Page 5 of Ridin' True

He bit back his annoyance. He hated when she did this—treated him like he didn’t spend just as much time with their kids as she did; like he was a dumbass who couldn’t parent on his own.

“Yes.”

“Good.”

She folded her arms across her chest as a breeze blew by, but she didn’t say goodnight. He wondered if she was waiting for him to ask how her trip was. She’d be waiting all night if that was the case.

After a moment, she cleared her throat and said, “Listen, Evan and I spent a lot of time talking these last couple of weeks about the kids and what’s best for them. Now that we’re married, we can provide a really stable environment. We decided, after the summer is over, we want to keep them with us during the week. You can have them every other weekend.”

She said it like it was no big deal. Like she was telling him about upcoming vacation plans.

“Likefuck,” Wrangler barked with a scowl.

She nodded knowingly, her civil demeanor gone as she replied, “I knew you would react this way.”

“How the hell did you think I would respond to your attempt to take my kids from me?”

“That—thatright there. This isn’t aboutyou, Wrangler. It’s about them and their wellbeing. They’ve been going back and forth between us for years. I’m finally in a place where I can provide them with anormalhome life, and Evan fully supports this.”

Wrangler shrugged flippantly. “I don’t give a shit what Evan thinks. Evan is not their father. I am. They arejust finewith how things are.”

“Wrangler, listen to me, I’m not taking them away from you. You’ll still see them.”

“No. We’re not talkin’ about this anymore, because it’s not happenin’.”

She huffed a sigh, unfolding her arms before running her fingers through her long, tousled hair. “Okay, you can stand there in denial all you want, but I suggest you get a lawyer. I’ll be seeking to modify our custody agreement effective at the beginning of the school year. I’d like us to handle this outside of court, but that’s up to you. I’ll text you my lawyer’s contact information. As soon as you’re ready, we can schedule a mediation.

“Goodnight, Wrangler.”

He stared at her as she turned her back on him and walked away.

He wasseething.

He shouldn’t have been surprised, but he was. She’d been playing games since the moment they split. He was used to her bullshit, but this—this crossed the line.

When the car began to ease out of his driveway, he slammed his door shut and faced his living room. He saw the large, gray, L-shaped sectional that sat in front of the TV he had mounted on the wall. It was as comfortable as it was sturdy. So far, it was able to withstand the way Axel threw himself onto it whenever they settled down to watch a movie.

Beyond the living room was the kitchen. Marlowe’s completed library books were perched on the island. His dining room table, on the other side, was littered with Phase Ten cards. Everything he saw as his eyes scanned his surroundings was for his kids.

The hardwood floors underneath his feet, the roof over his head, the food in his fridge—it was for his kids.

He was unequivocally two things: a father and a Stallion, and in that order.

Nicole knew that. She fucking knew it. But she was always trying to best him at something. Now she was married to some lame fucker who thought he was going to help Nicole rob him of his children.

Then it struck him.

Wrangler closed his eyes and dropped his chin when he realized what must have set her off.

Axel broke his arm a week before her wedding. He was with Wrangler when he fell. It was an accident and bound to happen, Axel being Ax. He would be fine. His arm would heal, but he had to be in a cast for six weeks.

He chose a black wrap.

Apparently, Nicole’s wedding colors were muted and neutral. Axel’s cast likely stood out like a sore thumb in all the pictures. Wrangler wasn’t there, but he was sure she was pissed. Pissed enough to pull this shit.

He let her get away with a lot of foolishness, but there was no way in hell she was going to win this one.

Still standing near the door, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Bull’s number.