Vindictive Heir

CHAPTER 16

Elena

It’s late afternoon when we get back to the Torres house. Addler pulls around to a fenced-in area on the other side of the trailers. Putting the gearshift in park, he gets out of the truck a little slower than he did earlier. After the kick he took, on top of the brutal afternoon, I don’t blame him.

“I’ve got you, girl,” he says to the cow.

I smile as I follow. “Does she have a name?” I lean against the side of the truck then yelp after nearly branding my arm in the process.

“You okay?” he asks, focused on my arm.

“Yeah.” I run a hand over the spot. “The layer of mud actually kept the worst of the heat from my arm.”

He grunts then heads to the edge of what might be a barn. Working methodically, he twirls the water valve then hooks one arm through the hose before heading back. He’s extending the hose, leaving a wet trail behind him. When he gets to the trailer, he runs a hand through the stream then waits. “There’s too many cattle to name any of them.” He tests the water again.

Once he’s satisfied that the water’s tolerable, he puts a thumb over the opening. Aiming the pressurized stream at the cow’s rump, he starts hosing her down. She gives a halfhearted moo in protest but doesn’t bother to try and move away.

“I know how you feel, girl,” I say from beside her. “He went for my butt, too.”

Addler steps back to look at me around the cow. His eyebrow’s raised. There’s a full second where I get to grin at him before he turns the hose on me. I scream in surprise as the spray hits me full blast.

“Didn’t want you to feel left out,” he adds, changing his target.

“I don’t have mud on my chest,” I exclaim, turning to one side as I cross my arms in front of my face.

“I was going for your arms,” he says, trying to sound innocent and failing.

“Addler!” I laugh as I go running for cover behind the truck. The water creates an arch over my head for a few seconds then disappears. I’m not sure if I should peek. I might end up with a blast across my face.

“Okay, I’m done.” He turns the hose back on the cow.

I wait a few seconds, but the sound of the steady stream has me dropping my guard. Trusting in what he said, I head back to the tailgate, trying to wipe myself off, unsuccessfully. I look up to find him grinning at me, his attention centered on my blouse. I follow his gaze to find the blouse plastered to my skin, showing every curve. A blob of mud drips down from my hair to land on one of my boobs.

There’s enough mud on me to have that much splatter on my chest? I have to look a mess. “The mud’s even in my hair now,” I announce, giving him a narrow-eyed glare. It’s because of him I was trying to shield myself and ended up spreading the mud I had on my arms.

“I can fix that,” he says, turning the hose on me again.

“Addler.” I shrink away from the spray, glaring at him when I dare peek out from behind my arms.

“I don’t like the taste of mud.” He lowers the hose, inch by inch, having the water go from my chest, down my stomach.

I know where he’s aiming to stop. It’s a hard reminder of what we were doing when the phone rang. Despite getting hosed, my nipples tighten at the memory. I’m saved from anything further by Ezequiel pulling up on the quad.

But I know this isn’t over.

* * *

Addler

I leave the guest room shower without bothering to pick my muddy clothes up off the bathroom floor. I’ll come back for them later, when it doesn’t feel like I’ve had to move half the world for a lost cow. I sidestep the muddy boot prints I left earlier.

When we got back, I’d been too damn tired to care. Now, with the mud trailing out to the bedroom and across the carpet, I have a whole new perspective. Oh hell. My shoulders slump in defeat. I’ll have to take care of it before Mayela gets back, or I’ll never hear the end of it.

I should have jumped in the shower with Elena. I’d considered it for all of a second before burying the thought. There’s no way I would have been able to avoid temptation. Even the thought of sharing the shower stall gets my cock stirring. I can’t imagine fighting against myself when I can still hear the echo of her scream from earlier.

Blowing out a breath, I walk out to the hall and turn toward my room, limping every few steps. That tender spot on my leg already has one hell of a bruise forming. Damn it. I was just distracted by Elena for a second, and this happens.

I glance down to avoid a muddy trail only to find the carpet looking suspiciously clean. I continue down the hall, my gaze roaming the width of the carpet to find any evidence of her trek. There isn’t a speck of mud on it.