Cowboy (A Bad Boy Romance 4) Read online

  Cowboy (A Bad Boy Romance)

  Harley Wylde

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright ©2019 Harley Wylde

  BIN: 008806-02847

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  Mobi/PRC

  Publisher:

  Changeling Press LLC

  315 N. Centre St.

  Martinsburg, WV 25404

  www.ChangelingPress.com

  Editor: Crystal Esau

  Cover Artist: Bryan Keller

  Adult Sexual Content

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  Table of Contents

  Cowboy (A Bad Boy Romance)

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Epilogue

  Harley Wylde

  Cowboy (A Bad Boy Romance)

  Harley Wylde

  Jacey: Marrying Beck was a mistake, one I can’t get away from no matter how much time passes. I can’t leave him. It’s not just that running might cost me my life. I have no idea what he would do to the kids if I weren’t here to protect them. I can’t leave them vulnerable to a monster like him. I’ve never once strayed from Beck, even when he’s broken bones and done unspeakable things to me. My life is one never-ending horror movie. But now I have Ty… he’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a man, and I’m not sure I’m strong enough to walk away.

  Ty: The beautiful, sweet mom who comes to my ranch has a haunted look in her eyes that I want to chase away, and bruises she tries damn hard to hide. Kissing her might have been a mistake, but maybe it wasn’t. I’ve wanted Jacey Lane since the day I first saw her, and knowing her husband abuses her just infuriates me. Ty the cowboy might not be able to do much of anything, but Cowboy the Dixie Reaper sure as hell can. If keeping Jacey safe means I need to go home, then so be it. My brothers will stand beside me and help me guarantee that Beck Lane never draws another breath.

  Chapter One

  Jacey

  His lips were warm and firm against mine. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d truly been kissed, and I’d never had a kiss as memorable as this one. The feel of Ty’s arms around me, his strength, made me want to melt against him. His tongue flicked against my bottom lip and I opened, letting him in, needing to taste him. Ty fisted his hand in my hair, not tight enough to hurt but just enough that it turned me on.

  I hadn’t felt desire for anyone in a really long time, or had anyone desire me. His mouth devoured mine as he walked me backward until I pressed against the wall. I could feel the hard ridge of his cock as he pushed his hips tighter against me, and my panties grew damp. I wanted to rub against him, to beg for more. I hated to admit that I’d never had an orgasm, not even self-induced. How pathetic was that?

  But I had to put a stop to it. This. Whatever it was. What we were doing wasn’t right, no matter how much I wished it could continue. I’d let things go too far, and I knew it. My only excuse was that Beck had been in rare form last night, even worse than usual. I lived with a monster, a man who made me do horrible things and wouldn’t hesitate to end my life. I was terrified of him, with good reason, and I was trapped in a nightmare. Just once, I wanted a moment of happiness. A few minutes where I was desired and treated with care. Didn’t make it any less wrong, but I could never regret this moment with Ty. I’d gladly burn in the eternal fires of hell for just this one taste of Ty, to have him hold me just once.

  Pulling away, I placed a hand on his chest. His heart was thumping every bit as hard as mine. It was the first time we’d crossed the line, and it would have to be the last. My heart ached as I fought to say the words that would bring it to an end. I wanted him, more than just physically, but I knew it could never happen.

  “Ty, we can’t.”

  “I know, but I couldn’t resist anymore. Do you know how long I’ve wanted to kiss you?” He moved his thumb in a slow caress along my jaw. “Ever since our eyes met that first time, I knew you were special.”

  “I’m married, Ty.”

  He snorted and ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve met your husband. You can do better. And I honestly wouldn’t call what you have a marriage. More like a hostage situation. You and I both know you’re just too scared to leave him.”

  “Be that as it may, we’ve been married for twelve years. We have two kids! It’s not like I can just walk out.” I knew it was a feeble attempt at putting things back to friendship level. Guilt ate at me. Even though I didn’t love Beck anymore, hadn’t for a long time, I was still a married woman. At least on paper. I hadn’t had a true marriage with Beck in a really long time, if ever. What Ty said was true. I was scared shitless to leave the monster I’d married. I’d tried it before and paid dearly. I wasn’t sure I’d survive the next attempt.

  “That isn’t a good enough reason to stay married, Jacey. You were only eighteen when you met Beck, just out of high school. People change. I know you aren’t the same, though I have my doubts Beck was ever anything other than rotten to the core, and it’s time you moved on. You can’t tell me you’re happy with him.”

  I knew the feelings I’d been developing for Ty were wrong. At least, by society’s standards they were. In my heart, I knew that the love I felt growing for Ty could never be anything but incredibly right. He was just so sweet… so good to me. Far different from the way Beck treated me. There were times I’d close my eyes and imagine what life would be like if Ty were my husband and not Beck. It was the only way I could stay sane, to take a trip to another world, even if it was only in my mind. A place where the man lying next to me loved me and treated me right. Not someone who left bruises and humiliated me. No one knew about the pictures and videos. Or I didn’t think they did. It was stupid to daydream about a life with Ty maybe, but it helped.

