Page 139 of For Cowgirls and Kings

“I did.”

My brows pinch together. “What?”

“I called. First, I called every day for two weeks. And then you texted me and asked me to stop calling.”

I groan, and then bite my tongue trying to smother the sound.How could I forget that particular detail?I feel like I’m outside of my body, and nothing makes sense.

If I’m being honest with myself, nothing makes sense anymore.

“Yeah, well?—”

“I think the words you’re looking for are,‘I’m sorry Mateo’”.

I huff at the annoyance lacing his voice. “And why would I say that? What do I have to be sorry for?” I know I’m digging myself a hole here,but fuck.

“You sound frustrated. Are the vibrators not doing it for you anymore?” If I wasn’t sitting down, I’d fall over. Dead. Deceased.Keeled over.

“What makes you think I’m only using vibrators?” I grind out. This conversation is running off the rails, and fast.

“Don’t tease me.” His tone leaves no room for argument, in fact he sounds pissed, and I hate how my core clenches at the dominance in the words.

“We used to tease each other.”

“We also used to fuck each other.” I open my mouth, and then clank it shut, my teeth rattling. He huffs on the other end, and I can picture his eyes narrowing at me in the challengingway he always does when I disagree.“Excellent, now, please apologize.”

“For what?” I wheeze, leaning forward in my chair. I feel like there’s a boot on my chest, and I can’t crawl out from under it.

“Dale,” his voice is soft, but full of command. And fuck, if it doesn’t make me instantly wet.

“Mateo,” I challenge.

“Why did you call then?”

“Because I—”Why did I call?For the life of me I cannot remember now. “I’m hanging up now.”

But I don’t. And we sit in silence that borders on strangling. I know I should hang up. I have nothing left to say—nothing I can say—and he knows it. But he remains on the phone, allowing the time to tick by past us. And then he finally sighs, and I ache, my heart shattering at the intensity of the disappointment I feel radiating over the line before he whispers, “I miss you, too.”

FIFTY

MATEO

July 30th, 2025

I drummy fingers against the wheel, nerves and irritation warring through me like two angry blades. I feel flayed open from the last few months, and now that the end seems so close, I can’t help but worry. What if she doesn’t want this, want me? What if everything I’ve done isn’t enough?

The familiar red Mercedes slowly pulls around the manicured drive, inching ever closer as if she’s unsure of what exactly is going on. Which is fair—she’s about to get the surprise of her life and I just hope that she doesn’t kill me over it.

Then I’ll definitely never win Dale over.

With a final sigh, I open the door to my truck and jump out with a thud. V’s car comes to a halt, and I feel the scorching blaze of her eyes before I can see them. I’m not scared of my sister per-say, but there are very few people in this world who can make my toes curl, and both of them happen to be sitting in the front seat of the red car, boring holes into my flesh with their eyes.

It’s done, I remind myself. No matter what happens next, there’s no going back. I knew when I started down this path, I would eventually have to face the fire. Well, here’s the fire, andthe gasoline, ready to burn the life we’ve grown up knowing to ash.

I lean against the hood of my truck, staring back at them. Even if my heart is at a full gallop, I can pretend it’s not.I’m a grown ass man after all.

Valentina continues to stare at me, her eyebrows pinched so tightly together, I just know she’s ruining her botox. She’ll be lucky if her face doesn’t stick that way with the force she has behind that glare.

To my surprise, McCrae’s the first to open a door and climb out, his tall, muscular frame rippling as he rises to his full height. He looks out of place here, next to a car that costs more than most people’s houses, in his ripped jeans and dusty black T-shirt. But even though he looks like heshouldlook out of place, something about him…just fits.Like a puzzle piece that doesn’t look like it’ll fit the remaining hole, but then clicks in, surprising you completely.