Rough Ride by Piper Stone
Chapter 9
Jake
Anger.
For years I’d been told to curtail my anger. However, at this point it was difficult. To think Madisen could have been injured or worse was bad enough, the thought keeping me on edge. But to suspect a member of the crew was responsible brought out a completely different level of rage.
It was time to make certain the riggers knew who I was and that I was committed to being here. I almost laughed. It would seem my decision to stay had been affirmed. My thoughts drifted to how Devlin had reacted during the fire. He’d certainly known what he was doing, including keeping calm while issuing orders. Could the man have betrayed Madisen as well as Rutherford?
There was no way of being certain, but I’d do what I could to check on his background. It was obvious the threats were escalating, which could mean the culmination was near. The bastards were using Rutherford’s death to their advantage. Why did I feel like they had the upper hand at this point?
My thoughts drifted to Madisen. She was clearly under significant stress.
Did I freaking know how to use a computer? Who the hell was she kidding? Laughing softly, I rubbed my tired eyes, wincing as I stared out the bank of patio doors, the early morning sun already too damn bright.
I’d never felt so damn restless or out of place in my life.
What the hell had I been thinking? Staying in a house that was filled with another man’s life was like living with a ghost. And I wasn’t too fond of dealing with spirits of any kind, unless they were of the liquid variety.
After the fire, I’d known better than to try to lie down and get any additional sleep. The early morning light provided a gorgeous string of colors billowing across the sky. I missed Montana, the small ranch I owned the second thing I’d purchased after starting to win on the circuit, a new truck for my mama the first.
“What the hell are you doing, Jake?” Asking the question didn’t give me an instant answer. Instead, doing so brought additional questions. I’d tried to pay attention to what was being said on the rig, but the men had known what they were doing, keeping discussion to a minimum. At least I’d provided a hand. However, seeing the man fall had been excruciating.
I was fortunate to have acquired a certain level of first aid training, but I’d been able to do little more than make him more comfortable as well as check his vitals. Thank God the EMTs had arrived only seconds later. I didn’t want to tell Madisen that his prognosis from taking that kind of a fall wasn’t good, at least in terms of returning to the career I heard he loved.
I’d found coffee as well as a few other supplies, although a good portion of the food supply would need to be tossed. That would have to wait. This wasn’t my home and I still felt like I was invading another man’s space. I took another sip, realizing that right now nothing was going to taste good to me.
Except for Madisen’s lips as well as her sweet pussy.
Get over yourself, Jake. She’s never going to allow you to touch her again.
While that might be true in her mind, I wasn’t the kind of cowboy to back down if I wanted something. My need for her was exponentiating, which meant I wasn’t going to let her go any time soon. However, a nagging thought remained in my mind. Danger. I had a sickening feeling she would be forced into a precarious position. My protective side was increasing. I would do whatever it took to keep her safe.
I headed for the kitchen, tossing the rest of the mug. Maybe she’d been true to her word, sending me everything she knew about the bastards who continued to threaten Big Horn Ranch.
I stormed into the guest bedroom I’d selected, yanking my laptop case from the floor then taking long strides into the kitchen. This would be my place of operation while I remained in the godforsaken town. After turning it on, I backed away, my thoughts shifting to all the things I’d said to her hours before.
Did I really want to learn a portion of the business? Could I handle staying here for even an extended period of time? One thing was certain in my mind. If I stayed, things were going to get complicated. If I left, I might regret my decision. From my point of view, I was in a no-win situation.
Damn it.
The little filly hadn’t just gotten under my skin already. She’d crawled into every muscle, wrapping her long fingers around each one of them. However, there was one muscle she’d never manage to claw her way in finding. My heart. It was dead and cold.
Forever.
I thumped down on the chair, able to find the internet connection easily. When I opened my email, true to form, her organized mannerisms had dictated she send the information minutes after I’d stormed out of her door.
