Second Burn Cowboy (Second Chance Series Book 6) by Rhonda Lee Carver Page A
Authors: Rhonda Lee Carver
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curved. “I don’t? Deckland Brooke. Two brothers, Dante and Dillon. Parents died in a tragic accident years ago. Deckland is quite the saint. I’m sure you enjoy taking care of a man with a bad heart. I’m sure a man in his condition doesn’t need drama from a disaster like you.”
Her mind skipped back to the medicine bottle she’d found in the bathroom. Deckland didn’t seem like he had a ‘condition’. She certainly wouldn’t discuss him with Tom. “There was no drama until you came here. Once you go, the spectacle goes with you.”
He laughed. “I heard about the fire.” He blew on his knuckles and swiped them across his lapel. “Such a sticky mess.”
“What do you know about the fire?”
“That it’s such a harmful thing—fire destroys personal belongings, takes lives and creates a mess for all involved.” His intense gaze swallowed her whole.
Disgust burned her gut. “You—you started the fire?”
His cold chuckle made a bird squawk in a nearby tree. “Me? Oh, no. But you wouldn’t want to pass along your poor luck on others, would you?”
“You wouldn’t dare! You m ay have destroyed my life in the past, but I won’t let you hurt any of the people I care about.” She clenched her hands into fists.
“T hen we see things the same, sweetheart. Come with me and no one shall suffer from your injudicious decisions.”
“Go back so I can be your punching bag after you’ve spent a night drinking and screwing one whore after another? Never!” She was so angry she shuddered.
“I had to fuck someone after you became a cold bitch. But you’re right. They were whores, but you were my wife.” His gaze softened slightly. “You’ve punished me enough. Come along and I’ll prove I can be a good husband.”
“We’re no longer married.”
“We can change that. We will change that glitch. You must understand that if I can’t have you, no one ever will.”
Her eyes blurred with tears , but she refused to cry, not wanting to gratify him with her emotion. Over her dead body would she allow any harm to come to Deckland. “You can’t threaten me.”
His impatience snapped like a twig, reminding her of his cruelty when he’d broken the neck of her cat as a means of punishment after she’d denied him what he’d wanted. His malevolent ways were numerous and she realized long ago if she hadn’t gotten away from him when she had, he’d have broken her also—but more than that, he’d have tortured her in his psychotic trap until she became an emotional vegetable.
He took the short distance between them in two strides and, before she could make it to the door, he had his harsh grasp on her elbow and tugged her hard against his chest. He was thinner than Deckland, but his strength was identifiable. He stared down at her, his lips curled and his eyes dancing like fire.
“G et your things, now!” Spittle flew through his tight lips.
Her mi nd raced as her body threatened to weaken. She was at a loss. She’d known this day would come.
“Is everything okay?”
The deep voice brought Tom around. Elsa brought her gaze over his shoulder onto Tucker. Relief spun through her. Her ex released his hold and took a step back as a manipulative smile played at the corners of his mouth. He was good at turning on and off his charm.
Elsa rubbed the aching in her arm where she knew he’d left a bruise.
Not getting an answer, Tucker’s jaw tightened. “Elsa? Is all okay?”
Tom flicked her an intimidating eye.
“Yes. I—I was just talking to an old friend.” She fo rced a smile, which she’d perfected after years of pretending.
A skeptical glare turned Tucker’s face hard. He stepped forward and after a long second, he stuck out his hand. “I’m Tucker Bailey. And you’re—?”
“ Tom, Elsa’s husband.”
“Ex-husband.” She corrected.
Tucker glanced over Tom’s shoulder and targeted Elsa with a curious gaze. Tucker dropped his hand, apparently realizing Tom wasn’t going
Her mind skipped back to the medicine bottle she’d found in the bathroom. Deckland didn’t seem like he had a ‘condition’. She certainly wouldn’t discuss him with Tom. “There was no drama until you came here. Once you go, the spectacle goes with you.”
He laughed. “I heard about the fire.” He blew on his knuckles and swiped them across his lapel. “Such a sticky mess.”
“What do you know about the fire?”
“That it’s such a harmful thing—fire destroys personal belongings, takes lives and creates a mess for all involved.” His intense gaze swallowed her whole.
Disgust burned her gut. “You—you started the fire?”
His cold chuckle made a bird squawk in a nearby tree. “Me? Oh, no. But you wouldn’t want to pass along your poor luck on others, would you?”
“You wouldn’t dare! You m ay have destroyed my life in the past, but I won’t let you hurt any of the people I care about.” She clenched her hands into fists.
“T hen we see things the same, sweetheart. Come with me and no one shall suffer from your injudicious decisions.”
“Go back so I can be your punching bag after you’ve spent a night drinking and screwing one whore after another? Never!” She was so angry she shuddered.
“I had to fuck someone after you became a cold bitch. But you’re right. They were whores, but you were my wife.” His gaze softened slightly. “You’ve punished me enough. Come along and I’ll prove I can be a good husband.”
“We’re no longer married.”
“We can change that. We will change that glitch. You must understand that if I can’t have you, no one ever will.”
Her eyes blurred with tears , but she refused to cry, not wanting to gratify him with her emotion. Over her dead body would she allow any harm to come to Deckland. “You can’t threaten me.”
His impatience snapped like a twig, reminding her of his cruelty when he’d broken the neck of her cat as a means of punishment after she’d denied him what he’d wanted. His malevolent ways were numerous and she realized long ago if she hadn’t gotten away from him when she had, he’d have broken her also—but more than that, he’d have tortured her in his psychotic trap until she became an emotional vegetable.
He took the short distance between them in two strides and, before she could make it to the door, he had his harsh grasp on her elbow and tugged her hard against his chest. He was thinner than Deckland, but his strength was identifiable. He stared down at her, his lips curled and his eyes dancing like fire.
“G et your things, now!” Spittle flew through his tight lips.
Her mi nd raced as her body threatened to weaken. She was at a loss. She’d known this day would come.
“Is everything okay?”
The deep voice brought Tom around. Elsa brought her gaze over his shoulder onto Tucker. Relief spun through her. Her ex released his hold and took a step back as a manipulative smile played at the corners of his mouth. He was good at turning on and off his charm.
Elsa rubbed the aching in her arm where she knew he’d left a bruise.
Not getting an answer, Tucker’s jaw tightened. “Elsa? Is all okay?”
Tom flicked her an intimidating eye.
“Yes. I—I was just talking to an old friend.” She fo rced a smile, which she’d perfected after years of pretending.
A skeptical glare turned Tucker’s face hard. He stepped forward and after a long second, he stuck out his hand. “I’m Tucker Bailey. And you’re—?”
“ Tom, Elsa’s husband.”
“Ex-husband.” She corrected.
Tucker glanced over Tom’s shoulder and targeted Elsa with a curious gaze. Tucker dropped his hand, apparently realizing Tom wasn’t going
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