Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

" I 'm starving," Hadley groans. "I could eat a horse right now."

"Don't do that." I laugh. "We're almost there. Also, I love every single one of your horses, I don't want to see them get eaten."

She shoots me a cheeky smile. "Hahaha." Then she rolls her eyes. "So, you and my brothers, what's going on there?"

My smile slips into something more nervous. "I'm not sure," I whisper, leaning against the truck door to look out the window and watch the passing trees. "I like them a lot. Maybe more than I should."

"Why are you acting like that's bad?"

"Because." I let out a heavy sigh. "It's not that easy. I'm still married for one. And yes, that's going to end soon, but it doesn't change the fact, this life you have, it's everything." I feel tears forming in my eyes. "Everything I could have dreamed of. But, the reality is, this isn't my life."

"It could be." She casts me a serious look. "No, seriously, Emma. This is your life and I can't pretend to know how it is to live it, but I know that life is short. If you find a better life, one that will leave you with no regrets, don't let it pass. You just might wake up one day, after losing years you will never be able to get back, and hate your life."

Biting the inside of my cheek, I will myself not to cry as we get to the diner. "Maybe you're right," I whisper before we hop out of the truck.

"Your food will be out in just a moment, love," Hadley's aunt says, giving her a loving smile.

"Thanks, Auntie." Her aunt kisses Hadley's cheek before heading into the back.

"I love this place," I sigh, the yummy smells making my belly growl in hunger. "So much better than the places I go too. Better food, better price, nicer people and god, I don't have to put on a dress that rides up my ass just to enter."

"I mean, you could." Hadley laughs. "But it's not needed." She winks.

"Here's your order." A young girl brings out five bags of food.

"You take half to the truck, I'm gonna go pee real quick then I'll grab the rest on my way out," Hadley tells me.

"Okay." I nod, grabbing two of the bigger bags, one for each arm and head out to the parking lot.

I'm almost to the truck, when I hear my name being called.

"Emma."

Dread fills my stomach like fresh cement. My eyes dart over to see Greg.

Fucking hell, does he just hang out here all fucking day.

Seeing him once today was more than enough.

Shaking my head, I keep walking toward the truck. "I don't want to talk to you."

I'm not fast enough because he rushes in front of me, blocking my way.

"I don't give a shit what you want, Emma. The crap you pulled this morning with that hillbilly was more than enough."

"He's not a hillbilly," I tell him, anger growing inside me. "Weston and his brother are good men. Better men than you. So, if you don't mind, I'm gonna go."

"You're not going anywhere," he snaps. "I will not be leaving this fucking hick town without you, Emma." He takes a step closer.

I want to stand my ground but the idea of him getting closer has me stepping back. "You are my wife, and you will be coming home with me tomorrow."

I shake my head. "I might be your wife, but it's on paper only. And soon, that won't even be the case."

He lets out a condescending laugh. "So what, you're going to stay here and play housewife to those cowboys? I've been watching you whore it up with the two of them," he scoffs, shaking his head. "Do you have no shame? Not only are you with someone so below you, but you're with two. Is one cock not enough for you, Emma?" He shakes his head. "Doesn't fucking matter. Your fun is over, now it's time to come home with me."

"No," I shout, vibrating with anger. "I said we're over. The divorce papers are already being drawn up as we speak. I will be doing nothing with you ever again."

Greg's face morphs into rage. "Listen here, you little bitch." He moves so fast, I don't see him coming until he grabs onto my arm. I cry out at the force of his grip, and the food crashes to the ground. "You are coming home with me," he snarls, shaking my shoulder. "I will not let some little red-headed bitch be my fucking downfall. We are not getting divorced. I will not let you ruin my fucking name."

"Let go of me." I hate how my voice quivers in fear. "You're hurting me."

"So you can get away again, not fucking happening." He snorts out a laugh.

"Let her go." A fierce voice comes from beside me. I look over to see Hadley standing there, phone in her hand. "My brothers are on their way. And the owner of the diner is calling the cops. So I'd suggest you let go of her unless you want to make this a hell of a lot harder on yourself."

"I don't give a shit about your brothers. Do none of you hick people understand who the fuck I am? I could have them locked up with one call." Greg laughs. "They can't do shit to me. As for the cops, what are they going to do? She's my wife. I can do with her as I fucking please." His grip tightens as he starts to tug me away.

I've never felt fear like this before. I knew Greg wasn't some amazing man, but I didn't think he could be this cruel.

And who is he? He was fucking nothing until our parents agreed to merge our families with me being the key to the castle.

"Let go of me!" I shout, his fingers pressing harder into my skin. It's going to leave a bruise and the idea of him leaving his mark on me makes me want to puke.

"You heard the lady, let her go," Hadley says in a dark warning tone I haven't heard from her before.

