Rough Ride by Piper Stone

Chapter 16

Madisen

Montana.

The Big Sky Country.

The state was absolutely gorgeous, the flight in allowing me to see the beauty of the snow-capped mountains and incredible forests. There were miles and miles of what appeared to be open land. Even the airport in Missoula was beautiful, pictures from local artists donning the walls inside.

Jake had surprised me with a trip, insisting that I come while not telling me a single thing about the reason why.

I didn’t like surprises of any kind, especially when I knew the outcome already. Jake had been almost silent since our ‘win’ with Marcus. I’d been impressed how the cowboy had used a combination of swagger with a dash of bullying in order to coerce Marcus into not only changing his mind about ending the contract, but also increasing the dollar figure we’d receive. If I didn’t know better, I’d say Jake had a bit of shark in him after all.

However, I’d also seen the darkness in his eyes, could tell he was struggling to tell me something. I was almost in tears by the time we reached his ranch. While the place was small in comparison to Big Horn, I fell in love with it almost immediately.

He’d wasted no time enjoying the surroundings, making several phones calls that I hadn’t been privy to hearing. That further confirmed what I knew he was going to tell me.

“Prepare yourself, girl. You’re strong.”

Just saying the words out loud didn’t make then any more palatable.

When he’d asked me to put on jeans, I didn’t know what to think at all. I stood in front of the mirror in the bedroom, trying to control my nerves as well as my emotions. The ranch, the surroundings, and everything else were the perfect way of telling me that he was returning to the circuit. I couldn’t blame him. I know how much he missed the notoriety. Just seeing the way the receptionist had gushed all over him had given me a clear understanding.

And I’d been filled with jealousy.

Laughing, I brushed my hand through my hair, realizing it was shaking. “Get a grip, girl. It was just a short-lived fantasy and nothing more. You have a lot of work to do.” I plastered a smile on my face as I walked to the door, swallowing several times before managing to open it.

When I walked out onto the porch, Jake was leaning over the railing. I flanked his side, taking a deep breath of the crisp air.

“I love it here,” he said quietly. “The mountains. The rivers. Nature. Everything.”

“I can understand. It’s your home.”

“Yeah, it has been, although I took everything about Montana for granted for a long time, just like I’ve done with a hell of a lot in my life.”

He had a faraway look in his eyes. I honestly didn’t know what to say to him. My throat was tight, enough so I was forced to take shallow breaths. My heart ached more than it had in a long time. I’d been forced to face exactly the kind of man Diego had been. I was younger, but old enough to know better than to get involved. If only I’d heeded Dad’s wishes, then maybe the horrible things wouldn’t have happened.

“You know Diego made a deal with the prosecutors,” he said after a few seconds as if he was reading my mind.

“I didn’t know that.”

He nodded several times, finally glancing in my direction. His nostrils immediately flared, his eyes filling with desire. Almost immediately I began to quiver from the soaring heat between us. “He’ll serve time, but not nearly as much as he would have without sharing some pretty sordid events. At least that’s what Greg mentioned.”

“I guess that’s good.”

“Did you love him?”

The question brought another wave of pain. I thought about his question before answering. “Honestly, I thought I did, but how could I love an abusive man?”

“Men can fool you, little filly. All the time.”

I wasn’t certain what he was trying to say to me, but I was forced to wipe a tear from my eye before he noticed. “Yep. You’re right about that.”

“I want you to meet someone.” He took my hand, leading me off the porch and around the side. The small barn was enclosed by a fence, several horses roaming the grassy area.

“They’re beautiful,” I said as I studied the gorgeous creatures.

“They’re my babies.” Jake moved closer to the fence, whistling. Almost instantly a large black horse trotted in his direction, bobbing his head up and down. When the massive horse reached the fence, he snorted and pawed the ground, whinnying his happiness.

“And who is this magnificent creature?”

“This is Indiana Jones.”

I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. “Hello, Indiana. You are gorgeous.”

“You feel like a ride?”