  His jaw firmed. “I’ve seen the bruises. I know you try to hide them, but I don’t understand why. He should be in jail. Men like him don’t stop with one hit, Jacey. If he’s done it once, he’ll keep doing it.”

  Ty was right and I knew it, but that didn’t change the fact that I was legally married, and I couldn’t afford a divorce anytime soon. And it wasn’t just the bruises. Beck’s depravity went way deeper. Regardless of how it looked, I stayed to protect my children. Beck had threatened to take the kids if we ever split up. I was sure he’d do it, too. To the rest of the world, he was a hero, the type of man you could count on and call in an emergency. That’s the Beck the public saw. No one knew what
he was like behind closed doors. I knew a very different Beck. I knew the monster. The man who would make his wife pose naked so he could sell the pictures online, minus my face of course. Couldn’t have anyone finding out what he was up to. I’d refused once, and only once. I hadn’t been able to leave the house for nearly a week he’d beaten me so badly. After that, he’d started taking videos and selling them. I was beyond humiliated. It was one thing to do that sort of thing because you wanted to, and another to have it forced on you, and by the man who was supposed to love and cherish you.

  “Please understand, Ty. There’s nothing I can do right now.”

  Or ever, for that matter. If I tried to leave, he’d haul me back and beat me again. Maybe next time he’d kill me. Then my kids wouldn’t stand a chance. At least I could do my best to shield them when Beck went into one of his rages, which happened more and more frequently. And as long as he had me to pose for his little side business, then I didn’t have to worry about him using our kids. I didn’t think for one second that he loved our daughter and son. I wasn’t sure Beck was even capable of the emotion. Whatever mental issues caused his problems, they were getting worse and I worried that he’d be completely unstable soon. Not that he’d admit he had a problem, and he’d somehow lied his way through the psych evaluation for the department.

  Ty sighed. “You know I love Jackson and Danica like they were my own. It eats at me knowing the three of you are with that asshole.”

  I smiled. Ty was amazing with my kids, and not just because he spoiled them rotten. He had befriended them, and had even let the kids ride the stable mounts free of charge. Both of my children had fallen in love with horses, just like I had as a little girl. And I worried they were falling a little in love with Ty too, much like their mom.

  “Those kids took to riding like ducks to water. They earn their keep, helping with the horses. Hell, I wouldn’t charge you for Reaper, but I know you wouldn’t accept my offer.”

  I looked away, feeling a flash of insecurity. Money was a touchy subject for me. Beck gave me enough to cover the stable fees for Reaper each month, and to buy groceries. Honestly, I didn’t know why he let me keep Reaper, except it made him seem like a doting husband. If I needed clothes or shoes, I practically had to beg for them. He always seemed to have plenty of money for whatever he wanted, though. Like a new gun, a night of partying with his friends, or anything else that struck his fancy. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if he bought some time with prostitutes, although I didn’t know why when he’d just take whatever he wanted from me. He didn’t know that I asked my doctor to test me regularly for STDs in case Beck gave me something. After Jackson was born, I’d also been sneaking birth control so I wouldn’t get pregnant again.

  “I should be paying you for their riding lessons,” I said.

  “I don’t want your money, babe. If I need more money, I’ll go back on the circuit.”

  “Do you think I want to see you get hurt?” I cupped his cheek, moving in close again. His crisp, clean scent teased my nose, and I wished I could burrow into him. When his arms had been around me, it was the safest I’d felt in a long time. I’d give anything to feel that every day.

  When Ty had first told me about his rodeo days, I’d found it exciting. I’d always enjoyed watching the different events whenever the smaller circuit came to town. Then he’d told me why he’d quit. It scared me that he could be hurt again, or even killed, all to chase after another buckle. Ty might be a three-time World Champion bareback bronc rider, but he wasn’t invincible. To me, he was sexy, the epitome of what a man should be, but I knew most rodeo cowboys were in their teens and twenties, and Ty was quite a bit older.

  “You’re important to me, Ty. I couldn’t have made it this past year without you. If things were different…” I knew he wanted more than I could give, and if I were honest with myself, I’d admit I wanted him just as much. But it was never going to happen. If Beck ever found out about the kiss… No, I wouldn’t even think about that. If Beck thought for one second that I had feelings for Ty, he’d do his best to ruin Ty’s life, and mine. I could only imagine the ways he’d decide to punish me.

  He studied me, his jaw working back and forth as if he were trying to contain his irritation. I knew that it wasn’t likely he’d ever be satisfied with just friendship, and sooner or later, I’d have to let him go. It wasn’t fair to hold on when I couldn’t take that next step, could never be with him the way he wanted. The day I’d said “I do” to Beck had been the beginning of the end. And even if I could go back and change things, walking away from Beck’s proposal would mean walking away from my kids. No matter what hell I’d suffered, I’d never want to lose them.