"Fuck off, you little bitch," Greg snaps. I'm not sure who he's responding to.

"I really didn't want to do this," Hadley sighs. My eyes find her just in time to see her pull something from her belt. My eyes widen when I see her aiming a gun. She fires once, the bang loud enough to make my whole body jolt in surprise.

But what's even louder is the wail that comes from Greg as he lets go of me and drops to the ground.

Eye widening, I jump back, hands covering my mouth in shock.

"You fucking shot me!" Greg roars.

"I told you to let her go," Hadley shouts. "You didn't fucking listen."

Greg continues to scream in pain as he holds his knee. Blood spills out of it and the sight has my stomach turning.

"Are you okay?" Hadley grips my shoulders, pulling my attention off the gruesome scene to her panicked face.

"I-I think so," I whisper. She pulls me into her arms, wrapping them around me. I find it oddly comforting as I stare at Greg. He's screaming, calling Hadley and me all the nasty names in the books.

People start coming out of the diner, crowding around to see what's going on, but no one tries to help him. And fuck… a sense of happiness fills me at that.

It's like everyone shows up all at once. Cops in one direction with an ambulance in another, and the twins pull up like a bat out of hell in their truck.

A sob of relief hits me as they get out of their truck and run over to me.

"Emma," Weston says my name with so much panicked relief.

I throw myself into his arms and he catches me easily.

"Hellcat, are you okay?" Wyatt rubs my back as I cling to Weston like he's my life raft.

"No," I sob into Weston's shoulder, the shock starting to wear off.

"What happened?" Wyatt asks. "Hadley called us, said she was coming out of the diner and that Greg had his fucking hands on you."

"He tried to make me leave with him," I tell them in between sobs. "He wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Did he hurt you?" Weston growls. "Did he lay his fucking hands on you?"

I nod, pulling back and showing them my arm. There's red prints where his fingers were, and it's already starting to bruise.

"I'm going to fucking kill him," Wyatt snarls.

"Not if I fucking do it first," Weston promises.

"You can't fucking avoid your life forever, Emma," Greg shouts. I look over to see Greg being loaded into the back of the ambulance, handcuffed to the stretcher. "It's not a fucking game!"

Swallowing hard, it hits me just how much power Greg actually has. He's going to cry to his parents who will call mine and then I'll get my ass handed to me.

How dare I not be the pristine, perfect daughter they want.

There's no way he's just going to let Hadley get away with what she did.

My eyes sting with tears as a new wave of fear hits me for my new friend.

"Fuck you, you stupid sack of shit!" Weston shouts as they close the doors and the ambulance takes off.

The next hour is filled with questions from the police, Hadley and I replaying everything as best as we can before the police take pictures of the marks on my arm. The guys are glued to my side the whole time. I'm glad they are because I don't think I'd be able to keep it together if it wasn't for their strength.

Thankfully, they didn't arrest Hadley, but they did have to take her down to the station until they get Greg's side of the story.

"She'll be fine," Wyatt says as my body fills with dread watching her leave in the back of the cop car. "Dad's gonna go down there and meet her."

"You should go too," I sniff, wiping my eyes at tears I didn't know were falling.

"Hadley is a lot stronger than you might think. You're the one who needs us more," Weston says.

"She just shot a man. That's got to be a lot on a person," I huff.

"It's not her first time." Wyatt attempts a grin.

"And it probably won't be the last." Weston chuckles.

My eyes widen. "Do I even wanna know?"

"A story for another day." Weston pulls me back into his arms and kisses the top of my head.

"We got everything we need from you. If we have any more questions, we'll call," the nice cop who's been talking to us tells me.

"Thanks." I give him a smile, but it takesa lot of effort.

"Come on, Hellcat. Let us take you home."

I feel a little numb as the guys help me into the truck, sandwiching me between the two of them. Tears fill my eyes as we pull out of the parking lot, my eyes on the discarded food on the ground. I must be in shock still, because all I can think about is how much of a waste that good food is, and now I'm fucking crying again.

Wyatt holds me close as Weston drives with his hand on my knee. The touch of them both settles me. And it scares me just how much I've come to need them, crave them.

The guys are saints as they draw a bath, strip me out of my clothes and get me into the tub. We don't talk, just sit in an odd, comforting silence as they wash me.

When they're done, they dry me off, dress me and pull me into bed. I'm not sure of the time, but the sun is still up, only just starting to set, so it can't be too late.

Yet, I find my eyes heavy and everything in me starts to shut off.

As I drift off to sleep, head on Weston's chest, Wyatt's body curled into mine as he rubs my arm, I can't help thinking of Greg and what he said.

What am I doing here?

I can't just forget about the life I have. It was only supposed to be a two-week vacation. How did I go from being on my honeymoon, to filing for divorce and falling hard for two guys.

What the hell am I going to do?