Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
John’s breathing hard, and he surprises me. “And what did he do to you?”
“It doesn’t matter—”
“Yeah, it fucking does. What did he do to you, Holden?”
“Anything and everything he wanted to. I was his punching bag. I was the one he threatened to keep the girls in line. I was the one who worked twenty-hour days because he didn’t want to hire enough help. But in the end, he took Millie away from me. Because I couldn’t have anything good, and it certainly wasn’t going to be a Wild woman.”
I can feel the wetness on my cheeks, but I don’t care. I can’t stop talking. I can’t keep the secrets anymore.
“He left my sisters penniless. And he fucking killed. My. Mom! I buried her myself because he refused to pay to have it done. And when that asshole died, I burned it all to the goddamn ground, and now everything he thought he loved will be shit on by the cows he didn’t even respect enough to treat with any kindness. I married the love of my life, and I’m finally in control of the ranch that I’ve been running for eight miserable years.
“Oh, yeah, after he made me give up Millie, he decided that I must have too much time on my hands if I had time to date. So, I did it all after that while that pathetic excuse for flesh did nothing.”
“Why did you do it?” Chase asks.
“Because of his sisters,” John says, his voice softer, the fight gone from his body.
“Yes, sir.” I nod stiffly. “He always said, it’s really easy for girls to get lost. To be forgotten. Because no one gives a shit about them anyway.”
“Jesus.” Millie leans her forehead on my biceps.
“But I give a shit. Those girls are my world. They’re all sweet and good people, and if it meant I endured torment every day from the likes of him, it was worth it to keep them safe.”
“You were a child raising those girls,” Joy whispers.
“I was never a child.” I clear my throat and then nod at her. “Ma’am.”
John tips his head back and takes a long, deep breath, then lets his gaze fall to Millie before he looks back at me.
“Is someone going to feed us, or what?”
“Dinner’s ready,” Erin announces. “I’ll go get the littles.”
I hear the commotion of people shuffling away, but Joy joins John, Millie, and me and links her hand with her husband’s.
“It’s time to let this go, John,” she says softly. “For yourself.”
“I need to know one more thing,” he says, turning to look at me. I’m surprised to see that his eyes are glassy. “You say you love her, but—” His lip wobbles. “I need to know that you’ll never put a hand on her.”
“Never.” I hold my hand out to shake his, and he looks at it in surprise. “I swear to you, I would never hurt her in anger. I swear it on my mother, Mr. Wild.”
His eyes bounce to Millie once more, and then he shakes my hand, and Millie dissolves into tears. I wrap my arm around her and tug her into my side, kissing her head.
“I don’t deserve your daughter,” I admit. “But she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I waited an awfully long time to make her mine.”
“Come on,” Joy says, tugging on John’s hand. “Let’s go eat. Let’s go be with our family. Our whole family.”
John nods and pats me on the shoulder as we follow the girls inside.
“Next time,” he says gruffly, “bring your sisters with you.”
I blink rapidly and then look over at him. “Sir?”
“John. Not sir. And if we’re having family dinner, we’ll have the whole family here. That’s how we do things.”
He winks at me, never cracking a smile, as he walks into the house and scoops up August, hugging the little boy close to his chest.
I have to take a minute to pull in a breath.
“Are you okay?”
Millie wraps herself around me in a hug, tucking her head under my chin. I hold her close and breathe her in.
“I’m…lighter.” I’m fucking exhausted. I’ve been put through the emotional wringer. “And I think things are going to be okay with your dad.”
“You told me you’d win him over.” I can hear the smile in her voice. “You were right.”
“I was only ever worried about winning you over, Rosie.”
“Well, you’ve got all of us, husband. Take it or leave it.”
I laugh and kiss the top of her head. “I’ll fucking take it.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
MILLIE
Two Months Later
“Brooks finally finished the old truck.” We’re bouncing around in it as Holden drives us to the far end of the property, where our favorite lookout spot is, to look at the mountains. “And it drives so much smoother.”
“The body’s the same,” he says with a grin, “but the engine runs like new.”