Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Shooter made a face. “Yeah, okay. Got it.” He disconnected the call and looked across the table at Hawk. “Tildy is drunk off her ass at Maria’s. And she’s found herself a real nice cowboy who’s very interested in teaching her what a reverse cowgirl is.”
Hawk didn’t really hear most of that. He was already up and out of his chair at the mention of Tildy’s name.
“Wait,” Shooter commanded.
Hawk barely slowed.
“Take my keys,” Shooter called out. “Easier to get her home.”
Hawk did turn at that and caught the keys to Shooter’s truck in midair before storming out the front door. He barely stopped at the red lights between Shooter’s house and Maria’s bar. He swore he must have made it in record time. He parked at the front, slammed the Ford into park and surged out of the truck. He knew Maria wouldn’t let Tildy leave without him, but he still needed to have eyes on her- now.
He yanked open the front door and stalked inside. It was Thursday and slower than the more popular weekends. He zeroed in on Tildy, who had a cowboy rubbing up against her on the dance floor. Hawk marched over, fury raging inside him. There would be none of his trademark silently menacing demeanor. He grabbed the cowboy by the back of the neck with his large hand and spun him away from Tildy.
“Hey!” the man shouted, slamming into a table nearby.
Tildy froze and stared at Hawk.
The cowboy righted himself and took a step forward. After seeing that Tildy was more or less okay, Hawk turned and faced down the man, who was now reconsidering his bravado. Hawk drew himself up to his full height and glared down at the other, smaller man. “Don’t,” he growled.
The man looked back and forth between Tildy and Hawk, frowning mostly at her. Hawk followed his gaze, his eyes settling onto a silver band with a huge rock tacked on it. Hawk’s molars ground together so hard they nearly broke.
“Leave,” he said, still looking at Tildy, but it was clear he wasn’t talking to her.
“I’m sorry,” the cowboy spluttered. “I didn’t realize. She didn’t say.” He pushed off the table and headed out the door.
Tildy swayed a little on her feet, clearly too drunk to stand.
Hawk let his anger dissipate a little before he touched her. He reached out and took hold of her hand. “Let’s go.”
Instead of obeying though, Tildy jerked her hand out of his light hold. She nearly stumbled back from her overreaction. “No!” she snapped.
He advanced on her and took hold of her wrist. “Let’s go,” he ordered more firmly.
“I’m busy,” she slurred, trying again to break his hold but not managing to this time despite her efforts. He wasn’t hurting her, but he could see that he was pissing her off. “Go ‘way,” she told him.
“Hey now,” someone said from behind them.
Hawk turned his head to see an older man getting up from his seat. Hawk shook his head. “Not your concern,” he announced.
“But-”
“Sit down, Virgil.”
Everyone turned to look at Maria, who’d come out from behind the bar. “Her friend over there,” Maria declared, jerking her thumb at the cowboy, “has been giving her shots after I cut her off. She’s done. She’s going home.”
Virgil made a wise choice and sat back down in his chair.
Hawk turned and headed toward the door. Tildy finally understood that she was coming, whether she liked it or not, so she ought to keep up. She did stumble a bit in her cowboy boots, so Hawk slowed a little for her benefit. He flung the door open and ushered her through it.
The night was a bit cooler, now that summer was on its way out. The breeze ruffled Tildy’s hair as he led her to the truck.
“What do you want?” she snapped.
“What do you want, Tildy? Some asshole you just met at a bar? Real smart, honey.”
She tried to get free of him again and grunted in frustration when she couldn’t. “Oh, and so here’s my friend. Come to save me, again!”
He stopped at the passenger door and turned to her. “What is this?” he asked quietly. Tildy glared at him but didn’t answer. “Why are you mad at me?” he pressed. She shook her head and tried to look away, but he took hold of her chin and forced her to look at him. “Talk to me,” he ordered. When she still gave him the silent treatment, he let go of her wrist and slid his hand down to hers. He felt the ring on her finger. “So that’s it? You put this on and suddenly you’re like all of them? Like Skylar?”
Surprisingly, she laughed. “Oh, I’m sorry. Were you going to give me yours?”
His jaw twitched, face glowering because he had no answer to that. “Tildy-”