Page 24 of Sold to the Single Daddies

“You sure are a pretty thing.” He reached for me again and a deep voice shot through the night from behind him.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Dave and I were both shocked when we saw it was Tate Hellstone coming toward us like some sort of avenging demon.In the dark motel parking lot, his cowboy hat kept his face in shadow but the size and build of him was threatening without the dark scowl of his face showing.

“Touch her again and I’ll break your arms off and beat you to death with them. Go back to your office and don’t fucking think about coming out until we’re gone, you piece of shit.” Tate grabbed the front of Dave’s shirt and shoved him away. “Andyou.”

I squeaked as he turned his thunderous gaze my way.

“Me?”

“What the fuck are you thinking? Staying in a piece of shit place like this with our son. Stayingalonein a piece of shit place like this with our son. And sitting with the door fucking open like a beacon of light to all the fucking monsters of the night. You’re fucking lucky you’re not mine or I’d bend you over and spank the hell out of you. Now get your shit together. You’re coming with me.”

I was so in shock over his threat that I stood, turned into the room and started packing my bag. It took me a few seconds to snap back to attention.

“Hey! I’m not going with you. With the way you and your brothers have been acting, you’d probably take me out to the woods and leave me to die while you stole Lucky.”

Tate took two menacing steps toward me and gripped my upper arms. Before I could process what was happening, he’d spun me around and landed two hard slaps to my ass. They were serious slaps that stung and made me jump away from him while holding my ass. When I looked back at him, he was breathing like an angry bull and staring me down.

“I suggest you get your shit together. You’re coming with me one way or another.”

“But—”

“You’re not keeping Lucky here! You shouldn’t want to. Jesus, Reagan! Think about your son!” He started grabbing the few things I had around the room and shoving them into my worn duffel bag. “I’m not arguing with you and you’re not getting an option. You can come willingly or I’ll tie your ass up and take you that way.”

The spanking and the threat of ropes made my face flare and I cursed my body for reacting. I had enough sense to understand his threat was real, though. I gathered all of Lucky’s things and gently tucked him into his carrier. I didn’t say anything else to Tate. I was confused by his appearance and his attitude. He’d threatened Dave for me. He’d spanked me. He’d also implied I hadn’t been thinking about Lucky, which made me want to shove him down.

His truck was parked across the parking lot, in the dark, but with a clear line of view to my room. He watched me set up Lucky’s car seat and then waited outside my door for me to climb into his truck before he went around and got behind the wheel.

“I could fucking shake you.”

I crossed my arms and leaned my head against the window.

“What’s new?”

“You’re lucky I was here.”

“Whywereyou here?”

He pulled onto the highway and headed back towards Devil’s Den.

“I heard that you were staying here. With our son. It’s a dangerous motel for anyone, much less a single woman with a baby. You could’ve gotten our son hurt.”

“I carried Lucky to term all by myself and I’ve taken care of him for three months without your help. As much as I want him to grow up with a father, it’s not because we need you to save us. I’ve been on my own for a very long time, first taking care of Mason and now Lucky. Thanks for your input, but go to hell.”

“How’s taking care of Mason going for you?”

I felt the words like a punch to the chest. I didn’t have anything else to say to him, so I remained quiet as panic and shame fought inside me.

“Reagan… I—” He cut himself off and grunted. “We’ll be there soon.”

CHAPTER 18

Reagan

I hadn’t planned on ever finding myself back at the Hellstone ranch, much less the same day Mason had walked away from me. I especially didn’t plan on following Tate into the main house as he carried everything but Lucky in his big hands. The house was dark as he led me upstairs and down a long hallway to a plain room with a small bed, a dresser, and nothing else.

“It’s not going to win any hospitality awards but it’s a world better than that piece of shit you were staying in.” Dropping my bags on the floor next to the bed, Tate turned around and stared at me with his hands on his hips. “You need a bed for Lucky.”

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