What she’d provided were the basic address, phone numbers, etc. What she didn’t explain was anything about the ranches and the men themselves. Nothing an internet search couldn’t handle. I found what I needed easily enough, both ranches considered legendary all throughout Oklahoma and beyond. Just as Madisen had indicated, they were wealthy, powerful, and extremely influential. Several of the photographs were taken with celebrities as well as high-ranking politicians.
There were also dozens of pictures of them with their arms wrapped around pretty young girls. I tapped my fingers on the table. What I knew about men of this stature was that they always held a dark secret or two, things they would do anything to keep the public from knowing. Maybe I’d make it my business to find out exactly what they were.
I spent the better part of a full minute laughing. The fuckheads believed they were larger than life, forcing their authority on an entire town if not the state. They had another think coming.
Easing back, I took a few seconds to shift my attention to the kitchen. It was easy to tell that Rutherford had been ill given the stacks of mail on the counter and table. I could imagine that dealing with the business as well as handling the man’s illness had been tough on Madisen. I just couldn’t imagine living here under any circumstances.
Sighing, I tapped the keyboard, trying to fathom how the hell I was going to learn the rigging business. I had no answer for a few seconds then I figured what the hell. As I typed in roughneck onto the main bar, I was surprised how many articles and definitions came up—to the tune of dozens of pages. I spent a little time surfing through them, overwhelmed by the seventh page. When I happened on a list of definitions, I grew more interested.
Until I read the list.
Holy shit. There really was a lot to learn.
This was going to have to wait for another day.
I was ready to shut down the computer when my curiosity got the better of me. After a few seconds of hesitation, I googled Rutherford as well as the company.
What I found was a stark contrast to the other two men. There were several newspaper articles on the ranch’s success, but that wasn’t what impressed me. It was the few pictures taken of him, every one of them with regard to either a celebration on the ranch, an announcement of how many new employees had been hired or with regards to his generosity in giving back to the community.
I shook my head, noticing Madisen stood proudly near him in almost every single photograph, her face beaming from her love of the man. How could someone like that have treated my mother so damn badly? The yin and yang didn’t make any sense to me. I wasn’t going to figure that out now. That was for certain.
Maybe it was time to take a shower and make a couple of early visits to the assholes in question. Unless Sheila had allowed the information to leak, they would never see me coming. I closed the lid and headed for the bedroom, laughing from the condition of the clothes in my suitcase. I’d tossed things in within minutes, not bothering to care if they were folded. At this point, I doubted I was leaving in the next couple of days.
What the hell?
Maybe I’d hang the two decent shirts I’d brought with me. Maybe I’d even find myself on a date or two.
I stared at the closet door for a few seconds then yanked it open. There were very few items inside, only a couple of boxes on the shelf and a single coat. At least a few hangers had been left. After hanging my meager belongings, I noticed something odd. The coat was for a woman. Of course. Madisen probably had a few things stored in the place.
The appearance of the coat continued to nag at me. I dragged it closer, realizing that the collar and cuffs were made of some kind of fur. Mink? Really? Even stranger, a price tag hung from one of the sleeves. I tugged it closer, surprised that it appeared handwritten, the former white cardboard now a dull yellow from age. And the style? There was no way this belonged to Madisen. The coat looked like it had been made twenty years ago.
Maybe longer.
An odd series of sensations skittered through me. Was it possible that… No way. This had nothing to do with my mother. Who the hell was I kidding?
Huffing, I returned it to the closet, ready to shut the door.
Until a damn box caught my eye. It wasn’t just that it was a typical cardboard box that anyone might place in their closets. What nearly drove me into a round of anger was that my mother’s name was written in magic marker on the side.
Maggie Travers.
I took a step away, uncertain whether I could stand to find out what was inside. What the hell did it matter anyway? It didn’t. He was gone and had never given enough of a shit to try to contact my mother again. I was a freaking fool to even consider wasting my time.
Nope. I wasn’t going to do it. Whatever Rutherford had kept was none of my business and nothing was going to change my mind about him.
