Page 27 of The Unbuttoned Ranger (Texas Heat: The Heart of a Texas Ranger #1)
“ Are you sure you want to do this?”
CaDee looked up at Sharp and nodded. “ I made my mind up. I need to do this.” She knocked on the motel room door.
The TV was on inside and his car was parked in front, so she knew he was there.
She heard the lock click and then the door opened, only a crack.
“ Dante? I need to speak to you,” she said bravely.
He dragged the door open wider, blinking against the sunlight streaming in. Obviously, he ’ d been on a drinking binge. He looked like hell. His hair was disheveled. He wore a scraggly beard, and his clothes were wrinkled like he ’ d slept in them for days.
Dante swiped his gaze from her to Sharp. “ You couldn ’ t come without your bodyguard?”
“ Like I said, you and I need to talk.” She stayed on track. She knew what she wanted to say.
“ He stays outside.”
“ That ’ s not going to happen—”
CaDee laid her hand on Sharp ’ s shoulder. “ It ’ ll be okay. Stay here. I won ’ t be long.”
Uncertainty crossed his features. She thought he might deny her request, but he finally nodded. “ I ’ ll be right here.”
Dante laughed and pushed open the door with his foot. “ Welcome to my lovely abode.”
Entering, she felt like she was being welcomed into a cave. The room was dark, smelling of cheap whiskey, and the TV was too loud. Empty take out containers cluttered every available space.
She picked up the remote from the desk and clicked the TV off.
“ Why are you here?” Dante asked.
“ I received the letter from your attorney.”
“ Good to know the damn bastard is doing his job.” Dante dropped down onto the bed, his cold blue eyes burrowing through her.
“ This can get ugly, Dante. That isn ’ t fair to Carsen.”
“ What ’ s not fair to my boy is that you ’ ve poisoned his mind against me.”
“ That ’ s not true. Anything that Carsen knows it ’ s because he ’ s seen it between us.”
“ Does our son know you ’ re fucking the cowboy?” His words held disgust.
She reminded herself that Dante could be manipulative. He had a way of pushing people to their limits. “ That ’ s none of your business. You and I are divorced. The reason why I ’ m here is to remind you that we don ’ t want to drag Carsen through an unnecessary battle.”
“ Then you must be finally willing to let me see him.”
“ The court awarded full custody to me for a reason. I refuse to go against the order.”
He scrubbed his whiskered jaw. “ Then I ’ ll fight for my parental rights. Circumstances have changed.”
“Really? Looks like they’re the same to me.” She looked at the empty whiskey bottle on the nightstand.
“I don’t trust your judgement,” he bit out.
“ Then, go ahead. Do what you see fit but I need you to realize that I ’ m going to fight back. I ’ m not running. Carsen is happy here. I ’ m happy here. This has become our home. You want to see our son, then stop living like this. And stop stalking us.”
He chuckled. “ Whoever put that idea into your head is lying.”
“ We have video surveillance of you trespassing. You ’ re no longer in control, Dante.”
He jumped up and she instinctively took a step back.
Sharp was just outside the door. All she had to do was call for him and he ’ d be inside. Dante couldn ’ t hurt her any longer.
He walked past her to pour himself a glass of whiskey from a full bottle.
She hated that things were like this. Where in their lives together had Dante become a monster? She didn ’ t want this for Carsen.
“ You ’ re going to come back to me. You know you will. You ’ re not cut out for this shit,” Dante said in a near whisper.
“ No, I won ’ t come back. Ever. What we shared is history. Now my only concern is my son.”
“ Our son,” he slurred.
“ Right. Our son. Are you even thinking of him while you ’ re drinking yourself to death?”
This didn ’ t even make Dante twitch.
He said bitterly, “ Are you even thinking of our son when you fuck the cowboy?”
She shook her head. This was a waste of time. “ All you care about is your ego. I should have known better than trying and speak to you. I ’ m warning you, stay away from me and Carsen. You ’ re toxic.” She swiveled and crossed the short distance to the closed door.
Dante slid between her and the door as a barrier. “ Leaving already?”
She felt the tension rise. “ One raised word from me and Sharp will break down the door,” she said boldly.
Dante ’ s abrasive chuckle felt like sandpaper on her senses. He reached around and pulled open the door. “ She ’ s all yours, cowboy.”
CaDee stepped out, inhaling fresh air.
“ You okay?” Sharp asked.
“ Peachy,” she said and didn ’ t look back as she made her way to Sharp ’ s truck, her knees shaking.
Once she was in the passenger seat, she finally managed to breathe normally again. “ I feel relieved. Liberated,” she said.
“ I ’ m proud of you.” Sharp pulled onto the highway.
“ Let ’ s go home.”