This Love (Cowboys & Angels 6)

“Don’t be so shocked to see me here, Maebh. Did you really think a guy like Cord could stick to one woman? Don’t be naïve. You were something he wanted to conquer. He did, now he’s moved on to something more…familiar.”

“I want to see Cord,” I said, making my way to the stairs.

Kylie stepped in front of me and tilted her neck. “He’s passed out cold. Seems he used all his energy letting me fuck him. He did, however, have enough stamina to give me this.”

Me eyes followed to where she pointed to the hickie on her neck. I took a few steps back. Cord had never done that to me neck, but he had left marks on me upper thighs a lot of times.

“Listen, Cord and I used to be fuck buddies all through high school and college. The last time he saw me, he told me the next time I was in town to give him a call. A guy like Cord is never going to be happy with one woman. The quicker you know that, the better.”

Me head spun. Fuck buddies? Sickness hit me hard in the stomach. Me fears rushed back all at once.

Spinning around, I threw open the door and ran down the steps. How could he do this to me?

I forced meself not to cry as I tried to sort me feelings out. Sobs raked over me body as I stumbled down the street back to me apartment. Cord had promised me he wouldn’t hurt me.

He promised.

I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but a small part of me—the part that kept pushing down me fears instead of talking to Cord—reared its ugly head. It was telling me to run. Run back to the only place I felt safe.

Home.

After another round of crying, I got up and started to head to me door. My heart was telling me to run away, while me head was telling me to go back to Cord’s.

I listened to me head.

Swinging my legs over the bed, I let out a breath. Shit. Every fucking thing on my body ached. I got a glimpse of my phone on the table. I reached for it and saw the date.

Holy hell. I’d been out of it for at least a solid day. That’s when it hit me. Maebh would be back in town today. Thank goodness Maebh arranged to have her car waiting at the airport.

Had she already been by? That was impossible. I remembered someone whispering in my ear. Frowning, I tried to think back to who it was, but soon gave up when my head started to throb.

I heard voices in the living room. My mother, Paxton, and Amelia. I also heard Marge. Sweet, life-saving Marge. She’d brought me her homemade soup earlier, and I swear it had something in it that finally broke the fucking fever.

Hitting Maebh’s number, I tried to calculate what time it was in Ireland, not knowing if she was on the plane already. I stood on shaky legs and closed my eyes until the room stopped spinning. Maebh’s voicemail instantly picked up.

“Baby, it’s me,” I said. “Sorry I’ve been so out of it. Call me when you get a chance. I finally feel like I’m back in the land of the living now. Love you.”

My feet felt like I had iron strapped on them. I walked down the steps to where the voices were coming from. They were hushed, as if people didn’t want to wake me up.

“Mom?” I called out as I rounded the corner and stopped. Marge, Paxton, Amelia, and my mother were all standing there, concern and something like anger spread over each face.

“How could you?” Amelia said, her voice so loud I would have sworn she had a bullhorn directed right at me.

“Amelia, wait until we know everything,” my mother ordered. My eyes bounced to each of them and finally landed on the one who looked the most worried.

Paxton.

“Paxton, what’s going on?”

Her eyes filled with disappointment, and I knew it was all directed at me…I just didn’t know why.

“Maebh left.”

Frowning, I asked, “What do you mean? She just left Ireland? She should be home today, right? Fuck, I don’t even know what time it is. Has she already been here? I don’t remember her being here.”

They all looked at each other.

Paxton cleared her throat as she focused back on me. “No, Cord, Maebh is in Ireland right now. She came back early and then left again.”

My head was spinning. “Wait, what? Why did she leave?”

Amelia tossed her hands in the air in frustration. “You’re such a bastard. How could you do this to her?”

Now I was getting angry. I still felt like shit, Amelia was lashing out, and they were all talking in riddles.

“Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on?” I demanded.