“On him?”

Jake laughed. “Nope, little filly. You’re not ready for big boy here. Let me get us saddled up. Then I want to show you another special place.” He moved inside the fence, every horse moving closer to greet him.

I watched as he lovingly patted Indiana before securing another, much smaller horse. My mind was reeling from the events of the last few days, my blood pressure rising. If he didn’t tell me the truth soon, I was going to kick him in the butt.

At least that gave me a smile.

He waited until I was comfortably on the beautiful palomino before climbing on Indiana’s back. We rode in silence, walking the horses the entire way. The area surrounding the ranch was just as amazing, everything so green and lush. When he pointed to a clearing, a smile crossing his face, my nerves kicked into high gear.

“Up there is the reason I bought the place,” Jake said as we rode into the area.

The sight literally took my breath away. Green grass fronted a river, trees swaying by the edge. There was something magical about the location, picturesque in every way.

“This is incredible,” I whispered as I climbed off, patting the mare’s neck before walking closer to the river. The water tumbled over rocks, the light trickling sound serene.

“Isn’t it though? The place is magical.”

“Which is why you’re never going to leave.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You just said so yourself. You love the ranch. Everything you’ve ever wanted is here. Your mother is here. Your friends. I understand that you want to return.” I turned to face him, unable to take it any longer. “I already know what you’ve been hiding from me, Jake. I’ve known it in my gut for two days. Why don’t you just tell me that you’re returning to the circuit?”

“What?” He seemed taken aback, a frown crossing his face. “What are you talking about?”

“The letter you refused to show me in the basement? Working so hard to make sure the contract was fixed? Bringing me here to break the news? Come on. I wasn’t born yesterday. I’m a big girl and I’d prefer if you’d just tell me now so we can deal with it. I’ll make certain the arrangement we make with regards to the business is fair all the way around. You’ll know everything that—”

He grabbed me by the arms, yanking me against his chest and crushing his mouth over mine. The kiss was a powerful reminder of everything we’d shared. The heartache. The arguments. The laughter. The fear. And the passion. I clung to him even though I wanted to push myself away.

The kiss was powerful, completely overwhelming, and my heart continued to melt.

When he finally eased back, he cocked his head. “Did anyone ever tell you that you talk way too much?”

I opened my mouth to retort then rolled my eyes. “Just tell me.”

“You are so damn hardheaded, woman. What am I going to do with you? I am not returning to the circuit, although I was asked to do a guest spot at the upcoming exhibition. I thought you might like to see me ride before I retire.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.” Huffing, he kept his grip on my arms. “I’m not selling the ranch. I thought we could vacation here every once in a while. I wanted to see if you liked the place before I made the decision.”

Tingling all over, I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. I laughed, doing everything I could to stop them. “I thought… It doesn’t matter. I would love to vacation here.”

“Good. That’s settled. I also was thinking about trying to re-create the camp for orphaned boys in Oklahoma. I mean every once in a while, if that’s okay with my partner.”

I couldn’t keep from squealing. “That’s wonderful. I love the idea.”

“Now, I’m not talking taking the kids near the rigs, but at least they could see them in action. Who knows? Maybe they’ll like it enough to want to learn.”

“That’s fabulous, Jake. I love the idea. But I know you’ve been keeping something from me.”

His face filled with tension. When he pulled away, reaching into his back pocket, I noticed he brought out the same letter I’d seen in the basement.

“You’re right. I have been keeping something from you. I didn’t want to say anything until I knew what was really going on.”

“What is it?”

He exhaled before answering, “From what I understand, Cunningham and Whitehorse targeted smaller ranches in their extortion attempts. They were easier marks, but their reason for attacking Big Horn was personal.” He handed me the letter. “Rutherford gave this to the attorney not long before he died.”

As I read over the contents, I had to think about what was on the paper, trying to process the information. “Wait a minute. So the reason Big Horn found oil when neither Cunningham nor Whitehorse could at the time was because Rutherford dug deeper wells?”

