Page 117 of Dirty Cowboy

I feel sick. Stupid. My heart cracks open, raw and aching.Are all of the men in my life liars?Except my father, of course. My brothers have always been overprotective, but I never imagined they could be so heavy-handed. Pushing Eric to lie for them, and yes, I know he could have refused, but… It’s another example of them infantilizing me and making decisions in my life. But I can’t limit my anger to them because, even though it was their idea, Eric conspired with them. He embraced the lie, looked into my face every day, and continued to lie. If he lied about that, he could lie about anything. How can I ever trust him again?

The sharp morning wind whips at my skin, bringing tears to my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I’m so angry. But you know what? The more I think about it, the more angry I am with Tristan, in particular. After sending me with Eric with instructions to keep me away from home, after promising to text me every day and not doing it, he has the nerve to point the finger at Eric and try to make me feel worse by saying Dad has been asking for me every day?! As if Eric was the mastermind, enacting his own devious plans to keep me from my father. No, the blame lies squarely with my fucking brothers. Eric was stupid, yes, but he didn’t come up with the plan. They did.

My feet slow as I reach the old wooden fence between Eric’s property and his parents’ house. My fingers grip the splintered wood, knuckles white. How many times did I imagine running toward him instead of away? Dreaming of a future here, believing I belonged. I squeeze my eyes shut, pressing my forehead against the frame. My whole life, I’ve been chasing his love, but now… I don’t know what to think.

He did tell me we should go home tomorrow to see my dad. And he said he’d go with me. That’s gotta mean something, right? He wasn’t trying to keep me here. He would have let me go at any time, if that’s what I’d wanted. In fact, he’d have taken me home himself. I have no doubt about that. He does truly care about me. I know he does. He just did something stupid.Can I really let one mistake tear us apart?

Maybe we should talk after when my brothers leave.I take a shaky breath and force my body upright. I need to get to Dad. Today. I have no plan, no clothes, no shoes, but none of it matters. I definitely don’t want to see my rat-bastard brothers, and the only place I can think to go is the Waters’ house. I’ll wait there until the coast is clear to get my stuff. I’ll talk to Eric…and I’ll let him grovel. And then, I’ll let him take me home.

I push forward, legs heavy and steps unsteady, until I reach Joanne’s front porch. My fist trembles as I knock on the door.

Footsteps. A pause. Then Annabelle pulls the door open, her face twisting in shock.

“Emma?” Her eyes scan over me, taking in my disheveled state. “What happened? Are you okay?”

I shake my head.No. I’m not okay. I may never be okay again.But I can’t get the words out.

She pulls me inside without hesitation. “Come in. You’re freezing.” She disappears down the hall, her voice trailing behind her. “I’ll grab you some pants.”

I sink onto a chair, shivering. The warmth of the house wraps around me, making me realize just how cold I was. Annabelle returns with a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie, and I slip them on with trembling hands.

“Thanks,” I murmur.

I’m still adjusting to the warmth when Joanne steps into the room. One look at her tear-streaked face, and my stomach plummets.

“Joanne?” I push to my feet, my injured ankle screaming in protest. “What’s wrong?”

She crumples into a chair, her shoulders shaking. Annabelle casts me a worried glance before kneeling beside her mother.

“She’s been like this since last night,” Annabelle whispers. “She won’t tell me why.”

Joanne inhales sharply, her breath hitching. “It’s Huntz,” she finally says, voice cracking. “He told me… Unless I sign over the deed to our ranch, I will never see my daughter again.”

I freeze. “Your daughter?”

Her eyes shine with desperation. “Skyler… My daughter… He has her. Unless we give him the land, I’ll never see her again. He said… He said the land up north is in Misty’s name.” Her voice shakes, each word tumbling out in a frantic rush. “Skyler Bishop… My Skyler is Misty.”

The name slams into me like a freight train.

Misty. Skyler. Joanne’s daughter.

The room tilts, the puzzle pieces snapping into place, forming a picture too horrifying to grasp.

“Misty’s still missing?” My voice wavers.

“Blake is out searching now,” Annabelle says. “Derek’s gathering people to help.”

Misty isn’t just another victim of Huntz’s twisted games. She’s Joanne’s stolen baby.

I turn to Annabelle, my pulse roaring in my ears. “Where would Huntz keep her? Do you know?”

Annabelle shakes her head. “I don’t know. But… There's an old shack on the other side of the river. I—I think it’s where he kept us when he kidnapped us.” Her voice wobbles, haunted.

That’s all I need to hear.

I bolt out the door. Annabelle calls after me, but I don’t stop. My brother’s car is still parked in front of Eric’s, so I stay low, moving along the riverbank, keeping to the shadows until I reach the train bridge.

Each plank creaks beneath my weight as I cross, the river rushing below, fast and unforgiving. The air thickens with dampness, the morning fog curling around my ankles as I reach the other side.

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