I slammed the door, immediately heading into the bathroom and flipping on the light. Curse words continually flowed from my mouth, my fury increasing. Then I slammed my hands on the counter, leaning over and staring into the mirror.
“What have you gotten yourself into, Jake? Why couldn’t you just walk away from the damn situation in the first place? And why the fuck do you give a shit what’s inside that box?”
After a few seconds of glaring, I realized the man staring back at me wasn’t going to provide an answer. In fact, he wasn’t anyone I recognized any longer. Gone was the delight in his eyes that had always been there just from the sheer joy of being a part of a rodeo team. Instead, those same eyes were hard and cold, as if nothing could penetrate the rage.
Or the loneliness.
Where the once boyish face had been, what was left was a product of years of indulgences and brutal falls. Hell, the man’s nose wasn’t even the same any longer.
I remained where I was as I peeled off my clothing, finally taking a good look at the toll years of beating down my body had taken. I was covered in scars. Every one of them had a story and most of them weren’t good. Only a few had anything to do with one big brute of an animal. How many fights had I been in? How many drunken brawls that I could barely remember?
I was lucky I hadn’t gotten myself killed by all the times I’d ended up in bed with the wrong woman. One thing I had to face. My luck had run out. I was thirty-six years old and washed up.
“Whatcha gonna do, Jake? Fall into a bottle?” The question was meant as a dare to the asshole still nestled in the depths of my being.
What infuriated me the most was that I didn’t have an honest answer.
Maybe I would let fate or karma or whatever the bitch was who ruled the universe take over. What I didn’t want to do was hurt Madisen. She didn’t deserve my bullshit no matter how much a part of me wanted to treat her as a possession and nothing more.
She was a true light in a world full of darkness.
A breath of fresh air.
A walk on a winter’s day.
And I needed to take a freaking shower before I fell into some kind of sickening sweet Christmas movie. We weren’t destined to be together.
But hard, raw fucking, the kind where two sweaty bodies molded together for some of the best sex of our lives?
You bet.
The old confidence returned as I turned on the water. What I would do was make certain Whitehorse and Cunningham were given a direct and tough message.
Fucking with the Big Horn Ranch or anyone involved won’t be tolerated.
I was also damn good with the use of a gun.
And I wouldn’t hesitate to use it.
* * *
Bob Cunningham came from generations of oil production. His great-grandfather had settled in the region when there was little more than a few buildings and a dustbowl. The family had nurtured the land, finally turning their expansive acreage into oil production in the nineteen thirties. They’d also been through some tough times, forced into purchasing additional land over the years in order to keep up with demand.
From what I’d learned, I suspected his net worth was close to a billion dollars. That he would continue fighting for Rutherford’s land seemed almost ridiculous, but people had reasons for their actions. I drove onto the ranch at little after eight in the morning, more chipper than I’d thought I’d be. At this point, there was no reason to tip my hand or to act as if the activities the night before bothered me in any way. However, I was clever in how I handled people. I’d learn more from a ten-minute conversation than the man would expect.
As far as Brad Whitehorse, his roots in the American Indian culture made him a bit more interesting to dissect. While still considered powerful, I had the distinct feeling he had other reasons for trying to eliminate what he considered to be an enemy. The ranch was exactly as I’d noted in the pictures, large and lavish, garish in my opinion.
There were several expensive vehicles parked in close proximity, horses freely roaming behind the fences flanking both sides. The house was three times the size of Rutherford’s, but I had a feeling it was to be able to hold Cunningham’s ego. I couldn’t help but smile as I eased out of the truck, keeping my sunglasses on as I headed for the front door. While I didn’t know what to expect, I had a feeling the man was basking in his glory this early.
My knock was met with almost instant footsteps, the polite yet timid housekeeper giving me a hard onceover.
“Yes?” she asked, her voice holding little or no emotion.
“I’m here to see Mr. Cunningham if he’s available.”
She seemed perplexed before answering, “He’s usually unavailable this time of morning. Are you expected?”
“No, but you can just tell good ole Bob that Jake Travers is here, and he plans on becoming his number one pain in the ass. That should do the trick.”
