Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Wilder
M y blood boils over as I whip open the door of Delilah’s store. She’s behind the register and greets me in her customer service voice without looking up.
Rounding the counter, I grab her elbow and yank her into the backroom.
“What the?—”
I spin her around until she faces me, my jaw clenched with fury.
“Wilder?” Her eyes widen when our gazes meet. “What the hell are you doin’?”
She yanks her arm out of my grip, but I’m tempted to reach out and touch her again. It’s been a long two weeks without seeing or talking to her. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I’ve been too busy to think too hard about it, but I miss her enough to keep me up at night.
Pretty sure I haven’t slept for eight of those nights.
“Why the fuck would you bail out Jonah?”
She flinches and her body tenses as she crosses her arms. “How do you know about that?”
“Small town, remember? Just answer me.”
Scowling, she takes a small step back. “It’s none of your business.”
“Oh really?”
“Jonah’s just a friend. I was helpin’ him in a pinch. What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is that now you’ve put a target on your back…”
“What’re you talkin’ about? His arraignment was this mornin’. They dismissed the charges.”
“Yep, and Molly was front and center in the courtroom.”
I pull out my phone and tap the screen a few times, then hand it over so she can read the article.
“Oh my God…” Her shoulders fall as she reads the headline and scrolls through paragraphs that Molly wrote about Jonah’s drug possession and accuses him of being a dealer.
Judge’s Ruling on Unlawful Search Sparks Public Outrage: ‘Another Drug Dealer Walks Free’
She also name-drops Delilah as his accomplice who bailed him out. Then she rambles on about how even the Fanning name won’t get her out of trouble if she’s caught red-handed.
“There’s no proof he’s a dealer. How can she just spew this bullshit?” She hands back the phone, clearly angry and flustered about what she read.
“Freedom of the press,” I tell her. “Not sure how she found out you bailed him out, though.”
“Wesley,” she states. “He must’ve seen us in the parking lot. After I picked up Jonah, I drove him to the impound to pick up his truck.”
I straighten my spine and fold my arms across my chest again. “So are you gonna explain how you got involved?”
“Not that I have to explain anythin’ to you, but Jonah called and begged me to help because he had no one else. He said Wesley set him up and that the weed wasn’t his.”
“Pfft. And you just took his word because drug dealers don’t lie…”
“I believe him!” she shouts.
Luckily, there aren’t any customers in the store or they’d hear everything.
“Why?” I ask, raising my voice. “Why would Wesley go after him?”
“Because he beats his pregnant wife! Wesley gave her a black eye, so Jonah begged her to finally leave him. Wesley walked in on them packin’ up her stuff. He flipped out and threw Jonah into the wall. Ask the sheriff!” She shoves at my chest, but my feet stay planted to the floor, pissing her off even more. “They filed a protection order against him, which is why he was already in trouble the night he pulled me over. Wesley was at the Twisted Bull to spy on Jonah because he wants to find Raven.”
That also explains why Wesley was so outraged that night and decided to take it out on me when he saw me get into Delilah’s truck. He was looking for a fight and it didn’t matter with who.
She blows out a frustrated breath when I don’t respond.
“Believe me or not, but Wesley did this to get back at Jonah. He planted the drugs and made sure he got pulled over and searched. He was probably waitin’ in the jail parkin’ lot because he hoped Raven would pick him up, but then he saw me instead.”
“I do believe you, but now that Jonah’s put you in the middle of this, Wesley’s gonna do anythin’ he can to get back at you for helpin’ him. He might even assume you know where his wife is.”
She lifts her arms in a careless shrug. “Let him try. And it’s not Jonah’s fault. Wesley’s a maniac!”
“You should talk to Sheriff Wagner and get a PO for yourself, too.”
“If I do, will you get off my ass about it?”
I smirk, flicking my tongue ring and licking my lower lip. “Sure. For now.”
She rolls her eyes. “People can say whatever they want, but the truth will come out. He breaks the PO with Raven or Wesley, he’ll go to jail.”
“He’ll just use Molly again to make y’all look bad. And that’s if he gets caught. I hope Raven’s in a secure location.”
Now that I’m not so heated, I’m thinking about Raven and what drastic measures Wesley would go to about finding her. Then if he does, what he’d do to her.
“She is. It’s why Jonah couldn’t call her for help and had to ask me.”
Now I’m even more worried about Delilah’s safety.
“You need to be extra careful. Watch your back. I can’t work, go to anger management, therapy, volunteer, and watch you.”
“I don’t need you to watch me. I’m not a dog!”
I roll my eyes at her dramatics. “Fine, but for the love of God…if you’re in any trouble or Jonah is, or if you’re even suspicious Wesley’s watchin’ you, call me or the sheriff right away. Don’t risk it.”
“I will,” she promises, sitting behind the small desk and logging into her computer. “I carry mace and a stun gun. I’m not afraid to use ’em.”
