All Jacked Up (Rough Riders #8)(92)

No. Fuck no. What was wrong with him?


Jesus. When had his life become such a f*cked-up mess? Just when it’d seemed like everything he’d ever wanted was within reach? What kind of f*cking moron slapped it away with both hands and harsh words?


He curled his fingers around the ring, half wishing she’d broken the damn thing and shards of metal would dig into his skin. Maybe then he’d feel something besides the utter desolation weighting him down like an anvil.


You did this to yourself. Everything word she said was true and like usual, you didn’t want to hear it.


Go to her. Go after her. Make it right. For both of you. Plead your case. Plead insanity. Just don’t let this get any more out of hand.


The enormity of Jack’s mistake sucked the breath from his lungs. And he’d accused her of having a big mouth? Jesus. Profound shame paralyzed him to the point his damn feet wouldn’t move. He knew he needed to chase Keely down right f*cking now. Apologize, grovel, cry, beg, crawl. He’d have his mouth surgically sewn shut to stop from ever spewing such vile bullshit again. He’d devote his life to worshipping her as she deserved. He’d show her a hundred times a day he loved her. If only she’d give him one more chance.


“You heard the lady. Get the f*ck out.”


Jack’s head snapped up.


Chet and Remy West were standing side-by-side, fists clenched, postures screaming, We’re gonna kick your ass, dumb f*cker.


“How much did you hear?”


“Enough.”


Silence.


“Fucking great.”


“By my estimation you’ve got six minutes left. And trust me, you don’t wanna be here when Cam McKay gets wind of this,” Chet warned.


“Or Cord,” Remy said.


“Don’t forget Colby is one mean bastard,” Chet added with a sneer.


Remy shrugged. “My money is on Colt.”


“Carter’s no slouch either. It’s them quiet ones ya gotta worry about, huh bro?”


Jack got the warning loud and clear: quiet ones like Chet and Remy, not to mention Keely’s father, would be gunning for him. Soon. “Look. If Keely comes back—”


“We’ll hand your sorry ass to her on a silver f*ckin’ platter if you’re stupid enough to stick around,”



Remy snarled.


“Five minutes,” Chet snapped.


“I appreciate that you care about her, but don’t kid yourselves for a second that I don’t care about her too.”


They snorted in stereo.


Which just pissed him off. “And honestly, this is between Keely and me, no one else, so I’m gonna say this once, and feel free to pass this on to all the McKays: back the f*ck off.”


“Four minutes,” Remy announced.


Chet leaned forward. “I’ll be honest. Part of me wants you to stick around.”


Fuck this.


His body heeded the message to scram. He stormed out the door, half-shocked he hadn’t felt a crowbar whacking him in the back of the head.


But that wasn’t the West boys’ style. Nor the McKays’. No, that psycho bunch of cowboys would come for him with a full frontal attack, no backstabbing bullshit like Baxter.


Jack welcomed it. In fact, he had half a mind to make some calls and get the whole f*cking thing underway.


He had nothing else to lose.


Chapter Twenty-One


Keely didn’t hang around to ensure Jack vacated the premises. Her tires spit gravel as she zoomed off in her truck. The cold, cutting wind from the open window cooled her face, but she couldn’t blame the icy air for the numbness inside her.


Tempting, as she whizzed past the Golden Boot, to belly up to the bar and drown her sorrows. Too public. She’d deal with this humiliation in private.


She drove without direction, lost in her misery. She couldn’t return to her apartment, which was really Jack’s apartment. Neither would she burden her family. Part of her feared her brothers wouldn’t let this situation with Jack slide, but an equal part feared her brothers were all male bluster.


Leaning on her parents wasn’t happening either. Her mother would talk her ear off and her father wouldn’t talk at all, so it was best to split the difference and avoid going home to the ranch.


Truthfully, it’d be best if she disappeared for a day or so to decide the best way to deal with the Jack issue.


Issue? What issue? You weren’t in the wrong.


Not about the Milford situation. Jack had lashed out at her because he’d made a mistake and got caught. It sucked Baxter and Martine were so damn vindictive, but Keely figured they’d move on now, after giving Jack the smackdown. Besides, if Baxter called Jack’s ethics into question, his might be questioned. From what Keely ascertained from other architects at the conference, Baxter’s methods were already under scrutiny.


So despite the stinging accusation, Keely hadn’t ruined Jack’s professional reputation. But had she ruined any chance of them being together permanently? His claim the marriage offer was “off the table”