A slight tic of fear was easy to see in the corner of her mouth. “Wait here.” She closed the door with a hard thud, leaving me on the front porch.
I turned around, taking a deep breath. The display of flowers in several boxes indicated a woman’s touch. I knew the asshole was married, although I had to question the reason why given his penchant for beautiful young women. After three minutes passed, I was ready to pound my fist on the door a second time.
The door finally opened, the housekeeper appearing almost sheepish in her second reaction. “Mr. Cunningham will see you now. I’ll show you where he is.”
“Why, thank you, darlin’.” I kicked up the Montana charm, even though I had to fight the rage building up in my system. I took my time swaggering behind her, scanning every inch of the facility as she led me further inside. When she stopped at a set of closed double doors, I gave her the sweetest look I could muster. “Would you be a dear and bring me some coffee?”
I’d obviously befuddled her with my forward question. Blushing, she chewed on her lip before answering.
“Of course, sir. How would you like it?”
“Black. Isn’t that the way all decent cowboys take their coffee?”
She scurried away as if fearful I would request something else. I took my time before opening the door, uncertain of what to expect.
Mr. Cunningham was lounging in one of the plush leather chairs, puffing on a cigar. I’d always hated the stench, the putrid smell making my stomach churn. However, I took a deep whiff and held it, only expelling after a full minute. “Cuban. Very nice.”
“You know your cigars,” Bob said casually.
“I’ve enjoyed one or two.” I remained where I was, a wry smile planted on my face.
He seemed amused at first, studying me like I was a prized cow and nothing more. All the while he took several additional puffs of his cigar. He was dressed as if prepared to tackle a golf game as opposed to handling any business. Maybe the asshole was celebrating his near success from the night before. I noticed an open laptop. If I had to guess, I’d say he used the few minutes to google me just like I’d done hours before.
“Jake Travers. I’m kind of surprised you’re in Oklahoma. Shouldn’t you be basking in your glory of breaking a record? Or are you hiding in case the commentator brings charges against you?” He was pleased with himself, his eyes twinkling.
Now at least I knew the exchange I’d had with the nasty jerk at the rodeo had made all the new circuits.
“Nah. I was just in the area. Thought I’d stop in and say hello.” After a few seconds, I realized he had no idea who I was or why I was here.
“Well, if you’re looking to find a big rodeo around here given your sullied reputation, I might be able to hook you up with some buddies of mine. Of course that will come at a hefty price. But you can afford it. Right? Or are you one of those broken-down cowboys trying to spin some wind out of fallen sails?”
The single knock on the door kept me from retorting in my usual fashion, which was probably a good idea. These boys played hardball in an arena I had no clue about. But I had the kind of moves that would put the fear of God into them. As the housekeeper entered, bringing me a mug of coffee, I could tell it clearly annoyed Bob.
She left quickly without uttering a single word. Boy, the man had his staff well trained. I took my time, enjoying a few sips of coffee, happy to see he was a bit hot under the collar.
“Just why are you here, Mr. Travers? I’m sorry to say that I don’t have all day.” Bob jerked to a standing position, immediately shifting toward his rather impressive oversized desk. However, a man of his… large stature certainly needed more room. I only hoped the chair was sturdy enough to hold him.
“I’m actually here to do you a favor.”
“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”
I purposely took another sip of coffee, finally placing the mug within centimeters of his computer. When I turned to face him, I kept my smile, swaggering closer with the same gait I used at events. When I planted my hands on his desk, he reared back, his face registering just how pissed he was that I’d dared to touch any of his things.
“I’m here to provide a message as well as a warning.” I kept my tone even, zero emotion involved. At this point, I had the upper hand and planned on keeping it.
“A warning. That’s interesting. I’m all ears, boy.”
Boy. The single word was issued in some giant effort to put me in my place. The idiot was such a fool if he thought that would bother me in the least. “I am well aware of what you and your buddy did last night. What’s his name? Oh, yeah, Brad Whitehorse. Anyway,” I said then rose to my full height, which meant I towered over the man by several inches. “I thought I’d give you one courtesy of making certain you understood that shit like that is never going to happen again.”