After everything her family’s been through, I don’t blame her for having them, but I hate that she has to.
“And don’t walk through the parkin’ lot alone either. That’s how they got Harlow.”
“I know, and I won’t. Mattie and I will stay together.”
“Speakin’ of Mattie, where is she?”
“I’m right here, lover boy,” she calls from the front of the store.
I didn’t even see her when I stormed in because I was laser-focused on finding Delilah.
“Did you hear what I said? Stay together,” I call out.
“Sir, yes, sir!” she chants. “I will stand in front of the bathroom while she pees if I have to.”
I snort. “Your own personal bodyguard.”
Delilah cackles, turning to look at me. “You have no idea how personal.”
Lifting a brow, I tilt the corner of my lips, intrigued.
“Like shove-her-hand-up-my-pussy-because-I-lost-a-tampon personal.” Mattie enters the backroom with two handfuls of hangers. “It was that or go to the hospital, which woulda been humiliating. Luckily, Mrs. Fanning explained what to do over the phone so I didn’t have to.”
Delilah’s mom is an ER nurse, so that checks out, but I’m still stuck on the whole losing a tampon thing.
“How in the world…” I hold up a hand, shaking my head. “Ya know what, never mind. I don’t wanna know.”
“You don’t, trust me.” Delilah shakes her head.
“Oh, like I wouldn’t do it for you?” Mattie sasses. “In fact?—”
“That’s enough chitchat. Back to work,” Delilah cuts her off.
Mattie laughs, hangs up the lingerie sets, and then grabs new ones. “Oh, c’mon…he was almost blushin’.”
At the mention of it, my cheeks heat, and I lower my gaze to hide it.
“Aye, there we go.” Mattie points at me before walking out to the front.
“She’s… something .”
“And that’s before she’s three margaritas deep. Which she will be in a couple hours.”
“Where’re y’all goin’?”
“Maria’s Kitchen. We go every Thursday after work, have some drinks, chips and salsa, and then share a huge chimichanga.”
“How’re y’all gettin’ home?”
“It’s a mile from our apartment. We usually walk.”
“No, you shouldn’t be walkin’ in the dark while tipsy. You’ll be too vulnerable with Wesley out in the wind, so I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
She sighs, her shoulders dropping in defeat. “Fine, we’ll get an Uber. Happy?”
“That you’re gonna listen to me for once? Yes. But I’d be happier if you’d stay home.”
“I’m not gonna live my life in fear because of some asshole. Then he wins.”
“It won’t matter who wins or loses if he does somethin’ to you.”
“He won’t. Have you seen Mattie? She can ride the mechanical bull in perfect form five-drinks deep. Unlike someone else I know…”
I scoff. “We’ll just see about that the next time we go out.”
She barks out a laugh, stands, and then pulls in her chair. “Sure, Wilder. The day you stay on it for eight seconds will be the day I marry you.”
“Marry me?” Now that’s an interestin’ idea…
“Yeah, because both will never happen.”
“You wound me, Mrs. Hollis.” I sulk, placing a hand over my heart.
“That’s not funny!” She playfully swats my chest.
I’m about to respond when she pulls out her phone from her back pocket.
“Oh my God…” she mutters, staring at the screen. “Jonah lost his job. They fired him because of the article!”
“Shit…I hope you don’t lose yours.”
“Lacey would never, but I can’t believe they let him go.”
“I can. He’s a suspected drug dealer, or at the very least, was in the possession of drugs. Most companies aren’t gonna be cool with that.”
“Even though the charges were dropped? It wasn’t his!”
I shrug, leaning against the wall. “Doesn’t matter. Makes the company look bad and a liability they’re not gonna take.”
“Maybe he can work at the ranch? He’s used to liftin’ heavy shit and being out in the cold and heat.”
“No.”
“Wilder, c’mon!”
I don’t even know where he worked. “What’d he do?”
“Construction.”
“Of course he did…”
No wonder he’s built like the Hulk.
“What’s that mean?”
“Nothin’, but I don’t think it’s a good idea with my name already makin’ headlines. No way my dad’s gonna hire him with all the bad press.”
“No one has to know. He can work on the ranch side, like you.”
“Who says he even wants to work on a ranch? Just because he did construction doesn’t mean he’s good with horses.”
“So make him shovel shit or carry hay, I dunno. I’m sure he can do something.”
“Shovel shit and carry hay?” I deadpan. “Is that all you think we do?”
She shrugs dramatically. “I’m usually there to ride and train. I don’t pay attention to everythin’ else.”
I blow out a breath and scrub a hand through my hair. “I’m gonna be late for my class tonight, but fine…I’ll talk to my dad.”
“Thank you!” She wraps her arms around me so unexpectedly, I almost miss her touch before she pulls away.
“Text me when you’re done at the restaurant. I’ll come pick y’all up if I’m on my way home.”
“Oh my God, it’s a sexy cowboy! Over here! Come and get us!” Mattie whistles, waving her arm above her head like a lasso.
