Page 81 of Unguarded

“Hey, pretty lady. What’re you up to? Is Cash coming to help me? Asshole was supposed to be here by now.”

“I don’t know where he is. Is there any way you could come over to the bunkhouse? I need your assistance with something.”

“Uh, yeah, sure. Now?”

“Yes. Also, could you take a picture of the cars in the driveway first, please?”

“The cars?”

“Yeah, any cars that don’t belong to your family.”

“Uh, okay.”

“Thanks! Oh, and please hurry!” I hang up the phone before he has a chance to ask any more questions.

I look down, realizing I’m still wearing just a T-shirt.

“Okay, don’t panic. You have time to change.”

30

CASH

My vision blurs red as I stumble down the stairs of the bunkhouse’s front porch. Someone might actually fucking die today when I find out who did this to her.

I’m afraid of the things I will do to them when I find out who it was. I don’t want Monroe to see that part of me. There’s a dark rage that I don’t often let out, but when it comes to the surface, I have little control over myself.

My skin is on fire. I keep my steps at a normal pace, exhaling slowly as I reach the main house. I yank open the front door. When I enter the kitchen, Rosie is standing near the stove. Her red hair is tied back in a low ponytail. Since I’ve been home, she’s barely left the house due to her morning sickness.

She looks up at me, her smile dropping when she sees my face. The spoon she was using to stir something in the pot clatters to the counter.

“What happened?”

“Who’s here? Who’s come in and out today?”

She looks around the empty kitchen. “No one. Holden took some cows to the sale barn early this morning. Kacie called in sick. Dolly is at her bridesmaid dress fitting for the wedding.”

“What about the ranch hands? Jensen and the guys.”

Rosie shrugs. “I know Holden took a few with them, but Duke’s been sorting through the winter hay to clean it out before we get the new batch in. Cash, what’s wrong?”

My muscles are tingling with the desire to expend some energy. I need an axe and a massive woodpile. I pull out my phone to find the picture and show Rosie.

A new text on the screen is from an unsaved number. It was sent twenty minutes ago.

Unknown

Does she know you’ll never commit to her?

My body stills. Monroe showed me the picture from Katherine ten minutes ago, and it had only been live for three.

“Fuck.”

My ex-situationship is the one who took the photo of us and shared it online.

“Cash, what is going on?” Rosie approaches me, placing her hand on my forearm.

I look down at my future sister-in-law. I want to explain—I do—but right now, the words don’t want to come. A million thoughts are racing through my head, and I have to figure out how to tell Monroe that Kacie is the one who did this toher.

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