I reiterated the point by lifting my index finger. Yup. That pissed him off.
Bob did his best to recoil his anger, although the veins in his fat neck continued to stand out. “What the hell are you alluding to, Mr. Travers? I’m a busy man. Get to the damn point.”
“My point is that you and your bud were bad boys last night setting fire to one of the rigs over at the Big Horn. That wasn’t very nice of you. Of course, I’m well aware that pompous pricks like you and Brad wouldn’t dare get your hands dirty, but you certainly made good on one of your numerous threats.”
I refused to blink, more than eager to know what he would say or do. A moment of joy shifted into my system by seeing just how uncomfortable he’d become.
“Son, what the lily-white fuck are you talking about? You sound like you have a fever.” While the hint of amusement had returned, his eyes were searching mine in order to figure out what the hell was going on.
I enjoyed games tremendously, but this was a teaser and nothing more. I would be curious how quickly he ran to his buddy about my visit. That would provide additional details about if they were truly working together. “My name is Jake Travers, Bob, and you’re right that up until now I’ve been on the rodeo circuit. But that’s all going to change. And do you want to know why?”
When he said nothing, I folded my arms. “Because I’m Rutherford Wallace’s only son. As such, I inherited a good portion of his business. That being said, I’m not the kind of man who takes kindly to threats or worthless assholes who think they can roll over an established and well-respected business for any reason. I realize you and your buddy have a lot to lose and even more to hide. Those pretty young women can be dangerous. I’m going to make a very strong suggestion to you that you keep your associates from trespassing on my property from now on. In addition, if I so much as hear a whisper of any kind of threat, I’ll use what I know against you. And it ain’t gonna be pretty. Do I make myself clear?”
Bob certainly didn’t need to know I was bluffing. By the beads of perspiration that had already formed over his lip, I would say he was disturbed by my visit. While he said nothing, his jaw clenched, and I could swear I heard the sound of his teeth grinding together.
“Good. I can tell we have things straight, Bob. Do you have any questions?”
When he remained silent, I gave a single nod and started to whistle as I walked toward the door.
“You said you were now part owner. Do you mind telling me who the rest of the people are?”
I stopped short, shifting until I was able to look him in the eye. “Just one person. As a matter of fact, I think you already know her pretty damn well. Madisen Falwell?” I made the last part a question just to see if the man had the balls to answer me.
Nope.
“She’s one formidable woman. I can tell you that much,” I continued.
He bristled, his face turning red. He was definitely one of those fellas who couldn’t stand the thought of a woman being in charge. Bob obviously didn’t know a thing about Madisen or her personality.
If he thought she was going to be a pushover, he was dead wrong. He’d just caught a tiger by the tail.
And I was the alligator prepared to rip him apart.
This was going to be one hell of a good time.
* * *
I spent the better part of the day observing work on the rigs. I certainly had my work cut out for me. There were no easy answers to what the right thing was to do in my life but standing on some crazy precipice wasn’t getting me anywhere. From observing Devlin, I had no reason to suspect he was behind the fire. He was hardworking as hell, gruff but knew his shit.
However, it was obvious he didn’t like having me around. Too bad.
I’d purchased a twelve-pack, figuring I was going to need one or five. As I walked into the house, the quiet was unnerving. I’d never liked the silence, always preferring music or at least television. I stood in the entranceway, immediately grabbing a beer. While it was only a little after four, that was party time as far as I was concerned.
When I opened the refrigerator door, I noticed there was almost nothing inside and I doubted anyone had bothered to clean out a damn thing. Was this what living alone would eventually look like?
After taking several long pulls, I walked down the hallway toward the guest bedroom, standing outside like some chump of a kid terrified of monsters. Maybe I was afraid to find out what was inside the box. Maybe I was just some big chicken. After a few seconds, I laughed and forced myself to move in front of the closet door.
