Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88463 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88463 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
When he sees me waiting for him, standing in the kitchen with my arms crossed, there’s a quick flicker of guilt that flashes over his face, and then the scowl that seems to live there permanently takes up residence once more.
“Where the hell were you all night?”
“Celebrating” is all he says.
“You didn’t answer your phone.”
“Turned it off.” He yawns and scratches his flat stomach. Aiden may only be fifteen, but he’s big. He’s well over six feet tall, and he’s muscular. Weight lifting class is the only class he hasn’t missed all year. “Going to bed.”
“No, you’re not. You can turn around and get in my car. Now.”
“No way. I haven’t even been to bed yet.”
“Not my problem. Let’s go.”
His eyes narrow, and he steps into me, the way he’s started to do when he’s not getting his way and he thinks he can intimidate me.
I’d never admit this to anyone, but I’m starting to actually fear my kid, and that breaks my heart. It’s one more reason that I’m sure taking him out to work at the ranch is the right thing for him.
“I said I’m going to bed.”
I keep my chin lifted, not wavering in staring him down. “And I said get in the goddamn car, Aiden. Now.”
He growls, and then, to my utter horror, he punches the wall by my head, busting through the drywall, before he stomps away, and I hear the car door slam.
Holy fucking shit.
He’s never . . . What’s happening?
With a shaking hand, I push my hair behind my ear and then grab my purse and walk out to the car, where Aiden’s sitting in the back seat, fuming.
I guess he doesn’t want to sit next to me. That’s fine.
I don’t say a word as I shoot off a quick text to Ryker to let him know we’re on our way, start the engine, and pull out of the driveway. We’re just leaving town when Aiden demands, “Where the fuck are we going?”
“You’ll watch your mouth with me.” I hate the tremor in my voice. “You’ll see when we get there.”
“I don’t want to go to the freaking ranch.”
I don’t bother replying. I don’t want to fight with him, especially when I’m driving. It’s so early that the sun isn’t fully up yet. I wanted to have him out there by six because the ranch gets going early in the morning, but we’ll be late.
Aiden used to love the ranch when he was younger. He couldn’t get enough of it. Now, he never wants to go out there.
It’s a tense, quiet hour, and finally, I pull into the driveway and see that Ryker is standing on the porch, waiting for us. He’s in old, worn blue jeans, a T-shirt with a flannel over it because it’s cool this morning, and work boots.
“What the fuck,” Aiden grumbles, and I sigh out a breath. My hands still aren’t altogether steady after the altercation at home.
He’s never done that before.
And frankly, it hurt my feelings.
“Hey, Trouble,” Ryker says with a grin as he walks down the stairs, but then that smile falls when he sees my face. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head and wait for Aiden to join me.
“Say hello,” I say to my boy.
“’Sup,” Aiden says.
Ryker’s eyes fall to Aiden’s hand, which is swollen and bruised. A little bloody. And then he turns to me again and tips my chin up.
“What. The fuck. Happened?”
I swallow hard, caught in his gaze. “He wasn’t happy about going out this morning. Punched the wall.”
Ry’s eyes narrow. “Where?”
“By my head.”
The lethal rage that rolls through Ryker’s eyes has me stepping back a pace, and he turns to Aiden.
“Did she tell you that you’ll be working for me this summer?”
“No.” Aiden glances at me, then at the ground.
“Well, you are. I have one rule. Are you listening to me? I’ll only say this once.”
“Whatever.”
Ryker moves into Aiden’s space, crowding him until Aiden looks up into his eyes. Ry is at least three inches taller than the teenager and is certainly stronger.
Aiden swallows hard.
“I’m listening,” Aiden says, some of his bravado gone.
“Good. I have one rule on this ranch.” He points to me but keeps his eyes on Aiden’s. “No one fucks with her. You don’t yell at her, you don’t swear at her, you absolutely do not punch a wall anywhere near her. You treat Willow with respect. That’s it. We’ll figure everything else out as we go. You got that?”
Aiden’s eyebrows pull together as if he regrets what he did, and then he licks his lips and offers Ryker a nod.
“Yeah. I got it.”
“Good.” He turns back to me. “Where are your bags?”
I shake my head. “I’ll bring him in and pick him up every day.”
Ryker scowls. “That’s a lot of driving, Wills.”
“Well, I’m not leaving him. Everyone else in his life has abandoned him, and I’m not going to ever do that.” Aiden’s gaze whips up to mine in surprise. “No matter how much of a brat he is, he’s my brat, and he goes where I go. So I’ll bring him every morning, and I’ll pick him up at the end of the day.”