Page 9 of Knot Her Cowboys (Big Sky Omegas #2)

“Riley.” Levi cupped my cheeks. “Do you think you can stand?”

I shook my head, my shaking body well beyond my control.

“Okay.” He scooped me up. “Dakota’s still dry so you’re going to ride with him back to the lodge. We’ll just be a few minutes to make sure everyone gets back safe. I’ll keep Starlight with me.”

Dakota hopped back on his mount and Levi helped to get me settled on his lap, Dakota wrapping a firm arm around me. I clung to the heat of him, still crying no matter how much I wanted to stop.

Levi sprinted ahead of us, already stomping across the river at the crossing by the time it was in sight.

As we got closer, I could hear shouting.

“Absolutely the fuck not,” Bruce snarled.

“Get. Off. Your. Fucking. Horse,” Levi demanded. “When you behave like you did, you walk. If you won’t get off, you’re no longer welcome here, and I will be more than happy to give you a police escort off the property.”

“That’s insane.”

“You put one of our guests in danger, you put us in danger, and you’ve disrespected our horses. Everything you did is grounds for immediate removal and don’t think for one fucking second I won’t push for that.”

“Just get off the horse,” Bryan pleaded with Bruce. “You’re embarrassing us.”

“No. My shoes will get wet.”

Of course that was what he was worried about.

Levi took over the reins of Bruce’s horse, taking them both across the river before staring him down. “Off.”

“Fuck you.” He slid to the ground with a roll of his eyes and Levi passed the reins to Dakota.

“Deep breaths for me,” Dakota crooned, pressing his lips to my hair. “Levi can handle himself. We’ll get you a hot shower and something warm to drink soon.”

“Give her to me,” Bruce demanded.

I shied away from his reach, holding tighter to Dakota.

“She doesn’t want you right now. Maybe you should do some self-reflection on why that is.”

“Oh, for god’s sake. Anne, you’re fine .”

“No thanks to you,” I snapped.

Bryan nudged his horse across the river, almost face-planting as he hopped down. “Anne, baby, are you okay?”

“Shut up.” Bruce growled.

Bryan flinched, taking a step back.

Bruce tore his furious gaze from Bryan back to me. “Stop using this as an excuse. It’s bad enough you let that other fucker touch you, and now this one too?”

Dakota tightened his grip on me.

Fury boiled in my gut. “Don’t you even care I could’ve drowned?”

“You didn’t . Maybe this will teach you not to play around with animals like some wild child.

Quit milking this and be an adult. You’re causing a scene and you know I hate that.

” He reached for me, trying to drag me right off the horse until Dakota nudged his horse away and brought his heel down against Bruce’s chest.

Levi tried to intervene but had no time at all to react before Bruce swung and connected.

Dakota tensed like he wanted to leap down and help, but I was blocking the way, being in his lap.

Levi was quicker the next time, nimbly dodging another punch before landing his own directly into Bruce’s gut, leaving my alpha wheezing.

Bryan dug his fingers into Bruce’s arm. “ Stop .”

All he earned for his attempt was Bruce’s fist in his face too, Bryan reeling backward with his hand clutched to his cheek.

My growl surprised all of us, Dakota’s horse twitching beneath us. “Fuck you. Don’t hurt Bryan. He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“ Anne ,” Bruce hissed. “I don’t know what the hell has happened to you since we got here, but this is not appropriate behavior. Get your shit together. Oskar and Karl aren’t going to tolerate this kind of bullshit.”

“Start walking,” Dakota demanded, cutting off Bruce’s tirade. “Follow the trail back to the lodge.”

“You’re sending me off by myself?”

“If you stay here for one more second spouting that shit, I’m going to get off this horse and knock your teeth out.”

“I’d sue you if you did.”

“I don’t doubt that for a second. I’d do it anyway.”

With an angry huff, Bruce turned down the trail, marching away.

Bryan looked helplessly between me and Bruce, eyes full of anguish. “Let me go see if I can calm him down.” He dashed after Bruce, keeping a healthy distance between them on the trail.

Half the riders had safely crossed the river and were waiting in a tidy line for Dakota to take the lead again.

“Thank you.” I whimpered, tucking my face tighter against his chest.

“No one gets to talk to you like that, petal. You’re safe here with me.”

That got my tears spilling like crazy all over again.

Once everyone had crossed, we started up again, Dakota at the lead with Bruce’s horse walking next to us, Levi at the back of the group, walking Starlight and Bryan’s horse.

Dakota purred the whole way back to help me calm down, holding me tightly to lend me the heat of his body.

Once we entered the corral, Dakota was quick to alert the staff Bruce was no longer welcome.

Two of the hefty alphas dashed down the trail so they could escort him back.

We stayed on horseback, slipping out the other side of the corral and heading to the reception building, where Dakota quickly caught Cash’s attention through the window.

He burst out the door, immediately collecting me from Dakota. I locked every limb around him. “Holy shit, you’re soaking wet. What happened?”

“Bruce—” I gasped out.

“Kicked his horse, spooked hers, and she got bucked right into the river. Take her up to the big house. I don’t want her around her alphas while we’re getting them out of their cabin.”

“Got it.” Cash set off at a brisk walk. “He’s fucking pissed. Been a long time since we had to kick someone out. Are you okay?”

I shook my head and buried my face against his throat, huffing his earthy cedar and sage scent like it could fix all of my problems.

Cash kicked open the door of a gorgeous farmhouse, taking me straight upstairs to a huge bathroom that boasted a built-in tub with a view of the trees, and a blue tiled standup shower stall.

“All right, let’s get you warmed up.” He awkwardly got the shower running without putting me down, stepping in, both of us fully clothed.

It was probably barely above tepid, but each droplet was like lava striking my skin.

Cash sank right to the floor, where he tossed my hat and shoes out, peeled my socks off, and rubbed his hands over my arms. “There we go. You’ll toast right up in no time.”

I cuddled harder against him. God, I’d missed him.

“Cash,” I croaked out. “Don’t let go.”

“I won’t. I promise.”