Why the hell it actually took me a full ten seconds to open it was beyond me, other than I fear being obligated to share news of the contents with my mama. She definitely didn’t deserve any additional heartache in her life. But I could handle it. I slammed the beer on the nightstand, easily reaching the box. When I placed it on the bed, I realized my hands were sweaty.
What the hell was wrong with me?
There was no tape, no formal closure, only flaps that were fit together in such a way as to be opened with ease. As I peered inside, I was surprised to see dozens of envelopes. Sighing, I pulled one at random from the center, recognizing the handwriting easily.
My mother’s.
The stationery was purple and unless my senses were clogged, there remained a hint of her usual perfume, the same one she’d worn since I was a child. I took several deep breaths before pulling the letter free. As I started to read the words, I was forced to sit down on the bed.
My dearest Ruddy,
I know it’s been a little while since I’ve written, but things have been so busy lately. I have a new job and I’m actually excited about it. Granted, the hours are long but I’m finally enjoying what I do, although that leaves me very little time to do anything else. How is the rodeo circuit? I’ve watched you several times, well, at least until recently given the time constraints. Your last letter made it seem so exciting! I’m sorry this is short, but I need to get some sleep. Write soon if you can.
All my love,
Maggie
I was stunned, unable to think clearly. The date was around my second birthday. My mother had never mentioned that they’d stayed in contact on any level. I’d never seen a letter arrive in the mail or found any lying around. My hands were shaking as I tried to fold the purple paper, returning it exactly the way I’d found it. Why wouldn’t she tell me something like this? Why? It was obvious that Rutherford had corresponded for some period of time.
I tore through the box, checking the postal dates. She continued to write to him up until only a year before his death. Then the letters stopped. I searched the box, finding a single other item. A necklace. A beautiful ruby and diamond necklace, the ruby my mother’s birthstone. A sense of being overwhelmed rushed into my system. I fell back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
My mama had told me from the time I was old enough to listen that keeping secrets in her household wasn’t allowed. I’d tried to honor her request, even though I was one bad boy as a teenager. Why hadn’t she done the same for me? All I wanted to do was yank my phone from my pocket and confront her, but what good would that do? I’d only bring up all the emotion and sadness again.
I closed my eyes, my brain foggier than it had been in a long time. If I was smart, I’d leave here and never look back. But I’d never taken the easy way out of anything. I jerked my phone from my back pocket, sliding my finger over the screen, hesitating before I made the call.
“Well, well. A damn day early. This must be a day for celebration.” Mike’s laugh was far too energetic. “Does that mean you made your decision already?”
“Yep. I have.”
“Then you’re prepared to beg for forgiveness. If so, I’ll make a few calls. I’ll make certain and get you booked on a few of the morning shows. That way your apology will go a long way. I think we’ll be good to go after that.”
“Just hold on a minute, Mike.”
“I told you exactly what you were going to need to do, Jake. I’m not fucking around with this.”
“And I’m not either. Just shut up for a minute. Okay?”
“Sure, buddy. What’s going on?”
While Mike and I went back a ways, I knew he wasn’t going to understand my decision. “I’ve changed my mind.”
“What exactly does that mean?” Mike retorted.
“It means I’m staying here for a while.”
“In freaking Oklahoma? You have to be kidding me.” His laugh pissed me off. “Okay. For how long?”
“As long as it takes, Mike. I have a lot to sort out here.” I sat up, carefully returning the items to the box.
He sighed. “You know that likely means you’re not going to have another chance.”
I laughed softly as I rose to my feet. “Maybe that’s what’s supposed to happen.”
“You’ve changed, buddy. I don’t know why but maybe this is exactly what you need. Keep in touch though.”
“I will. Thanks for everything.” After ending the call, I held the phone against my chest. While I wasn’t one hundred percent certain I was doing the right thing, I’d always felt like there was something missing in my life. Maybe this was my one chance to find some peace.
Some answers.
And a way to heal my soul.
