“Everything is fine. I’ll be by later.”
“Okay. Bye, Sheriff.”
I hang up the phone, my eyes still drilling into the man standing directly beyond it.
What the hell is this? She stole his car? I don’t find that hard to believe, actually. She’s always been a wild card.
“The car will be here shortly,” I inform him without moving from my desk.
Every muscle in my body is tense, demanding I go after Eva and confront her, but I can’t. Not yet.
Turning back to my computer, I pretend to work, though I get nothing done. Mr. Rodriguez takes a seat in the waiting area, his knee bouncing as he messes around on his phone.
An hour later, Will comes storming into the office, slamming the door open. He’s radiating rage like I’ve rarely seen from him. I stand up as he comes into my office and closes the door, staring out the glass at the man sitting in the waiting room.
“What is it, Will?” I come to stand next to him, arms crossed over my chest.
“She’s furious,” he bites out. “This fucker cheated on her.”
A growl rumbles in my chest, my lip lifting.
“She’s scared of something, but won’t tell me what.”
“She told him her last name was Rojas. I told him she’s my wife.”
Will turns to me with wide eyes.
“Shit.” He relaxes a bit, shaking his head.
“Keys?”
Will drops them into my waiting palm, and I open the door.
“Mister Rodriguez.”
The piece of scum stands as I walk toward him. How the hell could he cheat on her?
“Sorry for that misunderstanding. Have a nice day.”
“You have a place I can rent a tow trailer?”
“Nope.” The ‘p’ pops at the end of the word. “You can try the next town up. Feel free to leave the car here until you find something.”
With an aggravated huff, he leaves the office and climbs into a big, white Ford truck. He peels out of the parking lot while Stacey, Will, and I watch him.
“Afternoon, Will,” Stacey says sweetly to my brother, the blush on her cheeks telling me things I don’t want to know.
“Afternoon, Stacey.” He winks at her, deepening the blush on her cheeks.
“Alright, Romeo, get out.” I shove my brother towards the door. “Stacey, forward me any calls. I’m taking him home.”
“Yes, Sheriff.”
Grabbing my jacket from the peg by the door, I shove my arms through the sleeves. The wind bites into any exposed flesh, like icicles lacing into your skin.
I get the SUV started and wait for the heat to kick on. It takes longer than it should. I need to use the remote start more often.
“I wouldn’t confront her right now, if I were you,” Will says, blowing into his hands.
“You aren’t me.”
He shakes his head, but doesn’t say anything else. The drive out to the ranch is quick. Will hops out, heading straight for the barn with me on his heels.
“You ain’t taking her time right now.” He spins on me, forcing me to stop. “She’s working, and I’m not paying her to fight with you.”
“I ain’t fighting with anybody. I got some questions is all.”
“I’ll throw you out of here. I mean it. You’ve got ten minutes.” He storms away toward his office next to the tack room.
Walking down the aisle, I check each stall I pass for the lavender hair and sassy mouth I’m craving. With each step I take, my frustration with her grows.
Why the hell did she give that man my last name when she’s the one who left? Two years she was with that man who looks like me. Two. Years.
At the very last stall, she steps out with a pitchfork.
Her cheeks flush when she sees me, but her spine straightens.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Rojas.”
She clenches her jaw, but she doesn’t respond.
“I find it interesting that you gave him my last name. Why is that?”
Her eyes meet mine for a second before she pushes past me. “I’m busy.”
I grip her arm to stop her, taking the pitchfork from her. “Your boss gave me ten minutes. I’m using every second.”
“I didn’t trust him with my real name.” Her words are quiet.
“Then why did you stay with him?”
“Why do you think I’m back?” She shakes her head, looking past me.
“You stayed for six months. What’s the deal?” I lean closer, invading her space. “You gave him my name, and he looks like he could be my brother.”
“It was easier to stay.”
“Since when do you do anything because it’s easy?”
I shuffle closer to her, my hands cupping the back of her neck, forcing her eyes on mine. My thumb brushes her bottom lip. I crave her like nothing else I’ve ever come in contact with before. Every cell in my body beats to her name. She makes me fucking crazy, but not having her makes me insane.
“Eva!” Will calls.
She tries to turn her head, but I take her lips with mine, keeping her attention on me. My world starts and ends right here. It doesn’t just revolve around her. It is her. She’s mine, whether she wants it to be true or not. This girl was made for me and me alone.
Eva melts against me, her arms wrapping around my waist. I slant my mouth over hers; her lips open for me to deepen the kiss. Her little whimpers set fire to my veins. I want her naked, now, writhing beneath me, crying out my name, showing every one of these fuckers who she belongs too.
“Ian,” Will bites out, standing right next to me.
Eva jumps in surprise at having him so close, pulling her lips from mine. Slowly turning my head, I look at my little brother with contempt.
“Time’s up.” He smirks up at me.
My girl’s cheeks are beet red when she steps back, grabbing the pitchfork from where I leaned it against the wall and walking away.
“Nice of you to stop by,” Will states, clapping me on the shoulder and pushing me toward the entrance. “Come back when you can’t stay so long.”
He shoves me out of the barn, crossing his arms over his chest and spreading his feet to hold his ground. I stomp off toward my car and open the door when he yells for me.
“Maybe it wasn’t your last name she gave him!”
I freeze, turning toward him glaring daggers at him.
“May the best brother win.” He smirks, wagging his eyebrows.
Anger boils in my gut. “You lay one finger on her and I’ll do more than split your lip.”
I hate how she turns me into a caveman, but I can’t fight it. I will knock my brother out for touching her.
Chapter Eight
EVA
It’s Friday night in a small town, that means everyone is crowded into a bar drinking beer. The sheriff and deputies are basically parked outside to make sure no one is driving drunk and offering rides home.
By the end of my day at Rojas Ranch, I’m frustrated, angry, and hurt. I’m not sure how Brad found me here in Willow Springs, since I never told him where I was from.
I know I wasn’t exactly honest with him about who I was, but I was faithful at least.
Shaking my head, I climb out of Will’s truck and head inside the noisy bar for a much-needed beer. Though I can’t make out his face, I can feel Ian’s stare in the goosebumps that break out over my skin. He’s watching me. That man has only gotten better with age.