Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

A ll of this feels wrong. I don't belong here anymore. This isn't my life. I can feel it in my soul that this isn't the place for me.

It's been two weeks since I left Wild Thorn Ranch. Two weeks of my mind being plagued by thoughts of them. Every moment spent with them playing on repeat in my mind like an endless loop.

I love them so much it hurts. Every day I'm away from them, I feel my heart breaking more and more.

"Miss Emma." Edwin, our butler, comes to stand next to me. I'm sitting by our indoor pool, watching as my friends Millie and Poppy swim.

I'm in my suit but I'm not really in the mood. Honestly, I don't even want them here, but they showed up unannounced as they always do.

"Yes?" I ask, giving him a friendly smile.

"Would you like more wine?"

Looking at my glass, I see that it's empty. I don't even remember drinking it, too lost in my own thoughts to notice.

"Yes please." I hold up my glass, letting him fill it with the sweet red liquid.

When he's gone, I sigh, looking out at my friends laughing and chatting.

"Emma, come join us!" Millie calls out.

"Yeah, Em, you're being a downer. You've been, like, super depressed since you've gotten back." Poppy cocks a brow, crossing her arms. The movement pushes her breasts up, her barely there bikini top hanging on for dear life.

Why am I even friends with these girls? I can't stand them. All they care about is marrying the wealthiest men, going shopping and taking vacations. Not to mention they are the worst gossips around.

Sadly, my life used to be that. Well, not the men part, that I've never really been too fond of. Also, the fact I didn't have a say in who I married.

I wish I fought harder when my father told me how I'd be marrying Greg. I should have told him that I didn't want to marry for money, but for love.

Knowing my dad, he would have laughed, told me he knows what's best, and dismissed me.

"Sorry?" I'm growing more annoyed by the minute. "I mean, I did just find out that my husband has been cheating on me for god knows how long. Sorry, I didn't come back all rainbows and sunshine."

"Honestly, Em, I don't see why you're acting so surprised." Poppy shrugs.

"I wasn't, that's the thing. I wasn't pissed that he cheated, I was pissed that he made a fool of me and my family name. After everything we did for his family, he goes and sinks his dick in some other chick."

"I mean, was he getting it from you?" Millie asks, the question sounding so genuine it makes me laugh in disbelief.

"You're joking, right?"

"Well, I mean if he's not getting any sex from you, he's gotta get it somewhere. You can't blame the man. I don't know why you would even want to risk it. Greg is so damn sexy!" Millie says and she and Poppy burst into giggles.

I can't stay here any longer, I'm going to lose my mind and end up doing something I might regret. Like drowning their asses.

"If you think Greg is so damn perfect," I tell them, standing up and downing my wine. "Then why don't one of you marry him. He's single now. Our divorce was finalized this morning."

And thank fuck for that. I'm officially single, no longer shackled to his ass. Having money did come in handy in this case. We were able to expedite the divorce and he got jack shit since he signed a prenup.

He tried calling me, coming to the house, texting. I ignored him and my father even threatened him with a restraining order if he didn't leave me alone.

He knows there's no chance in hell that we would work this out, and it's down right embarrassing he keeps trying. Not because he loves me, but because he knows he's fucked losing such a big connection.

Guess he should have kept it in his pants. He did me a favor anyway. At least I didn't lose years with his sorry ass.

I should be feeling bad that our marriage only lasted a few weeks, but I don't. That wedding should never have happened.

Only, if it didn't happen, I don't think I'd have found the Wild Throne Ranch listing and I wouldn't have met Weston and Wyatt.

I can't think of a life where they're not in it.

Fuck, I miss them so damn much it hurts.

"Wait, really?" Poppy's eyes light up.

"Fuck you." I place my glass on the table, too damn exhausted for this shit. "And get out of my house."

I leave them in the pool and head inside.

My plan was to go take a long hot bath and then go to bed early, but as I pass by my father's office, he calls me in.

"Emma, would you come in here please."

Sighing, I pause. I don't want to talk to him. I love him, I do, but I hate his way of thinking when it comes to women. It's like we're just arm candy meant to stand there and look pretty for the rich, powerful men of the world. It's all about connections and who you can move around on the chess board to better your position. I hate it. All of it. It's all fake backstabbing bullshit. You can't trust anyone and it's sad. And so damn lonely.

"Yes?" I ask, closing my robe and tying it.

"I wanted to talk to you about a few things. Sit," he says, pointing to the chair in front of his desk.

Reluctantly, I sit down on the black leather chair. "What's up?"

He raises his eyes from the papers before him. "What's… up? Since when have you started talking like that?"

Right, I almost forgot I usually wear a mask, pretending to be the perfect daughter. All prim and proper. Well, too bad for him because I don't have the strength for that right now.

"What would you like to talk about?" I try again, trying not to get snippy.

He cocks a brow and then speaks. "Everything regarding the shooting that took place on your trip is no longer an issue. Greg will not be pressing charges and the case is now closed. It was in self-defense, your little farm friend was protecting you."

A big weight gets lifted off my shoulders. I've been so worried about what Greg was going to do. I was sure he was going to try to drag Hadley through the mud because his stupid pride was hurt.

"Hadley," I tell him.

"What?" his brows furrow.

"Her name is Hadley."

"Right, right, anyway." He dismisses me. "What I really wanted to show you is this."

He turns the brown manila folders around and taps them.

