Broken(34)

She nodded silently. Her shoulders sagged and she still wouldn’t look at him. Why was she acting like the injured party when she was the one to tear his heart to tiny shreds? “For what it’s worth, Cade, what happened all that time ago, wasn’t a reflection on you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Her eyes met his finally with a suspicious sheen of moisture in them. “I know I hurt you, but the things I said, they weren’t personal. It was more to do with me and not you.”

Cade snorted. “Weren’t personal? You just confirmed what you’d meant all those years ago from your own pretty little lips. Telling me I wasn’t good enough for you, and you’d outgrown me wasn’t personal? Saying you couldn’t see yourself wasting your life away at this ‘dull as dishwater’ ranch. You knew how much this place means to me. It’s my life and my livelihood and it was a slap in my face to hear you say that. It was like you shit on everything that was important to me—this ranch, and our love. How could I not take it personal? If you’ve suddenly developed a conscience about what you said and how you basically turned your back on all of your family and friends, then forget about it. We were doing just fine without you and will continue to do so when you’ve gone back to living the glamorous life with all of your fancy friends. And don’t think I didn’t recognize that friend of yours. I may be from a podunk town, as you put it, but I’m not so oblivious to the world around me that I can’t recognize a famous celebrity when I see one. Just tell your friend not to pull any of her antics here, or guest of yours or not, she’s out of here.”

Jocelyn’s face turned a bright shade of red as she balled her fists at her side. “You don’t even know her to judge her. Most of that stuff in the news is false,” she said through clenched teeth.

“Like the wild parties and the infamous temper tantrums? How about how she tossed her poor mother aside and then later did the same to her husband—oh wait, I doubt someone like you would see anything wrong with that because people are disposable to you, aren’t they?”

Jocelyn briefly tightened her lips. “So much for being cordial.”

She had a point but his temper had gotten the better of him. Again. “Oh, give me a f*cking break. There you go acting like the innocent again. You bat those eyes and think I’ll fall at your feet again.”

“That isn’t true!”

“Oh?” He took a step closer to her. “Then you expect me to simply smile when you pretend what you said didn’t hurt me? I think you did want me to suffer or you wouldn’t have said the things you did. I can deal with you being here for however long you decide to stick around this time, but let there be no pretence between us. Admit what a selfish scheming bitch you are and we’ll call it a day.”

“Stop it.” The words flowed from her lips no louder than a whisper, but it was as if a devil had gotten into Cade and was riding him. All the anger and pain he’d never been allowed to express until now came tumbling out in full force and there was no holding back.

“Why the hell should I? You were all about telling it like it was seven years ago? What’s the matter, babe, don’t like to hear about the damage you wrought?”

“Stop it!” she said more forcefully this time.

“No!”

Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh I don’t? Did I imagine it when you said all those things to me?”

“I don’t have to listen to this.” Jocelyn attempted to sidestep him, but Cade was too quick for her. Grabbing her by the forearm, he hauled Jocelyn against his body.