Cowboy Chapter 6 #3
“Seems to me you’re forgetting who the president is. If I say anyone can make a try for her, you can’t stop me.” Diablo’s stare drilled into me, but if he thought it would intimidate me to back down, he was wrong.
“Diablo, I’ve always respected you and found that while you’re hard, you’re fair. But if you proclaim that, I will fight it.”
“And if I’m the one who steps into the ring with you?” he asked gruffly.
“Then it seems we’ll be facing off with each other. I won’t stand by and let a brother stake a claim on her. I can’t.”
“Why not? She’s just a woman. There’s plenty of those to go around. You can have a different one every night. Hell, one time with her and you’ll be casting her aside anyway. Why not let all of your brothers have fun, too?”
Fury overwhelmed me as I shot to my feet.
My teeth were bared, and I was coming around the desk after him without a second’s hesitation.
Red was bleeding into my vision. Right before I reached him, there was a hard knock at the door, and then it swung open.
In walked Scorpion and Butcher, our enforcer. Butcher shut the door.
“Did we interrupt something?” Scorpion asked.
“Yeah, Cowboy was about to deck my ass,” Diablo stated calmly.
“Oh, he was, was he? And were you about to allow him? Should I be teaching him a lesson?” Butcher asked as he came closer to me.
There was a gleam in his eye. Butcher was not only tasked with protecting the club and maintaining order, but he was also Diablo’s best friend.
Butcher cracked his massive knuckles. They were scarred and attested to his long time as the enforcer and that he could do more than talk. He backed up his words with action.
“Hold up, Butch. There’s no need to beat his ass. Cowboy had every right to do it. He took exception to the way I spoke about his woman.”
“His woman? You mean that sweet vet last night? I thought he seemed to hover a lot. I thought we might have to use a crowbar to get her away from him,” Scorpion stated, smirking.
“He sure didn’t leave her side for a second. But who could blame him? She’s a catch. I hope to get a chance alone with her when they come to the party,” Butcher leered.
“Like hell you will! Stay the fuck away from Saranya,” I snarled. Now, I was charging toward Butcher.
It was Scorpion’s grab that halted me. Then I was facing Butcher and Diablo. Both men were grinning.
“I told you. Pay up,” Diablo told Butcher.
“Damn it, I hoped you were wrong, and he was bluffing. Here,” Butcher grumbled as he took out his wallet and thrust a hundred-dollar bill into Diablo’s hand. Pres folded and pocketed it. Scorpion chuckled in my ear.
“What the fuck is going on here?” I asked.
“Let him go, Scorpion. He appears to have calmed down from the murderous stage,” Butcher informed the VP. Instantly, I was free.
“You asked what is going on? It’s simple.
We wanted to test whether your interest in Saranya Coleman was sincere and genuine, not just a ploy to get to her first. Your reactions and your willingness to fight all of us told me what I wanted to know.
Let’s sit and discuss this. I have questions,” Diablo stated.
I was seated again before my brain caught up with my body. Scorpion and Butcher pulled chairs up on either side of me and kicked back.
“We heard you say the two of you met at the rodeo in Vegas. Clearly, she made quite the impression on you. However, she acted startled and wary of your behavior last night. Wanna explain that? Did the two of you hook up and then argue? Why haven’t you made up before now?” Diablo quizzed me.
“No, we didn’t hook up. And she has a good reason to mistrust my behavior last night.” I paused.
“Go on,” Scorpion prompted.
I hated to admit to them how I acted, but there was no way they’d let me tell only half-truths, so I launched into the explanation. When I was done, there was a weighted silence in the room. It was Scorpion who broke it.
“Shit, you sure know how to screw shit up, Cowboy. It’s not as bad as I did with Paige, but it’s up there. You said you didn’t know she lived in Florida and was close until Raff told you. That was almost two weeks ago. Why haven’t you made an effort to see her and apologize?”
“First, I took time to think it through like Raff said, and I determined that I can do all those things he says she’ll want.
Then I was at a loss for what to say or do to show her how sorry I was for jumping to conclusions and for the things I had said.
I was drawing a blank. I know it has to be something big.
As soon as I figured it out, I planned to go see her. ”
“You have brothers who know a thing or two about atoning for saying and doing stupid, hurtful stuff. You could’ve told us.
Your vague questions came across as mere idle curiosity.
We also have more than enough friends in the other clubs who can offer you even more tips.
As far as I know, most, if not all of them, have had to grovel at times,” Scorpion reminded me.
“Let me ask you this. What if she doesn’t come with her parents on New Year’s Eve? I heard her telling you she might not be able to make it,” Butcher asked.
“I plan to go see her and explain myself, then ask her to give me a chance, and that the party is a good place to start. If she refuses to come, then I’ll be spending that night wherever she is. I make a decent assistant. I know enough about cattle and horses to be her vet tech.”
“That’s for damn sure. Just remember, she’s a strong, independent woman.
If you go all demanding with her, she’ll resist. You have to figure out when it’s appropriate for you to take charge and when to let her do it or co-lead.
Give it a try. If you fail, I’ll call to see if I can get her parents’ promise to ensure she comes with them.
When will you see her? Do you have her address? ” Diablo fired off.
“Thanks, Diablo. I’ll take you up on your offer if I crash and burn. I was headed there today once I get her address from Raff. He made me promise to tell him when I decided what I wanted.”
“No need to call Raff. Here’s the address to her place.
It appears she rents a property with a barn, where she conducts some of her work if her patients are brought to her.
Most of the time, she makes house calls.
She might be out on those. I asked Micro to find it for me last night.
If I were you, I’d get my ass to her place, and I wouldn’t leave until I talked to her, even if it takes all day and night,” Pres stated, after handing me a piece of paper.
Rising to my feet, I didn’t waste time thanking them and receiving permission to leave. Their chuckles followed me as I rushed from the office. I bypassed the common room and took the exit off the hallway I was on. I hurried to my house.