Page 41 of Wrangled and Tangled (Raven Peak Ranch #1)

A fter the press release, Eddie and I got the go-ahead to pull my trailer back into the rodeo lot and park it.

“It’s been a wild few weeks, huh?” He says, turning the truck off and rolling down the windows so the heat can blow through. It’s only gotten hotter, and I’m already starting to sweat.

“You’re tellin’ me,” I chuckle, swaying my head.

“How are Spencer and Briar?”

My smile tells it all, and he ‘oooooo’s with a laugh. “So what are you planning on doin’?”

With a heavy sigh, I hang my head. Spencer and I haven’t talked about life in the future or what it would look like. He hasn’t made any mention of the possibility, and part of me wonders if he’s waiting for me to bring it up.

Rodeo’s been my life for so long, it just feels like a given. If I left, I would miss it. Of course, I would, but knowing Spencer wants me… That’s worth so much more than the rodeo ever has.

I’ve dreamt time and time again about having a family, and experiencing life with someone else. If whatever Spencer and I could have is anything like those dreams, I’d quit rodeo, without question.

“It depends,” I tell him as my phone rings. Briar’s number pops up, and panic rises in my gut. “Briar, are you okay?”

Spencer only gave her my number for emergencies and only recently.

She sniffles on the other line and hiccups, “Could you come get me?”

“Where are you?” I demand, hearing the stress in her voice.

“C-Clara’s,” she says around a sob, and fire spreads through my body. Something ugly rears its head as my sweet girl cries.

“Send me the address.”

“Just don’t call Dad, okay?”

I don’t know why she doesn’t want me to call Spencer, but I’m not about to argue. Eddie gives me a look of concern and starts the truck up. “I’ll be there as soon as I can, Sweet Girl,” I tell her before I hang up.

“Where are we goin’?” He asks.

Waiting for Briar to text me the address feels like a weight crushing my chest. When it finally comes through, I guide Eddie to Clara’s house, and the familiar look of the driveway has me hopping out before Eddie can even get it in park.

Running up to the front door, I try the handle, but it’s locked. I can hear music coming from somewhere out back. There’s a path beside the garage, and without thought, I follow it to the backyard where teens of all ages are enjoying a large pool.

There’s so many people here, and I can’t find Briar.

“Uhm, hello?” A nasally voice catches me off guard. A thin girl wearing a bikini that most certainly isn’t appropriate for her age stands by a gate surrounding the yard. “Can I help you, perv?”

A gasp echoes, and then people are swarming the gate. “Heath Macabe!” Someone shouts, and all I give a fuck about right now is finding Briar.

“Where’s Briar?” I ask one of the dark-haired girls standing near the pool. Their mouths fall open, and they gawk, but I’m not in the mood for fans at the moment. “Where’s Briar?”

Colt pushes through the crowd, looking guilty as hell, and my instincts kick in. To hell with trespassing, I’ve got to find her. I shove my way into the backyard and let myself into the house as they whisper and argue.

“I tried to h–” Colt starts.

“Briar!” I shout, as Eddie comes around the corner following me into the house. “I can’t find her, and these dipshits aren’t helping. Briar!”

The house echoes, there’s hardly any furniture in here and odd-looking paintings.

“Briar!” I shout, almost in hysterics.

“Heath, maybe we should call Spencer,” Colt says, looking down at his feet.

“Where is she?” My voice drops, and even to my ears, it sounds scary.

“Heath?” Her voice is small and meek, I never thought I would string those two words together to describe Briar Tritt.

A door off to my left opens, and she pokes her head out. Her green eyes are rimmed red, face pale, making her freckles stand out even more than normal.

“Are you okay?” Rushing over to her, I push the door open so I can see her. Making sure there are no visible marks on her. She takes a double breath before more tears fall.

“Whose clothes are these?” I seethe.

Her eyes look over my shoulder, and I find Colt looking at her with pity. Walking over to him, I grip his shoulder and push him into the closest wall I can. “Did you touch her?”

I yell, keeping him in my grip. Eddie comes over, laying his hand on mine.

“Dude, he’s a kid,” he says, trying to push me off.

“He’s eighteen,” I snarl, “and if you touched her, I’ll fuckin’ make sure you pay.”

“I didn’t, Heath, I swear,” he says, holding up his hands. Eyes wide and trained on me.