  “Is Beck working tonight?” he asked.

  I tried to recall which shift Beck was working. He’d still been in bed when I’d left to take the kids to school. I sometimes thought he’d asked for that floating schedule so I wouldn’t know when it was safe to try to escape. “He’s pulling a double and won’t be home until close to midnight. Why?”

  Ty checked his watch. “Let’s go get a treat for the kids before we get them from school. Then I’m taking y’all somewhere fun. I’ll have you home before they need to wind down and get ready for bed. Just leave your car here and we’ll come back for it later.”

  Leaving my car here meant that if someone were spying on Beck’s behalf, they wouldn’t be able to find me around town. No one ever came to the stable to look for me. For whatever reason, Beck didn’t see Ty as a threat. They’d only met once, when I’d first come to check out the stable. Beck told me later Ty was weak and pathetic. I should be grateful that Beck thought so little of him. It meant I had one refuge where I could hide for a bit, decompress, and just breathe without the constant worry and fear.

  I knew I was going to give in to Ty, how could I not? Jacey Lane, you’re a sucker for that slow southern drawl of his and those baby blues. “All right. Where are we going?” I asked.

  He grinned, a dimple flashing in one cheek. “The mall, of course. Didn’t Danica say something about wanting some new bear they have at that specialty store? I figure we can find something for Jackson there too. Can you imagine their faces when they crawl in the back seat and see those bear boxes just waiting to be opened?”

  I bit my lip and placed a hand over my belly as it cramped a little. I’d barely had time to shove a muffin in my mouth on the way to the elementary school and I hadn’t been back home since. That was five hours ago. If I didn’t eat soon, I’d get lightheaded.

  “Do we have enough time to grab some lunch while we’re out? I’m starving.”

  “We can eat at the mall food court, or we can grab something along the way.” He looked at his watch again. “It’s only twelve. If we hurry, we might even be able to sit down somewhere.”

  “Just let me grab my purse from the car.”

  He followed me out of the office, locking the door behind him. Even though Ty kept any payments in the safe, he made sure no one could access his workspace when he wasn’t around. There were also cameras in the stable hallway, which meant the horses were safe as well. If anyone tried to steal one, it would be easy enough to turn them over to the police. It was one of the features that had sold Beck on letting me keep Reaper here. Or maybe he’d hoped Ty would let him access the feed on occasion to make sure I wasn’t flirting with anyone.

  We walked down the dusty barn aisle, horses sticking their heads over their doors in curiosity. My fingers twitched, wanting to reach over and take Ty’s hand, but I knew I couldn’t. Not out here in the open. Anyone could be watching, and then Beck might find out. I hated living every second of my life in fear, but I didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t go to the police. He was the police.

  In the heat of summer, the fans along the barn corridor would be on, but it was cool enough now they weren’t needed. The stalls were insulated so the horses were comfortable regardless of the temperature outside. I could smell the sweet scent of hay and that underlying musk
of horse that made me feel like I was in heaven. People gave me strange looks when I said my favorite smell was horses and dirt, but it was true. I could bury my face against my horse and just breathe him in for hours and be perfectly content.

  I paused in front of Reaper’s stall and rubbed his head a moment. “I’ll see you tomorrow, big boy.”

  The horse nudged me with his nose and I laughed before giving him one last pat. I’d named the tall black horse The Grim Reaper, but he was really the sweetest thing. I would trust him with either of my children, and that was saying something. People were scared of him because he was so broad and tall, but I knew Reaper had the heart of an angel. Much like the tall, handsome cowboy walking beside me.

  At my car, I snagged my purse, then reset the locks and alarm. When I reached Ty’s truck, he held the door open for me and I climbed into the monstrous thing. I settled into my seat and fastened my seatbelt as Ty got in. Glancing his way, I admired the way the sun glinted on his golden-blond hair. His skin was tanned from working outside all the time, and I knew his hands were rough and calloused from a hard day’s work. When he smiled, his blue eyes flashed with humor, shining with the brightness of the sky. And earlier, when he’d kissed me, his eyes had darkened with passion, like the stormy sea.

  Someday, he’d make some woman a wonderful husband. My heart ached, knowing that woman would never be me. Until the day I died, or Beck did, I would be forever tied to the father of my children. I only hoped that living with him wouldn’t warp my kids and turn them into replicas of their dad, or even worse, instill a fear so deep inside them they never learn to trust someone.

  It took around forty minutes for us to reach the area by the mall. Without even asking, Ty immediately drove to my favorite Mexican restaurant. Even though I didn’t dine in town with Ty often, for fear of Beck finding out, I’d confessed how much I loved their enchiladas and cheese dip. Ty was always doing sweet things for me -- picking my favorite restaurant, bringing me chocolates for Christmas and Valentine’s Day, giving me a small gift on my birthday. It was always something easy to hide from Beck. We were seated quickly and it only took us a half hour to eat and pay the bill. Once we were done, we drove over to the mall and went in search of the bear store.