Jesus Christ, they’re loaded.
“Do y’all usually get this drunk on a weekday?”
“Huh? We’re not drunk.” Delilah lifts herself up into the truck but then slips and falls face-first onto the passenger seat.
Mattie laughs uncontrollably behind her, then helps push her in.
“See? Totally sober.”
“Yeah, we only had one margarita,” Mattie adds, then burps. “Plus five.”
Jonah walks up behind them, and I grind my molars. She didn’t tell me he’d be tagging along.
“Sorry, man…they kept orderin’ every time I wasn’t lookin’.”
I give a stiff nod and a forced close-mouthed smile. “Do you need a ride, too?”
“Nah, I only had one beer when we first got here. I woulda taken ’em home, but they said you were already on the way.”
“I don’t mind.”
My anger management class is thirty minutes away and lasts about forty-five minutes if I don’t stick around for small talk. As soon as she texted that they were on dessert, I booked ass to get here before they left.
Once the girls are in, Jonah closes the door, then rounds the front of my truck. “Delilah told me about what she asked you. So I just wanted to say I appreciate it and no hard feelings if it doesn’t work out.”
“It’s fine. I called my dad already and he said he’d give you a two-week trial run. But you’re gonna be stuck doin’ bitch work.”
He beams like the thought of that makes him happy. “That’s fine with me! Whatever it takes to support Raven.”
I nod, feeling less worried about giving him a chance. “Be there at six-thirty.”
“You got it, boss.”
“Don’t call me that,” I blurt. “Just…Wilder is fine.”
He smirks. “I was just messin’ with ya. Good luck with those two.”
“Yeah, thanks.” I laugh.
The girls tell him goodbye and then I drive toward their apartment.
“Aww…you two are buddies now!” Delilah taunts.
“Butt buddies!” Mattie shouts.
They both giggle, adding to my annoyance.
How did Waylon tolerate me being drunk for all those years? Is this my punishment? I can’t drink, so now I get to deal with these drunks instead?
I’m sure he’d get a kick out of it too.
“You’re gonna have the hottest threesome ever,” Mattie tells Delilah. “Can I watch?”
“No!” Delilah scolds, but when Mattie whines, she adds, “Fine, you can listen. But no lookin’ or touchin’.”
“Deal! I’ll use a toy anyway.”
“The pink or black one?”
“Jesus fucking Christ. You two are way too fuckin’ close,” I mutter, shaking my head at how loud and obnoxious they’re being.
“Ooh, should we tell him about your butt plug incident now?”
I damn near swerve off the road.
I’ve never seen Delilah this drunk before, probably because she was always taking care of my drunk ass, but holy shit. There’s no filter on either of them.
“Nooo…that’s embarrassing!”
“But it’s sooo funny.”
“Yeah, for you maybe. But you weren’t the one who had it stuck inside you— on vibrate —and then lost the remote!”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, exhaling through my mouth.
Do not pop a boner.
“Again…I don’t wanna know, but how the hell does that happen?” I ask.
“She dared me to do it during a drinkin’ game and then we got too drunk to remember where the remote was.”
“And too drunk to figure out how to get it outta there,” Mattie adds, tears streaming down her cheeks as she laughs. “I had to split her cheeks and slather her booty hole in baby oil.”
“You weren’t supposed to tell him that!” Delilah whisper-shouts.
“Why not? You have a nice ass. Big and round, with cute freckles on your cheeks.”
And now I’m pitching a tent.
Delilah’s face is beet red as she squeezes her eyes.
“If he ain’t gonna tap it, someone else will…” Mattie taunts, and now my face is red.
“Okay, here we are…” I announce, pulling into a parking spot in front of their apartment building. “I’m gonna walk y’all inside.”
“You wanna her freckles too, dontcha?” Mattie quips, nearly falling out of the truck as she opens the door.
“I wanna erase the last five minutes out of my memory,” I mutter, getting out to help them.
They loop their arms together as they skip to their door, nearly tripping and face-planting the sidewalk.
“Gimme the keys,” I say, grabbing them from Mattie’s hand.
Once I unlock the door, I wait for them to get inside and then do a quick sweep through their place to make sure nothing looks suspicious. Besides the pile of laundry on the floor and the sink full of dishes, nothing looks out of the ordinary.
“Are we safe, detective cowboy?” Delilah plops on the couch, nearly falling off on her way down.
Mattie stumbles next to her. “If you’re so worried, you can sleep in my bed tonight. I don’t bite…but I do suck.”
Delilah and her giggle, and now I know I owe Waylon the biggest apology for putting up with me over the years. Delilah too, but if this is payback, we’re even now.
“I would rather drown in hot sauce…” I say under my breath.
Standing in front of Delilah, I grip her chin so she’ll meet my gaze. “If you need anythin’, please call me. Got it?”
“Yes, sir,” she mocks with a salute.
Lord help me.