“Heath!” Briar says, coming out of the bathroom and edging toward the front door. “Colt helped me. He didn’t touch me. No one did.”

By now, we’ve got an audience, and I’m sure a few cell phones are recording. Letting Colt go, he looks over at Briar and gives her a small smile. “I’m sorry, B.”

Her eyes well again, and she turns. There’s a snicker from one of the teens, and I whirl. “Who’s laughing?”

“Heath,” Eddie warns, but I’m too far lost in anger to care about how I look.

“The pig wasn’t lying,” one of the taller guys says. A few of the kids laugh, and Briar’s shoulders fold in.

“The fuck did you just say?” I ask, hoping for his sake I didn’t hear him right. Taking a few steps that way, they all back up.

“Would you rather I call her a fatass? Maybe she’s not a liar, but she is fat,” he laughs. Fucking laughs and Eddie grabs my upper arm to keep me from moving any closer.

“What’s your name, asshole?” I ask because the little shit looks familiar.

“Jarrett Walker,” he says, shoulders pushed back, standing a little taller. “The next bull ridin’ champion.”

It’s my turn to laugh, “Listen close, you little bastard, that’s my girl you’re talking about, and ain’t none of the riders I know gonna be happy about what I’ve heard today.” His shoulders sink, but only a little. His smirk remains, and I drop my voice down low.

“You know, riders talk. Terrible gossips the lot of ‘em, and they all think the world of Briar.” His smile falters, and I take that as my cue to deliver the last blow, “So I can assure you, I will make for damn sure you’re the next big nothin’ in rodeo, boy.”

Eddie releases my shoulder, and I turn, gathering Briar up in one arm as Colt reaches for her. “Br–”

“Don’t you say a fuckin’ word. I’ll let Spencer deal with you,” I warn, and he nods.

Loading Briar up into the backseat of Eddie’s truck, she grabs my hand as I go to leave and whispers, “Will you stay with me?”

I’m not about to deny her anything right now.

Nodding to Eddie, I crawl in and allow her to snuggle into my side. Colt’s clothes are a little too tight on her, so I wrapped her into a blanket Eddie has in the back.

“When you’re ready, will you tell me what happened?” I ask, attempting to soften my voice. Whatever she’s been through, I want to fix it, if that’s even possible.

She sniffles and sits up as Eddie drives aimlessly around town. “Do you want us to take you to Maxine’s?” I ask, and she vehemently shakes her head no.

“Home?” I try again.

“Is Dad at work?” She questions.

“I don’t think so,” I remember him saying something about being home all day after he finished his chores.

“No, can we just keep driving?” Her voice cracks, and I nod. Eddie meets my eyes in the rearview and nods, letting me know he heard.

After twenty minutes of driving around listening to her pop music, she finally takes a big breath.

“Clara…” she starts and stops, pausing for a while before she starts again.

“Clara clipped the strings on my bikini while I was talkin’ to Graham,” she hiccups but continues, “My top fell off in the pool, and they took it. Tossing it around while I covered myself. Some of them called me fat and piggy, taunting me. I know I’m not skinny like the other girls.

But I’ve never been mean to any of them.

Ever,” the skin around her eyes goes red, and her lips turn down.

“I don’t know why she did that. I thought she was my friend.” She swallows down more tears as she continues, “I was so embarrassed, trying to figure out the best way to get out of the pool and not expose myself even more, all while they threw my top around and called me names.”

My heart shatters, listening to her talk about what happened, and I hug her closer. Those fucking assholes will have their time, and I’ll make sure to mention Jarrett’s name to the rest of the riders.

“I’m sorry that happened, Sweet Girl,” I whisper against her hair, “I’m so fuckin’ sorry.”

I don’t have any magical words for her that will erase the emotional dent in her armor. I wish I did. I wish I could pull the dent out and polish it to a shine, but that’s something only Briar can do.

Spencer and I will have to talk about this. There’s no way in hell I’m not telling him what happened.

“I know you don’t want to tell your dad, and you don’t have to, but I do,” I tell her, holding up a hand when she pops up with terrified eyes. “I know it’s not what you want, but he deserves to know, and their parents need to be aware of what their kids are doing.”

“But–” she starts, only to look down at her hands and nod. “I don’t want to relive it again.”

“That’s fair, but I can’t promise that your dad won’t ask you about it after he and I talk,” I warn.

She nods, and with a sigh, she snuggles back into my side and says, “Let’s go home.”