all be over soon.”

Turning back to the piece of filth on the ground, I say, “So, pissant, ready to do what I tell you now?”

Either because he learned his lesson or because he’s physically incapable of speaking, KJ merely groans.Finally.As much as I’d love to see him dead, I don’t think I can hit him again with Cecily watching. Not with that look on her face.

“You’re going to sign the post-dated divorce paperwork in this envelope. And Cecily’s going to file it exactly one year from the date she left your sorry ass. You won’t fight it, you won’t say a damn word, or I will hunt you down and end your pathetic life. Lucky for you, she’s not going to ask for anything in the divorce… darlin’, you don’t want anything from him, do you?”

She shakes her head no, covering her mouth with a hand to hide her smile. Finally, it seems I’ve made therightchoice for once.

“And then, my guys here are going to make sure you get yourself back to town. And I never want to see you or hear your name again. If I catch wind about your scrawny ass anywhere within a hundred kilometres of this ranch, or if you ever bothermy girlagain, I’ll make good on my promise to end you.”

I pull the paperwork from the envelope and Jackson clambers down the stairs to hand me a pen. Crouched down in front of him, I growl, “You fuck it up, you’re a dead man.”

His bloodshot eyes are already so swollen he struggles to look up at me, and he signs his name with a shaky hand. It seems like there are a hundred pages with how painstakingly slowly he scrawls his signature. Blood stains the bottom of each one. I don’t take a single breath the entire time, waiting for him to do something that’ll give me no choice but to commit murder.

He doesn’t.

It’s entirely anticlimactic—thank God, for Cecily’s sake.

Denny and Red pull him to his feet as Colt jumps into the driver’s seat of the fancy-ass car. “Fuck yes, I can’t wait to rally this thing down the dirt road. Denny—man—you gotta ride shotgun. How fast you think this thing goes?”

Jacky’s already waiting with my truck running to follow them to town. I grab KJ’s jaw, forcing it open with a harsh squeeze. His eyes are pleading for mercy, and he’s fucking lucky I refuse to do anything that might scare the woman I love.

Instead of finishing him off—even though it’s arguably what he deserves—I pull the gold wedding band from my pocket and hold it out behind me. “You want to do the honours, Cecily?”

Her footsteps are slow but steady, and she delicately scoops the ring from the palm of my hand. She tugs at the knot on the sweaty, dirty wild rag around my neck until it comes free. Her long exhale blows warm on my arm, and she tosses the ring into his mouth like she’s playing a game at the fair. His jaw tenses with a small gag just before she crams my bandana in.

“Choke,” she snarls.

She wins, motherfucker.

I’m not even watching as Denny and Red shove him into the back seat and slam the car door. My body’s already firmly wrapped around Cecily, pulling her head into my chest and absorbing loud sobs that ring through the quiet night air. I stroke her hair, rougher than I’m intending, as I fight back my own emotion. My chin rests on her forehead and I hold on so tight she struggles to breathe.

“Shhh, darlin’. He’s gone. You’re safe,” I whisper. “I got you. I’m here. I love you.”

Her wrists wrap around my neck and I scoop her into my arms. If only I’d been able to carry her away from here earlier. Before he showed up. Saved her from everything.

My chest tightens as I look down at her. She’s too good for the shit she’s been dealt. And now it’s my job to try and undo the damage KJ has done to her heart.

Her tears roll down my neck, drenching my shirt collar as I cautiously walk through the dark. My deep, hoarse coos slowly calm her cries until she’s perfectly silent, save for the occasional sniffle.

“I love that you did all of this for me.” Her voice is muffled against my neck as I fumble with the front door handle.

“Told you that you’re safe as long as you’re here, didn’t I?” I softly set her on top of the bed.Our bed.“I’m going to shower quickly and then I’ll be right here, okay?”

“I’m coming with you.” She quickly stands up, her knees nearly buckling as the adrenaline drains from her body. I look at her, prepared to protest, but it’s no use. She’s already padding barefoot across the floor to the bathroom.

I pull at the hem of her shirt, lifting it overhead, then tug her jeans and panties down to her ankles. Under any other circumstance, I would kiss her from head to toe and take my time indulging her. Instead, I tuck an arm around and bring her into the shower. A low sigh escapes her lips as she leans back against my chest, letting the warm water run over our snuggled bodies. Washing awayhisblood from my hands. Carrying away the dried salt left by her tears. Coating us like a healing ointment.

“Did I scare you tonight?” I squish her soft stomach, pulling until her back is flush against my body.

“That was a side of you I’ve never seen before.” Her words make my heart temporarily seize. She strokes my forearm, telling me she doesn’t mean it in a negative way, giving my lungs permission to work again. “It was intense and possessive—or, no. Protective. But I wasn’t scared. Not after you got there. All I could think about when I saw his car pull up was how badly I needed you.”

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