Page 40 of Claiming Ours (Anchor Bay #2)
LIAM
“ I ’m glad you two enjoyed the ride. Thank you for booking through Uplift.”
I took the reins from the woman’s outstretched hand, careful not to touch her, though she apparently had different plans.
It was minuscule but clearly deliberate when her pinkie finger stroked against the side of my hand in a teasing touch.
Her batting thick black lashes and high-pitched giggle when I said nothing remotely funny also signaled that the unwanted touch was intentional.
Throat working, I swallowed down the string of curses that sat on the tip of my tongue.
But like a good Uplift employee, I kept my mouth shut to not offend the paying client.
Instead of offering her the forced smile I usually gave clients, I settled my features into a blank mask, not inviting any hope that her blatant flirting would work and turned to lead the last horse to the trailer.
Today’s ride was on a trail far from town but easy, which was why I chose it for inexperienced riders like the woman’s ten-year-old son.
“I’ve heard rumors about the company you work for and the unique community,” the woman said, following me to the trailer.
With my back to her, I rolled my eyes to the blue sky, knowing she couldn’t catch me.
“I’m intrigued and….” She paused, making me look back at her, hoping she’d passed out or bitten her tongue off, but she was just checking over her shoulder where her son played in a small stream, throwing rocks and cheering at the big splashes.
Her smile widened, thinking I was actually interested in what she had to say.
“A lot turned on at the idea of multiple partners. Is that something all of you participate in? Even you?”
Well, fuck.
Grumbling under my breath, I turned my back to her again and started walking. “It’s good to see your son enjoying the outdoors,” I said, blatantly ignoring her questions. “Most kids these days only want to play on their devices.”
Catching up, she walked beside me, her wide, pearly white smile still in place.
“Yes, well, my husband loves to take him camping and all that.” She waved her hand dismissively, the huge rock on her hand glinting in the sun.
“I never found it interesting. I much prefer activities in the bedroom with men who can keep up with my needs.” She licked her lips as she gave me a slow once-over. “I’m sure you could, cowboy.”
After loading the horse, I backed out of the trailer and closed the doors. Lock secured, I turned only to curse, back slamming against the metal with a bang at her being right in front of me with a hopeful expression.
Annoyance and resentment churned in my gut.
The woman reminded me too much of my late wife.
Perfect makeup, though thick and unattractive to me, uncaring about upholding her marriage vows, and only fucking thinking about herself.
She didn’t even notice that her son had wandered farther down the stream, almost out of sight.
When her hand hovered over my chest, I sidestepped like I was dodging a viper to avoid the contact.
“Do not touch me,” I snarled. “And back the hell up. We appreciate your business, but we are done here. You can follow me back to The Nest in your car, where I will leave you to head home to my amazing girlfriend.”
As I spoke, her sultry smile fell until her lips were pressed into a thin line.
“You’re missing out on a good time,” she snapped. “I could be so much better than your girlfriend.”
“No, what I’m missing out on is time with her because you’re delaying me getting home to her. Please grab your son and load up. I have somewhere I want to be, and it’s not fucking here.”
Turning, I stormed to the truck and yanked the driver’s door open, slamming it shut after I folded into the seat. Hands curled into tight fists on my thighs, I watched as the woman helped her son into the back seat, then stomped around the back of her rental and climbed inside.
Chest heaving from the ball of anger and rage filling my chest, I did the only thing I knew would help. After tapping Baylee’s contact, I put the phone on speaker and tossed it into the cupholder. She picked up right as I cranked the engine, the roar almost drowning out her sweet voice.
“Hey, you.” The tension in my shoulders instantly eased a fraction. “You on your way home?”
“Yeah,” I breathed. Putting the truck into Drive, I eased off the brake. “Should be back soon.”
“Everything okay?” Her tone was tight with concern. “You sound like something’s wrong or you’re about to snap someone’s neck.”
I huffed a laugh at that last part, knowing the joke was her attempt to ease my tension. “Just a difficult client after a long ride,” I responded, not wanting her to worry. After what happened with Miles and Aiden, I didn’t need her thinking this woman would turn into a stalker.
I shifted my gaze to the side mirror to make sure the rental SUV was still following me.
“I’m sorry. Anything I can do to help?”