“Exactly. The shallow wells that both assholes dug all failed and for a reason. Rutherford made a calculated guess to go deeper, and he’d been right. What he didn’t know is that after all these years, the rigs would ultimately tap into the veins leading to wells on both Cunningham’s and Whitehorse’s properties.”

“In other words, those wells were starting to run dry.”

He nodded. “Yes. When Rutherford found out about it, he was deeply concerned, prepared to hire some experts to figure out what he could do.”

I glanced at the paperwork again. “But he died first.”

“What he didn’t know was that other locations on the property perked at a shallower level.”

“How do you know that, Jake?”

“I know a few people in the industry. I ain’t no dumb cowboy.”

Everything about the man made me furious or smile with giddiness. “What do we need to do from here?”

“Well, given the other wells are shut down, we can keep on drilling the way we have been.”

“Or move to the new sites.”

“Yes. If the calculations are correct, those wells are rich.”

I folded the note, handing it back to him. “Then we know what we need to do. We’ll start new drilling sites in the next few days.”

“I figured you’d say that. You’re still a bad girl even if you do good things.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll accept that. When is this rodeo, cowboy?”

“Well, it’s tonight.”

“Better late than never in telling me, huh?”

He winked, trying to be the old charming self he was. “You still love me.”

I pressed my hand against his chest. “More than you know.”

“Let’s enjoy the afternoon. On the way to the rodeo, I have one thing I need to do first.”

“Give your mom the letters and the coat that was meant for her a long time ago.”

“You seem to know me too well. Yeah. I only hope it will bring her some peace.”

“Jake, you were her peace and her joy, and she loves you very much. I know they will mean a lot to her.”

“We shall see. Now, there’s just one thing to take care of before we enjoy our afternoon.”

When his eyes glistened, I tried to back away. “Oh, no, you don’t.”

“You’ve been a very bad girl lately and I haven’t given you a spanking.”

No amount of squealing or pleading was going to stop him. When he plopped down on the fresh grass, pulling me over his lap, all I could do was smile.

“I love you, Madisen, my special little filly. You’ve changed my world. But… you have a caustic mouth on you.”

As he brought his hand down several times, one hard strike coming after the other, I allowed myself to feel utter bliss in a way I never thought would happen. Maybe my fantasy had come true after all.

* * *

Jake

I’d never hesitated before walking into my mom’s house before. Now I felt odd, as if I no longer belonged here. I knew better of course, but the letters brought memories, which could in turn bring more pain. However, I knew she’d want to have them.

As I knocked, I gave Madisen a smile. It was good to have her by my side. She squeezed my arm in reassurance, remaining quiet.

“Jakie!” my mother squealed as she opened the door, immediately throwing her arms around me. “You look so good.”

“I am good, Mama. How are you?”

“Come in. I’m the same but happy you’re here. And who is this lovely young woman?”

Madisen smiled, holding out her hand. “I’m Madisen Falwell. Your… I mean Rutherford was my guardian. He was like a father to me.”

I wasn’t certain what to expect, but when my mother threw her arms around Madisen, I had to fight back tears.

“Then you must be one very special girl. You’re part owner of the ranch. Right?”

“Yes, Ms. Travers.” Madisen answered.

“Oh, please. Call me Maggie. I’m not that old,” my mother said, laughing. She narrowed her eyes as she noticed what was in my arms. “What do you have there, son?”

“I found a coat from years before in Rutherford’s things, Mama. I thought this might be one meant for you.” I could see almost instant tears in her eyes as she reached for it. She smoothed down the fur on the collar, sighing several times.

“My, oh, my,” she whispered.

“I was right?” I asked, a lump forming in my throat.

“Rutherford and I took a trip together just before his parents forced us to break up. It was amazing. We had such a good time together. I saw this coat in a little shop while we were walking one gorgeous afternoon. The owners didn’t have my size or Rutherford would have bought it for me right there. He never told me that he ordered one. I can’t believe he saved this.” She pulled the coat against her chest, her hands shaking.

