Waiting on a Cowboy - Jennifer Ryan Page 0,72

get better. Vows that he cared so much about her and wanted to make her happy that didn’t match the way he acted and treated her.

Never in her life had there been violence in her relationships. That’s why Clint’s behavior stunned her. She didn’t get it. For a moment, she’d wanted to dismiss it. He didn’t mean it, she rationalized.

Heat of the moment, and all that.

Worse, he’d made her question whether it was her fault. Had she instigated it? No. But he’d made her second-guess herself more than once.

Clint wanted to wear her down so she’d do whatever he wanted. That’s how it felt when Aubrey told her story, that Clint had simply been relentless in his pursuit and holding on to her even when she wanted out.

Liz got out before she got in too deep. So deep she suffocated and went along just so she could breathe.

“Tim’s article will make people see Clint for who he really is. Aubrey’s death won’t go unnoticed. People will read her story and know what really happened to her even if the cops can’t prove what Clint did. Tim will make the public understand that unfortunately this kind of thing happens all the time. Maybe someone will even see themselves in Aubrey and that they’re in a destructive relationship and get out.”

“I hope so.” Trinity adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. “Do you want me to stick around for a while?”

Liz hugged her. “Thank you for the offer, but I’ll be okay.” She released Trinity. “I’m not really feeling like cooking tonight. Mind packing up something yummy for Tate, Declan, and me? We’ll pick it up on our way home tonight.”

Trinity beamed. “Do you really think of the ranch as home now?”

“Tate feels like home.” Her heart grew heavy in her chest just thinking about him and how much she loved him. “Without him these last weeks, I don’t know what I would have done. This thing with Clint is so worrisome.”

Trinity’s mouth tilted in a half frown. “Do you think he’ll do something to you?”

“I don’t know.” Another lie she told herself. She knew he wouldn’t give up.

She crossed her arms over her middle. “I hope this thing at his work will take the focus off me.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, neither of them believing that would happen but pretending to agree her goodbye to Clint today ended this episode in her life.

All she wanted to do was focus on the happiness she found with Tate.

She hoped this dark cloud over their lives had passed and they’d have nothing but sunshine from now on.

Sure, they’d face a few showers in their future, but she didn’t mind because with Tate she knew any storm they faced would fade with the brightness of their love.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“The stories these women are telling are disturbing.” Dustin, the HR guy sent by the higher-ups in the company to pull Clint into this fishbowl conference room and talk to him about the charges, shook his head. Like he didn’t really want to high-five him for fucking the four women huddled together in an office behind them.

“They’re lying.”

“They were interviewed separately. Their stories are eerily similar.”

“Yeah? That’s probably because they got together, formed a plan to fuck my life, and handed you a load of bullshit.”

Those bitches told every damn little detail about their personal relationships. He broke up with three of them. The other preemptively broke up with him when he’d made it clear he couldn’t stand her sniveling one more second.

And today they retaliated because they’d been dumped.

Dustin stared at him. “Never shit where you eat. Four women in the same office. They were bound to talk and compare notes. Women, they do that.” He shrugged, and gave Clint a you’re-a-dumbshit-for-getting-caught glare.

Clint couldn’t decide if the guy was giving him advice for next time or reprimanding him for dating multiple women he worked with.

None of the women who came forward were his subordinates. It didn’t matter to HR.

At least his assistant, Kelly, remained loyal and kept her mouth shut about them dating.

But what did it matter, really? He was already screwed.

And Kelly was still in love with him, so she’d probably stick up for him, if nothing else.

“You’ve put the company in a precarious position. Your contributions have been invaluable, but your behavior can’t be excused.”

“You’re afraid of a lawsuit.” Getting rid of him didn’t cost them anything.

“They’ve got a good case. Emails. Voicemails. At best they’re unflattering for you, but some

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