“You already did,” I answered honestly. “Be home in a little while.”
I ended the call and focused on the road. Hauling a trailer full of horses down the narrow and winding road wasn’t anything new or difficult, but keeping my head in the game kept me from making mistakes, which could easily be life-threatening out here.
Two hours later, I had the trailer unloaded, tack removed and cleaned, and horses taken care of with fresh oats in their feed buckets.
Closing the barn door, I lifted my cowboy hat and swiped a forearm over my sweaty forehead.
The sun shone high overhead, a nice reprieve from the storms. The trail was muddy because of all the rain, but the horses didn’t mind, happy to be out of the barn.
Irritation still simmered just under the surface from the woman’s advances, distracting me to the point that I didn’t notice the small crowd hanging around Baylee’s cabin until their muffled conversation reached my ears.
Shifting to a jog, I rushed to the group.
My heart dropped into my gut, finding Langston’s arms wrapped around Memphis.
With a curse, I shoved the others aside, bounded up the stairs, and forced myself between the two men.
Lang stumbled back with a grunt, falling against the railing with a confused expression, while Memphis sailed backward, slamming against the front door.
“Shit,” I cursed, rushing to help Memphis off his ass.
“What the fuck are you doing, Liam?” Langston yelled at my back.
“Saving his ass and your life,” I snapped, turning around to face the asshole.
Keeping my body positioned between them, I searched the group to get a read on why no one else had intervened. Baylee sat calmly on the porch swing beside Amy, both failing to hide their laughter and wide smiles behind loose fists.
My brows pulled in tight, utterly confused why she thought Langston fighting Memphis was funny. “What am I missing?”
“They weren’t fighting,” Ethan offered from where he leaned against the railing near the swing. “Though, knowing Langston like we do, I can see why you thought that instead of what was really happening.”
“Which was what?” I asked, looking around. At the base of the steps, Brandon and Carl stood side by side, heads together, talking in low voices. “What’s going on?”
The earlier irritation made me jittery, the urge for a fight an insistent itch beneath my skin.
“Langston, the grumpiest asshole you’ll ever meet, was actually attempting to hug your third.
” It took a second for Ethan’s words to register.
Memphis grabbed my shoulder, drawing my attention, and nodded.
“Apparently, the tatted newbie is officially a welcomed and protected member of our community thanks to him saving West’s life. ”
Then it clicked. West and Langston were in a complicated relationship.
They shared women but also had their own version of fun if an interested female wasn’t around.
I wasn’t sure how much they actually cared for each other, but if Langston was here hugging Memphis for saving West’s life, then it was more than I suspected.
Memphis stepped up to Langston and held out a hand.
“I’m glad to hear your friend is all right, and I was happy to help.
” He leaned back against the side of the cabin and turned to me.
“Langston stopped by to let everyone know West made it to the hospital safely and the doctors think they can save his fingers, including regular mobility.”
“Really?” I questioned, hope lifting my tone.
Langston ran a hand over his short dark hair, appearing more exhausted than I’d ever seen him. “He’s scheduled for surgery in the morning. They had to call in a special surgeon.”
“We’ll help cover all the medical bills,” Brandon chimed in before turning his attention back to Carl, his expression bleak.
“What’s this about?” I motioned between the two of them, but Langston was the one to respond.
“West was out of it from the pain meds, but before I left to grab clothes and shit, he dropped a fucking bomb on me and Juno.” It didn’t go unnoticed that Langston didn’t have the same snarl when mentioning Juno.
“He said only one thing made sense for why the chopper was such a damn mess inside. It was sabotaged.”
Either the entire world went quiet or my hearing went out, because there was only silence as that unexpected word repeated over and over in my head.
“I know what he said, but that doesn’t make any sense. It had to be the pain meds,” Amy said beside Baylee, who grabbed her friend’s hand and squeezed. “Who would want to sabotage our shit?”
“What about that guy?” Memphis mused, hitching his chin at Baylee. “The doctor guy who gave you a hard time yesterday.”
I stood up a little straighter at that fucking news. “What is he talking about, Little Bit?”
A flush crept up her neck and flooded her cheeks. “Taylor—Dr. Richards—came by yesterday, and when Memphis intervened, Taylor got a little mouthy.”