26. Indie
Chapter 26
Indie
I don’t go back inside for a while, needing the open air and the separation to get my head in order. The adrenaline high and drop feels almost like it fucked with my blood sugar, so I end up getting a funnel cake to even me out. It’s the best goddamn funnel cake I’ve ever eaten, and I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t eaten in a while or because the taste of Beau is still on my lips.
For an hour, I walk around the carnival, trying to clear my head. It doesn’t work. I’m just as much in knots when I finally step back into the arena as I was before I left it. Still, despite my time away and the worry over what I’m going to do with the three men I have serious crushes on right now, I’m not prepared for the woman who steps into my path as I enter the arena.
I sigh. “Not right now, Kim,” I say, annoyed with the blonde. She never ceases to amaze me with her ability to appear when I least want her to. Maybe it’s just because I never want her showing up. Maybe that’s why it’s annoying every single time.
“I didn’t know the best way to get a story was to fuck them,” Kim says haughtily, her massive lashes making her eyes blink too often. She practically generates a wind with those things.
I raise my brows at her. “Didn’t you try to sleep with Beau Rogers?”
“I didn’t,” she sneers.
“Because he said no, not because you suddenly had a change of heart,” I point out. “Besides, you’re definitely sleeping with Zander.”
To her credit, she doesn’t react to my words. She doesn’t need to though. Zander himself mentioned it. The man doesn’t say much, but he sure does talk when he’s had a beer and finds me in the press box.
She crosses her arms. “I think Frank would like to hear about the show you just put on for the crowd. You think he’ll appreciate the speculations that’ll come from this?”
“If that’s what you gotta do, then do it,” I shrug. “Your threats mean nothing to me.”
She narrows her eyes. “You don’t fit in here!”
“That’s clear,” I say, staring at her. “Are you done?”
“You’re a fucking bitch,” she snarls, pulling out all the stops.
I laugh and her face flushes with anger. “Kim, let me be honest with you. I want to be in the rodeo circuit as much as I want to be standing here having this conversation with you. Trust me when I say, I don’t give two shits what you do. I tried to play nice with you in the beginning, and you were a dick. You know what happens to assholes like you? They get nowhere.” I take a step closer to her. “So do what it is you want to. Get me fired. It doesn’t matter. In the end, I’ll still be better than you. I’ll still get the story. And hell, maybe I’ll fuck those three delicious cowboys just to spite you.” I lean closer. “Wanna know how good they are at kissing? I could tell you.”
She steps back with a huff, disgust on her face. “You keep away from me with your whore-mouth! Frank’s going to hear about all of this.” She glances over my shoulder and curls up her lip. “Oh look. Your watch dogs are back.”
I glance over my shoulder just in time for Beau, Tripp, and Ram to circle me, their eyes hard on Kim. “Scary guard dog privileges are nice, aren’t they?” I say, mostly to tease her. I don’t consider them my guard dogs, but I don’t want her to know that.
“I’m more like a lap dog,” Beau says with a grin. “But trust that I bite.”
She bristles and spins on her heel. With an impressive fluff of her hair, she struts away, already dialing on her phone.
I relax and sigh. “That might be the end of me working for Saddle & Spur,” I comment, glancing at the others.
Ram shrugs. “Doesn’t mean you can’t still get the story,” he says. “Anyone would pay top dollar for an interview with us.”
“Yeah, but it’s not like I’m gonna get that.”
His eyes crinkle. “I don’t know about that, periodista .”
I tilt my head, studying him, before looking at the other two. “So, you wouldn’t kick me to the curb if I get fired?”
Tripp shoves his hands in his pockets when no one says anything. “My dog likes you. Wouldn’t wanna break his heart.”
I smile. We’ve come a long way from grumpy non-answers to kind of admitting at least his dog wants me around. “Are you guys done for the day?”
“Tripp still has to collect his papers, and Beau needs to go reassure the higher ups that there won’t be a repeat of today. They’re on edge right now,” Ram says.
Beau rolls his eyes. “Nervous folks.”
Beau and Tripp go do that and leave me standing with Ram. At first, the silence is awkward, but then it just gets heavy. I look at him, my fingers twisting together.
“I’m not sure if you’re judging me or not,” I comment.
“Judging you?” he laughs. “Why the hell would I do that?”
“Well. . . I did make out with your friend in the middle of a packed arena,” I point out.
He hums. “And almost fucked him in the curtains I heard.”
I wince. “Yeah.”
“Again, why would I judge you for that?” He takes a step closer. “Especially when I’d very much like to do the same.”
I swallow. “I am so out of my depth here,” I admit.
“That’s okay, periodista ,” he breaths, his fingers coming up to stroke through a strand of my hair. “We can keep you afloat.”
I open my mouth, prepared to ask him why. Why me? Why is this okay? Why are they all just happy to kiss me and drive me insane? I don’t understand. But I don’t get the chance to.
“Indie Chen?”
I turn to the voice, frowning when a man I don’t recognize stands there. He’s wearing a black suit, tattoos peeking from the edges of his neck. I can’t tell what they are, but it looks like it cost a considerable amount of money.
“Who’s asking?” I say, trying to figure out if I’m supposed to know him.
He pulls an envelope from his inner pocket and holds it out toward me.
“What’s that?” I ask. “Am I being served?”
He shakes his head. “Your father sent me to deliver this.”
I’d been about to grab the letter, but at his words, I immediately shrink back. “I don’t want it.”
“He’s been trying to reach you, but you haven’t answered calls. I’ve been instructed to give this to you in his stead.”
“I said I don’t want it,” I repeat, shaking my head. “You can keep it.”
The man takes a step forward and Ram is suddenly there, his eyes hard. “I suggest you stop right there.”
The man looks at Ram with raised brows. “You don’t know what you’re stepping into. You should back up.”
“And you should fuck off,” I say. “I told you I’m not taking it.”
“I can’t return without some sort of news?—”
“Then tell my dad if he really wanted to get ahold of me, he should have made better fucking choices,” I snarl. “He made his choice. He has to live with it. Not me.”
The man nods and presses the envelope against Ram’s chest. “I can’t return with that either.” He nods his head to me. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Indie Chen.”
And then he turns away and leaves. As if nothing ever happened. I don’t know how he even got in here without a badge.
“What the hell was that about?” Ram asks, the envelope in his hand.
“Don’t worry about it,” I grunt. “You can throw that away.”
“What do you mean don’t worry about it?” he growls. “Indie, some mafia-looking motherfucker just came in here as a point of contact for your dad. I don’t think?—”
“It’s none of your business,” I sneer.
He tenses, his eyes tracing my face. “You in some trouble?”
“My life isn’t your concern.”
He raises his brow. “I see.”
The tension skyrockets between us, the silence stretching out until I take a step back. “Don’t worry about taking me back to the room. I’ll find my own way.”
“Fine,” he says, his voice cold.
“Fine.”
And then I spin, not able to look into his face and see the blankness there. Ramiro Mondragon rarely looks anything but happy, and I’d just stolen that from him. But I can’t talk about it. I can’t, not because I don’t want to tell him, but because there’s no way I can even get through an explanation.
It’s too much.
Too painful.
And I’m a fucking asshole for not just explaining that, but I’ve never claimed to be a great person.