Wild Ride: BBW Western Romance (Under Open Skies Saga Book 2) (14 page)

She assessed him for the first time. He clearly had no idea what she was talking about. She backed down a bit. Whatever scheme he ran was
n’
t meant to screw the company.  Just one of the employees.

Damn it
.

“
You used company phones and company email inappropriately. Are you sure all you are hiding is an affair
?
”

“
This is
n’
t about the affair? What is it about? What did you think I did
?
”

“
I
t’
s a company matter
.
”

He was having none of her tight lipped answer
.“
If this concerns something about my boys I need to know, Kat. I might think you are a bit too green to be doing this job, but I have to protect my men. Just the same as you have to protect your company
.”
His tone changed, and his face softened.

She sighed. So much for keeping it quiet.

“
Someone is passing through mandates. Company policy on my behalf. But it is
n’
t me
,”
she admitted
.“
Y
a’
ll hate me for stuff
I’
m not doing, and I ca
n’
t find who is
.
”

“
This is about the pay cuts, is
n’
t it? And the lack of repairs
?
”

“
What do you know about it
?”
She did
n’
t want to ask for help, but he knew the issues.  If he was
n’
t the one responsibl
e—
and his bristled voice was
n’
t the mark of a guilty ma
n—
then she needed any information she could get.

“
Alice told me they came straight from your desk. But Hank seemed confused about it all. He told me about the cuts, but that he was sure you would get your head on straight. Except it has
n’
t been you. This whole time
.”
She fought the urge to run, Samue
l’
s clenched eyebrows and read face making her fear his response.

The man was like a caged bull, ready to get out of the pen and do some damage.

“I’
m sorry. I really thought you were a bitch. Now
I’
m pissed that someone is fucki
n’
around with my employees
.”
He seethed. Actually seethed
.“
I knew he was low, but I never thought it would stoop to his
.
”

“
Who
?
”

“
Is
n’
t it obvious? Hunter Daniels. He has always tried to sabotage this company. Refused to ride for them, even when his mom was a partner. Never really cared about us. Just another asshole who will run something he ca
n’
t have into the ground
.
”

His ramblings made almost no sense.

“
Wait, slow down. What do you mean Hunter Daniels was behind this
?
”

“
His mom does
n’
t own the whole company, only a partial share. And now, with John gone, if it can lose momentum and credibility, he can scoop it up. Bring it back to what
a“
rea
l”
rodeo facility should look like. Your dad was soft, you are soft. Things are not like they used to be. Not the way that I remember them. Not that way that Hunter remembers them. This all makes perfect sense
.”
Vitriol fueled his accusations as he hissed them out, angry.

It seemed like a leap
.“
Why do you think that
?
”

“
He has always been out for the win. Yo
u’
ve seen him ride, have
n’
t you? Does
n’
t care about anyone else. Just wants to get his
.
”

Pieces started to connect.  Ka
t’
s stomach turned.

How else would he know about these problems before anyone else?

Why would he bring them to her attention?

Maybe he wanted to demoralize her, get her to realize that she was a part of the problem.

What kind of twisted game was he playing
?

If it was true, it would change everything
.“
How sure are you about this
?”
She asked as she looked into Samue
l’
s eyes.

“
I would bet my boots on it
.
”

She was tired of suspecting everyone. Tired of suspecting the people she most cared about. But she had to know who was behind this. She took it personally. Kat gripped the steering wheel a little bit harder as she pushed her foot down on the gas. Her little car tore up the gravel on the road as she barreled down it. She was tired. And she missed her father. He would never have had these kinds of problems. He would have known what to do. He would have fixed it.

Instead she was alone.

The tears started falling before she even felt them build up, clouding her vision and leaving her to navigate the roads with blurry eyes. She blinked, trying to get them out of the way but they just kept coming, in heaving sobs. There was no way she could keep driving like this. She pulled off the road abruptly and parked. Someone honked at her, but Kat did
n’
t care. At least she was
n’
t in a position to run into anyone.

The tears flowed, uninhibited, followed by screams of pain as she let it consume her. They were
n’
t little yells, they were the kind that made any passerby think she was dying or in severe pain. The wails of a broken woman. Around her 9th or 10th scream she was startled by a knock on her window. She flicked the button down and cracked the window.

“
Mrs. Brooks? That you
?”
Wyatt was staring back at her, concern fresh on his face.

She looked around.
Dammit,
I’
m not even off the facility road
.

She wiped her tears away quickly, looking up at him
.“I’
m sorry. Just a little cathartic grief.
I’
m fine now. Really
.”
Her weak smile was
n’
t going to convince anyone.

If anything he looked more concerned
.“I’
m going to call Hunter, just give me a minute
.
”

“
No, really. I do
n’
t need anyone
.”
She bit her lip and looked at him, but he was already walking away, phone to his ear.

After a minute she heard him walk back, the crunch of dirt under his boots alerting her to his presence.

“
H
e’
s on his way, just hold tight, okay? Want me to stay
?”
His voice was so warm, she almost said yes. Almost.

Kat shook her head, and wished away the stubborn scarlet that was surely coloring her hot cheeks.

Wyatt gave her a weak smile before giving her a wave. He was as uncomfortable as she was.

“
Thanks
,”
She whispered meekly, completely embarrassed.

The minutes ticked by one by one until she finally saw Hunte
r’
s truck park behind her little car. A scowl was clear on his face. Great. Not only was she embarrassed, but he was also mad at her. It should
n’
t matter to her what he felt like, if what Samuel was suggesting was true, it would ruin everything. She could
n’
t trust him, hell, she couldn't trust herself.

Each step closer he came, the more worried she got. She could see the lines on his face, and they were not lines of a smile. What was he thinking?

He opened the ca
r’
s passenger door and slid inside. His frustration was palpable.

“
Why the hell did
n’
t you call me, Kat? Tha
t’
s what
I’
m here for. Whenever you need me you call
.”
He blew out a breath as he looked her over, and it was enough to make her want to laugh.

This was ridiculous. All of it.

“
But I do
n’
t even know if I can trust you
.”
The tears were back and they were followed by the sobs. She couldn't take this, losing her father, and then his company. It was just too much.

“
What? Why would
n’
t you be able to trust me? Come here, honey. Let me hold you
.”
He grabbed her and pulled her to his chest. She breathed in his smell, letting him comfort her. It was working.

Until she opened her mouth to explain
.“
Because you are the one trying to ruin my da
d’
s business. You want it all for yourself
.”
It sounded ridiculous, even to her.

“
What? Why would you even say that
?
”

“
Samue
l…
he was
n’
t the one
.”
She pressed on
.“
It only made sense that it was you. You said he was your friend, even he said it pointed to you
.
”