I glanced at Madisen, taking a deep breath before placing the box on the table. “These are letters, Mama. I know you were writing back and forth for years.”

My mother lifted her head, tears in her eyes. “Yes, we were. I’m sorry I kept that from you. When I received the first letter a little after you were born, I was so distraught I couldn’t answer him. When he sent a second and a third, I intended on telling him to stay away from me, but I just couldn’t. We started writing on a regular basis. Then I couldn’t find it in my heart to stop him. I just… I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, Mom. If that gave you any joy, then I’m happy for you. But I don’t understand why you didn’t try and get back together. His parents died a long time ago.”

“Oh, we talked about doing just that a little, but it was just too difficult to figure out how to make that happen. I knew by then how much bringing him into our lives would have hurt you.”

I took a deep breath, realizing just how selfish I’d been over the years. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Just please forgive me,” she added.

“There is nothing to forgive. Nothing. I’m so sorry you felt like I couldn’t be supportive. I guess I wasn’t capable of doing that. I should be the one asking for forgiveness.”

After placing the coat on the back of the couch, she moved closer, wrapping her arms around me. “Over anything else, I wanted you happy. Are you happy, son? Are you at peace with your father’s will?”

“Actually, I am. I’m going to stay in Oklahoma, although I’m not selling the ranch. We’ll be back as often as possible.”

As she eased me away, she gave Madisen another look. “That’s because you’re in love. Isn’t it?”

I felt heat rising on my face. “Yeah, well, I think I am.”

“I knew it. When Rutherford told me about Madisen, I knew she was the right girl for you.”

I pushed my mother away, giving her a playful look. “You and my father concocted the whole thing?”

My mother smiled, just like the look I’d seen on Madisen. “All is fair in love and war, Jakie.”

I laughed harder than I had in a long time. “We have to go, Mama. I’m saying goodbye to the rodeo world, but we’ll be back before we leave town.”

“You better. I need to get to know my daughter-in-law better.”

“Wait. We didn’t say anything about getting married,” Madisen said.

My mother winked at me.

Like mother, like son.

* * *

There was nothing like the sights and sounds of a rodeo. I loved every minute of it. Saying goodbye was bittersweet, but it was the right thing to do.

“I’m glad you agreed to this, buddy,” Mike said as he walked with me toward the gate. He looked over his shoulder, grinning before he turned back to me. “Who’s the little woman?”

“Someone special and don’t you go messing with her,” I warned as I yanked out my gloves.

“Not a chance, buddy. So, did you change your mind? You coming back? A little groveling won’t hurt you.”

I glanced over at Madisen, taking a deep breath. “Nope. I’m an oilman now.”

He snickered, shaking his head. “I think I know why. Just kick some ass as a parting gift, my friend. But don’t get hurt.”

I waved Mike away, laughing softly under my breath. Then I turned my attention to the two commentators sitting in the box above the arena. My good buddies. As they started to speak, all I could do was smile.

“It looks like Thunder Travers is up next, Randy. After his last explosive run, I’m surprised to see him here,” Shane’s voice boomed over the microphone.

Both men laughed.

I rolled my eyes.

“Well, he is a crowd favorite. Just look at them, cheering already,” Randy retorted.

“That is true. Let’s see what the man can do.”

I pulled the amulet into my fingers, rolling the tip of my thumb across the surface. “Just one more good run. Just one more.” As I jumped on the bull, grabbing the reins, all the years of doing this flashed into my mind. Whatever happened, I’d made the best decision. I knew it in my gut. And the night was still young.

“Just you and me. Give me all you got,” I whispered.

As the bull shot out into the ring, he kicked up a storm, doing everything in his power to knock me off within a couple of seconds. I was able to hear the roar of the crowd as I dug my knees into the beast’s sides.

He twisted and charged the fence, almost tossing me over his head.

But I held on.

Round and round he went, snorting out of frustration.

But I held on.

