Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(156)

Colt and Kane wandered to their trucks.


“So you really ain’t gonna tell us where he is?” Brandt shouted.


Colt faced Brandt, Tell and Dalton. “Casper will contact you when he’s ready. Let him

be until then.”


No one said anything until Colt’s pickup was a black speck in the plume of dust.


“As f*cking awesome as this was, I’m getting the hell outta here,” Ben said.


“Maybe you oughta call Quinn on your way home and fill him in,” Brandt suggested with

a snarl. “I agree with my brothers, Ben. You should’ve handled this better and now we

’re all payin’ for it.”


Rage and regret formed a toxic cocktail and Ben knew if he stayed here another minute,

he’d lose his mind. This wasn’t solely his fault. And f*ck them all if they expected

him to shoulder all the blame.


But he knew he’d never hear the end of it.


“These two are gonna tell me every f*ckin’ thing they kept from me while we clean up

the shit piles in Dad’s house since he ain’t here for awhile.”



When Dalton opened his mouth to protest, Brandt sent him a death glare.


Fun times.


Ben did call Quinn. He was pissy, in that silent, simmering silent way of his, which

bothered Ben far worse than if Quinn had yelled and screamed.


Chapter Twenty-Six


The Wetzlers’ place was in view and against his better judgment, Ben pulled into the

drive.


The trio of dogs yapped, but he shooed them aside, as he started up the porch steps.


Rielle stepped outside, and leaned against the porch support, her expression a mix of

annoyance and wariness.


“I thought we had a deal, Rielle.”


“We had no deal.” She folded her arms over her chest. “I thought what we talked

about was confidential.”


“It was.”


“Then how come your McKay cousins showed up, all charming cowboy smiles, with the aw-

shucks, we’re all just neighbors attitude as they were mentally leveling my goddamn

creek front and trying to decide how many cows they could run?”


“I’m not my cousins, Ree. You know that. I thought we were friends.”


“I thought so too.” She tossed her head, trying to keep the wind from her face. “But

you have enough friends these days. New friends.”


“What?”


“Don’t play that game. I know you’re sleeping with Ainsley Hamilton. I’ve seen her

car at your place several times in the last few weeks. And isn’t it a coincidence the

bank she runs wouldn’t lend me the money I needed to keep my land? But I’ll bet she

was more than happy to loan money to you so you could buy it.”


“So you’re what? Punishing me?”


“This isn’t about you, McKay.”


“I didn’t get you into the financial mess you’re in,” he retorted hotly, “and you

don’t honestly believe I had dishonorable intentions when I offered to help bail you

out of that situation.”


Rielle shivered. “I didn’t know what to believe. That was the problem.”


“Who’d you sell to?”