Southern Secrets by Natasha Madison

Chapter 28

Amelia

Thirty minutes earlier

"I’ll see you soon." I lean over the truck and kiss his lips. "Try not to get into any more fights."

He rolls his eyes, shaking his head. "It was one fight," he says, "and I’d do it all over again." My heart speeds up when he says that. When he showed up at the barn, I could tell from the look on his face that something just happened. Then I saw the ice around his hand, and my heart sank. The minute he said Tex’s name, I knew this was going downhill. What I didn’t know is that instead, it soared higher than I’ve ever been. I have never felt so loved in my life than I was at that moment. For someone to fight for me was everything.

I get out of the truck and walk in, turning off the alarm as the phone in my purse rings. I grab it as I walk to the back office. Chelsea’s name flashes on the screen with a picture of the two of us taken three weeks ago. "Hello," I say, pressing my shoulder up to hold it to my ear.

"Hello," she says. "Is that all you have to say to me is hello?" I can hear that she is in her car on Bluetooth.

"What else does one say when answering their phone?" I laugh, walking into the office. I dump my purse into the chair and pick up the mail on the floor. The mail that fell on the floor yesterday after he bent me over this desk. I smile, thinking about him.

"So I heard a rumor today," Chelsea says.

"Really?" I say, putting the mail on the desk, then turning and walking out of the office. "And what is this rumor that you heard?"

"That you are knocking boots with Asher," she says, laughing, and I stop walking when she says this. "I wish I was there right now to see the expression on your face."

"There is no expression on my face,” I lie to her, and she just laughs even harder, making me shake my head.

"I knew it," she says. "I knew it, and everyone told me I was silly."

"You are silly," I confirm.

"Okay, did you or did you not take him home today to have nasty-ass sex because he beat up that sorry excuse for a human Tex?" she asks, and I walk behind the bar. "Your silence is a yes."

"My silence is because I’m shocked that my family are gossip queens," I say, and then I close my eyes. "Who is saying these things?" I ask softly.

"Well, Willow called me, and I called Emily,” she starts, and I groan. "If you don’t make a statement, the aunts are going to be calling each other, and then you’ll be pregnant by the end of the night."

I laugh because she is not wrong. "Fine," I admit. "I’m with Asher."

"Oh, please," she says, and I can feel her rolling her eyes. "Tell me something I don’t know."

"What do you want to know?" I ask.

"How long?" she asks, and my head hangs.

"Over a month," I say, and she gasps out in shock.

"What?" she asks. "How is it that no one saw it?"

"You just told me that you knew about it," I remind her.

"Yeah, we figured it out this weekend when someone saw him slap your ass behind the bar and you didn’t throat punch him," she says, laughing.

"Well, you know," I say, turning when I hear a car door slam. "And I’m not with child either, so when you call your mother after this phone call, you can let her know."

"How do you know I’m going to call my mother after this phone call?" she asks, and it’s me who laughs.

"This is the juiciest information that you have at the moment," I say. "And I know you will be dying to tell everyone that I confirmed it."

"Well, there is one person I’m not telling," she says. "You need to do that yourself."

"I’m going to call him tomorrow," I say and then hear the front door open. "I got to go. Talk to you later." I hang up the phone, looking at the door.

The man comes in wearing a tan suit, and I know right away he isn’t from here. "Sorry, we’re closed," I say, and he takes off his aviator glasses that he’s wearing, looks around, and then looks at me smiling.

"This place sure has changed," he says, walking in a bit, his black hair falling on his forehead. I watch him walk to the bar. "I used to come here when I was in school." He smiles at me. "Thought I would swing by before I left town again."

He sits on the stool right in front of me, and something about the way he looks at me makes my skin crawl. "I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name." I pretend that I’m not bothered by him.

He laughs, putting his hands on the bar and tapping his finger. "You are just like your mother."

"You know my mother?" I ask, and he smirks.

"We are somewhat related," he says, and I tilt my head.

"I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are?" I tell him, my heart sinking, and I wish I had a button that I could press to call someone. "But if you like, I can tell my mother and father that you stopped by." I pick up my phone and look at him.

He smirks at me, getting up. "Oh, you tell her, sugar," he says, and everything in me is telling me to run. "Tell them Liam stopped by." The minute he says his name, I know I’m in trouble. "Also, tell my boys I’ll be in touch," he says, turning and walking out.

The phone in my hand shakes as I call my father, who answers right away. "Hey, baby girl," he says, and I feel somewhat okay knowing I’m on the phone with him. Knowing that no matter what, he is going to make sure I’m safe.

"Dad," I say, my voice filled with fear. "Liam was just here."

"Truck!" he yells. "Lock the door," he says. I rush over to the door and lock it, looking out the window. “Don’t let anyone in until I get there.”

"He’s gone," I say, my heart beating in my chest as I turn and slide down to the floor. "Should I leave?"

"Hey.” I hear Asher’s voice come onto the phone, and I sob out. “I’m there in two minutes, you hear me." I nod my head, my whole body shaking. "I need to hear your voice."

I hear the sound of rocks flying, and I get up looking out the window, seeing my uncle Beau flying out of his car, not even closing the door. "Uncle Beau is here," I say, dropping my phone and opening the door. "Uncle Beau," I say, and I fly into his arms.

"I’m here," he says. "You’re okay." He rubs my head. "I’m here."

I hear the stop of a truck, and the door flies open, and Asher runs in. His eyes are on Beau and then me. "Are you okay?" he asks, and I nod.

My father and brother are the next ones in, followed by Casey and Quinn. "I have the feed," Casey says, walking in. "He looks just as slimy as he did back then." Then he looks at Beau. "Sorry."

Beau walks over to the phone in Casey’s hand as the guys watch the feed, and I feel Asher take me into his arm. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I say, looking up at him. "I’m okay."

"What the fuck is he doing here?" Ethan says, and I just look at him. "Like why come here for what?"

"I have no idea," Beau says. "Last I heard, he was signing his third divorce and had alimony payments up the ass." He looks at his phone.

My father comes over to me. "Did he say anything to you?"

I nod my head. "He said he used to come here back when he was growing up." I start to tell them. "He said he knew you and Mom. Then he said tell my boys I’ll be in touch."

"What the actual fuck?" Ethan says, and we all look at him. "What the fuck does that mean?"

My uncle Beau takes his phone out of his pocket. "I’m going to call him right now, and I’ll fucking kick his ass myself."

"It makes no sense," my father says. "No fucking sense."

"If he gets close to Gabriel or me," Ethan says, his voice so tight and so vicious. "I’ll fucking kill him with my bare hands." Something about his tone I know he isn’t kidding.

"He isn’t looking for you guys," Asher says from beside me, and all eyes are on his. His body goes tight right beside me. I look over at him, and I can see the anguish all over his face.

"What the fuck are you talking about right now?” Quinn says, his stance ready to attack Asher.

"He’s looking for me," Asher says from beside me, and for the second time in my life, my world crashes. "I’m his son."