Page 240 of The Reason I Married Him
“You motherfucker,” Ryland says as he starts to charge, but I grip him tightly. “Let me the fuck go, Aubree.”
“No,” I shout. “Ryland, stop. This won’t make anything better.”
“It sure as hell will make me feel a whole lot better.”
“Let him punch me,” Wyatt says. “I deserve it, and if it’ll make him feel better, then let him do it.”
“You heard him,” Ryland says as he shakes free of my clutch and charges after Wyatt, who doesn’t flinch, doesn’t move. And before I can even catch up to Ryland, I see his fist cock back, only to fly forward and connect with Wyatt’s face on a crunch.
A shrill scream tumbles past my lips as Wyatt falls to the floor, and Ryland starts to straddle him. That’s when I jump on top of Ryland, and Hattie helps, pulling him away.
This is not the first time Ryland has raised a fist to one of the men in this family. He also got in a fight with Hayes as well. Ryland might not carry the same kind of fist our dad did once, but when he’s protecting his loved ones, he sure knows how to use it.
“Stop, Ryland,” I yell as I pull him away with Hattie’s help. “Just stop.”
Wyatt runs his hand under his nose, where it’s bleeding, and looks Ryland in the eyes. “Feel better?”
“No.” Ryland breathes heavily, ready to strike again. I can feel it. “You said you wouldn’t fucking hurt her. You lied to my goddamn face.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt her,” Wyatt says calmly. “I was trying to protect her when, in reality, I ended up hurting her.”
“Protecting her? By forcing her to marry you?”
“He didn’t force me,” I say. “I willingly agreed to marry him.”
“Because he dangled the farmland in front of you,” Ryland shouts, then turns his attention toward Wyatt. “What kind of man does that?”
“A desperate one,” Wyatt says. “Pathetic one.”
“Pathetic is more like it.” Ryland stands taller. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to get an annulment, you’re going to give Aubree the title to the land, and then you’re going to leave our fucking lives and never return.”
“Ryland, no,” I say, my voice growing stronger. “We’re not going to take the land.”
“Fine.” Ryland moves toward the kitchen and digs into a drawer, where he pulls out a checkbook. “I have money. I’ll buy it from you. Name your price.”
“Ryland, that money is going toward a new house for you and Mac,” I say. “You’re not giving that up.”
“Aubree, I’m not going to stand by and watch this fuckhead take advantage of you.”
“He’s not,” I finally say, hating that I have to defend him. “I agreed fairly to work with him on this deal. I said I’d marry him so we both would win. And I’m holding true to my word. I’ll stay married to him.”
“You will?” Wyatt asks, looking confused.
“Yes,” I say, finally looking at him and his bloody face. “We will stay married. We will put on a show because, if anything, I keep my word. But when it comes to you and me on a personal level, that’s done.” I turn to my brother and say, “Ryland, I expect you to be cordial around Wyatt. If anything, do it for Mac. He will be here for a year, so we’ll have to figure out how to live with him being around.” I now turn to Hattie, who looks like a deer in headlights, completely scared. “Hattie, this stays between us. This deal, it does not leave this room. I don’t carehow angry or upset you are. I want this land, and this is the only way I’ll accept it. Understood?”
Hattie nods but doesn’t say anything.
“As for you,” I say to Wyatt. “I suggest you find a way to make this better with my brother because he’s the one who protects Mac, and if you want any semblance of a relationship with your niece, then he’s the one you’ll have to speak with.”
And with that, I head out of the farmhouse and straight to the guest house, where I take a long, hot shower.Once again, I’ve let my guard down around a man who will never love me.
But I refuse to be beaten down by this. I refuse to buckle.
I will pick myself up like I’ve done many times before, and I’ll come out the other side stronger.
Like I’ve done many times before too.
WYATT