He stopped short, but I’d anticipated his action.

And I held on.

“Oh, my God, Randy!” Shane called, the sound reverberating in my ears.

“Look at the clock,” Randy added.

I threw my arm up, allowing myself to look at the crowd. I could swear I was able to see Madisen’s adoring face. When the bull had finally had enough of me, he jerked all fours off the dirt.

As I tumbled to the ground, I heard the cheering and the time shouted from the speakers.

“Thirteen point four seconds. Thunder Travers had beaten his own record!”

As I was rushed toward safety, I did as I’d always done, taking a few seconds to lift the amulet into the air, and this time I was thanking God for allowing me to find love and happiness.

I jumped over the fence, the crowd still screaming, thumping their feet on the bleachers. I turned toward Madisen. Then I knew exactly what I had to do.

* * *

Madisen

“What the fuck is he doing?” Mike screamed from behind me. I could tell just how pissed Jake’s business manager was.

I bit back a laugh, knowing that Thunder was headed up to the commentator box. The rugged cowboy just couldn’t leave well enough alone. While I was only able to catch a glimpse of Jake as he entered the box, I knew instantly the conversation wasn’t pretty.

“Goddamn that man. I’m going to wring his neck,” Mike added.

I leaned over the fence, unable to keep from smiling. His performance had been incredible, but I was glad to see him stop performing. I wanted the man all to myself.

A full minute passed.

Then two.

Another two minutes.

Then I was able to catch sight of Jake as he rounded the corner only thirty feet away from me, at least two dozen reporters trying to get his attention.

But he only had eyes for one little filly.

As he swaggered closer, Mike grabbed his arm, screaming at him. I didn’t need to hear what was being said. Jake stopped, taking a few seconds to initiate a conversation. Whatever they discussed, Jake was able to get away from the man, Mike shaking his head.

Jake headed in my direction, immediately wrapping his arm around me and lifting me into the air. “What did you think, darlin’?”

“I think you’re one crazy man.”

He laughed and eased me down. “I just might be. However, you’re the one who needs taming. We’re going to have a few rules when I get back.”

“Oh, yeah, cowboy? What are they?”

“For one, no more cursing.”

“Uh-huh. We’ll see how that works.”

“And number two. No more boxing.”

I wrinkled my nose, finally exhaling. “Fine. As long as you don’t go beating up commentators any longer.”

“Is that what you think I was doing?”

“Hell, yeah,” I said for emphasis.

He gave me a stern look then turned me around to face the crowd. “Think again, little filly. Listen to what they have to say.”

“Well, this is a first, ladies and gentlemen. I wanted to give a huge thank you to Jake Travers for his apology a few seconds ago. I can honestly say I was touched, but that’s not the best part. While Jake is retiring…”

The commentator was forced to stop from the level of boos and jeers.

“Hold on now. He has a damn good reason. Just calm down. I have an announcement for you that I think you’re going to like. Well, it’s more like a question for one special lady in the audience. Would you like to do the honors, Randy?”

“I sure would. I understand there’s a Madisen Falwell in the crowd?”

I started to shiver, trying to turn around to face Jake but he was having none of it. All I wanted to do was shrink into the dirt. That also wasn’t possible since a spotlight was splashed across both of us. “What did you do?”

“Just shush, little filly.”

“There she is. Well, she must be one special lady in order to win over Thunder’s heart. I think he’s off the market, ladies. Madisen Falwell,” Randy continued. “Would you do Jake the Thunder Travers the honor of becoming his wife?”

The crowd was silent at first. Then they began to clap and cheer.

“What?” I managed, my heart racing.

Jake turned me around to face him, a sheepish look on his face. “What do you think?”

I had no idea what to say. Tears trickled down both sides of my face. “I think you’re crazy, but I love you, Thunder Travers.”

As he pulled me into a kiss, everything else faded away. The sights. The sounds. There was only the two of us.

One rugged, dangerous, arrogant cowboy.

And a woman who would always believe in fairytales.

The End