Page 46 of Curvy Nanny for the Cowboy

“Travis, what do you think you’re doing?” I knew he was having a hard time letting go, but this was out of character even for him. “This isn’t going to go how you think it will.”

“Won’t it?” He touched the tip of the blade to Hunter’s cheek, and my heart stopped. “This brat will be fine. Every drop of blood will stay right where it is, as long as you stand up and come with me.” To drive his point home, Travis pressed the metal with a little more pressure.

Hunter screamed again, kicking and squirming with so much force I worried he might accidentally prick himself.

I jumped to my feet and held my hands up, reaching out for Hunter. “Yeah, okay, fine, Travis. I’m up, so just put him down and tell me where to go.”

He smiled. “That’s more like it.” Thankfully, he removed the blade from Hunter’s cheek and used it to point toward the copse of trees in the distance. “That way.”

“No, Molly! Don’t go! Please!”

My heart ached, squeezing hard at the anguish in his voice. “It’s all right, Hunter. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

“Yeah, little man, she’ll be fine.” Travis laughed loudly, the sound almost wicked in its intensity. “Keep going,” he motioned again with the knife for me to get a move on.

I stopped and glared at the man I used to look at and think long-term. He was useless, a waste of a man when there were so many others who could use him for parts. “Put Hunter down first.” I folded my arms and stood a little taller, putting on a brave face that I truly did not feel.

“Oh, my little kitten has grown some claws. I like it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Cut the crap, Travis. Put him down and let him go to the house.”

He paused and stared at me in disbelief. “If this is some kind of trick, I’ll make you both pay.”

“Seriously? He’s a small kid and the house is right there,” I pointed at the main house off in the distance. “Let him run back home, and then we can get out of here.”

Travis stared at me for a long minute, indecision warring in his pale blue eyes as he weighed his options. He would have to take the risk that I might run right along with Hunter or hang back and go with him.

Truthfully, I thought about taking off as soon as Hunter’s feet hit the ground, but he’d catch Hunter easily, and we’d be right back where we started. “Let him go,” I said and took a step closer. “Run, Hunter, as fast as you can, okay?”

“Without you?” His brows furrowed. “No.”

“You have to, buddy. I’ll be okay, I promise. You just be big and strong and run real fast, okay? And if you get scared, Billy should be in the barn.”

“Enough already!” Travis was so angry that someone else was getting my attention—a common theme in our old relationship—that he practically vibrated with it. He set Hunter on the ground so abruptly that he tumbled, bracing his palms on the grass. “Go! Run now. Go!”

Hunter gasped, and tears filled his eyes as they swung to me. “Molly?”

“I love you, Hunter. Make sure you tell Peanut Butter I love him too, yeah?”

He nodded and flung himself at me for the second time today. “Love you too, Molly.” He turned and took off as fast as his little legs would carry him, and when the front door closed behind him, I turned to Travis.

“Well, what’s your plan?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he growled, grabbing my arm.

I yanked out of his hold. “I said I would go with you, not that you could manhandle me.”

He frowned. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Gee, Travis, I don’t know. Maybe the fact that we’ve been broken up for months, and now you’re here at my job to what, kidnap me?” I shook my head and walked beside him, grumbling under my breath. “Did you expect me to welcome you with open arms?”

“Kind of, yeah. You used to love me.”

I shook my head. “No, Travis. I used to date you. I broke up with you because I didn’t love you. If I did, I might’ve found your jealousy endearing instead of repulsive.”

His brows furrowed. “I wasn’t jealous.”

“Sure you were.” Now that he was firmly in my past, I saw all of his behavior for what it was. “Always accusing me of wanting your grimy friends, of cheating on you.”

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