Hitching the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch 1)

“Excuse the fuck outta me,” I say, placing my arm around her waist to protect her from this dickhead.

He strides toward us and reaches for her arm, pulling Zoey away. “You need to get over here right now.” He jerks her toward him as if she’s a child, causing my blood to boil. Zoey looks back at me with tears in her eyes.

“Get your hands off her,” I warn, feeling my anger take over as he looks at her with disdain.

The douchebag glares. “You’re nothing but Southern trash,” he spits out.

“Benjamin, don’t,” Zoey demands. Who the fuck is Benjamin?

My heart races and pounds, and I don’t understand what’s going on. A minute ago, we were making out. “Who is this?” I look at her and then glare at him. “Explain, Zoey.”

“I’m her fiancé,” he answers, wrapping his arm tightly around her as if he’s claiming his prize. “And we’re leaving.”

Fiancé? That can’t be right. How can you be engaged to someone if you’re married to another person? I look at Zoey, who’s shaking her head with tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Is that true?” I ask, begging her to tell me what the hell is going on, but she pinches her lips together tightly. Her silence is all I need to know.

I take a step forward, coming face to face with him, not scared in the least bit even though he’s taller than me. The guy looks like he has his balls waxed and nails done once a week. “Yeah, well, you’ve got your hands on my wife, and you’re going to let go of her before I beat the shit outta you.”

Benjamin laughs in my face and jerks Zoey closer to him. Instead of doing what I say, he pushes me, but I barely stumble back. This guy is a grade A pussy.

“Zoey. Get your shit. We’re leaving,” he demands, and in one quick movement, my fist connects with his face.

Chapter Eighteen

Zoey

“You motherfucker,” Riley says as he throws another punch.

I scream as soon as I see Riley push Benjamin to the ground and jump on top of him, fists being thrown left and right. Benjamin covers his face with his arms, trying to defend himself, but he’s never fought anyone in his entire life. Riley’s destroying him, and I’m not sure who I should feel sorry for at this moment. If Riley continues, Benjamin will get hurt and get his lawyers involved, taking it to a level it doesn’t need to go. I already know how this will end if Riley doesn’t gain control, but I can’t blame him. This is all my fault.

I beg him to stop, screaming and crying, grabbing at his arm before he can take another swing at Benjamin’s face. Somehow, I get through to him, and he stops, but he looks at me with hurt in his eyes, breathing hard. Seeing Riley so upset destroys me.

Riley stands as Benjamin tries to get a hold of reality, cursing and spitting out blood. He looks like total shit, and I know I won’t hear the last of this anytime soon.

Before more words are exchanged, Riley walks away, shaking his hand out as he bends his fingers back and forth. I scream his name, following and not wanting him to go because it feels so final. He turns on his heels and glares at me as if I’m a stranger, someone he doesn’t care to know, and it’s more hurtful than any words he could ever speak.

Was last night a dream? Could the man who told me he loved me with all of his heart look at me in such a way? I know I deserve it, but it doesn’t make it any easier. The love that we’ve shared already seems like a distant memory, and I wish I could go back and tell him all of my secrets, tell him about Benjamin and the engagement I didn’t want.

“Is it true? You’re engaged to marry him?” he quietly questions me, but he’s heaving with anger. His jaw is so tight, I’m afraid it’ll break.

“I wanted to tell you. I planned to…” I say, but he shakes his head, not having any part of this conversation or me.

“You betrayed me, Zoey. You betrayed me and my family in ways I can’t even begin to describe.” His sad eyes meet mine, and I know nothing I can say or do will fix any of this right now. Riley gives me one last glance, his nostrils flare, then walks away.

“You have twenty minutes, and we’re fucking leaving. I’m not playing these games with you,” Benjamin barks, and I run out of the barn toward Riley, who’s already made his way to the side of the B&B. I yell his name again, wanting him to stop so I can explain everything, but he ignores me. Before he climbs in his truck, I grab his hand and force him to look at me.