Cowboy Up (Lucas Brothers)

I ignore him.

I open the next. It’s a room that looks like a private theater. I guess that’s to show game tape, but I don’t really know. What’s more, I don’t care. The point is that it’s empty. I walk down to the next two rooms. I look around half expecting that damn rooster to be sitting in the corner smoking a cigarette. He seems long gone. I reach another door, and when I turn the handle, it’s almost as if something is holding it. I brace one hand on the wall, yanking the door open. Parker tumbles backwards slightly—although the asshole remains standing. There’s a pretty blonde standing just inside what looks like another fucking supply room. Her hair is mussed, her clothes rumpled, and her lips swollen. It’s easy to see what they were doing—even with anger clouding my brain. I was pissed before, but now fury is the only way to describe it.

This piece of shit got Meadow pregnant and is already cheating on her. She’s going to end up with another man who will fuck her over and beat her down.

“You son of a bitch,” I growl, bringing back my fist before he has time to collect himself. I slam it into him so hard that blood squirts from his lip and up my hand. He falls back onto the ground, and instantly, I feel Green and someone else doing their best to hold me back.

“What the fuck?” Parker says, his hand going up to his mouth as he spits blood onto the floor. “What the hell is wrong with you, Blue?”

I hope I loosened a few of the son of a bitch’s teeth.

“You knocked up Doe!” I bark, pulling against Green’s hold on me, but whoever is helping him is strong and that’s keeping me from getting loose.

“He knocked up a deer? Should we call security? This guy is crazy,” I hear someone whisper.

“I’ve been telling you nothing is impossible, and yet, you still didn’t feel sorry for poor Gladys when his woman left him for that damn turkey.”

I give a big yank to free myself from Green. These people are fucking crazy. It’s like my mother on steroids. I narrow my eyes on Parker who is getting up, still nursing his busted lip.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Parker fires back at me.

“You got Meadow pregnant and now you’re already cheating on her.”

“Who’s Meadow?” the blonde asks. If I gave a fuck, I’d almost feel sorry for her. She has tears glimmering in her eyes. It’s clear she’s upset.

“Faye—”

“She’s mine,” I yell, interrupting Parker’s pathetic attempt to respond.

“Oh my God, you’ve been fooling around with a married woman? My brother was right about you!” the blonde cries and then takes off running. Parker moves to go after her, but I grab him. He drives his elbow into my side, and before I can strike back, he shoves me. I slide back a foot or so before catching myself.

“I don’t know who got Meadow pregnant, but it wasn’t me. I’ve never even kissed the woman,” Parker snaps before he takes off after the blonde chick.

“Shit, do you realize what you’ve done?” Green grumbles at me. “When Finn finds out Parker is with his baby sister, all hell is going to break loose.”

“I don’t give a fuck. I need to go find Meadow and see what’s going on,” I mutter. If Parker is telling the truth, then there could only be one reason that Meadow is pregnant…

Me.

“Don’t you think you should have fucking done that before you came here and turned my team and facility into chaos?” Green asks. He’s clearly pissed, but I ignore him. I’m already walking toward the front exit.

“You’ve got chickens running away with traveling turkeys. You already have chaos!” I tell him, shoving the door open and sprinting to my car.

I have to get to Meadow. If she is pregnant and the baby is mine, then this cat and mouse game we have going on must end. I’m not waiting one more minute. This bullshit is done. It’s time Meadow and I hashed everything out.

As pissed as I am, I feel this glimmer of hope deep inside of me spring to life.

God help me if I’m wrong.

Chapter 14

Meadow

“What’s going on with you two?” I ask.

Mom and Ida Sue were talking away in the front room of the shelter, but they abruptly stopped when I walked into the room. That never bodes well for me—especially when Ida Sue is involved.

“Meddie, you shouldn’t be lifting things. Here, let me get that,” Ida Sue chastises, grabbing the box of puppy pads out of my hands and putting them on the counter.

“It’s just puppy pads, Ida Sue. It’s not like they’re heavy. What’s going on here?”

“Why nothing, dear. Why would you think anything was wrong?” she responds, very carefully avoiding all eye contact with me.