Page 143 of Bad Cowboy, Tennessee

Max

“Itold my father to do it,” Draven said as I padded into the kitchen, pouring the fresh brewed coffee over ice and watching the cubes crack and sink down under the liquid.

I glanced over at Draven. “You spoke with your father?”

He was lying down on his side on my couch, his wounded side facing upward.

He looked cool, calm, and casual, in a way I’d never quite seen on him before.

“I spoke with him,” he said. “For the first time in quite a while.”

“And you told him…”

“I told him to take every instance of my fuckin’ name out of the Lyons Agriculture company.”

I furrowed my brow. “You’re kidding me, right?”

I had just slept like the dead for at least nine or ten hours straight, and woken up to see Draven happy as a clam in the morning light. Was he playing a prank on me?

“Not kidding. Told him all I want is the value of my plot of land, and to have my horses carefully transported down here tomy land. I will be taken out of anything having to do with the company, though.”

“That can’t be how it works,” I said. “You can’t just decide to leave, when you’re written into all the documentation.”

“It’s certainly how it works,” he told me. “And yes, there will be a legal process and lots to sign, but itwillhappen.”

“I thought… I thought you wanted it. I thought you’d never back down. Never let your fatherwin, or your former friend drive you out of your home state.”

“I thought all of that too, until I almost fucking bled out and died, and I realized that there are some things in life that just aren’t worth fighting for. And then there are a whole fuckin’ lot more important things than my stubborn, hateful, rage-filled pride.”

“But it was your dream,” I said.

“Andyouare one of the things that is a lot more important.”

I shook my head. “No. You’re going to regret this. You’re going to resent me for giving up on what you wanted so badly?—”

Draven just laughed softly. “I’m never going to regret a goddamn thing. I regret not pulling out sooner.”

“But the Lyons Agriculture name could have boosted a horse rescue center. If that’s really what you want, you should use it. Leverage it into getting more funding for your sanctuary.”

“No,” he said. “I am going to do it on my own. I’m still going to have more than enough money from the sale of my estate. Money most people could neverdreamof. I can have the best animal sanctuary in Tennessee within two years, Max. Trying to stay with the Lyons company… it would just be greed, and pride, and so many other fucking things that I amtiredof prioritizing.”

I sat down on the edge of the couch, being careful not to get close to the spot on his body that was in pain.

“But where are you going to live?” I asked softly. “Your wholelifewas on that estate.”

“I’m going to live right here in Bestens,” he answered. “My whole life isn’t back in Montana anymore. I know you’re still mad I scooped up Old Man Marsden’s property, but I hate to break it to you, Baby Blue, that land isminenow.”

“You’re going to stay here?” I asked, surprised to feel a tightness in my throat.

“I’m going to stay,” he said, the green in his eyes clearer than ever as I turned to look at his face. “I’m going to complain about the heat. I’m going to be baffled at how nice everyone is in town. And I’m going to watch over you like a fucking hawk until I’m damn sure there’s no more online stalkers coming your way. But yes. I’m going to be here.”

I felt the sting of tears at the corners of my eyes, but I’d cried enough in the last few days for a lifetime.

Instead, I leaned over, pressing my lips to Draven’s.

“Fuck, I love you,” I whispered. “I’m still so mad at you. How could youdothat? How could you let yourself getstabbedfor me? And you’re going to be here—you don’t evenlikethe old Marsden house.”

“I love that house,” he protested. “I’m making it my own. Just like a lot of other things around here.”

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