Taking them curiously, I open the top one and glance over it.

"What's this?" It looks like a profile. Next to it are a man's photos and a bunch of information.

"Candidates." he says as if that should answer all my questions.

"Candidates for what?" I question.

"Really, Emma? Are you going to play dumb?" he sighs, like he's tired of dealing with me.

"I'm not playing anything. Dad, what are these for?"

"There are three files of men. Good, powerful, single men. Pick the one you like best and I'll make it happen." He nods, leaning back in his chair.

My lips part in shock, eyes widening. He's joking right? Please tell me this is all a fucking joke.

"You're joking, right?"

He frowns. "Of course, I'm not. You're single now. But, the longer you are, the more it doesn't look good on your image. I vetted these men myself. They're all good-looking, and can give you the life you deserve. You will be set for life, Emma, and not have to worry about a thing. You're young. Get married, have some babies. It's perfect timing."

He keeps going as I stare at him like he's grown a third head. How much wine did I drink, because I think I'm hallucinating. Can you do that from drinking?

Whatever the hell it is, it can't be real.

"There will be a prenup of course. Can't have anyone trying to take all our money." He chuckles as if he told a funny joke. "But, I will be taking out the infidelity clause. More than one failed marriage in your twenties isn't realistic. You're an adult, things happen. No one's perfect."

"No," I find myself saying, placing the folders back on his desk and standing.

"What?" he asks, confused.

I'm shaking my head, just done with all of this. It's my breaking point.

"I love you dad, I do. But I can't do this anymore. I'm not happy here. I don't want to marry some man for money and power. I want love. I want to be happy. I want a man who smiles when he sees me, like I'm the light of his world. Someone who will go to the ends of the earth to protect me. I don't want to smile and pretend life is perfect. I certainly don't want to marry a man who will cheat on me."

"Emma. You're being ridiculous," he seethes, getting to his feet.

"If wanting to be with the men who make me feel safe, wanted and loved, makes me ridiculous, then so be it." I laugh, shaking my head. "I'm not marrying any of these men, or anyone else you find."

"Where are you going?" he shouts after me as I turn around and race toward the stairs, a rush of clarity filling me.

I've stayed here this long, thinking I was protecting Hadley, the farm. If I have nothing to worry about, if there's no charges to be pressed, then why the fuck am I still here.

The need to see Weston and Wyatt has me vibrating with adrenaline.

Getting to my room, I grab the bags I didn't even bother unpacking when I got home.

So, I just start shoving clothes into the bags, grabbing more from my closet. When I'm done grabbing as much as I can, I quickly change out of my swimsuit.

Thankfully, when I bring the first set of bags down to the town car I called to take me to the airport, my father isn't there.

I can hear him though, screaming at, I'm assuming at my mother. I pay him no mind and go back up to grab the rest of my things.

I can't believe I'm doing this. I'm really leaving. And you know what, I've never felt so damn happy about anything in my life.

"Emma, honey what is going on?" my mother asks just as I'm about to leave my room.

"I'm leaving. I'm going back to Wild Thorn Ranch."

"What, why?" Her eyes widen.

"Because I'm in love. And I refuse to spend the rest of my life with a man who doesn't love me."

"Emma, you can learn to fall in love. You just have to give it time. I'm sure whoever your father picks for you will be better than Greg."

"I love you mom, but no. I shouldn't have to wait and see if I end up falling in love with my husband. Do you see how messed up that is?" I step forward and hug her. "I'll call you when I get there." Kissing her cheek, I grab my bags and head back downstairs.

My father is waiting for me now, standing off to the side looking pissed as hell, his face red like a raging bull.

"If you leave this house, you're done, Emma. You're cut off. No money, no cars, nothing!"

"If I had to choose love or money, Dad, I'll always choose love. Money doesn't fix everything, it doesn't always make your life better. Two weeks at the ranch, I felt more myself than I ever had in this house. I will no longer let you control me. I will take back my life and live it for myself. I don't care about the money, the house, or the car. It means nothing if I'm sad and lonely at the end of the day."

He keeps yelling at me, but I don't bother with him, throwing my bags into the back seat and sliding in.

"Airport," I tell the driver. "Go now please." I want to go before my father tries to stop me again.

Once I buy a ticket and get checked in, I head to my gate.

It's as I'm sitting, waiting for my plane to be ready to board, that's when I start to spiral. What if they hate me? What if they don't want anything to do with me anymore?

I've been ignoring their calls and texts. I've been afraid that if I heard their voices, I'd crumble.

With shaky hands, I decided to listen to my voice messages.

A sob gets caught in my throat when the first one is Wyatt's voice.

"Please listen before you delete this. Emma, I don't know what's going on in your head right now, but I need you to hear me out. We love you. Weston and I, we're in this for the long haul. We're willing to work through anything life throws at us. You're it for us, Emma. Take all the time you need, but know that we're waiting for you. Unless you call or text us to fuck off, we're not going anywhere. And honestly, even if you did, we probably wouldn't. We're that stubborn."

I'm full on ugly crying in the middle of the airport by the time the voice message ends. He said they loved me. That I'm it for them. Smiling, I bite my lower lip. I don't listen to the other messages, afraid of what they say.

I'm going back to Wild Thorn Ranch. I'm going to tell those two sexy cowboys how stupid I was for leaving, that I'm sorry and that I love them too.

I just hope I'm not too late.